Submerge Magazine: Issue 178 ( January 5 - 19, 2015)

Dive into Sacramento & its Surrounding Areas January 5 – 19, 2015

#178

Humble Wolf Are You Ready

to Rock?

Be Brave Bold Robot

Sacramento's Newest Hip-Hop Heroes?

Top 30

Albums of 2014!

According to Us, Anyway Eric Rushing Breathes New Life into The Boardwalk

Robin Bacior Water Dreamer

Chicory

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Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

12/26/14 12:55 PM

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

9426 Greenback ln, Orangevale

tickets available at dimple records, armadillo records , or online at

theboardwalkpresents.com all shows all ages

The Von Trapps

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Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

3

dive in

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

178 2015

January 5 –19

We Got Your Resolutions Right Here Melissa welliver melissa@submergemag.com

12

10 16

We have

129

cabs ready to serve you!

And they’re all just a click away!

18 04

Dive in

16

06

The Stream

ting 18 the tings

07

The Optimistic Pessimist

20

calendar

09 Submerge your senses 10 chicory

24

top albums of 2014

12

26

the shallow end

humble wolf

cofounder/ Editor in Chief/Art Director

Melissa Welliver melissa@submergemag.com cofounder/ Advertising Director

Call or SMS text 24 hours

916-444-2222 Download the Yellow Cab Taxi App at www.yellowcabsacramento.com

robin bacior

Jonathan Carabba jonathan@submergemag.com senior editor

James Barone Assistant Editor

Mandy Pearson

Contributing Writers

Zach Ahern, Amber Amey, Joe Atkins, Robin Bacior, Corey Bloom, Bocephus Chigger, Justin Cox, Alia Cruz, Julie De La Torre, Josh Fernandez, Catherine Foss, Blake Gillespie, Fabian Garcia, Lovelle Harris, Niki Kangas, Nur Kausar, Ryan Prado, Steph Rodriguez, Andrew C. Russell, Amy Serna, Jacob Sprecher, Jenn Walker

916.441.3803 info@submergemag.com printed on recycled paper

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Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

Submerge

1009 22nd Street, Suite 3 Sacramento, Calif. 95816

Josh Corrigan, Wesley Davis, Adam Dillion, Phill Mamula, Liz Simpson, Nicholas Wray

Submergemag.com

4

Happy New Year, Submerge readers. We’re back from our three-week issue with, just like I promised, our “Best Albums of 2014” list. I know, I know, it’s 2015; but please forgive us, we took a little time off.

After the holidays, 20 of our regular contributors gave their thoughts on their favorite local and national releases to come up with our ultimate list, which is exactly how we blend each issue of Submerge. Flip to page 24 and see how our list sorted itself out this year.

I’d also like to remind local bands to please mail us a copy of your album (it takes about 10 minutes to jet over to the post office, and about $1.40) or email us a link to stream it, and maybe your album can make our best of 2015 list—more importantly, it will keep us in the loop so we can consider your band for a feature story or interview. Please don’t sit on your tunes, share them! The earlier you let us know about your upcoming release (we prefer a month or two ahead of time), maybe we can feature you and/or your band in an upcoming issue of Submerge. New Year’s resolution idea #1: Don’t be lazy in ‘15!

Speaking of, how are you doing on your resolutions? Is getting in shape on your resolution list? Is that a reoccurring resolution #2? In our “Submerge Your Senses” section we’d like to introduce you to a place (actually a few) in town that blends Pilates, Ballet and Yoga. I have a dear friend from Los Angeles who has been doing this exact workout for a couple years now and swears by it. Check out our Dailey Method writeup on page 9.

Resolution idea #3: Go to more shows!

Submerge is always here to help you find out who is touring through town, or which locals have shows. Ahem, dare I say, we have one of the best live music calendars in the region, and you can find an updated one in every single issue of Submerge.

Also, check out our advertisers. The best music venues in town advertise their calendars in each issue. And hats off to them!

Resolution idea #4: Read more. Luckily for you, Submerge is free and comes out every other week.

Duh! Enjoy issue #178.

Melissa

front Cover Photo of the ting tings Courtesy of MSO PR

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 1009 22nd Street, Suite 3 Sacramento, Calif. 95816. Or you can e-mail us at info@submergemag.com. back Cover Photo of humble wolf by elle jaye

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

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Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

5

The stream More Sacramento Venue Changes: Q & A with Ace of Spades/Goldfield Owner Eric Rushing on The Boardwalk Jonathan Carabba

Send regional news tips to info@submergemag.com

In a year full of ups and downs for Sacramento music venues, one iconic local club is about to get some new life breathed into it. Submerge has received word that Eric Rushing and Bret Bair (of the popular downtown venues Ace of Spades and Goldfield) are set to take over The Boardwalk, a legendary all-ages music club on Greenback Lane in Orangevale that has hosted some of the biggest names in the industry as well as countless locals since it opened in 1987. Local scene aficionados will know that Rushing has a long history with The Boardwalk. He steadily promoted shows there for 10 years (from 2001 to 2011) before opening Ace of Spades and later Assembly, which recently closed. Rushing granted us a rare interview to talk about his natural progression to taking over The Boardwalk, the future of the venue and what sort of local bands he’s looking for. Check out their new website for show listings and more information: Theboardwalkpresents.com.

Open 11am–1am Every Day

1050 20th Street, Sacramento, CA blockbutcherbar.com

1400 ALHAMBRA SAcRAMento BLUeLAMPSAcRAMento.coM 916-455-3400 jAn. 6 • 8pm

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the DiCtAtors (nYC)

(CD releAse pArtY) tAsk1ne, j.terriBle, Dizz, CherrY reD thursDAY

motor666, seCretions, ColD feelings

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for jAnA & wAtts B-DAY pArtY

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rADio rADio ‘80s DAnCe night! w/ Dj’s roger CArpio,

BrYAn hAwk, DAviD X

live musiC: the jeAn genies (Bowie triBute)

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toDD n toDD, mustAfA shAheen, the sAD juiCes

Coming soon

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jan 28 hobo contraption, jake ielsen’s triple threat, devon galley

jAn. 14 • 8pm

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jan 29 jeff turner +tba

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open miC / spoken worD

Blues jAm

Dj wokstAr & guests

Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

We’ve known ever since you guys decided to vacate Assembly that you’d be looking for another smaller venue to complement the larger Ace of Spades. So our first question is simple: Why the Boardwalk?

It was a no-brainer for me because of my history there; however, we were really hoping to do something downtown to complement Ace and fill the void of Assembly going away. Even though The Boardwalk is located 20 to 30 minutes outside of the downtown area I still feel it’s in a great suburban area surrounded by a ton of high schools and endless potential. I’m actually really excited to do this again and already have some great shows in place for 2015.

Do you think it will be a challenge to sort of bring back the “glory days” when The Boardwalk was like the place for live music? Lately at least, it seems like a lot of Sacramento’s entertainment options have been focused on the grid. What does it take to get people to shows all the way out at The Boardwalk?

[We] definitely have our work cut out for us but we have a ton of great ideas to really put this place back on the map. There are a lot more people living in the grid these days, but a majority of the people are still coming from the ‘burbs anyway, so I’m not so worried about people not driving from downtown. We will make sure to put some shows in there that will get them out of the grid!

Same deal as usual as far as the live music program goes? A mix of national acts and local acts, right?

Correct. Same format I have used for years and same format we use at Ace. At one point when we were last talking, you mentioned if this deal went through, you’d be possibly doing some renovations to the place. What sort of changes will people be able to notice at The Boardwalk right away, as well as in the distant future?

I can’t give away our secrets just yet, but it’s going to have a really cool vibe!

What will it take for local bands reading this to get a gig at The Boardwalk? What are you looking for in performers as far as sound, promotion, etc.?

Talented bands that actually get a crowd out to see them. It’s pretty simple, you just need to do the work and create a following. We are already booking shows for next year. Email us at Boardwalkpresents@gmail.com.

There has been a lot of commotion lately in the local scene with all of the venue closures. In your opinion, what does the state of Sacramento’s music scene look like to you right now?

There definitely needs to be more attention on the local music scene and the venues local bands can play. We’ll be giving a lot of them their shot here at The Boardwalk. Sacramento has always had a great scene. It just needs to be rebuilt, which we will be working on!

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

The Optimistic Pessimist

All Your Films Are Belong To Us

2708 J Street Sacramento 916.441.4693 HarlowS.com ERic BElliNGER

WHiTEY MORGAN AND THE 78s

KRS-ONE Bocephus Chigger bocephus@submergemag.com

JOE FlETcHER

By now, you are all undoubtedly aware that Sony got its ass handed to it by a group of hackers calling themselves the Guardians of Peace—or the G.O.P., for short. If you haven’t heard, the G.O.P. hacked its way deep into the servers of Sony Pictures Entertainment, gaining access to the company’s staffing records, films, financial reports, marketing materials and emails, which have now been leaked. What do you think about these?

Date: June 4, 2014 at 12:01 a.m.

To: Amy Pascal (apascal@sony.net) From: The Guardians of Peace (GOP@NKorea.gov) Stop the Killing We have seen milion of people dye in yer moviez. Itz not right.

We will rain blood on yer head an kill the Adam Sandler. We will tak what we wantz and will rule you.

We are in your computer boxes.

GOP haz u!

Date: Aug. 13, 2014 at 3:00 p.m.

To: The Guardians of Peace (GOP@NKorea.gov) From: Amy Pascal (apascal@sony.net) CC: ‘Slave #1’ (jbell@sony.net) Re: Stop the Killing I really like your passion for the project! It sounds like a very interesting story. The hacker angle is huge right now. I like how you’ve worked in a bit of the “Occupy Wall Street” sentiment as well. That’s going to do great with the under-30s. I’ve got to say, it may be tough to convince the other studio heads to do another Sandler vehicle. Not much love over here for him right now. Any chance we can try it with someone like Channing Tatum? He is super hot right now. Just a thought!

I’ve copied my assistant onto this email and she will be contacting you re: the script and other details.

I think we’ve got a real hit on our hands!

Date: Aug. 14, 2014 at 1:17 p.m.

To: Michael Bay (MagicMike@baymail.com) From: Amy Pascal (apascal@sony.net) I think I have something for you!

Hey Mike! I think I have something you might be interested in. I know you wanted to do something else besides Transformers, and this project may be just the thing. It has Summer Action Blockbuster written all over it!

I don’t have a script yet, but the pitch was hackers and class warfare on an epic scale. They also want to kill Adam Sandler, which I’d love to get behind if it were only real. I don’t think Adam is going to end up working for us, though. The man is about as loved over here as Hitler! I suggested Channing to the writers, but nothing is set yet. I think it’s going to be huge and I’m bringing it to you first.

So what do you think?

SubmergeMag.com

Date: Sept. 18, 2014 at 4:15 p.m.

To: Amy Pascal (apascal@sony.net) From: Michael Bay (MagicMike@baymail.com) CC: Shia LaBeouf (#1Boofer@gmail.com) Re: I think I have something for you!

Hey Ames! Sorry I took a little while to get back to you. I’ve been out to sea on my new yacht, The Miami Vice, for a couple of weeks trying to avoid all the bad press surrounding my movies. I told you I need something real, Amy, and I hope you aren’t shitting me when you say this is it. If the money is right, I am in. I blew up half of Transformers 4 my nose already and daddy needs his candy!

We got a name for this thing yet? Occupy Hack Street has a nice ring to it...

I CC’d Shia. He’s launching a comeback and I think this would be perfect for him. Shia and I already talked about it and he has some great ideas.

I’ll let him tell you.

Date: Oct. 3, 2014 at 4:30 p.m.

To: Amy Pascal (apascal@sony.net), Michael Bay (MagicMike@baymail.com) From: Shia LaBeouf (#1Boofer@gmail.com) Occupy Hack Street J_Law_Bewb.jpg First of all, just let me say wow!

I thought doing gallery shows and having public meltdowns was the business, but this story has really grabbed my attention.

Michael told me all about the machines that have taken over the Earth and enslaved mankind. I’d love it if we could also incorporate some of my performance art to give this thing a little more indie cred.

I’d also like to show my sensitive side, so let’s get a better female lead than that trailer trash, Megan Fox. I saw some of those hacked Jennifer Lawrence pics. (I attached one ;) )All I can say is, WOW! Why don’t we get her?

Date: Nov. 15, 2014 at 4:30 p.m.

To: Michael Bay (MagicMike@baymail.com) From: Amy Pascal (apascal@sony.net) Re: Occupy Hack Street Seriously Mike? Shia fucking LaBeouf? I’m trying to run a studio over here. I’m trying to make people money, Mike! I’m trying to make YOU money and you try to bring in Shia FUCKING LaBeouf without asking me first?!?! Shia is toxic and Sony won’t be working with him any time soon. Jesus, Mike, get it together. You will break the news to Shia and take all of the blame. Sony will not be part of his next “performance piece.”

In fact, I think we have to pass on Occupy Hack Street, Mike.

Let us know when you’ve got your head out of your ass!

Date: Nov. 23, 2014 at 9 p.m.

To: The Guardians of Peace (GOP@NKorea.gov) From: Jill Bell (jbell@sony.net) Occupy Hack Street :( Hey guys! This is Amy Pascal’s assistant, Jill. Amy wanted me to let you all know that she thinks you have a great idea, but it needs too much work for us. Sony is going to have to pass on your script for Occupy Hack Street, but we welcome you to rework the plot and email us when you have a new draft ready. We look forward to hearing from you and wish you the best of luck!

FRiDAY

SATURDAY

10PM $20adv

1 /09

WEDNESDAY

1 /07

1 /17

6PM $7 all ages

THURSDAY

6PM $10 all ages

FRiDAY

6PM $20adv

1 /08 1 /09

WEDNESDAY

8PM $10adv

1 /21

Zyah Belle & The Funkshun KO & Eli | ROccA & MR. ERiK JAMES

SHOW STOPPERS 2015 MixER

Midge ure vocalisT oF ulTravox THE UNFORTUNATE BASTARD

HilARiUM WiTH MUSicAl GUESTS

SATURDAY

7PM $20

SUNDAY

6PM $8 all ages

MAU

THURSDAY

6PM $20

Al KOOPER

FRiDAY

9PM $8adv

1 /10 1 /11 1 /15 1 /16

6:30PM $18 all ages

SAxUAl cHOcOlATE oh

Joy and Madness NicKEl SlOTS

SUNDAY

7PM $18adv

PAT TRAvERS BAND

THURSDAY

8PM $15adv

PorTland cello ProJecT

FRiDAY

9:30PM $10adv

APPlE Z

1 /18 1 /22

1 /23

*all

times are d o or times*

COMING SOON 01/24 01/25 01/28 01/29 01/30 01/30

The Ting Tings Too Many ZooZ New Mastersounds Sage Francis Will Kimbrough Duran Duran Duran(late) 01/31 Super Huey 01/31 Hip Service (late)

02/03 02/04 02/05 02/06 02/07 02/09 02/10 02/12

The Motet Nothing Particle Zoo Station Steelin’ Dan Pinback The Dodos Wiliam Fitzsimmons 02/12 Big Smo (late)

02/14 Mumbo Gumbo 02/17 Wild child 02/19 AlO 2/20-21 Tainted love 02/22 crystal Bowersox 02/28 Nicholas David 02/28 Petty Theft (late) 03/01 Mali Music 03/02 David cook

Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

7

Sacramento’S neweSt country Bar, reStaurant, and live muSic venue Mondays

Open Mic night hosted by

James Cavern fri Jan 9 all ageS / 9Pm / free

sat Jan 10

21+ / 9Pm / $20

thu Jan 15

tuesdays 21+ / 9Pm / $15

toree mcGee

Free Line

Dancing LessOns

with rodeo houSe with special guests

wednesdays

sat Jan 17 21+ / 9Pm / free

Bar gaMes Beer pOng cOrnhOLe

pawnshop kings, & Jake desrochers

fri Jan 16 all ageS / 9Pm / free

fri Jan 23

21+ / 9Pm / free

Big Buck hunter 1st thursdays

Live cOuntry BanD

karaOke

sat Jan 24

21+ / 9Pm / free

fri Jan 30

21+ / 9Pm / free

coMing soon:

feb 13 country strong

JOhnny cash cOver BanD

feb 14 cripple creek band

saturdays

feb 6 JaMes otto feb 7 Jackson Michelson

Kenny Frye Band

feb 20 Madison hudson feb 27 dave russell band feb 28 buck ford

1630 J street (Corner of J & 17) SaCramento goldfieldtradingpost.coM

8

Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

3rd thursdays

Live Music & cOuntry DJ Dancing Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

TOUCH

Your Senses

Keep That New Year’s Resolution with The Dailey Method’s Blend of Pilates, Ballet and Yoga

Ever since The Dailey Method founder Jill Dailey opened her first studio in San Francisco in 2000, offering a unique combination of ballet barre work, core conditioning, yoga and orthopedic exercises, she’s seen her business grow into a fitness empire with 56 locations on three continents! With growth like that, you know she’s got to be onto something with her approach to health and fitness. A number of those locations are actually right here in our region (Downtown, Roseville, Folsom and the newest to open in East Sacramento), so if you’re looking for a new way to get in shape, think about trying out one of their “Dailey Basics” classes geared toward beginners, and eventually work your way up to the more advanced “Dailey Barre,” “Dailey Cycle” or “Dailey +” classes. The Dailey Method is open to anyone looking to increase strength, flexibility and stamina, and improve posture and body awareness. Male, female, young, old, healthy, those looking to rehab injuries, even pregnant women. Visit Thedaileymethod.com and search for the studio nearest you.

TASTE

Dine Downtown Restaurant Week Returns! • Jan. 15–24 If you’re all about that farm-to-fork foodie life but live on a tight Taco Bell budget like most of us, your favorite week ever (well, 10 days, really) is officially here: Dine Downtown Restaurant Week is back, going down from Jan. 15 through 24 at various downtown dining establishments. Every year, Dine Downtown restaurants and chefs create special three-course dinner menus and offer them for just $31 per person. Past years have been $30, but this year that extra dollar goes to the Food Literacy Center, a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring change in community food education, so you can feel good for saving some money and giving back! There are nearly 30 restaurants involved, including some fancy-shmancy spots like Ella, Biba and The Firehouse, as well as more casual-but-still-super-nice places like The Red Rabbit, Mayahuel, Capital Dime and Hock Farm, just to name a few. To see a list of all participating restaurants and even some specific menu options for some of the spots, visit Downtownsac.org/events/dine-downtown and click around. Or, if you can remember how to actually use the “phone” option on your handheld device, call (916) 442-8575 for more info.

SEE

Five More Home Games for Pro Indoor Soccer Team the Sacramento Surge • Various Dates With all of the hype around our new local pro soccer team the Republic FC, as well as all the talk about them possibly becoming an MLS expansion (which would mean we would need a big-ass new soccer arena), there is no doubt that Sacramento has established itself as a soccer town! We’re here to remind you that the Republic FC aren’t the only pro-level team in town. Enter Sacramento Surge, our local indoor pro soccer team that is currently in its third season (and first as part of the newly formed Major Arena Soccer League, or MASL for short).

Sacramento Surge games are fun to watch with their intensely fast-paced and top-notch skilled players. Lucky for you, there are still five home games left this season. Catch the action on Jan. 10 when they take on the Seattle Impact, then again on Jan. 24 and 25 against the San Diego Sockers. On Jan. 31 they battle the Ontario Fury and on Feb. 14 the Surge will wind down their season with their final home game against the Turlock Express. All games start at 7 p.m. (with the exception of the Jan. 25 match, which starts at 3 p.m.).

Tickets for Surge games are super affordable, too, at just $12 for adults and $6 for kids. The team plays their home games in a 2,000-seat arena at McClellan Park, which is being developed by Jackson Sports Academy for the Surge. To learn more about the team and to purchase tickets ahead of time, visit Sacsurge.com, or find them on Facebook or Twitter by searching “Sacramento Surge.”

SubmergeMag.com

HEAR

Be Brave Bold Robot’s Album Release Show at Fox & Goose Jan. 23

When Dean Haakenson of local indie/folk/rock outfit Be Brave Bold Robot hit us up to inform us that they had made an “eclectic, weird new album” called Press E to Continue (the name devised by the top donor on the album’s Kickstarter campaign) and that it has a “couple rap tracks” on it, we couldn’t help but be intrigued. So we downloaded, pressed play to continue and freaking loved it! From the opening track, a folk-y ode to their hometown appropriately titled “Sacramento,” to the actually impressive hip-hop collaboration with local rapper Mr. Hooper “Grown Ass Man,” to the eight-minute-plus closer about being young and doing mushrooms called “Sonerda.” With Press E... BBBR has got us again, hook, line and sinker.

BBBR is celebrating the release of the new album with a big show at Fox and Goose on Friday, Jan. 23. The show will feature an early singer/songwriter set, then go into a premier of the “Recipe” music video by Matt Brown, then into the sure-to-bediverse BBBR set, leading up to a closing set from local psychedelic rock band CFR. Cover is just $5, 21-and-over only. Hit up Facebook.com/bebraveboldrobot to keep up with the group’s shenanigans.

Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

9

Soup’s On! Chicory Coffee & Tea

1131 11 th Street • Sacramento

Words Steph Rodriguez • photos David adams

During the busy hours of the work week, the baristas behind the counter at Chicory Coffee and Tea also double as hosts. Located just across the street from the capitol, the small coffeehouse welcomes a number of guests at 11th and L streets when 7 a.m. dawns and the eclectic coffee rush begins. But once all has settled and the espresso grinder falls silent, the Chicory staff begins to prepare for what is known as the “soupocalypse.” Not only does the locally owned business receive fresh, roast-to-order coffee shipments from their head roaster in Portland, they’re also known as the go-to lunch hotspot for a good bowl of soup in the downtown area.

Like clockwork during the winter season, Chicory customers order and consume anywhere between 18 to 20 gallons of soup per day. So routine, in fact, that according to longtime manager Katelynn Williams, the building’s breaker system experienced electrical troubles keeping up with soup demands during one period. But, not to worry, the staff now has the lunch rush down to a science of balance, rotating huge cylindrical pots between burners to ensure each spoonful is served piping hot.

“We specialize in soups, salads and sandwiches, kind of capitol downtown basics, and we really don’t gouge on the soup prices. It’s $3.50 [for a bowl],” says Williams.

Chicory lists between six to eight soup choices on its specials board that alternate daily, many prepared from scratch in-house and always ready by 11 a.m.

The temperature is cold and crisp on a Monday morning with sunlight sporadically breaking through an overcast gray skyline, a fitting day for soup.

Deep red in color, Chicory’s roasted tomato is just one of many soup varieties handcrafted by executive chef Melissa

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Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

Candela. A rich and hearty spoonful is tactfully balanced with sweet tomato chunks, savory carrot and onion pieces, a hint of oregano and warm spices. It’s instant comfort in a bowl.

“My love of cooking and feeding people really came from my mother,” she explains.

Candela’s culinary education began at 8 years old and, in addition to her mother’s influence, she also hails from a family of master bakers. As a young girl, she grew accustomed to a fully stocked pantry lined with several selections of flours, sugars and yeasts. This was very much the norm. Now, Candela is the woman responsible for all the aromas that permeate from the Chicory kitchen and she prides herself on fresh, top quality ingredients layered in the dishes she creates.

“Our chef does a daily special that incorporates a lot of locally grown produce. I hesitate to say ‘farm to fork’ because that’s become so cliché, but it’s true,” Williams admits. “We often take trips to the farmers market.”

What’s more, reasonable prices are found at Chicory. A cup of soup is only three bucks and the slightly larger bowl is priced at $3.50, both served with sliced baguette and butter. Salads range between $6 and $7.50, while the hefty, twice-baked potato with bacon, green onions and cheddarjack cheese in every bite costs $5.50. Trust that it will combat any level of hunger, but set aside at least 15 minutes for a nap because you’re about to experience the itis*. *Itis: the drowsy, sleepy feeling you get after eating a large meal. Usual meals like big Sunday dinner, Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. Defined by Urbandictionary.com.

A long line quickly forms during Chicory’s soup hour. Yet, one almost wishes for more time in line to decide between the day’s particular soup specials: French mushroom, vegan Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

southwestern corn, chicken pot pie, turkey and sweet corn chowder, cheesy Angus beef stew or how about chicken artichoke Florentine?

At the register, my indecisive nature finally boiled down to a bowl each of vegan southwestern corn and French mushroom soup, a “bottle rocket” sandwich, the chef’s special twice-baked potato and an Asian noodle salad with sweet chili dressing. Bring it on, hunger.

A filling and tasty vegan soup is a hard gem to find and usually packs in the sodium as if it’s a healthy meat replacer or flavor enhancer. Thankfully, none of these novice factors are found in a bowl of Chicory’s southwestern corn. Instead, a light veggie broth features an assortment of black beans, roasted corn, red bell peppers and onions, each taste packed with an enjoyable spiciness that gently builds over time and covers the entire palate.

The French mushroom is a delightful and creamy offering that doesn’t skimp on the main ingredient: mushrooms! Cremini, shitake and white button burgeons, soft in texture, swim in an earthy and herbal-infused cream base. The sliced baguette served on the side is the perfect vessel to soak up the last bits of mushrooms left at the bottom of the bowl.

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With Boar’s Head cracked pepper turkey, the chef’s special bottle rocket sandwich invites its consumer to enjoy the finer ingredients in life. Chef Candela says the brand is usually found only at most specialty grocery stores like Nugget or Sprouts, but she has the hookup on this premium brand of award-winning deli meats. The sandwich is layered with grilled onions and red bells, pepper jack, cheddar, mixed greens and a light chipotle mayo all tucked between a soft-baked roll.

Although my stomach was more than full at this point in my afternoon smorgasbord, my soft spot for Asian noodle salads could not be tamed. Chicory’s version is chilled linguini noodles, fresh broccoli florets, sliced red bell peppers, crispy snow peas and thick strips of chicken breast. Served in a big, white bowl, Chef Candela’s rendition is then paired with a sweet chili dressing, a family recipe courtesy of her sister-in-law. Light, crunchy and oh-so filling, this salad’s components also make for a great grab ‘n’ go meal when in a rush.

The warmth of Chicory’s indoor quarters is credited to its lounge area, where many customers take advantage of the four

leather armchairs that sit in front of the burning fireplace. At the time of my visit, employee stockings hung from the mantel as warm flames danced within the cobblestone frame. The ambience reads as a cozy, almost grandma’s house comfort for guests to experience and enjoy.

Chunky wooden tables host important business meetings nearby, while other more intimate booths house private and friendly conversations. Because Chicory is a not-for-profit business, customer purchases go toward Fostering Futures, a foundation that provides scholarships and grants to foster youth in California.

By 1 p.m. the soupocalypse is over, signaled by the now bare specials board. One hurried man in a collared shirt quickly pops in to inquire about any leftover soup; unfortunately, there’s none. Eighteen gallons gone within two hours—until Chicory's business hours are Monday tomorrow afternoon, when the clock through Friday, 7 a.m. resets and the staff prepares for the day to 5 p.m. Give them a to routinely start yet again. call at (916) 444-5107.

Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

11

Humbly Rock ‘n’ Roll

Humble Wolf amp up the riffage on their forthcoming album, Black and White Words Jenn Walker • photo elle jaye

I

f you see some of the latest band photos of Humble Wolf, you might be slightly intimidated. They’re all wearing sunglasses and have immaculate rock ‘n’ roll hair.

But it’s not long before bassist David Albertson humbly says, “We’re all nerdy musicians, you know… What you see is what you get.”

Perhaps he means nerdy in the sense that he and the band’s lead man Jayson Angove have software engineering backgrounds, and that drummer Jesse Sherwood is an IT guy.

After all, Angove was instrumental in troubleshooting Skype so that he and Albertson could video chat with Submerge.

Or, perhaps it’s because the Roseville-based band, comprised of Angove on vocals, guitar and keys, Chris Winger on backing vocals and guitar, Albertson on bass and Sherwood (Kit Coda) on drums, spent the last two years laboriously perfecting their latest album Black and White side-by-side with their engineer and producer Sean Stack.

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“I think I speak for everybody in the band when I say we take pride in our craft,” Angove says. “It’s two years of hard work finally coming to an end, where we can finally show people what we’ve been working on for so long.”

They will have the opportunity to do so at their CD release show at the Shady Lady in mid-January.

The album was recorded at Fat Cat Recording Studio in Sacramento, and it is an intentional move away from the more pop feel of Paper Thin, the last Humble Wolf record, and a step closer to rock ‘n’ roll.

“Paper Thin is really more on the mellow side,” Angove reflects. “I would say it’s more easy listening.”

“I’d probably say we’re like the Foo Fighters meets the Black Keys for this new record,” Albertson adds.

It’s any band’s hope to meet a funding goal via crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter, and it’s any band’s fantasy to exceed it. Humble Wolf did. In fact, that’s how the band funded the completion of Black and White. Just a month after they posted

Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

their funding campaign in July, they exceeded the pledged amount by $270.

“It kind of spread around like wildfire,” Angove says. “I can’t express enough gratitude for how much it helped.”

Thanks to the extra cash, the band could finish mixing and mastering the album and get more physical copies made. They also could make up T-shirts, posters and custom sunglasses to give to their funding backers and to sell as merch at upcoming shows.

Black and White is solidly rock ‘n’ roll, featuring Winger’s rocking guitar solos, with the occasional tastes of indie folk, like the song “9 a.m.” The song that perhaps shows off the band’s strengths the most, however, is “Through the Walls,” Angove and Albertson agree.

“This Should Scare You” is arguably the dominant song on the record, and a searing critique of mainstream culture.

Angove’s vocals ride a simple guitar riff before cutting into a bridge where he resentfully sings, “There are too many

‘I’s in this generation/They are blind to the world around them/Their minds are starving and their hearts are empty/I am sick that I am a part of you.”

By definition, these guys are fulltime musicians. They’ve played in various projects together. Currently, Angove, Winger and Albertson are in the cover rock band Guitar Head, and Angove also plays with local singer Rebecca Peters, a project that Albertson was formerly a part of.

Angove, Winger and Albertson teach private music lessons, and Angove is also a recording engineer at One Eleven Studios in Roseville.

As far as Humble Wolf goes, the band’s beginnings go back to 2010.

The name was originally for Angove’s solo recording project. He completed his first recording, Never Mind This Resistance (no longer available), in his apartment with Albertson and a few friends before he moved to Australia.

He moved back home a year later.

Paper Thin came next, which mostly featured Angove playing. That was recorded in about 10 days.

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

How has it been being a band in Roseville, or forming a band in Roseville?

David Albertson: The suburbs are fairly involved in Sacramento all the time because it’s not that far. We do have a good following, and we play a lot of places locally in Roseville, like Bar 101 and the Trocadero Club. But we also play at Harlow’s, the Shady Lady and Ace of Spades. We play in Sacramento pretty regularly. It’s just this big melting pot; there’s a big scene… I think if anything it kind of helps to work our way into the city.

Which song or songs would you say were most difficult to record and why?

DA: When we go into the studio, all the songs have been worked out… The mix, I think that’s what we spend the most time on… It’s probably the most challenging thing when you’re blending all the different instruments and recording takes.

Jayson Angove: I often say that Sean Stack is the fifth member of Humble Wolf because he takes great care, and he really makes us sound fantastic.

Rewording that question, which songs were most difficult to write?

JA: I definitely have a philosophy to not write overly complicated music. It’s not that we’re unable to do that, it’s just that when we play a show, we want to put on a show, too. If you’re playing something that’s technically demanding, you’re going to spend a lot more time focusing on your playing, and it’s harder to move around and be energetic when you’re just shredding away on your instrument. It’s more fun to have a song that’s not overly complicated, that’s enjoyable to play, so you can move around and put on more of a show.

Angove had already known Winger and Albertson for years, since middle school. They all grew up listening to a lot of classic rock, and eventually decided it was time to start playing music together.

Sherwood came into the picture later on, after he met the three at a drumoff at Guitar Center.

Since they’ve become a fourpiece band, they’ve played all over town, including Concerts in the Park, Tap Folsom and the California Brewers Festival.

This year is looking good for the band already. Not only do they have lots of shows lined up, they’re aiming for tours throughout the spring and summer with plans to hit Portland and Eugene, Oregon, in April. They’re hoping to play the Knitting Factory in Reno, SXSW and Outside Lands.

And, they are working on new material, at least 10 to 15 songs’ worth, that they hope to release this summer. Save your ears for that.

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“I definitely have a philosophy to not write overly complicated music.

It’s not that we’re unable to do that, it’s just that when we play a show, we want to put on a show, too. If you’re playing something that’s technically demanding, you’re going to spend a lot more time focusing on your playing, and it’s harder to move around and be energetic when you’re just shredding away on your instrument.”

– Jayson Angove, Humble Wolf

How did you come up with the lyrics for “This Should Scare You?” JA: I’ve worked a lot of retail and a lot of minimum wage jobs, and I like to read a lot about what’s happening in the country. There was a report that was released recently about how many hours you would actually have to work a week on minimum wage to actually meet livable standards. And it was something like, in no state working 40 hours a week would you actually support yourself on minimum wage. It was more like 80 to 100 hours a week was more realistic. Also, a lot of people don’t really talk about what’s happening. Or, if they do, they don’t actually do anything about it, they just talk about it, accept it as though it’s kind of how it is, and just let it happen that way. I wish people would pay more attention.

Are you guys the same offstage as you are onstage, or do you have a Humble Wolf persona?

DA: We’re all nerdy musicians, you know? I think the music’s pretty honest. We don’t wear spandex. What you see is what you get, which is what I think people grasp, what they like to see. I don’t think any of us have any Axl Rose personas going on or anything like that.

But you guys do look pretty rock n’ roll in your profile pictures.

JA: Well I appreciate that. I try to be as rock n’ roll as I can all the time!

Check out Humble Wolf’s album release party for Black and White at Shady Lady in Sacramento on Jan. 16. Check out Shadyladybar. com for more details, or hit up the band on Facebook (Humblewolfmusic).

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Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

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Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

15

The Way Water Moves

Robin Bacior’s musical migration takes her from west to east and back again Words Justin Cox • photo kim smith-miller

W

hen Robin Bacior made the decision to move from New York to Portland, she considered leaving her life as a musician in the rearview mirror when she left.

The now-28-year-old singer-songwriter had spent the previous four years living in Brooklyn and building a musical following in the city, but after an illness forced her off a tour and into the silence of her apartment, she came to the bedridden realization that she was unhappy and needed to make some changes.

Around the time she swapped New York for Portland, she started having some intense dreams about bodies of water.

“I was having them almost every night,” she said.

“Depending on the way the water moves, it’s supposed to reflect emotional changes.”

As those dreams sloshed across her mind from night to night, she pooled them up by day, deliberately assembling what would become her latest album, Water Dreams, which she will release on Jan. 13.

I spoke to Robin by phone while she was packing for a trip back to Chico (her hometown) for the holidays.

Our conversation focused on her migration from Chico to New York to Portland, and the musical evolution that paralleled those moves.

Chico Bacior grew up in a musical family, but she considered herself a largely passive participant as a kid and in college. Both of her parents play music, and their house would be filled with fellow musicians throughout her childhood. Meanwhile, she took lessons and learned to play piano, flute, saxophone and more.

When she graduated high school she stayed local, enrolling at Chico State, where she studied journalism. She attended tons of concerts and focused heavily on music writing, and was also a DJ for the campus radio station.

Music was a massive part of her life, but she was mostly looking in from the sidelines. She had been writing her own songs for a while, but she was looking at her music without much purpose.

She played a few shows, but performing was a struggle. Her eyes would blur, her forehead would dip toward the microphone, her guitar would slip out of tune without her noticing. She was uncomfortable, in part because performing was still new to her, but also because she was playing to a small-town audience with whom she had grown up.

It wasn’t until she stepped into foreign territory that she made music a priority and came into her own.

New York Around the time Bacior uprooted to Brooklyn, she was invited to sing on the record of a Chico band called Surrogate. The lead singer, Chris Keene, had extended her the offer.

“I had never really done that before,” she said. “But I went in and sang and had a really nice experience with him. He said, ‘Hey, I owe you one.’”

So she flew back to Chico in 2010 and recorded her first batch of songs in his studio space. That would become the Aimed for Night EP, which she used as a foundation for booking shows as she got her legs in New York.

She was still shy at the microphone, but she channeled her energy into getting over that hurdle. Living in a new space with no real ties to her life up to that point offered some freedom in that development, kind of like the clean slate offered to a graduated high school student upon arriving at college.

And then she met Dan Bindschedler, a New York cellist whose influence would be felt all over Bacior’s next few releases, and especially so on Water Dreams. The two formed a tight musical bond that would even survive Bacior’s westward migration years later.

When the two began collaborating, Bacior had already written many of the songs for her first full-length album, Rest Our Wings.

Bindschedler’s cello was laced into the seams of the songs, most of which had already been fully written.

By this time, Bacior had spent a few years making herself a part of the New York music scene, regularly playing shows, booking tours and releasing a couple of 7-inches and EPs in addition to Rest Our Wings.

But then she hit a rut.

She had organized a tour, and on the first day out, she got sick.

She tried to grind it out, but five days later she had lost her voice and was knocked out by her illness entirely. She had to go home.

“I was sick as a dog, laying in bed,” she said. “I had nothing to do. I realized I was unhappy. I decided to leave New York, and I wasn’t even sure if I was going to play music anymore. I just needed a personal change.”

She decided Portland would become her new home, but before making the move she traveled with her band to an East Coast beach house to record five new songs in live takes. That punctuated her musical stint in New York.

“I was sick as a dog, laying in bed. I had nothing to do. I realized I was unhappy. I decided to leave New York, and I wasn’t even sure if I was going to play music anymore. I just needed a personal change.”

– Robin Bacior on moving from New York to Portland

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Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

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Portland Of course, it did not end up punctuating the entirety of her musical career. Instead, she released those beach house recordings in the form of the I Left You, Still in Love EP, after settling into Portland.

After that, the next set of songs began flowing, quite literally.

Bacior’s water dreams came on the heels of her huge life transition. Paths that previously felt certain had collapsed and she was once again in a new place. One by one, she bottled up her dreams in song, until the album was complete.

“With this one, the songs were all written to move into one another,” she said.

“Everything was written one after another.”

Her previous releases consisted of individually written songs bundled up and packaged.

The songs on Water Dreams, conversely, were written specifically for Water Dreams. Even the track listing came together song by song, until the 10 tracks were stacked atop one another.

The water theme can be felt throughout the whole album, whether it’s flowing in long cello drawls or pattering in sharp staccato droplets. You can also hear it in the words, sometimes in the form of literal references to pools and oceans; other times more abstractly.

Similarly, this was the first time Bacior wrote all of the songs with Bindschedler’s cello at the forefront of her mind.

“We spent one year as a kind of bi-coastal duo,” she said. “I would email him rough drafts of songs and when we got together, we would work out ideas.”

Bacior left a lot of space in these songs for Bindschedler to do his thing. She wanted him to “be a true voice” on the album. Once they finished writing the songs, they ironed them out on a West Coast tour and then recorded them in Portland.

After Water Dreams is released in January, Bacior will head out on the road, passing through Sacramento for a show at Naked Lounge 10 days later on Jan. 23. The tour will take her through the Pacific Northwest down to Southern California and to Arizona. Bacior says she loves the moment that comes with touring, but that she’s a homebody at heart.

“I can spend days by myself, but it’s good for me to balance that with the polar opposite experience,” she said. “It shakes my brain.”

But her creativity comes when she’s settled in her own space, and she’s happy to call Portland her home. And Robin Bacior’s Water Dreams is Bindschedler has since migrated to Portland as well, so the available for preorder through her duo is once again sharing territory. website, Robinbacior.com. Catch “I really enjoy it here,” she said. “I miss New York her live at Naked Lounge (1111 H Street, downtown Sacramento) because it’s wonderful, but Portland is one of the most on Jan. 23. Also performing will healing places to live. I feel like I can play music and work be Grand Lake Islands. For more all day and the second I want to be done, the energy allows info, go to Nakedcoffee.net. you to calm down.”

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Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

17

Disco Daze The Ting Tings reinvent themselves with their latest album, Super Critical Words James Barone

W

ho doesn’t love a good comeback story? The Ting Tings never really went away, but the alt-pop duo (comprised of Jules De Martino and Katie White) learned the hard way how mercurial the life of a “buzz band” could be after the release of their second album, Sounds from Nowheresville.

In 2008, The Ting Tings took over the airwaves with their smash hit, “That’s Not My Name.” It’s so catchy that the mere mention of it probably got it stuck in your head. It’s OK, you’re not the only one. Unfortunately, the sophomore jinx cursed their follow-up release, and it seemed as if The Ting Tings may drop off the map entirely.

Luckily, this was not the case: White and De Martino headed to the party-hearty island of Ibiza, hooked up with Duran Duran’s Andy Taylor, ditched digital for analog and reinvented their sound—with seriously groovy results.

“It was so enjoyable, and the second album was so unenjoyable—a lot of it—and so confusing,” White says about the differences between recording Sounds to Nowheresville and the band's third album, Super Critical.

“Sounds from Nowheresville is basically us bitching about the record industry,” she adds with a laugh. “It was nice to get it off our chests, but no one really gives a shit.

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They just want to hear a good song. [Super Critical] is a lot happier, I think.”

Super Critical is pretty much guaranteed to give you happy feet. Though it was born in Ibiza, it’s a dance album that rebels against the electronic dance music you’re sure to hear blaring out of the Spanish island’s many clubs. It’s an intentional nod to the halcyon days of Studio 54, full of juicy rhythms, funky riffs and intense levels of sass permeating from White’s vocals.

“Ibiza is known world-round for having some of the best clubs in the world,” White explains. “Dance music really found its feet there, but when we got there, I don’t know, we got really bored with all the techno. When we got into the studio with Andy, we’d talk about Studio 54 and get obsessed with that. I totally understand how you take your girl out to a club and dance [to techno] for hours, it makes complete sense, but from a songwriting point of view, it makes less sense.”

To get an authentic feel, the band went old school with their recording process, leaning on analog tools as opposed to ProTools.

“It’s two completely different ways of working, and they’ve both got their pluses and minuses,” she says. “But

Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

for us, doing something new is always so exciting. Both of our first albums were made in our bedrooms, basically.”

White acknowledges that digital recording gave the band a lot more flexibility when it came to cobbling their songs together, but having unlimited freedom to tinker with their songs wasn’t always a good thing.

“You can keep cutting and pasting things, but it can also be that you have too much choice,” White explains.

The Ting Tings had also moved on from their major label, Columbia, which meant the band could create without having to consider outside opinions.

“For our second album, we weren’t really lost, but we’d been on tour for four years. Our lives had changed,” White says. “We had a label that had their own opinions of what we should sound like. When you have ProTools, you can keep doing it and doing it.

“You can drive yourself crazy with it.”

On the bright side, that experience is long behind The Ting Tings and they’re in a much better place—both emotionally and sonically. Submerge caught up with White five days after she returned home to the United Kingdom from Japan. She was still a bit jet-lagged.

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

1517 21st street sacramentO How did it go in Japan? Were you playing shows out there?

Yeah, we were playing our own shows in Tokyo and Osaka. Japan, especially Tokyo, is the most amazing place to go in the world.

It’s just mind-blowing—clothes, fashion, weird, wondrous things. It kind of feels like Europe or New York, but it’s got a weird twist on it that you’d only see in Japan. Like, we went to this place called the robot restaurant, where these robots would dance. It was just incredible—really bad, but good.

I heard they had cat cafés out there where you could go and drink tea and hang out with cats.

Yeah, we went there as well! We went to a bar where they lock you up in handcuffs, and they put you in a prison cell and serve you drinks in test tubes.

I don’t know if it’s good “Sounds from or not, but you’ll never Nowheresville forget it.

is basically us bitching about the record industry. It was nice to get it off our chests, but no one really gives a shit. They just want to hear a good song. [Super Critical] is a lot happier, I think.”

– Katie White, The Ting Tings

You recorded each of your three albums in different locations. Is Tokyo on the list for your fourth album?

At the moment we’re thinking about going to Nashville. I don’t know why. We’re not huge fans of country, but it’s very fascinating. We’re really influenced by Fleetwood Mac, so maybe we could take some of that influence and take it to Nashville.

It’s cool that you mention that, because I was listening to the commentary for your latest album, Super Critical, on Spotify. You guys mentioned the song “Only Love” had some Fleetwood Mac influence. Jules was mentioning that it was like a country song, and it does stick out a bit on the album, in a good way. Other than Fleetwood Mac, was there any other country influences on that song?

I don’t know. It was one of the first songs we were working on with Andy. It’s definitely quite different from the rest of the album. It was mainly Fleetwood Mac, to be honest. I just got obsessed with Stevie Nicks. I got obsessed with her lyrics, how she was quite dramatic… I love that mood that she sets, because you don’t have a lot of people who write songs like that now. Kate Bush sort of writes in a similar way. It’s lovely. They’re all stories about somebody else.

Open Daily at 4 pm

You mentioned Andy from Duran Duran. It must have been great to have this sort of serendipitous meeting with him and then get to work together in the studio. What did you take away from recording with him that maybe you weren’t doing before?

Yeah, we stopped deleting things. We’re really bad—quite impatient. We’ll work on a song, like “That’s Not My Name” was probably 20 songs before it was “That’s Not My Name.”

Andy stopped us at the perfect time, like, “Step away from the computer, step away from the delete button and go home.” He would literally shove us out of the studio and tell us, “Come back and listen to it in the morning and see what you think.” When we would come back, we would love it, and we were glad we didn’t delete it.

Did it make you think back to things you left on the cutting room floor that you wish you’d held on to?

Fuck yeah! It was frustrating. We have quite a lot of ideas, and Andy was quite shocked at how many ideas we had, but you have to regulate them and follow them through.

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fri. january 16 8pm

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Zeroclient california riot act Zen arcadia

thurs. january 8 9pm

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sat. january 17 8pm

dJ dire delorean dJ chat noir

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fri. january 9 8pm

archangel (misfits triBUte) sleeP no more the left hand sat. january 10 8:30pm

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8pm

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Happy HOur mOn - fri 4 tO 7 pm

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fri. january 23 8pm

castle (Waning) sat. january 24 8pm

terra ferno heat of damage sUrviving the era sun. january 25 8:30pm

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The last song on Super Critical was one of my favorites, “Failure.”

Did that song sum up your feelings about how Sounds from Nowheresville turned out?

I think it’s a little bit more tongue in cheek.

We wrote the melody to it, and we were like, it’s so pop. What could we do with that? It’s so sweet—super sweet—so to just subvert it and write it about being a failure was just funny for it. It was a nod to a mentality we might have gone through, but we were in a much happier place by the time we wrote it.

It wasn’t too sad. We weren’t crying when we wrote it [laughs].

Was it a conscious decision to keep Super Critical at nine songs?

We just naturally felt by the ninth song, that was our album. If we were with a major label, they might have tried to squeeze a few more songs into it. I love artists, but if they start 15 or 20 new songs, I can’t cope with it. It just gets too be too much for me. Nine Check out The Ting Tings live just seems natural. in Sacramento at Harlow’s on Jan. 24. Tickets start at $17, and doors open at 8 p.m. To order tickets online, go to Thetingtings.com or Harlows.com.

SubmergeMag.com

Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

19

1.09 Friday

music, comedy & misc. Calendar

jan. 5 – 19 submergemag.com/calendar

1.05 Monday

Kupros Craft House Open Mic, 9 p.m.

LowBrau Le Twist Tuesdays w/ To The Wedding, Sam I Jam, Adam J, Roger Carpio, 9 p.m.

Old Ironsides Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Pine Cove Open Mic Night, 9 p.m.

Press Club Supernaut, Infinite Vastness, Red Hot Cali Peppers, 9 p.m.

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

Shine Open Jazz Jam hosted by Jason Galbraith, 8 p.m.

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

Starlite Lounge Chain & the Gang, G. Green, Screature, 8 p.m.

Capitol Garage Open Mic Night hosted by Musical Charis, 9 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m.

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

Goldfield Open Mic Night hosted

by James Cavern, 9 p.m.

Harlow’s Brother’s Keeper, Duplix, 7 p.m.

Louie’s Cocktail Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m.

LowBrau Motown on Monday’s w/ DJ Epik, 9 p.m.

Luna’s Cafe Nebraska Mondays hosted by Ross Hammond, 7:30 p.m.

Press Club MC Ham & Flower Vato Freaky Dance Party, 9 p.m.

1.06 Tuesday

Back 9 Bar & Grill Karaoke, 8 p.m.

The Blue Lamp Brutha Smith (CD Release), Derek Dizz Saastad, J.Terrible, Cherry Red, TASK1ne, 8 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Gold Lion Arts Max Johnson, Tony Passarell,Alex Jenkins Trio, 7:30 p.m.

1.07 Wednesday

Badlands Trapacana! w/ DJ’s JayTwo ThowZen, Chris Shelton, IMF.Dred, TAMEsta, 10 p.m.

The Blue Lamp Free Up Fridays w/ DJ Wokstar and special guests, 10 p.m.

1.08

Capitol Garage Fyah Fridays w/ DJ Jaytwo, 10 p.m.

District 30 Beanies and Babes w/ DJ’s Luigi & Benji, 10 p.m.

thursday

Bar 101 Karaoke, 7:30 p.m.

The Blue Lamp The Three Way, Peace Killers, Slow Season, 8 p.m.

Capitol Garage Karaoke w/ Jeff Jenkins, 10 p.m.

Fox & Goose Kevin Seconds plus Special Guests, 9 p.m.

Golden Bear DJ Crook, 10 p.m.

Goldfield Toree McGee with Rodeo House, 9 p.m.

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

Harlow’s Midge Ure (of Ultravox), The Unfortunate Bastard, 6 p.m.; KRS-One, 10 p.m.

Crocker Art Museum ArtMix w/ Be Calm Honcho (Record Release), 5 p.m.

Luna’s Cafe KKSL Jazz Quartet, See Spot Play, 8 p.m.

District 30 I Freakin <3 Trance, 10 p.m.

Dive Bar Dueling Pianos, 9 p.m.

Main Stage Theater (Grass Valley) Blame Sally, Hannah Jane Kile, 8 p.m.

Mix DJ Gabe Xavier 9 p.m.

Fox & Goose Steve McLane, 8 p.m.

Old Ironsides The Clouds Roll By, Blame the Bishop, 9 p.m.

The Hideaway Bar & Grill Trash Rock Thursdays, 9 p.m.

The Blue Lamp The Quart Of Blood Technique, 8 p.m.

Level Up Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m.

The Colony Pilgrim, Supernaut, The O’Mulligans, 8 p.m.

El Dorado Saloon Sonic Sauce, 9 p.m.

Club Car Songwriters Showcase, 8 p.m.

Bar 101 Open Mic, 7:30 p.m.

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

Back 9 Bar & Grill Julie and the Jukes, 7 p.m.

Louie’s Cocktail Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m.

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

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

Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Rolling Heads, 10 p.m.

Press Club DJ Rue, 9 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Old Ironsides 10th Street Sessions, 8 p.m.

Red Hawk Casino Kumandae Miller, 9:30 p.m.

Dive Bar Billy Manzik, 9 p.m.

Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Fox & Goose Northern Soul!, 8 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Dead Man’s Hand, 10 p.m.

Shine Pine Street Ramblers, The Show Ponies, 8 p.m.

Harlow’s Zyah Belle & the Funkshun, KO & Eli, Rocca & Mr. Erik James, 6 p.m.

Shine Connor & Karlee, Grant Chesin, Johnny Ray, 8 p.m.

Starlite Lounge ArchAngel (Misfits tribute), Sleep No More, The Left Hand Band, 9:30 p.m.

Starlite Lounge This Green City w/ DJ Dire DeLorean, DJ Chat Noir, 9 p.m.

Torch Club Pailer & Fratis, 5:30 p.m.; Roem Baur, Bear Lincoln, 9 p.m.

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

Old Ironsides Open Mic, 9 p.m.

Shine Midtown Out Loud Open Mic, 8 p.m.

Torch Club Acoustic Open Mic, 5:30 p.m.; Jackie Vengson, Brian Rogers, 9 p.m.

Streets Champion Sound Reggae Thursdays w/ DJ Esef, Selekta I-Lone and Special Guests, 9 p.m.

Torch Club Mind X Quartet, 5 p.m.; Dippin Sauce, 9 p.m.

new year’s resolution idea:

read more.

your brain will thank you

Bi-weekly + Free 20

Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

UC Davis: Vanderhoef Studio Theatre Alexander String Quartet, 2 & 7 p.m.

1.12 Monday

1.10 The city cats Bar 101 9:30 p.m.

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

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

Cafe Colonial Mos Likely, Snaggletooth, Blaster Dead, 8 p.m.

Capitol Garage Open Mic Night hosted by Musical Charis, 9 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m.

1.10 Saturday

Back 9 Bar & Grill David and Olivia, Ghost Town Rebellion, The Three Way, Mike Shively, 8 p.m.

Bar 101 The City Cats, 9:30 p.m.

The Blue Lamp Radio Radio w/ The Jean Genies, Roger Carpio, Bryan Hawk, David X, 9 p.m.

Starlite Lounge Defyant Circle, Cast The Clarity, The Hybrid Creeps, Trikome, 8:30 p.m.

Torch Club Harlis Sweetwater Band, Big Earl, 9 p.m.

1.11 sunday

Cache Creek Casino Zapp, 8 p.m.

The Blue Lamp Campfire Cassettes, Todd N Todd, Mustafa Shaheen, The Sad Juices, 8 p.m.

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

Broderick Roadhouse Karaoke w/ DJ Jazcat, 9 p.m.

The Colony Eyes of Mara, Without Hope, Plagues of the Armada, Petroglyphs, Wrath of Tides, Up in Smoke, 8 p.m.

Cafe Colonial So Stressed, Sexless, Fish Breath, Grill Cloth, 8 p.m.

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

District 30 Bad Boy Bill, 10 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 8 p.m.

El Dorado Saloon Hired Guns, 9 p.m.

Dive Bar Joomanji, 9 p.m.

Fox & Goose Infinite Vastness, Brian Watson, 9 p.m.

Goldfield Chuck Ragan, Pawnshop Kings, Jake Desrochers, 9 p.m.

Harlow’s Hilarium w/ Saxual Chocolate, 7 p.m.

The Hideaway Bar & Grill 2015 (formerly 2014!), Crude Studs, Monster Treasure, 5 p.m.

Gold Lion Arts Second Sunday Sessions w/ Steuart Liebig, Jon Bafus, Ross Hammond, 6 p.m.

Harlow’s OH, MAU, 6 p.m.

Main Stage Theater (Grass Valley) KVMR Fundraiser w/ John McCutcheon, 7:30 p.m.

Mix DJ Gabe Xavier, 9 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Annie Sampson, 3 p.m.

Level Up Lounge Guest DJs, 9 p.m.

Press Club Sunday Night Soul Party w/ DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m.

Luna’s Cafe The Ray “Catfish” Copland Band, 8 p.m.

Torch Club Blues Jam, 4 p.m.; Front the Band, 8 p.m.

KBAR Z Rokk, 9 p.m.

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

Goldfield Open Mic Night hosted

by James Cavern, 9 p.m.

Louie’s Cocktail Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m.

LowBrau Motown on Monday’s w/ DJ Epik, 9 p.m.

Luna’s Cafe Nebraska Mondays hosted by Ross Hammond, 7:30 p.m.

Press Club Dreda Dre, Flossalini, Joezy Wells, Task1ne, Charlie Muscle, 9 p.m.

Shine Classical Revolution Hosted

by Liz Barton, 7:30 p.m.

Starlite Lounge Incantation, Funerus, Plague Widow, Mortuous, 8 p.m.

1.13 Tuesday

Back 9 Bar & Grill Karaoke, 8 p.m.

The Blue Lamp The Dictators NYC, Motor 666, The Secretions, Cold Feelings, 8 p.m.

The Colony Trenches, New Gods, xTomHanx, Rad, Cross Class, 8 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Kupros Craft House Open Mic, 9 p.m.

Old Ironsides Karaoke, 9 p.m. continued on page 22

>>

Mix DJ Eddie Edul, 9 p.m.

Old Ironsides Lipstick Presents: The Strokes vs The Yeah Yeah Yeahs Special 2nd Saturday Party w/ Shaun Slaughter & Roger Carpio, 9 p.m.

Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Iriefuse, Arden Park Roots, Rolling Heads, 10 p.m.

Press Club DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m.

Red Hawk Casino Cripple Creek, 10 p.m.

Shine Alexander Anderson Trio, Urban Sherpas, 8 p.m.

Sol Collective Julian Elorduy, 7 p.m.

SubmergeMag.com

1.12

Plague Widow Incantation, Funerus, Mortuous Starlite Lounge 8 p.m.

Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

21

Two Sheds Lee Bob & the Truth, Rusty Miller Old Ironsides 9 p.m.

1.16

1.18

Waka Flocka Joey Fats Ace of Spades 7 p.m.

Pine Cove Open Mic Night, 9 p.m.

Harlow’s Al Kooper, 6 p.m.

Press Club Human Traffic, Young Aundee, 8 p.m.

The Hideaway Bar & Grill Trash Rock Thursdays, 9 p.m.

Shine Open Jazz Jam hosted by Jason Galbraith, 8 p.m.

Level Up Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Torch Club Bill Mylar, 5:30 p.m.; Ryan Behling, 9 p.m.

1.14

FROM E!’S CHELSEA LATELY!

JOSH WOLF

WITH SPECIAL GUEST JIFFY WILD SUNDAY 1/11

BELLIGERENTLY UNINFORMED STEPHEN FUREY WEDNESDAY 1/14

FREDDIE RAINBOW AND FRIENDS THURSDAY 1/15 - SUNDAY 1/18 THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON AND CHELSEA LATELY!

BRET ERNST

KRIS TINKLE, JUSTIN HARRISON FRIDAY 1/23 - SUNDAY 1/25 FROM MTV’S GIRL CODE!

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COLLEEN WATSON THURSDAY 1/29 - SATURDAY 1/31 FROM TWO BROKE GIRLS!

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22

Red Hawk Casino Rock of Ages, 10 p.m.

Shine One Eyed Riley, Halfpence & Haypenny, Stepping Stone, 8 p.m.

Shine The Travis Larson Band, Larry Mitchell, 8 p.m.

The Blue Lamp Yukmouth, Smoov-e, H.D., 8 p.m.

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

Torch Club Mind X Quartet, 5 p.m.; Zanardi, 9 p.m.

Mix DJ E-Rock, 9 p.m.

THURSDAY 1/8 - SATURDAY 1/10

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

Torch Club Pailer & Fratis, 5:30 p.m.; Mr. December, Jeremy Norris, 9 p.m.

Fox & Goose Northern Soul!, 8 p.m.

SACRAMENTO COMEDY SHOWCASE

Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Old Ironsides Open Mic, 9 p.m.

Press Club Mountain Tamer, Tell the Wolves, Odame Sucks, 8 p.m.

Torch Club Acoustic Open Mic, 5:30 p.m.; Peter Petty & The Double P Review, 9 p.m.

1.15 Thursday

Bar 101 Karaoke, 7:30 p.m.

The Blue Lamp Dirk Dig Dirty Thirty Party featuring Dirk Dig, Hennessy, Task 1ne, Rotate, Masyah, Zaylee Bussin, J. Terrible, E-Moe, Paco Via, Mouthpiece, 8 p.m.

Capitol Garage Karaoke w/ Jeff Jenkins, 10 p.m.

Club Car Songwriters Showcase, 8 p.m.

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

The Colony Herd Mindset, Barbarous Cock, Anglerfish, Some Kind of Civil, 8 p.m.

District 30 It’s A Trap: The Best Trap Music in the Galaxy, 10 p.m.

Dive Bar Dueling Pianos, 9 p.m.

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

Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

1.16 FRIDAY

Back 9 Bar & Grill Ballistic Burnout, Rotten Bits, Final Decay, Get Out, 8 p.m.

Bar 101 Hucklebucks, 9:30 p.m.

Bar 101 Christian DeWild, 9:30 p.m.

Broderick Roadhouse Karaoke w/ DJ Jazcat, 9 p.m.

The Blue Lamp Destroyer (Kiss tribute), Crüella (all-female Mötley Crüe tribute), 8 p.m.

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

Cafe Colonial Memphis Murder Men, The Strange Party, Blacksheep, 8 p.m.

District 30 Panic City, 10 p.m.

Goldfield Crossman Connection, 9 p.m.

Harlow’s Joy and Madness, Nickel Slots, 9 p.m.

The Hideaway Bar & Grill Storytellers, Clutter Family Singers, Whoosie What’s Its, 8 p.m.

Mix DJ Gabe Xavier 9 p.m.

Old Ironsides Two Sheds, Lee Bob & the Truth, Rusty Miller, 9 p.m.

Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Sunday

Ace of Spades Waka Flocka, Joey Fats, 7 p.m.

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

Golden Bear DJ Crook, 10 p.m.

UC Davis: Jackson Hall Itzhak Perlman, Rohan De Silva, 8 p.m.

Back 9 Bar & Grill An Evening with Fallrise (Acoustic), Dino Vidovich (of Sages), 8 p.m.

Cache Creek Casino The O’Jays, 9 p.m.

Fox & Goose Tattooed Love Dogs, 9 p.m.

Torch Club Campfire Crooners, 5:30 p.m.; Johnny Guitar Knox, 9 p.m.

Saturday

Cache Creek Casino Naughty by Nature, 8 p.m.

El Dorado Saloon Island of Black and White, 9 p.m.

Starlite Lounge Thicker Than Thieves, Red Hot Cali Peppers, Street Urchinz, 8 p.m.

1.17 1.18

The Blue Lamp Said the Shotgun, Kenny Rego, Mark Huff, 6 p.m.; Free Up Friday w/ DJ Wokstar and special guests, 10 p.m.

Capitol Garage Fyah Fridays w/ DJ Jaytwo, 10 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Disco Revolution, 10 p.m.

Press Club DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m.

Streets Champion Sound Reggae Thursdays w/ DJ Esef, Selekta I-Lone and Special Guests, 9 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m.

WEDNESDAY 1/7

Old Ironsides Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Press Club DJ Rue, 9 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Two Steps Down, 10 p.m.

Bar 101 Open Mic, 7:30 p.m.

RESTAURANT •• BAR CLUB •• RESTAURANT COMEDY COMEDY CLUB BAR

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

Powerhouse Pub Tainted Love, 10 p.m.

Starlite Lounge ZeroClient, California Riot Act, Zen Arcadia, 8 p.m.

wednesday

VOTED BEST COMEDY CLUB

BY THE SACRAMENTO NEWS & REVIEW!

Louie’s Cocktail Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Pour House The Charleee Trio, 10 p.m.

El Dorado Saloon Westbound 50, 9 p.m.

Fox & Goose Face 4 Radio, 9 p.m.

Goldfield The Golden Cadillacs, 9 p.m.

Harlow’s Whitey Morgan and the 78s, Joe Fletcher, 8 p.m.

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe Tainted Love, 7:30 p.m.

KBAR Z Rokk, 9 p.m.

Level Up Lounge Guest DJs, 9 p.m.

Midtown BarFly The Return of DJ Whores w/ Lurkavelly, Npire, Jurts and More, 9 p.m.

Mix DJ Eddie Edul, 9 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 8 p.m.

Dive Bar Zuhg, Dank Ocean, 9 p.m.

Gold Lion Arts Rent Romus Otherworld Cycle featuring the Life’s Blood Ensemble, 7:30 p.m.

Harlow’s Pat Travers Band, 7 p.m.

Main Stage Theater (Grass Valley) John Gorka, 7:30 p.m.

Mix DJ Gabe Xavier, 9 p.m.

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

Powerhouse Pub Kim Simmons, 3 p.m.

Press Club Sun Valley Gun Club, The Hague, Ghost Pines, Brave Season, VVomen, 5 p.m.; Sunday Night Soul Party w/ DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m.

Torch Club Blues Jam, 4 p.m.; Catfish Copeland Band, 8 p.m.

MontBleu Resort Casino Kool and The Gang, 8 p.m.

Old Ironsides Campfire Crooners, Acoustic Electric, Yardarms, 9 p.m.

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

1.19 Monday

The Blue Lamp Acoustic/Spoken Open Mic, special guest Creeper, 8 p.m.

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

Capitol Garage Open Mic Night hosted by Musical Charis, 9 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m.

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

Goldfield Open Mic Night hosted

by James Cavern, 9 p.m.

Louie’s Cocktail Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m.

LowBrau Motown on Monday’s w/ DJ Epik, 9 p.m.

Luna’s Cafe Nebraska Mondays hosted by Ross Hammond, 7:30 p.m.

Press Club Blood Cabana, Stalking Distance, Competing, 8 p.m.

UC Davis: Jackson Hall Gregory Porter, 7 p.m.

Comedy Ace of Spades Tig Notaro (Rescheduled Date), Jan. 9, 7 p.m.

Crest Theatre Hari Kondabolu, Jan. 15, 6 p.m.

1/2

PAGE

Harlow’s Hilarium w/ Kool Bubba Ice, Cizzle, Lewis Belt, Shaun G, hosted by Daunte Burks, Jan. 10, 7 p.m.

Laughs Unlimited Comedy Open Mic Showcase, Jan. 6, 8 p.m.

Say It Loud Comedy w/ Myles Weber, Johnny Eller, Cory Robinson, Gwendolyn Pol, Natalie Paulsen, hosted by Michael Calvin Jr., Jan. 8, 8 p.m.

Butch Escobar, Chris Riggins, Jan. 9 - 11, Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.

Claude Stuart, Pete Giovine, Jan. 16 - 18, Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.

Luna’s Cafe Open Mic Comedy, every Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.

STAB! Hosted by John Ross, Jan. 7, 8 p.m.

Punchline Comedy Club Sacramento Comedy Showcase, Jan. 7, 8 p.m.

Josh Wolf, Jiffy Wild, Jan. 8 - 10, Thurs., 8 p.m.; Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.

Belligerently Uninformed w/ Stephen Furey, Jan. 11, 7 p.m.

Freddie Rainbow and Friends, Jan. 14, 8 p.m.

Bret Ernst, Kris Tinkle, Justin Harrison, Jan. 15 - 18, Thurs., 8 p.m.; Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.

Sacramento Comedy Spot Open Mic, Sunday’s and Monday’s, 8 p.m.

Improv Lab, Harold Night & Gordon Teams, Wednesday’s, 7 - 10 p.m.

Gag Order & Improv Jam, Thursday’s, 8 - 10 p.m.

Top 10 Podcast, Friday’s, 7 p.m.

Anti-Cooperation League, Saturday’s, 9 p.m.

Tommy T’s April Macie, Jan. 8 - 11, 7 p.m.

Jay Phillips, Jan. 15 - 17, 7 p.m.

Collin Raye, Jan. 18, 7 p.m.

Misc.

20th Street (Between J and K) Midtown Farmers Market, every Saturday, 8 a.m.

Avid Reader (Davis) An Evening with Author Frank Romano, Jan. 8, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 9, 1 p.m.

Axis Gallery Get In Where You Fit In

by Manuel Fernando Rios, through Feb. 1; 2nd Saturday Reception, Jan. 10, 6 p.m.

Blue Cue Bar Bingo, Wednesday’s, 9 p.m.

The Blue Lamp Naughty Trivia!, every Wednesday, 8 p.m.

Blue Line Gallery The CrockerKingsley Competition and Exhibition, Jan. 9 - Feb. 21 The Boxing Donkey Trivia Night, every Tuesday, 8 p.m.

Cal Expo Sacramento International Sportsmen’s Exposition, Jan. 8 - 11 Capitol Garage Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night, Wednesday’s, 9 p.m.

Community Center Theatre Shen Yun Performing Arts, Jan. 13 - 14

Crocker Art Museum ArtMix “Renewal” w/ Live Music

by Be Calm Honcho, Crossfit Experts, Cooking Demos, New Looks for 2015 for $10 and More, Jan. 8, 5 p.m.

Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art, through Jan. 11 Arte Mexicano: Legacy of the Masters, through Feb. 1 The Provoke Era: Japanese Photography from the Collection of SFMOMA, through Feb. 1 Fox & Goose Pub Quiz, Tuesday’s, 7 p.m.

Goldfield Free Line Dance Lessons, Tuesday’s, 8:30 p.m.

Bar Games Night: Beer Pong, Corn Hole and More, Wednesday’s, 8 p.m.

Harris Center for the Arts Tango Buenos Aires, Jan. 8 - 10, 7:30 p.m.

Historic Old Folsom Farmers’ Market, Saturdays, 8 a.m.

Laughs Unlimited The Sweet Spot Sacramento: Erotic Poetry, Burlesque, Music, Fashion, Comedy and Body Painting, Jan. 15, 8 p.m.

The I Hate Children Children’s Show w/ Magician Paul Nathan, Jan. 10, 12:45 p.m. & 2:30 p.m.

Little Relics Boutique & Galleria Early Works by Pete Wedel, through Jan. 31 Luna’s Cafe Poetry Unplugged, every Thursday, 8 p.m.

Midtown BarFly Salsa Lessons, every Wednesday, 8 p.m.

Old Soul at the Weatherstone Diversity: The Artworks of Noël Sandino, Jan. 9 - Feb. 10

1.10

Opening Reception for

Couchbleachers by Nate Page

Verge Center for the Arts 6 p.m.

Pine Cove Trivia Night, Wednesday’s, 9 p.m.

Press Club Flex Your Head Trivia, Tuesday’s, 8 p.m.

Raley Field San Francisco Giants Trophy Tour, Jan. 7, 4 p.m.

Red Lion Woodlake Hotel & Conference Center Winterfest 2015: Beer, Wine and Food Tasting Event, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.

Sacramento Ballet Studios Inside the Director’s Studio: Made in America, Jan. 16, 6 p.m.

Shine Red Alice’s Poetry Emporium hosted

by Bill Gainer, Jan. 14, 7:30 p.m.

True Story: Nonfiction Reading Series, Jan. 15, 7 p.m.

Sleep Train Arena WWE Live, Jan. 10, 7:30 p.m.

The Harlem Globetrotters, Jan. 18 - 19 Sol Collective Opening Reception for Home by Trent Liddicoat and Jared Tharp, Jan. 10, 7 p.m.

St. Rose of Lima Park Downtown Sacramento Partnership’s Holiday Ice Rink, through Jan. 19 Union Hall Gallery Joy Ride by Somboun Sayasane, Jan. 10 - 31 White Buffalo Gallery CONTINUUM

by Terese Garcia, Jan. 8 - Feb. 7; Opening Receptions, Jan. 8 & 10, 5 p.m.

Verge Center for the Arts Opening Reception for Couchbleachers by Nate Page, Jan. 10, 6 p.m.

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Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

23

advertisers!

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This publication would not be possible without the support of our wonderful advertisers.

Please visit them and tell ‘em Submerge sent you.

Exquisite Corps Vignettes

You’d think this homegrown MC was in Alcatraz from all the bars on his second album. But J.Sirus clearly breaks out here and is on the run.

For their sophomore release, Ex Corps stripped down their sound, dropped a string section (mostly), to bring a driving, soulful rock album.

Self-released

’s

Top 30 of 2014

(in 140 Characters or Less) Words Submerge Staff

30

Excorpsmusic

25

Sun Kil Moon Benji

White Reaper White Reaper

Caldo Verde Records

29

H

ow many albums came out in 2014? Hell if we know. Eleventy-billion?

It was a lot, let’s just leave it at that. You probably didn’t have time to listen to all of them, that’s why we picked out our 30 favorites from local and national/ international bands to share with you. Now, now…we know what you’re saying. “But Submerge, now that the holidays are over and we’re all back to work and stuff, how do you expect us to read another long-ass ‘best-of’ list?” Hey, you know we gotchoo.

We waxed eloquently about these 30 albums in Twitter-friendly blurbs. Now, who’s your best bro?

We thought so…

Poly Vinyl

Heavy lyrics (assisted suicide) and the mundane (trips to Panera Bread) are equally vital. It’s folk, but it’s so much more.

24

Sylvan Esso Sylvan Esso Partisan

28

Velvety voiced melodies woven into a dark bassy web. The two elements could stand alone as quality songs but together they’re beyond catchy.

Blue Swan Records

23

Young Aundee Caveat Emptor

For his seventh studio album, the prolific fuzzrocker charted deeper waters for a cathartic, trippy, Kinks-like psych romp over 17 tracks.

Buyer beware. A lyrically sparse EP wading in the deep end of ominous soundwaves, so that the electronica must emote the mood.

Waaga Records

22

Childish Gambino Kauai EP

26 moar albums we loved

Travis ditches the posthardcore he’s known for and delivers an impressive full-length pop album with lush melodies and clean production.

Ty Segall Manipulator Dr ag City

27

There are at least three punks in Louisville.

Together they’re called White Reaper and none of them can legally drink, so buy ‘em a 12er.

Kurt Travis Everything Is Beautiful

Summit Spellbreaker

Self-released

Glassnote

(aka honorable mentions):

tic u e p era ative h T A ltern A

J.Sirus Varsity Blues

Been tough taking Donald Glover seriously as a full-fledged rapper.

But now that he’s crooning like MJ we have no choice but to respect him.

Mahtie Bush Child's Play

21

Darlingchemicalia Spun in White

Dark metal oozing with evil. The song “Soldier” alone has enough firepower to win the war on terror, but probably for the wrong side.

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Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

Salt Wizard Salt Wizard

Crude Studs Crude Studs 7-inch

That mood with a playlist of Piper @ Gates of Dawn, VU-Loaded, Pet Sounds, Cowboy Junkies? Add this album to that list. Sac dreampop heroes.

Aggravated verses meet sporadic, chaotic change-ups. From start to finish, the EP lasts 15 minutes. But, sometimes, that’s all she wrote.

Self-released

20

Self-release

15

Hurray for the Riff Raff Small Town Heroes Puerto Rican from the Bronx grows up on doo-wop & Motown, then dips into riot grrrl punk before settling on the sweetest of country styles.

14

SZA Z

Top Dawg Entertainment

18

Emotive, raspy & powerful R&B voice delivers intelligent, poetic lyrics atop constructed soundscapes w/ unique time changes, spoken word.

13

12

16

Cosmic Dial Tone stylistically and instrumentally takes us back to the basics while keeping it quirky & eclectic, modern groovy done right.

Roots run deep in hiphop, soul and intellect.

The voice of the streets, a disenfranchised people and universally Sacramento all the same.

Lolipop Records

9

FKA Twigs LP1

DLRN Neon Noir

FKA Twigs’ debut is a shuddering, sumptuous dose of futuristic chamber-soul perfect for carrying us into the chilly months of early 2015.

The synth-fueled, sexier side of hip-hop for those in search of that golden-era feel layered with endless soundscapes & headbobbin’ beats.

Sol Life Music

Waaga Records

8

3

The War on Drugs Lost in the Dream

Artery Recordings

Secretly Canadian

7

What has 10 legs, smokes a lot of weed & sounds like mid-’80s Don Henley? The War On Drugs’ Lost in the Dream. We still hate the Eagles, tho.

Captured Tr acks

4 AD

A sly tribute to G-funk packed with synths, 808s and scary-ass gangster shit. It’s everything Republicans hate about rap.

Sounds like killing a sunny afternoon w/ nothing to do in a lowlying, wood-paneled den w/ beaded curtains, but it’s a good thing, really.

Dreamy synthpop embellished with the howls of Samuel Herring. This is Future Islands. If you haven’t been introduced, please do so now.

Le Kelton Saint

Century Got Bars Lunaverse 3 May 3-31 Xool

PeTeR

WedeL

An Ode TO The ‘80s And h i S e A R Ly W O R k S nOW unTiL jAnu ARy 31

These works show his painting beginnings and his transformation to high end fine art as seen at the LA Punk Museum!

Opening Reception Jan 8 • 6-8pm Second Saturday • Jan 10 Open: 11-6pm Reception: 6-9pm Grand Finale Reception Jan 31 • 6-8pm

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

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Future Islands Singles

6

Instagon 666

Mt. St. Mtn.

Staccato beats, quirky vocals & airy guitar riffs comprise the plucky quartet’s sophomore effort. Reinvention, done.

Hoods Gato Negro

Mac DeMarco Salad Days

Paige Anderson and the Fearless Kin Foxes in June

4

G. Green Area Codes

YG My Krazy Life

11

Epic and absolutely addicting synthdriven instrumental album that’s ambient, groovy, melodic and psychedelic. Road trip to this!

Heartfelt, moving folk songs that don’t forget to rock from Northern California’s sageliest songwriter. Ragan just gets better with age.

Carlson’s riffs combine with Lanegan’s vox to make molten metal magic. #stonerboner

Def Jam

5

Dre-T Sacramentality

Southern Lord

On Lxus Shaq, Michael RJ Saalman constructs a world of experimental pop tunes that spark sonic hallucinations through osculating synths.

Refreshing ‘70s Outlaw Country throwback vibe w/ plenty of slick licks & proper twang.

No phony caricatures.

Old school troubadours proud.

Ghostly International

Tele Novella Cosmic Dial Tone

Earth Primitive and Deadly

Cr ash Symbols

High Top Mountain

Tycho Awake

Chuck Ragan Till Midnight

Young Turks

Michael RJ Saalman Lxus Shaq

17

10

SideOneDummy

ATO Records

19

Sturgill Simpson Metamodern Sounds in Country Music

With their first new album in five years, Sacto hardcore legends Hoods are back and as brutal as ever.

Gato Negro is a mean pussycat!

Sunmonks In a Desert of Plenty

Crossbill Records

1

Lucy Camp Virago

Sunmonks seduces w/ clattering beats, enchanting harmonies & horns to make ur heart sing. You’ll dream of celebration under the desert sun.

Pinnacles Automaton

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 Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

25

friday

jan 23

the shallow end Life in Exile

ace of spaDes • 1417 r street • sacto • all aGes • 8:00pm Harlow’s

Midge Ure [vocalist of Ultravox] The UnforTUnaTe BasTard •

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Tig noTaro The Ting Tings The new MasTersoUnds The heard

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memBers of Grupo fantasma / Brownout] •

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Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

James Barone jb@submergemag.com About a week before the calendar flipped over to 2015, after months of contemplation, I decided to bite the bullet and deactivate my Facebook account. I wasn’t really trying to make a statement or get a head start on a New Year’s resolution; I was just kind of done with it. I’m not saying I won’t ever go back and start using it again, but for now, my break with the social networking site is indefinite, or perhaps, to use the accepted nomenclature, “it’s complicated.”

It really shouldn’t be, though. I never had this much of an issue with ceasing to use a website. I’ve ditched Friendster for Myspace, then Myspace for Facebook, in the past without so much as a blink. Before that, I’d abandoned blogs on platforms such as Blogger and Tumblr as easily as I signed up for them (there might have even been a Livejournal in there somewhere, too), and coldly turned my back on numerous email addresses during my life online.

The thing is, I didn’t have to “decide” to stop using these services, I just did. Facebook was much different to walk away from—whether it’s temporary or not—but why?

It wasn’t hyperbole when I said I contemplated leaving Facebook for months. I was close to pulling the trigger a couple of times over the summer and fall, but always chickened out at the last minute. I’d always come up with some kind of excuse and just close out of the app instead of pushing the “deactivate” button. For instance, my mom often “texts” me, as she calls it, via Facebook Messenger from her iPad. Since you can’t use the messenger without a Facebook account, and because I switched from the iPhone to an Android which meant she could no longer reach me via iMessage, I’d guilt myself into sticking around. Hey, I grew up Catholic, so guilt is a very powerful thing.

It wasn’t any one incident that led me to commit what is basically the modern version of social suicide. It was more the slow burn of frustration that drove me over the edge.

I didn’t realize how much negativity was posted on the site. These things ranged from the run-of-the-mill, woe-is-me statuses to quasi- or just outright racist posts that would often worm their way on to my news feed.

National tragedies such as police violence and the ensuing demonstrations/riots in Ferguson, Missouri, led to an outpouring of opinionated garbage. I began dreading listening/watching/ reading the news, not because I was sad

to hear about the misfortune of others, but because I didn’t want to be bothered with the scuttlebutt on Facebook that the mass-shooting du jour (take your pick), would inspire. Whereas in the past I looked forward to checking in to see how my friends and family scattered all over the country were doing, I would now spend my free time hate-scrolling through my news feed.

It was turning me into a real grump. And instead of missing all the people I hadn’t seen in ages that I was using Facebook to keep in touch with, I was beginning to despise the people who were supposedly my friends.

Maybe I thought that if I took a step back and removed myself from the reality that a lot of the people I grew up with turned out to be assholes, nostalgia would eventually take over and I could reflect on all the fun we used to have back when we actually hung out and not just pushed the “like” button on each other’s summer barbecue pics.

I have to say, in the first couple of days, it was really strange. I never realized it, but Facebook was sort of an addiction. Without it, I’d watch a movie and think, “I should post something pithy about this,” but then I’d feel lost when I realized I no longer had the ability to broadcast what I was doing/feeling/thinking on the Internets in hopes it would reap precious likes. I mean, I still have Twitter and Instagram, and they’re cool or whatever, but they’re just not the same.

I also wondered if people would notice my absence; if they’d wonder what happened to me. Perhaps they’d think that I had deleted them out of malice instead of just deactivating my account, but save for one person, no one’s noticed. And why would they? I’m not trying to be self-deprecating here, but would you really notice if, say, 20 or more people disappeared from your friends list? There’s just so much noise.

Without Facebook, my life has been sort of quiet. I have to ask my fiancée “what’s going on this weekend?” Oh, you didn’t know I was getting married? I’d post it to Facebook, but, well, you know how that goes…

Has anyone else deactivated themselves? Email me at jb@submergemag.com. Think of it as a social experiment.

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

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Issue 178 • January 5 – January 19, 2015

27

Dive into Sacramento & its Surrounding Areas

January 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 19, 2015

#178

the ting tings Dance Floor Divine

Be Brave Bold Robot

Sacramento's Newest Hip-Hop Heroes?

Top 30

Albums of 2014!

According to Us, Anyway

free

Robin Bacior Water Dreamer Eric Rushing Breathes New Life into The Boardwalk

Chicory

Coffee & Tea Soupocalypse Now

Humble Wolf Are You Ready to Rock?