Submerge Magazine: Issue 285 (February 13 - February 27, 2018) by Submerge Magazine

DIVE INTO SACRAMENTO & ITS SURROUNDING AREAS

FEBRUARY 13 – 27, 2019

#285

THE NICKEL SLOTS AMERICAN STORYTELLERS BIG WILD DIGITAL DEVOTION JULIE OKAHARA A DIFFERENT WORLD

BRYCE VINE RISE TO THE TOP

CRU CHOCOLATE WORDS TO MAKE

YOUR MOUTH WATER

SAC ROLLER DERBY’S TRIUMPHANT RETURN CAPITOL BEER FEST BACK FOR ITS NINTH YEAR

FREE

DIVE INTO THE MUSIC OF MILES DAVIS AT MUSICLANDRIA

GEAR UP FOR SPRING TIME & PATIO CHILLING WITH

new statement pieces FROM LITTLE RELICS

LITTLE &BOUTIQUE RELICS GALLERIA LITTLE Issue 285 • February 13 – February 27, 2019

1111 24th St. #103

Midtown Sacramento 95816

916.346.4615 www.littlerelics.com Open 7 days a week

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

SubmergeMag.com

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 28, 2019

Short stories and observations told in rhymes and lyrics -this collection offers an autobiographical journey of an American songwriter in the late 20th century. ERIC IS A NATIVE SACRAMENTO SONGWRITER/GUITARIST RAISED IN THE AMERICAN WEST IN THE ‘50S AND ‘60S, RICHARDSON CHRONICLES A PERSONAL NARRATIVE IN 124 SONG LYRICS, THE INTERNAL AND CULTURAL SHIFTS, TENOR, AND STYLE OF HIS ERA, REFLECTING THE INFLUENCES OF FOLK-ROCK AND AMERICANA SONGWRITING.

285 2019

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

WINTER ‘19: RIDE! SHRED! CARVE! BOMB!

FEBRUARY 13 – 27

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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DIVE IN

CRU CHOCOLATE

THE STREAM

THE NICKEL SLOTS

THE OPTIMISTIC PESSIMIST

CALENDAR

SUBMERGE YOUR SENSES

BRYCE VINE

JULIE OKAHARA

THE SHALLOW END

JACKSON STELL AKA BIG WILD

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 27, 2019

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 P.O. Box 160282, Sacramento, California 95816. Or you can email us at info@submergemag.com.

SUBMERGEMAG.COM Follow us on Twitter & Instagram! @SubmergeMag PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

FRONT COVER PHOTO OF BRYCE VINE BY JUCO BACK COVER PHOTO OF THE NICKEL SLOTS BY JASON KNIGHT

MELISSA WELLIVER melissa@submergemag.com If there’s one thing I love as much as music, at least in the winter, it’s snowboarding. I think I say it every year, but it without a doubt it keeps me from going insane during these short, cold days. The reason I enjoy snowboarding so much is because I am forced to be in the moment (you know, so I don’t eat shit and break something). It’s one of the rare times I truly have no other cares or worries in the world. You see, I grew up in a small “village” in Northern California—Weed—where there was pretty much nothing to do. I actually didn’t even live in town, I lived at the edge of the Klamath National Forest, which forced me to embrace the outdoors. And in the winter there, I’m telling you, there was really nothing to do. Luckily, around age 4, my pops took me to the Mt. Shasta Ski Park and put me on skis. From that moment on, winter was something I actually looked forward to. Looking back, I was a pretty damn good skier for my age, because of my dad. But when I was starting to become my own person, around seventh grade, I hung up my ski’s because I wanted to be a “snowboarder.” It wasn’t a popular thing at the time, at least up in Weed. My best friend took it up with me and we were hooked. I always imagined it was a similar feeling to how surfers are one with the waves in the ocean. Oh man, while writing this I just did the math, it’s been freakin’ 27 years that I’ve been snowboarding! I’d love to encourage more people to give skiing or snowboarding a try. Nowadays, it seems like it can cost you a pretty penny, but think of it as an investment for your mind and body. Plus, really, at the end of the day, you can get used equipment pretty cheap and there are ways to get deals on tickets: weekday prices, half-days and/or you can buy tickets in advance. If you love it like I do, you can get a season pass which will pay for itself if you go over four times (depending on the resort). Now my favorite resort, just up Highway 50, is Sierra-at-Tahoe. And as you might imagine, they’ve been getting pounded with snow these past few weeks. It’s going to be a great February and March! You can read about what the resort has going on in a small write-up on page 8. I’d love to hear what your favorite resort is! And how many years you’ve been skiing or snowboarding! Email me at melissa@ submergemag.com. Now I’ll leave you with this extra awkward photo of me, in seventh grade, when I got my first (used) Sims snowboard for Christmas.

Read. Learn. And learn how to ski or snowboard in 2019! – Melissa

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

SubmergeMag.com

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 28, 2019

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Issue 285 • February 13 – February 27, 2019

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Issue 285 • February 13 – February 28, 2019

THE STREAM

JONATHAN CARABBA

Send regional news tips to info@submergemag.com

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SACRAMENTO ROLLER DERBY RETURNS FOR SECOND SEASON AS UNITED LEAGUE

WINTER IS HEATING UP AT SIERRAAT-TAHOE WITH DEEP SNOW, LIVE MUSIC, PRODUCT DEMOS AND MORE

Sacramento and roller derby go together like a foot fit snugly into a roller skate. For more than a decade, our region has played host to two different, well established roller derby teams, the Sacred City Derby Girls and the Sac City Rollers. Last year, in a major move unforeseen by many local derby fans who weren’t in the know, the two teams combined forces to create the Sacramento Roller Derby, made up of the best skaters from the region. The newly minted league still functions under the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) and also remains a 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, continuing their philanthropic efforts within the community. On Saturday, Feb. 23, the Sacramento Roller Derby returns with their first home bout of the 2019 season, taking place at The Rink (2900 Bradshaw Road, Sacramento). Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for this double header featuring SRD’s A and B teams. First up will be SRD’s B team, Bruin Trouble, facing off against Sonoma County Roller Derby, followed by their A team, Capital Maulstars, taking on the Santa Cruz Boardwalk Bombshells. If you’ve never been to a roller derby bout, trust us, we here at Submerge cannot suggest it enough. Even if you’re completely unfamiliar with the rules (which are pretty easy to catch on to), just seeing these incredible athletes skate their asses off, often crashing into each other at high speeds (my personal favorite part), is totally worth the price of admission alone, which is just $8 for kids ages 8–12, or $15 for adults for general admission. Or you can spring for VIP tickets for $30, which gets you all kinds of perks like early entry to the event, a premium seating area with a great view, two drink tickets, raffle tickets and even a dedicated SRD volunteer to answer all of your roller derby questions! Visit Sacramentorollerderby.com to buy tickets in advance and to learn all about the roller derby basics. If you click on the “about” tab, you can check out an informative video and graphics to get you up to speed with some basic knowledge, so that in no time you’ll be confidently throwing around terms like “jammer,” “pivot” and “blocker,” no doubt impressing your other newby friends. So roll on out to The Rink, friends, and experience the intense, fun, in-your-face, hard-hitting action that is Sacramento Roller Derby! If you want to learn even more about the new league, hit up SubmergeMag.com and search for “Sacramento Roller Derby” to read our in-depth feature story on them from April 2018.

As the closest major ski resort to Sacramento, over the years Sierraat-Tahoe has become a favorite amongst visitors and Tahoe locals alike, with its laid back, independently owned mom-and-pop vibe (a rarity in Tahoe these days, with giant corporations buying up many of the resorts), not to mention their absolutely amazing world class terrain to shred on your skis or snowboards until you can’t feel your legs anymore. Sierra, along with all the other Tahoe-area ski resorts, are having an epic season thus far, having just received 10-plus feet of new snow in the last week or two, with even more storms pushing in. The conditions are prime to say the least, but in addition to all that great snow, Sierra-at-Tahoe also consistently hosts fun events, including live music in their pub, product demos on the mountain and more. One noteworthy event coming up is the Subaru WinterFest, going down at Sierra on Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3. In partnership with POWDR, “one of the last familyowned adventure lifestyle companies with multiple mountain resort destinations,” according to Sierraattahoe.com, the Sierra stop of the Subaru WinterFest tour will include live tunes from nationally touring indie/bluegrass/Americana band The Lil Smokies (performing on Saturday), as well as other emerging artists and DJs playing throughout the weekend. Visitors are encouraged to not only demo products from top brands like Nordica, Lib Tech and Thule, but also to just kick back and hang out while playing lawn games, relaxing in hammocks, warming up next to fire pits and enjoying some food and drink (s’mores and hot craft coffee, anyone?). The event is free, goes down all day both days in the Solstice Plaza area, and all ages are welcome. In addition to the Subaru WinterFest, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention how awesome it is that some of Sierra’s ski patrollers have a band called Boot Juice that plays on Feb. 16 from 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m., and the resort’s general manager, John Rice, often performs music in the pub with his band, too! You can catch the Rice Brothers live on March 2 from noon–2:20 p.m. Other highlights coming up at Sierra-at-Tahoe include Tim Bluhm from The Mother Hips playing on March 16, a rad snowboard competition called Methodology presented by Vans, also going down on March 16, as well as the Boarding For Breast Cancer Shred the Love event on April 6. Check out Sierraattahoe.com/events-calendar for a list of all shows and events. Shred on!

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 27, 2019

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

THE OPTIMISTIC PESSIMIST CORPORATE HOLIDAYS BOCEPHUS CHIGGER bocephus@submergemag.com Did you know that, if you have enough money, you can create your own holiday? A perfect example of such a holiday falls in the middle of the month of February every year, and we call it Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is supposed to be about love, but it’s really about making money. When you are young, you might give Valentine’s Day cards and candy conversation hearts to people you had a crush on. As you got older, Valentine’s Day turned into fancy dinners with your S.O. or expensive gifts like jewelry, along with those same cards, candy and maybe even some flowers because that is what’s expected of you. By then you were caught in the system and couldn’t avoid the expense. All of these tokens of your affection came at a premium due to the sheer fact that you wanted them for Valentine’s Day. When you are paying for love, things can add up real quick. Those of you who have dropped bread on Valentine’s Day gifts should not be a surprised to learn that Valentine’s Day, as we now know it, was actually the creation of a corporation as a veiled attempt to get paid. In 1913, the Hallmark Company decided to usurp the existing Valentine’s Day to use as a vehicle for selling greeting cards and we’ve been paying for it ever since. It was a stroke of marketing genius, to say the least. The cash pulled in from Valentine’s Day card sales allowed Hallmark to survive several financial collapses and calamities that sunk bigger companies in the following decades. If Christmas has taught us anything, it's that this country loves a holiday that requires us to buy food, cards, gifts and flowers for other people. So why is it taking so long for another corporation to step up and lay claim to its own cash cow/holiday like Hallmark? If a greeting card company can do it, why can’t anyone else? Amazon is trying it with Prime Day, but that’s a little too on the nose, and Jeff Bezos already seems like a bit of a creep, so I don’t see it becoming the next Valentine’s Day. A new holiday that will last in the public consciousness like Hallmark’s requires a bit more cover if you want buy-in from the people. For example, let’s say you own ACME, a company that manufactures fire extinguishers. You’ve noticed that sales are flat every winter and you need a way to get the public’s interest during those cold months. All across the SubmergeMag.com

country, millions of fire extinguishers sit tucked away in some cabinet, not being used. ACME could try to fix this by starting a lot of fires, but that strategy hasn’t worked too well for PG&E and it’s not likely to work for ACME. Creating a holiday called ACME Fire Extinguisher Day probably wouldn’t help increase sales either, and sounds a bit desperate. Instead, ACME could mask their true intention to increase fire extinguisher sales by creating a new holiday called, Fire Safety Day. You might think that Fire Safety Day would be about fire preparedness and prevention, but that’s actually covered during Fire Safety Week, which is another observance all together. Fire Safety Day differs in that it is one day instead of a whole week, and the sole focus of it is on making sure your fire extinguishers are in proper working order. On Fire Safety Day, you are encouraged to test your fire extinguisher out in your yard. Go ahead and drain the whole canister and put a video of it on YouTube to show your friends how safe you really are! Challenge them to make a bigger cloud than you! By the way, did you hear ACME is having a sale on fire extinguishers that day? Do you see what I did there? You were so caught up in the mechanics of Fire Safety Day and your potential YouTube fame that you didn’t realize ACME just wants you to use up your existing fire extinguisher so that you have to buy another one, preferably made by ACME. I mean, they are having that awesome sale, after all. It’s just that simple; all it takes is a little cunning and a good cover story to create your own annual cash cow. With the way things are going in the world, every corporation should be trying to come up with a holiday to shore up against the crashing waves ahead. Look how well it’s worked for Hallmark with Valentine’s Day and all they sell is crummy greeting cards. Thanks to those crummy cards, Hallmark made it through the Great Depression, the oil shortages of the 1970s, the Dot Com bubble, 9/11, several housing bubbles and the Great Recession and managed to take a lot of your money in the process. You can hate the fact that Hallmark leveraged a holiday to create demand, but you have to at least admit that it worked. Why no one else has followed suit is beyond me.

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Issue 285 • February – February OF 28, 2019 CELEBRATING 8013YEARS BUSINESS!

* *9

pulse

Your Senses

WORDS SUBMERGE STAFF

3.23.19

TOUCH

Your Winter Bucket List Should Include Disco Tubing at Squaw Valley! Saturdays through March 23

music // art // fashion presented by wootsquared.com tickets available on eventbrite // $25 advance - $50 door faces nightclub // sacramento, ca

Disco tubing … What is it? Great question! Squaw Valley’s tubing trails get all lit up with LED lights and lasers (!!!), and you and your family (all ages are welcome) can swoosh along to great tunes cranked out by live DJs. For example, March 2 from 5–8 p.m., Izzy Wise will lay down the soundtrack to great views and good times. Tickets are available at Squawalpine.com, or at the SnoVentures Activity Zone (1651 Squaw Valley Road, Alpine Meadows). If the pictures on the website are any indication, Disco Tubing takes “winter wonderland” to the next level.

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SEE LGBTQ Stand-Up Showcase at Sacramento Comedy Spot • March 1 Celebrating diversity is awesome. So is laughing. You can do both at the Sacramento Comedy Spot (1050 20th St., #130) on March 1 at 9 p.m. The lineup features Chey Bell, whose Coming or Going live taping is available to rent or own online at Cheybell.com; San Francisco’s Sergio Novoa, host of the My Limited View … podcast; Mike Whitaker from Santa Rosa; and local comic and co-producer of the @ movingvanshow pop-up comedy show, Shahera Hyatt. Hosting will be Sacramento-based comedian Melissa McGillicuddy (also co-producer of the @movingvanshow), who took third in the 2018 Sacramento Stand-up Competition. Tickets start at $12 and can be purchased through Saccomedyspot.com. For an extra $3, you’ll also be granted admission to the Squad Patrol show, which will precede the LGBTQ Stand-up Showcase at 8 p.m. A full night of laughs for $15 sounds pretty dope to us.

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 27, 2019

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

HEAR

MusicLandria to Host Hearing Miles: The Life, Times and Music of Miles Davis • March 2

Ninth Annual Capitol Beer Fest Returns to Capitol Mall March 2

Day drinking will be of epic proportions on March 2 during the triumphant return of the Capitol Beer Fest, which will take place (rain or shine—would it be too much to ask for shine?) on the Capitol Mall in Sacramento from noon–4 p.m. An impressive lineup of breweries from all over California will be on hand, such as Fall River Brewing Company from Redding to San Diego’s Green Flash and locals such as Track 7. The fest will also play host to breweries beyond the Golden State’s expansive borders, such as Alaska’s Alaskan Brewing Company and even international offerings such as Iceland’s Einstök (a personal favorite). Household names such as Samuel Adams and Guinness will also be on hand, because, you know, who could turn down a pint of Guinness? Obviously, this event is for people 21-and-over, but if you’d like to do your friends a solid and be designated driver, you can get in for just $15 (and even get complimentary water). VIP tickets are $70, which allows you entrance at noon, giving you an hour before doors open for general admission ticket holders ($45) at 1 p.m. Live music from Daze on the Green; food trucks; a whole slew of breweries we didn’t have room to list … Look, just go. More info at Capitolbeerfest.com.

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Those who like to appreciate music on a deeper level will not want to miss this event at MusicLandria (2181 6th Ave.), Sacramento’s library of musical instruments. Lauded musicologist Jimi Michiel will lead an in-depth listening session and discussion of the music of Miles Davis, spanning the iconic musician’s decades-long career. You’ll also get insight into the man behind the music. Michiel is a Sacramento-based musician and musicologist who holds multiple degrees from the New England Conservatory and a degree in trumpet performance from the Interlochen Arts Academy. He has done extensive academic work on the early life of Miles Davis, which has received recognition from the American Musicologist Society and the International Association of Jazz Instructors. In addition to his scholarly pursuits, Michiel has also performed with the New York String Orchestra and the Brandeis New Music Ensemble. This is a rare opportunity to gain a greater appreciation for and understanding of one of America’s greatest artists, and also hang out with a pretty accomplished musician in his own right. Hearing Miles will run from 7–9 p.m. on March 2. Refreshments will be available (beer also available with ID), and the suggested donation is $10. For more info, go to Musiclandria.com.

OPEN TO 21+ WITH VALID ID

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 28, 2019

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 27, 2019

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

PUFF PIECE

JULIE OKAHARA’S ART IS IN A WORLD OF ITS OWN WORDS MICHAEL CELLA

ulie Okahara lives in her own world. The phrase “neither here nor there” often refers to something of little consequence, but in Okahara’s case, it’s the best way of describing who she is and what she does. Raised in Osaka, Japan, Okahara always had a notebook on her, doodling into it and copying comic book characters. She attended a high school that specialized in graphic design, which, though she enjoyed it, didn’t offer her enough freedom to express herself. “It was creative, but within rules,” says Okahara. “I don’t like rules.” Okahara was looking to add another dimension to her life and her art. Eager to travel and see the world, and with the benefit of having taken English classes in high school, she moved to the United States in 2005. She spent some time on the East Coast in the New York City area, visited family friends in Chicago and Michigan, and then settled out west, where she enrolled in an art program at Sierra College in Rocklin, California. At Sierra, Julie took classes in many different art forms—more graphic design, canvas art and sculpting. In sculpting class, she formed a relationship with Johnny (now her husband of 10 years), as well as a clearer picture of what she wanted to do with her art. “I really liked sculpting, but I just didn’t have anywhere with enough room to do it in,” explains Okahara. “That’s why I started trying to do 3D stuff on canvas.” Okahara started using fabrics on her canvas—“puff stuff,” as she calls it—as well as textured or colored paper cutouts, on top of either acrylic painting or watercolor and ink. “I like creating positive and negative space on two-dimensional surfaces,” says Okahara. After graduating from Sierra with an associate degree and moving in with her husband, she began operating out of the front room of their Rocklin condo. Though she’s now spent roughly half her life in Japan and half in California, neither place defines her art, but both inspire it. Perhaps as a result, that leaves Okahara’s art somewhat in between worlds. “I can’t really explain my style,” she says. “I show at comic book shops, but I’m not a comic artist. I go to conventions, but I’m not a convention artist. I’ve shown at galleries, but I don’t do ‘high-end’ art. I just need to find my …” she trails off, as if even this can’t be defined. It hasn’t stopped Okahara from carving a niche of her own. Though active in the Sacramento scene, she’s not a part of any art collective or collaboration. Instead, she’s found a community online, often streaming her works-inprogress for friends and followers on Twitch, or posting temporary snippets via Instagram stories. In the same way, her work tends to be playful and interactive. Though she’ll often listen to music or talk radio while she’s painting, humor is one of Okahara’s biggest influences. “Growing up in Osaka, there was a very big comedy scene,” says Okahara. Moving to the United States introduced her to traditional stand-up, and that direct relationship with the audience continues to be a huge motivating factor for her. SubmergeMag.com

“That’s why I like having little galleries or receptions for my art,” says Okahara. “I’m really shy, but I like talking to people, listening to what they say about my piece. I enjoy listening to their thoughts or feelings on what I’m painting.” For Okahara, that feedback might supply the only narrative she needs in her work. “I do sometimes have my own story and paint it, but it usually comes after I have the idea,” she says. “I’m making it up as I paint. I want other people to do the same when they see my piece. If they have their own story, it’s awesome. That means it speaks to them.” Okahara’s career, like her art, has not yet been completely defined. “I am a full-time artist, but not quite at the point I can support myself,” she says. For now, she has partitioned her front room studio into separate areas for streaming, for making art, and for printing, as her work has expanded to making buttons, pins and stickers. Her state-of-the-art printer, a recent addition, allows Okahara to oversee her creation operations from beginning to end. “I don’t like manufacturing because I like to see the product before it gets mass produced,” she says. “It’s a learning process, but I like the control. I can see it and I know it’s coming out good.” Okahara uses her newest toy, a tablet, to make custom avatars and emoji sets on commission, a return to her roots in design. Keeping virtually her entire artistic arsenal contained in-house presents challenges of its own. “Our living room is basically a factory,” her husband Johnny jokes. “We don’t have people over. We’ve moved our TV to the bedroom.” But this suits them both just fine. In addition to graphic design, Johnny also builds with LEGO, and the setup allows them to bounce ideas off each other. “We both know how we work and what we are capable of,” says Okahara. “So when I need his help for a project, he gets what I want from him without me explaining everything.” That makes hiding things almost impossible. “The challenge is, he can see through my unsureness if I have one in my art,” she admits. “I can’t fake him!” Fortunately, there is little fake in Okahara’s art. Her subjects reflect the authenticity of everyday life—food, animals, insects and people make up much of her work, which tends to resonate with the most genuine among us. “Kids really like my stuff,” she says. “It has bright colors, and you can touch it.” While her style, influences and career status resist labeling, Okahara’s originality means she’s rarely short on inspiration. “My favorite piece is the next piece I’m making,” says Okahara. “Always, always.” Julie Okahara is the artist of the month at Empire’s Comics Vault (1120 Fulton Ave., Suite K, Sacramento). An opening reception will be held on Feb. 16 at 5 p.m. For more information, go to Empirescomics.com, and you can learn more about the artist at her website, Julieokahara.com.

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Issue 285 • February 13 – February 28, 2019

INTO THE WILD

JACKSON STELL’S (AKA BIG WILD) EVOLUTION FROM HIP-HOP BEATS TO CINEMATIC ANTHEMS WORDS CLAUDIA RIVAS • PHOTO JESSIE MCCALL

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e’s entertained crowds around the world while on stage at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo and EDC Las Vegas. He’s co-headlined shows with Louis the Child and toured with EDM giants Odesza. He’s even sold out Colorado’s legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre. In the last few years, Jackson Stell, aka Big Wild, has increased his exposure rapidly, and so far in 2019, he’s continuing this momentum with no sign of slowing down. Following his debut album, Superdream (released Feb. 1), Stell is gearing up for an upcoming 17date tour across the United States in March (plus one in Vancouver, British Columbia). While he prepares his mind and energy for the slew of killer shows ahead, Submerge had the opportunity to interview the East Coast native. We covered his journey from hip-hop beatmaker into electronic genre-blender while he now adds smooth-crooning vocalist into his repertoire. Growing up in his home state of Massachusetts, Stell was introduced to performing music through the trumpet and piano. Though he didn’t connect to classical instruments at first, when he started creating music on the computer the experience made an impact he’d never forget. As a young teenager, “I first really got into producing when I downloaded FL Studio [software to create music digitally, formerly known as FruityLoops] in middle school. I wanted to make hip-hop beats,” he said. “When I started to put beats and sounds together on the computer, that’s when I really fell in love with making music and decided to devote my life to it.” Fast-forward to college, Stell started to experiment with electronic sounds and was intrigued by not only incredible natural settings, but the the remarkable details surrounding our everyday lives. During his first visit to California, the West Coast made a massive imprint on his soul. Impacted by the state’s beautiful curves and waves, he based his stage name off of the significant adventure, hence his name: Big Wild. He moved to the Golden State soon after. When he pulled the trigger and uprooted his life to the west, Stell became enamored with electronic music. He started to upload his tracks onto SoundCloud as Big Wild and eventually, through years of developing his craft, his experiments resulted in Superdream.

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 27, 2019

Superdream takes the psychedelic stylings of classic rock and funk and thrusts them into a refreshing digital angle. While the project progresses Stell’s whole sound, his personal boundaries are pushed through his voice. Before this project, Stell had never used his vocals for a major release, and through this new creative curve, he begins a new phase in his musical journey. On his choice to use his own vocals, Stell explained, “I was in this consistent creative block, just using instrumental music and not knowing how to excel in the direction I wanted. I initially came to the conclusion that I needed to move beyond making instrumental tracks if I wanted to really express what I wanted to express. “That’s when I really decided to sing vocals and add that to the project,” Stell continued. “It felt like a new album was a really good time to experiment with it [his vocals], making my story a little more known and sharing a little more of who I am.” In the cover art for Superdream there sits a woman in profile. She’s alone and surrounded by sand dunes. The image may evoke loneliness in some, but the music presents a different story; perhaps the woman is in awe of the landscape, with the tracks of Superdream complementing her surroundings. “City of Sound,” the first track off Superdream, has a nostalgic, funky tone, blending the disco sounds of the ‘70s with new wave beats of the ‘80s. This romantic, yet groovy tone will surprise avid Big Wild fans as it strays away from his usual hints of hip-hop. But listeners will hear his roots unveil in songs like “Pale Blue Dot,” where glitch-filled trap vibes make for a definite hip-hop mood. If listeners sense a cinematic nature within Superdream, Stell has done this purposely. Regardless of the setting—whether a day at the office, sunset on a beach in Mexico, or the incredible frozen glaciers of Iceland—Big Wild’s Superdream is meant to provoke living in the moment and enjoying new perspectives. His ultimate mission with this project is to have audiences look at the world with more detail. Along with fresh use of his vocals, Stell also embraced other new sounds that involve guitar. The tender guitar riffs used throughout his debut album not only tie the project together, but also evoke gentle moments in-between before the next blow of noise to the face.

Through guitar, listeners enter a harmonic realm within “Mopsy’s Interlude” and feel melancholic blues inside “Awaken.” To elaborate on the addition of guitar Stell responded, “It’s interesting because this is also one of my first records where I’m featuring guitar; I’m not really a guitarist, I went into this project having never really played guitar. I knew it was something I wanted to get into and I basically just went for it. I think it was cool because it sparked a lot of ideas that I wouldn’t have come up with if I was still just behind a keyboard. It gave me inspiration for new musical ideas on Superdream.” Among Big Wild’s best tracks on the album, “Joypunks” pushes classic musical constraints into an experimental direction. Nostalgic ‘90s house is the foreground for the track while minimal vocals push their way to the front, leaving the audience with plenty of energy. Whereas that tune warps together a pool of violin euphoria, “Heaven” takes a different direction. This piece opens with a light soprano over a climactic synth shift. Muted vocals conquer the silence and mixes hip percussion with infectious melody. Superdream takes listeners to a new environment, somewhere unexpected track-by-track and leaves you a little sad when it’s over. For now, Stell’s main priority is his upcoming tour, but when asked on future plans, the impressive producer detailed, “I definitely have a lot of ideas for where I want to go with the next project. I do feel like I’m in this kind of productive mode and I do want to hit the studio and start creating again, while it all still feels really fresh. I want to continue doing shows throughout the year and try to record live sessions for online. I want to experiment with stripped-back versions of my music and give different perspectives in that way to people. I got a lot of things I want to achieve this year, too, now that the album is out and I’m really excited for it.” For those confused on how to express themselves, Big Wild exemplifies an important message: Don’t be afraid to show your voice. Don’t miss Big Wild perform live at Ace of Spades (1417 R St., Sacramento) for his Superdream Tour on Sunday, March 10 at 6:30 p.m. Also performing will be Robotaki and Mild Minds. The show will be ages 18 and over, and tickets are $20. For more information visit Aceofspadessac.com.

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

SubmergeMag.com

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 28, 2019

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Issue 285 • February 13 – February 27, 2019

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Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

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Issue 285 • February 13 – February 28, 2019

DELAIN / AMORPHIS

NOW YOU CAN EAT CHOCOLATE AND SAVE THE WORLD AT THE SAME TIME CRU CONFIRMS YOU HAVE AN ANCESTRAL OBLIGATION TO EAT CHOCOLATE WORDS MIRANDA CULP • PHOTOS DILLON FLOWERS

ou would never know it, but there is ancient magick at work in the suburbs of Roseville. Down a nondescript street, in a simple two-story house, a husbandand-wife team is performing alchemy that wins international awards. Karla McNeil Rueda is a HonduranAmerican with a heart-shaped face framed by wild curly hair and a wicked sense of humor that regularly evokes a laugh from her husband, Eddie Houston. He is a tall, lean fellow with a warm, soft voice. I thought I loved chocolate, but these people live on another chocolate-y plane altogether. Rueda and Houston started their business with a pretty simple principle: Chocolate is not a luxury or a treat; it’s a birthright. For thousands of years, across much of the Americas, cacao (which means “bitter water”) was staple sustenance. Nutrient rich, versatile and freaking delicious, cacao was used by Mayans and Aztecs as a morning beverage in the same way we drink coffee—as a reward for getting out of bed. Cru receives 150-pound jute bags of beans from farmers that they know personally from Haiti, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras. Houston opened one of these bags so I could stick my face in it and smell the bright vinegar earthiness of the fermented cacao. In their garage, a magnificent roaster

from 1910 that looks like a big copper pig gently toasts and ventilates the raw beans. “We bought it off of Craigslist,” Houston tells me. In fact, that applies to just about every piece of equipment they use. After the beans finish roasting, they go into a plain old, consumer-grade juicer with a rigged set of tubes that grinds them down and rids them of their shells. Rueda and Houston tell me that the ladies in Guatemala can actually do it faster than their homemade contraption. All the shells go into the compost. Now the metamorphosis happens: They pour the nibs into a stone grinder—a big steel vat with three stone cylinders where the cacao will transform from little, bitter brown crumbs to a rich swirl of aromatic chocolate. There is enough cocoa butter in the ground nibs that aside from a modest amount of cane sugar, they require nothing but time. It takes approximately eight days of steady grinding in the stone mixers so that the crystals break down finer and finer. Houston dips a little paper spoon in the rich, dark-brown slurry so I can taste it. Pecan, grapefruit, coffee, cinnamon—the flavors just keep coming. Willy Wonka’s chocolate waterfall couldn’t do this better. The chocolate must then “settle,” Houston explains, so it goes into cooling trays where it re-solidifies into big chalky blocks. After the chocolate gets a chance to chill out for a few days, they gently warm it to melting, and then add

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 27, 2019

ingredients to adjust each batch. They don’t use a recipe, though; Rueda just keeps tasting and blending until she’s satisfied with the results. “She’s amazing,” Houston observes with adorable admiration. “She just knows when it’s right.” The melted finished product goes into smaller molds to cool a final time into shiny shingles of heaven that are stacked all around the kitchen and living room. Rueda and Houston sit at their coffee table and lovingly fold a piece of foil around each bar like origami, finishing it with a recycled, soy-inked label and hand-writing the batch number and date on the back. For these chocolatiers, their work is participation in an ancient ritual and a quiet act of revolution. Rueda grew up among these holy plants that flourish right alongside her family’s coffee farm. The ritual tending, harvesting, fermenting and processing of beans were part of her daily life. She received a scholarship and studied industrial engineering at the Catholic National University because she wanted to help improve processes for farmers. Specifically, she wanted to help bolster these producers against the rising threat of increasingly powerful storms. She met a man and fell in love, which brought her to the United States, and had two children, although the marriage didn’t last. Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

Her first jobs here were in factories, sometimes working right on the assembly line. Management, however, quickly realized how much practical knowledge she brought to the table. At one plant, she designed a workflow system that enabled companies to hire disabled folks for the first time. Houston, meanwhile, grew up in Chico, studied computer science and worked at Hewlett Packard for 18 years, ignoring the entrepreneurial itch that had haunted him since he was a small child. The tech workplace had shifted so radically that he became increasingly unhappy. He met Rueda at a yoga class in 2012. They were both into food and actively seeking ways to simplify their lives. They were already saving and dabbling with the idea of producing chocolate when he got laid off from HP literally one day before his planned early retirement. “It was a blessing in a lot of ways,” he says. “Now we are more time-rich. We can spend time with the kids and travel to Central America.” As a massive juxtaposition to the corporate culture from which he had been ejected, Houston discovered kindred spirits in the craft chocolate world. Those makers whose primary commodity is the uniqueness of their product are happy to share manufacturing tricks because even if the process is identical, it’s the maker’s knowledge and creative choices that the consumer seeks out. Cru is selective about where they sell their wares—often coffee shops, online, boutiques—and they have found valuable partnerships within the booming craft brewery scene. Cru’s nibs are a dreamy ingredient added to stouts and porters. In their commitment to the communities and ecologies who produce their main ingredient, Cru is determined to keep the origin of the chocolate to five or six regions so that as they scale, they can have a bigger impact on the farms. My favorite was the Flor de Maíz, which is Nicaraguan cacao blended with heirloom corn and spices. It’s pungent and the corn gives it a creamy sweetness that just keeps

unfolding as it melts. For a moment there, I thought I was back in the womb. These are flavors that come together so naturally that they are ubiquitous without most of us even realizing. As Rueda pointed out to me, Coke is actually just a modern, carbonated (and synthetic) version of the ancient drink derived from the cacao plant. It’s chocolate, caramel and—in America— corn syrup. According to Rueda and Houston, we crave commercial junk because it’s just a ghostly trace of the original source that supported us through much of our existence. They actually teach workshops on the origins of these staple crops and how they help us develop communities and regional identities. “Plant enough for everybody,” Rueda tells me is the saying among the farmers, because planting cacao is really establishing a forest. It’s an invitation to squirrels, jaguars, birds, mushrooms and insects. When you buy a bar of Cru chocolate, you aren’t just supporting farmers; you are also supporting biodiversity. Some of these creatures of the cacao feature on their labels.

Be Uplifted.

Cacao is an ecosystem unto itself, or as they say in Columbia, “a seed within a seed.” Last year, Cru won eight awards in chocolate competitions. This year, they are considering, in the most laid back way possible, moving the operation so that they can meet the demand. But they are reticent to leave because they really enjoy working from home. After all, if you could stay at home with the person you love and make chocolate all day, why would you want to do Feeling a bit of a sweet tooth anything else?

We Shall Overcome

> MAR 1

A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. featuring Damien Sneed #mondavicenter

yet? So are we! Find Cru Chocolate throughout the United States, but check out Cruchocolate.com/find-us for a list of retailers around Sacramento and the West Coast.

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Issue 285 • February 13 – February 28, 2019

A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY, A LITTLE BIT ROCK ‘N’ ROLL THE NICKEL SLOTS SPILL THE BEANS ON THEIR FOURTH ALBUM WORDS JUSTIN COX • PHOTO MICHAEL KIME

ust over a decade ago, as the country wilted into the pits of a recession, four Sacramento-area musicians found themselves at a shared musical crossroads that gave birth to The Nickel Slots. Ten years later, the band is not only still together, they’ve become a staple in the local Americana, roots-rock scene and are about to release their fourth album of original material. The Nickel Slots have played a steady parade of West Coast shows over the years and toured Europe four times—all while starting families and working day jobs. Fronted by Tony Brusca, formerly of local pop-punk favorite The Brodys, The Nickel Slots put an Americana spin on anthemic rock ‘n’ roll. In both projects, Brusca

writes the bones of his songs on an acoustic guitar. He’s a natural storyteller, and can string together an immaculately melodic hook, which is a foundational quality in The Nickel Slots discography. The Nickel Slots formed as The Brodys and several of the future members’ bands, including Red Star Memorial and Popgun, had begun to slow down some. “I’m a songwriter,” said Brusca. “I wanted to do something different and evolve with my songwriting. With The Nickel Slots, I hit the ground running.” The band has carved against the grain to create something truly vibrant, routinely carrying three-hour sets on their own with setlists comprised almost entirely of their own raucous originals.

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 27, 2019

“Early on in the band,” began Brusca, “we consciously made a decision that, for better or worse, we were going to feel a lot more complete playing original music.” On Feb. 22, they’ll celebrate the release of their fourth album, Pack Up All Regrets, at The Palms Playhouse in Winters. The album rides the line in true Nickel Slots form, bopping from country to rock to Americana to Irish folk. The show will feature special guests and songs from the new album as well as careerspanning favorites. I recently caught up with Brusca and guitarist Steve Amaral in late January to talk about songwriting, the band’s longevity and the upcoming release show.

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

How did The Nickel Slots form? Tony Brusca: We’ve known each other as musicians forever, and our previous bands had sort of run their course. I was looking to start a band and my wife hooked me up with Steve and his brother Chris [Amaral, drums]. Then we got a hold of Paul [Zinn, bass/mandolin], who’d led the Cal Aggie Marching Band. Steve Amaral: We all were at a stage of our lives where playing Americana roots-rock let us borrow from our influences to create a sound on the timeless end. We had an instant brotherhood. TB: We’ve been playing music for years and we love the journey, the load in, the load out, the recording, the practicing, the shows with thousands of people and the ones with four people in the back of the bar. When it’s in your blood and it’s in what you do, you enjoy the entire journey, not just the highs. What can you tell us about the new album? TB: I’m constantly trying to tell stories with the lyrics. A lot of our old albums were Americana with attitude; stories about people who were desperate but have a little bit of hope. I wanted to take it to the next level on this. Life is a landfill; it’s crap, but I’m gonna pack up my regrets and go for it—a little less desperate and a little more taking charge. SA: We’ve got a couple of songs that rock harder and some that are a little more country than others, but they all fit. Tony brings us these naked songs and we get the opportunity to grow and develop them. Paul’s harmonies are as much a part of the sound as the guitar playing. “Humboldt County Rain” sounds autobiographical. What’s the story behind that song? TB: I did spend my first paycheck on a microphone from Radio Shack and got a drum set from the classifieds. [Humboldt is] a beautiful place and you love it, but you try to find a way out and pack up your regrets. I found friends who played music and we started little punk bands. Music was sort of my way to dance in the rain. “Whiskey on Your Grave” hits hard. Could you envision its final form when you started writing it? TB: I always write acoustic. Even as the songwriter for The Brodys, I wrote on an acoustic guitar. I know the strength of all the guys. When I did “Whiskey …” I knew I wanted heavy rock, so I told them straight up, let’s go for it. We try things and there are no egos. It either sounds good or it doesn’t. SA: It’s fun when Tony brings a new song. He’s generous with how we get to throw ideas out there. We’re fortunate in that the songwriting holds its own at its bare minimum, but it makes it fun to build up.

“It’s fun when Tony brings a new song. He’s generous with how we get to throw ideas out there. We’re fortunate in that the songwriting holds its own at its bare minimum, but it makes it fun to build up.” – The Nickel Slots’ Steve Amaral on Tony Brusca’s songwriting

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“Gun Show” dips into politics. How’d that song come to be? TB: It’s kind of hard to avoid the topic in today’s world. Although we’re not an outright political band, we do have opinions. We don’t want to be too preachy, but we wanted to fit the theme of packing up regrets. [Sammy] doesn’t have supportive parents or counseling, so his way out is to buy a gun and it’s pretty easy for him. I took it from way too many headlines. I just wanted to paint a picture people could identify with—something that got people thinking.

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With a new album under your belt, what does 2019 hold for The Nickel Slots? TB: We’ve been focused on this album for such a long time, but we’re a pretty goal-oriented band. We have a promo company helping to get the album on the radio and out in the United States and Europe, and we have a few ideas for new videos—a busy year. SA: We don’t have a label. We are the label and we all have our roles in the band. It’s a partnership. I’m not saying we don’t argue, but it’s so much fun to see results we weren’t expecting at the start. To what do you attribute the band’s longevity? TB: Another reason we’ve survived 10 years and we’re still happy and putting out cool music is we have the support of friends and family. I’ll speak for me, but my wife is my biggest supporter. As a musician with a day job, to have that kind of support and encouragement and love and advice is amazing. SA: When you’re in a busy band like ours, when somebody gets pregnant, people can quit the band. I met my wife at Guitar Center, so she knew what she was getting into. I have to thank my wife for having the patience and encouragement and support. This band is four families all year long, seven days a week. TB: I get asked by younger bands sometimes “How have you been around so long?” and stuff like that. It’s about finding the right people, finding balance, having people who encourage and support you. Maybe those musicians will read this stuff Celebrate the release of The and it’ll help Nickel Slots’ new album, them find a way Pack Up All Regrets, at The through the Palms Playhouse (13 Main maze of wanting St., Winters) on Feb. 22 at 8 to be a lifelong p.m. Tickets are $18 ($14 for musician. We’re students). For more info, go very lucky. to Palmsplayhouse.com.

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Why did you decide to hold the release show at The Palms in Winters? SA: The venue is incredible. It suits our songwriting and is a nice way to present the FRIDAYS songs and the stories to a captive audience. 6 - 9PM We’re fortunate to have a fan base that’s very OPEN MIC broad and The Palms gave us the opportunity NIGHT to play a bit earlier, meaning kids can come, too. I have a 4-year-old and 6-year-old and they love it. You’ve also toured abroad several times, right? SA: We’ve gone to Europe four times and played to audiences who don’t consist of any family or friends. They owe us nothing, and the fact that we’ve been well-received and made new friendships that continue to grow is very rewarding. It feels legit that we’ve got a product people like.

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Issue 285 • February 13 – February 28, 2019

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Issue 285 • February 13 – February 27, 2019

THE MATTSON 2, MAD ALCHEMY LIGHT SHOW

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MUSIC, COMEDY & MISC. CALENDAR

FEBRUARY 13 – 27 SUBMERGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR

2.13 WEDNESDAY

Bar 101 Open Mic, 7:30 p.m. Blue Lamp The Toasters, Scratch Outs, Sacto Storytellers, The Dialers, 8 p.m. The Boardwalk The Home Team, Summer Wars, Perfect Score, Sadghost, Rebel Holocrons, Tides of Tomorrow, 6:30 p.m. The Club Car The Double Shots, 7:30 p.m. El Dorado Saloon Open Mic Night, 7 p.m. Fox & Goose All Vinyl Wednesdays w/ DJ AAKnuff, 8 p.m. Harlow’s Kid Trunks x Craig Xen, Coolie Cut, Bass Santana, Flyboy Tarantino, Kin$oul, 6:30 p.m. Holy Diver Soundcheck: eRRth, Chonnie Gold, KFloh, Young P the God, Akilho, It’s 4th, 6:30 p.m. Kupros Craft House Ross Hammond, 5 p.m. Louie’s Cocktail Lounge Live Blues Jam Session, 8 p.m. Momo Sacramento Bourbon & Blues feat. Tas Cru & the Tortured Souls, 5:30 p.m. Nicholson’s MusiCafe Acoustic Open Mic, 6 p.m. Old Ironsides Open Mic, Front Page Crime, 8 p.m. Press Club High Voltage! Hair Metal Edition!, 9 p.m. Sacramento State: University Union Redwood Room Nooner w/ Sacramento Taiko Dan, 12 p.m. Shady Lady Chance Hayden, 9 p.m. Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts @ B Street Theatre Joan Osborne (Sings the Songs of Bob Dylan), Katie Knipp, 7 p.m. Streets Pub and Grub Karaoke, 9 p.m. Torch Club Drop Dead Red, 9 p.m.

2.14 THURSDAY

The Boardwalk The Brothers in Harmony Valentines Day Show feat. Playboy, Vonnie Boy, Aaron Lee and More, 7:30 p.m. The Club Car Songwriters Showcase, 8 p.m. Crocker Art Museum ArtMix: Joy feat. Planet Booty, DJ Lady Char and More, 6 p.m. El Dorado Saloon Frankie Sorci and Jerry Martini, 7 p.m. The Fig Tree Valentine’s Day Love Song Special w/ Zack Gibian, Wade Graves, 7 p.m. Fox & Goose Michael B. Justis, 8 p.m. Holy Diver Rayven Justice, K.Jewelz, Rayven Justice, LiviaxDoll, 7 p.m. Kupros Craft House Valentine’s Day Show w/ DJ Shaun Slaughter, 8 p.m. Louie’s Cocktail Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m. Mondavi Center: Jackson Hall Curtis On Tour, 8 p.m. Old Ironsides Crooning Couple Show: Lovelorn, J&M, 7:30 p.m. Palms Playhouse The Gold Souls, The Midnight Dip, 8 p.m. Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Ariel Jean Band, 9:30 p.m. Press Club Valentines Dance: ‘80s Night Sacramento, 9 p.m. Sacramento State: University Union Ballroom The Langston Hughes Project Presents “Ask Your Mama: 12 Moods for Jazz,” 7:30 p.m. Shine Jazz Jam, 8 p.m. Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts @ B Street Theatre Joan Osborne (Sings the Songs of Bob Dylan), Katie Knipp, 7 p.m. Torch Club Mind X, 5:30 p.m.; The Rad Trads, Swoon, 9 p.m.

2.15 FRIDAY

Ace of Spades Born of Osiris, Chelsea Grin, Make Them Suffer, Up In Smoke, Kingdom of Giants, 6:30 p.m.

Armadillo Music Necessary Noise, The Escape Agency, 7 p.m. Bar 101 Orion Walsh, 9:30 p.m. Berryessa Brewing Co. Jonny Mojo and Co., 5 p.m. Big Sexy Brewing Co. Island of Black and White, 6 p.m. Cache Creek Casino Los Lonely Boys, 9 p.m. Capitol Garage Capitol Friday’s Reggae Night w/ DJ Veyn, 10 p.m. Crest Theatre Richard Marx, 7:30 p.m. Crooked Lane Brewing Co. Forest Bailey, 7 p.m. El Dorado Saloon Box Band, 9 p.m. The Fig Tree Of The Heart Band, 7:30 p.m. Fox & Goose According to Bazooka, Natalie Cortez Band, 9 p.m. Golden Bear DJ CrookOne and Guests, 10 p.m. Harlow’s The Midnight Players: Valentine’s Old School Jam, 9 p.m. Holy Diver J. Stalin, Prince Casimiro, Nave Suave, 7 p.m. Louie’s Cocktail Lounge William Mylar’s Hippie Hour, 5:30 p.m.; Badd Self, 9 p.m. Midtown BarFly Post-Valentine’s Salsa Party w/ Conjunto Liberación, 8:30 p.m. Momo Sacramento The Anxious Admirals, Country Club, Soft Nerve, 6 p.m. Nicholson’s MusiCafe Open Mic Night, 6 p.m. Old Ironsides Brewberries, The Breakers, The O’Mally Sisters, 8 p.m. Opera House Saloon Val Starr and the Blues Rockers, Frankie and the Defenders, 9 p.m. Palms Playhouse Mark Hummel’s Golden State, Lone Star Blues Revue, 8 p.m. The Park Ultra Lounge Black Hearts Ball w/ DJ Eddie Edul, 9:30 p.m. Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m. Placerville Public House Sicky Betts, 8 p.m. Powerhouse Pub 8 Track Massacre, 10 p.m. Press Club DJ Rue, 9 p.m. Red Hawk Casino Audioboxx, 9:30 p.m. Revival at the Sawyer Groove on Fridays w/ Guest DJs, 10 p.m. Shady Lady Jimmy Toor, 9 p.m.

Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts @ B Street Theatre Rockapella, 7 p.m. Torch Club The Back Burners, 5:30 p.m.; Davey Allen & The Midnights, David Rosales & The Scoundrels, 9 p.m. VFW Post 6158 (Fair Oaks) Sick Thoughts, Spodee Boy, Brown Dynamite, MDL, 8 p.m.

2.16 SATURDAY

Ace of Spades Ace of Spades Birthday Bash feat. Arden Park Roots, The Philharmonik, The Color Wild, Riotmaker, Demon In Me, Centersight, 6 p.m. Bar 101 Working Man Blues Band, 9:30 p.m. Berryessa Brewing Co. The Bottom Dwellers, 3 p.m. The Boardwalk Malcom Bliss, Diversity of One, Dreams of Madness, 7 p.m. Cilantros Restaurant (Downstairs) XOXO w/ Oshiin, Lucid Absynth, Kuhteeuh, Tripz and More, 9 p.m. The Colony Since We Were Kids, The Cutthroats, Disperser, Dolores, Down Hollow, The Sickos, 5 p.m. Crooked Lane Brewing Co. The Double Shots, 7 p.m. El Dorado Saloon Posterchild Band, 9 p.m. The Fig Tree Open Mic, 7 p.m. Fox & Goose Brian Croom, Michelle Lewis, 9 p.m. Harlow’s Bilal, 8 p.m. The Hideaway Bar & Grill Sounds for Hounds: A Benefit for Sacramento Shelter Pets Alive w/ Shannon Shaw, Latitude, Anna Hillburg, Pistofferson Bros and More, 6 p.m. Holy Diver Roswell, Soulwood, Handle, The Imported, 7 p.m. Louie’s Cocktail Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m. McClatchy High School Camellia Symphony Orchestra’s Past, Present, and Future Concert, 7:30 p.m. Momo Sacramento Roman Pilot (Album Release), Subtlety, Plots, 5:30 p.m. Nicholson’s MusiCafe Free Ukulele Class, 1 p.m. Old Ironsides We Are Your Friends: DJs Shaun Slaughter & Roger Carpio, 9 p.m. Opera House Saloon Moonshine Crazy, 9:30 p.m. Palms Playhouse Nell & Jim Band (Album Release), 8 p.m. The Park Ultra Lounge DJ Peeti-V, 9:30 p.m. Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

2.14

ARTMIX: JOY FEAT. PLANET BOOTY DJ Lady Char and More Crocker Art Museum 6 p.m. SubmergeMag.com

THURSDAY,

FEB 14

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SATURDAY,

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1013 K STREET DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO (916) 476-3356 • CRESTSACRAMENTO.COM Issue 285 • February 13 – February 28, 2019

Placerville Public House Jason Weeks, 8 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Metalchi Band, 11 p.m. Press Club DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m. Red Hawk Casino Audioboxx, 10 p.m. Revival at the Sawyer Encore w/ Guest DJs, 9:30 p.m. Shady Lady Humble Wolf, 9 p.m. Shine Louiza, The Outside, 8 p.m. The Silver Orange Captain Cutiepie, Weep Wave, Knockout, Bad Patterns, 6 p.m. Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts @ B Street Theatre Albert Cummings, 7 p.m. Torch Club Loose Engines, 5:30 p.m.; Tropicali Flames, 9 p.m. Two Rivers Cider Co. Rruhb, 6 p.m. The Wrangler Bar The Ghost Town Rebellion, 9 p.m.

2.17 SUNDAY

Ace of Spades Ella Mai, Kiana Lede, Lucky Daye, 7 p.m. (Sold Out) Berryessa Brewing Co. Achilles Wheel Trio, 3 p.m. Cache Creek Casino Paperback Writer (Beatles Tribute), 4 p.m. The Colony Outline In Color, Dead Crown, Dropout Kings, Deadships, Sleep/Speak, Shorelines, 7 p.m. Denio’s Farmers Market & Swap Meet Metalachi, 12 p.m. Goldfield Sacramento Emerging Artist Showcase, 7 p.m. Harlow’s Danko Jones, Nashville Pussy, Prima Donna, 7 p.m. Harris Center for the Arts: Stage 3 The Great Composers Chamber Music Series, 2 p.m. Holy Diver Pacific Sunrise, IAMsentMee, AR. WEST, FoBBY, Valo, No Name Posse and More, 6:30 p.m. LowBrau Throwback Jams w/ DJ Epik & Special Guests, 9:30 p.m. Midtown BarFly Factor IX w/ DJ Bryan Hawk, DJ CarnieRobber and Guests, 9 p.m. Momo Sacramento Standards, Find Yourself, The Seafloor Cinema, 6 p.m. MontBleu Resort Casino Lifehouse, 7 p.m. The Park Ultra Lounge Jeffrey Sutorius, 9:30 p.m. Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Aki Kumar, 3 p.m. Press Club Sunday Night Soul Party w/ DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m. Red Hawk Casino Chad Bushnell, 1 p.m. Shady Lady Alex Jenkins, 9 p.m. Sutter Creek Provisions Slade Rivers Band, 3 p.m.

2.18

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

2.18 MONDAY

Fox & Goose Open Mic Night, 7:30 p.m. Harris Center for the Arts: Stage 1 Los Vivancos, 7:30 p.m. Holy Diver Traitors, Anglemaker, VCTMS, Desolist, A Waking Memory, Hard Knox, 6:30 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, 7:30 p.m. Momo Sacramento Serengeti, So Much Light, Sparks Across Darkness, Comfort Creature, 6 p.m. Old Ironsides Heath Williamson & Friends, 5:30 p.m. Placerville Public House Find Yourself, Leaph, 8 p.m. Two Rivers Cider Co. Grateful Monday with Hardly Deadly, 6 p.m.

2.19 TUESDAY

Blue Lamp The God Bombs, BARK, AL1CE, Killer Couture, 8 p.m. The Boardwalk Calling All Captains, Settle Your Scores, Gardenside, Shpwrck, A Summer Alive, Paper Airplanes, 6:30 p.m. Harlow’s Steve Grand, 5:30 p.m. Harris Center for the Arts: Stage 1 International Guitar Night: Brian Gore, Antoine Boyer, Samuelito, Cenk Erdogan, 7:30 p.m. Holy Diver Leftover Crack, Days N Daze, Dayglo Abortions, COP/ OUT, 7 p.m. Kupros Craft House Kyle Rowland, 5 p.m.; Open Mic, 8 p.m. Old Ironsides Karaoke, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Live Band Karaoke, 8 p.m. Torch Club Richard March, 5:30 p.m.; Jazz Jam Hosted by Ice Age Quartet, 8 p.m.

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 27, 2019

NMTA Espero, SYNS, Bad Mother Nature, Your Local Cemetery, Doppelganger Holy Diver 6:30 p.m.

The Fig Tree Sacramento Songwriter Circle Hosted by Heather Evans & Marco Robledo feat. Bri Cauz, John Lion, The Climbing Tree Band, 7 p.m. Fox & Goose All Vinyl Wednesdays w/ DJ AAKnuff, 8 p.m. Golden 1 Center Panic! At the Disco, Two Feet, Conan Gray, 7 p.m. Harlow’s Dead Meadow, Dallas Acid, 7 p.m. Harris Center for the Arts: Stage 1 Keiko Matsui, 8 p.m. Holy Diver Espero, SYNS, NMTA, Bad Mother Nature, Your Local Cemetery, Doppelganger, 6:30 p.m. Kupros Craft House Ross Hammond, 5 p.m. Laughs Unlimited Jazz Quest Big Band, 6 & 7:30 p.m. Louie’s Cocktail Lounge Live Blues Jam Session, 8 p.m. Luna’s Cafe Jazz Jam Hosted by Byron Colburn, 8 p.m. Momo Sacramento Bourbon & Blues feat. Rockin’ Johnny Burgin, 5:30 p.m. Nicholson’s MusiCafe Acoustic Open Mic, 6 p.m. Old Ironsides Open Mic, 7:45 p.m. Sacramento State: University Union Redwood Room Nooner w/ Lauren Wakefield, 12 p.m. Streets Pub and Grub Karaoke, 9 p.m. Torch Club Lola Tried, The Brangs, Top Nachos, Maita, Mise, 9 p.m.

2.20 2.21 WEDNESDAY

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

SERENGETI So Much Light, Sparks Across Darkness, Comfort Creature Momo Sacramento 6 p.m.

2.20

THURSDAY

Ace of Spades David Bisbal, Greeicy, 7 p.m. Blue Lamp Chrch, Un, Chrome Ghost, 8 p.m. The Club Car Songwriters Showcase, 8 p.m. El Dorado Saloon Jessica Malone, 7 p.m.; DJ Uncle Hank w/ Karaoke, 9 p.m. The Fig Tree Zack Gibian, Jion Jugo, 7 p.m. Fox & Goose Steve McLane, 8 p.m. Goldfield Fiji, For Peace Band, 7:30 p.m. Harlow’s John Medeski’s Mad Skillet, 7 p.m. Holy Diver Madball, BillyBio, Earth Down, Cutthroat, 6:30 p.m. Kupros Craft House Dylan Crawford, 8 p.m. Louie’s Cocktail Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m. Momo Sacramento Zach Waters Band, The Imported, 7 p.m. MontBleu Resort Casino String Cheese Incident, 7 p.m.; The Scott Pemberton Trio, 11:30 p.m. Old Ironsides Will Kaufman, 6:30 p.m.; Open Acoustic Jam, 8 p.m. Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Nash Brothers Band, 9:30 p.m. Press Club United Defiance, Boss’ Daughter, Hilltop Rats, The Bitters, 8 p.m. Shady Lady Harley White Jr. Orchestra, 9 p.m. Shine Jazz Jam, 8 p.m. Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts @ B Street Theatre The Soul Rebels, 7 p.m. Torch Club Mind X, 5:30 p.m.; Quique Gomez, 9 p.m.

2.22 FRIDAY

Ace of Spades Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 7 p.m. Bar 101 Turnbuckle Blues Band, 9:30 p.m. Big Sexy Brewing Co. Save The Train: A Benefit Concert to Rebuild the Community Train feat. Todd Gardner, Jessica Malone, Dylan Crawford, JR Halliday, Brian Curtin and More, 4 p.m. Blue Lamp Da’Unda’Dogg, P-Reek, C-Dubb, Adam Siyeed Masyah & More, 9 p.m. The Boardwalk Steaksauce Mustache, Pervert, Pound, Heated, The Buried Heart, 6:30 p.m. Cache Creek Casino Kool & the Gang, 8 p.m. Cafe Colonial Sad Girlz Club (Album Release), City Mouse, Bastards of Young, Vinnie Guidera and the Dead Birds, 8 p.m. Capitol Garage Capitol Friday’s Reggae Night w/ DJ Veyn, 10 p.m. The Colony Outline In Color, Dead Crown, Sleep/Speak and More, 7 p.m. Crooked Lane Brewing Co. Austin Payne, 7 p.m. El Dorado Saloon Superbad, 9 p.m. The Fig Tree 4 on 6 Jazz Combo, 7 p.m. Fox & Goose Gavin Canaan, Adam Varona, 9 p.m. Golden Bear DJ CrookOne and Guests, 10 p.m. Harlow’s Christian Scott, 8 p.m. Holy Diver Ideateam, What Rough Beast, Sweater Zest, 6:30 p.m. Louie’s Cocktail Lounge William Mylar’s Hippie Hour, 5:30 p.m.; Dirk Lang Band, 9 p.m. Mix Come Up Friday w/ DJ Stonerokk, 9 p.m. MontBleu Resort Casino String Cheese Incident, 7 p.m.; EOTO w/ TYMK, 11:30 p.m. Nicholson’s MusiCafe Open Mic Night, 6 p.m. Old Ironsides Sun Valley Gun Club, The Hague, Ghost Pines, Cleavers, 8 p.m. On The Y False Freedom, Rebel Holocrons, The Has Beens, Vital Throw, 8 p.m.

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

Opera House Saloon Playback the Hits, Four Barrel, 9 p.m. Palms Playhouse The Nickel Slots (Album Release), 8 p.m. Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m. Placerville Public House Red Dirt Ruckus, 8 p.m. Porchlight Brewing Co. Sicky Betts, 6 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Grooveline, 10 p.m. Press Club DJ Rue, 9 p.m. Red Hawk Casino BB McKay & the Bumps, 9:30 p.m. Revival at the Sawyer Groove on Fridays w/ Guest DJs, 10 p.m. Shady Lady Crescent Katz, 9 p.m. The Side Door at the Fifth String Restore the Delta Presents: Blues for the Delta w/ Papa Hip, 7 p.m. Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts @ B Street Theatre Greg Adams & East Bay Soul, 7 p.m. Torch Club The Outcome, 5:30 p.m. Reed Turchi, 9 p.m. VFW Post 6158 (Fair Oaks) Years of Aggression vs. Omnigul, Get Out, Cold Trap, and More, 7 p.m.

2.23 SATURDAY

Ace of Spades Nothing More, Of Mice & Men, Palisades, 6 p.m. (Sold Out) Auburn Placer Performing Arts Center at the State Theatre Chris Cain, 7:30 p.m. Armadillo Music Sanity Aisle, 7 p.m. Bar 101 Samantha Sharp, 9:30 p.m. Blue Lamp Aethereus, The Odious Construct, Wastewalker, Princess Kitten, Zephira, 8 p.m.

The Boardwalk Madman’s Lullaby, Mechanizm, Evolution Revolver, 7 p.m. Cache Creek Casino Jung Su-ra, 8 p.m. The Colony Black Crosses, Unsteady Heights, Mob Rule, Rinona Wyder, 8 p.m. Community Center Theater Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera: Rhapsody in Blue, 8 p.m. Crooked Lane Brewing Co. Jasmine Bailey, 7 p.m. El Dorado Saloon Dirty Blonde, 9 p.m. The Fig Tree Open Mic, 7 p.m. Fox & Goose The Triple 7’s, 9 p.m. Goldfield The Band Camino, Hardcastle, 7:30 p.m. (Sold Out) Harlow’s Yelly, 6 p.m. Holy Diver Destroy Boys, Madd, Slutzville, 7 p.m. Louie’s Cocktail Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m. Luna’s Cafe David Houston & String Theory, Gillian Underwood, Catalina Aveil, 8 p.m. MontBleu Resort Casino String Cheese Incident, 7 p.m.; Joe Maricek All Starts, 11:30 p.m. Nicholson’s MusiCafe Free Ukulele Class, 1 p.m. Old Ironsides That Kid Raja, Charm the Riot, Mr. Hooper, Beat Bombastic, 8 p.m. Opera House Saloon Mama Knock You Out Concert Series w/ Ariel Jean Band, Halie O’Ryan, Savanna Lee, 9 p.m. Palms Playhouse Tempest, 8 p.m. The Park Ultra Lounge Konstantina Gianni, 9:30 p.m. Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Spazmatics, 10 p.m. Press Club DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m.

The Purple Place Bar and Grill RevolutionBeat (The Beatles Tribute), 9 p.m. Red Hawk Casino What the Funk, 10 p.m. Revival at the Sawyer Encore w/ Guest DJs, 9 p.m. Shady Lady Lee Bob & The Truth, 9 p.m. Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts @ B Street Theatre Faith Ako, Halau Ka Waikahe Lani Malie, 7 p.m. Sutter Creek Provisions The Damn Liars, 6:30 p.m. Torch Club Natalie Cortez Band, 5:30 p.m.; Daniel Castro Band, 9 p.m. Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Church Bernadette Mondok, 7:30 p.m. Two Rivers Cider Co. Hard Luck Daddies, 6 p.m.

2.24 SUNDAY

Ace of Spades Lil Mosey, Polo G, C Glizzy, Bandkids, 7 p.m. Cache Creek Casino December ‘63 (Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons Tribute), 4 p.m. Faces NightClub DUSK w/ Freddy Silva, Kymjoy, AnalogDisko, DJ AMD, Jesse Benitez, 3 p.m. Golden 1 Center Justin Timberlake: The Man of the Woods Tour, 6:30 p.m. Holy Diver Smoking Popes, Direct Hit, Lightweight, 7 p.m. LowBrau Throwback Jams w/ DJ Epik & Special Guests, 9:30 p.m. Midtown BarFly Factor IX w/ DJ Bryan Hawk, DJ CarnieRobber and Guests, 9 p.m. MontBleu Resort Casino Kabaka Pyramid & The Bebble Rockers, DJ Treez, 9 p.m.

Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Cafe R&B, 3 p.m. Press Club Sunday Night Soul Party w/ DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m. Red Hawk Casino Erica Sunshine Lee, 1 p.m. Sacramento Buddhist Church Jazz Quest Big Band, 11:15 a.m. Shady Lady Peter Petty, 9 p.m. Torch Club Dave Keller, 4 p.m.; Front the Band, 8 p.m.

2.23

2.25 MONDAY

SAMANTHA SHARP Bar 101 9:30 p.m.

Dante Club Sacramento Jazz Coop Presents: An Evening with the Harley White Jr. Quartet, 7 p.m. Fox & Goose Open Mic Night, 7:30 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, 7:30 p.m. Old Ironsides Heath Williamson & Friends, 5:30 p.m. Press Club Monday Vibes with MC Ham & Friends, 9 p.m. Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts @ B Street Theatre Lunasa, McKeever School Of Irish Dance, 7 p.m.

Holy Diver Hellzapoppin Circus Sideshow: The Ultimate Rock ‘N’ Roll Freak Show, 7 p.m. Kupros Craft House Open Mic, 8 p.m. Old Ironsides Karaoke, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Live Band Karaoke, 8 p.m. Press Club Tommy Guerrero, Sacto Storytellers, 8 p.m. Torch Club Matt Rainey, 5:30 p.m.; Reed Turchi, 8 p.m.

2.26 2.27 TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

The Boardwalk Guys On A Bus, Brave Coyote, Paper Space, 6:30 p.m. Harlow’s Big Something, Aqueous, 7 p.m.

Ace of Spades Bad Suns, Vista Kicks, 7 p.m. Bar 101 Open Mic, 7:30 p.m.

The Club Car The Double Shots, 7:30 p.m. El Dorado Saloon Open Mic Night, 7:30 p.m. Fox & Goose All Vinyl Wednesdays w/ DJ AAKnuff, 8 p.m. Holy Diver Delli Boe, CB, Notorious Bitch, G Locc, 7 p.m. Kupros Craft House Ross Hammond, 5 p.m. Louie’s Cocktail Lounge Live Blues Jam Session, 8 p.m. Momo Sacramento Bourbon & Blues feat. John Blues Boyd, 5:30 p.m. Mondavi Center: Vanderhoef Studio Theatre Veronica Swift, Benny Green Trio, 7 p.m. Nicholson’s MusiCafe Acoustic Open Mic, 6 p.m. Old Ironsides Open Mic, 7:45 p.m.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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Issue 285 • February 13 – February 28, 2019

Press Club Emo Night, 8 p.m. Sacramento State: University Union Redwood Room Nooner w/ Mona V, 12 p.m. Shady Lady Sour Diesel, 9 p.m. Streets Pub and Grub Karaoke, 9 p.m. Torch Club Gavin Caanan and Alex Walker, Jon Emery and the Unconventionals, 9 p.m.

Comedy Foothills Event Center The Center for the Arts OnTheGo Presents: Best of the San Francisco Comedy Competition w/ Bengt Washburn, Christina Walkinshaw, Johnny Cardinale, Hosted by Carlos Rodriguez, Feb. 16, 8 p.m. Laughs Unlimited Valentine’s Day Special Event w/ Carlos Rodriguez, Paul Conyers, Feb. 14, 8 p.m. Rodger Lizaola, Aaron Edwards Hall, Hosted by Wendy Lewis, Feb. 15 - 17, Fri. & Sat., 8 & 10:30 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m. Say It Loud Comedy Show with Daniel Dugar, Aja Mae, Jose Contreras, Leon Gibson and More, Feb. 21, 8 p.m. Heath Harmison, Trixx, Hosted by Julia Fretwell, Feb. 22 - 24, Fri. & Sat., 8 & 10:30 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m. The Like/Love Debate Comedy Show w/ Steph Sanders, Kristen Frisk, Aivy Cordova, Emma Haney, Anthony K, DJ Marcus Pierce, Feb. 27, 8 p.m. Luna’s Cafe Open Mic Comedy w/ Hosts Jaime Fernandez and Michael Cella, Tuesdays, 8 p.m. On the Y Open Mic Comedy w/ Guest Hosts, Thursdays, 8:30 p.m. Punch Line Sacramento Comedy Showcase, Feb. 13, 8 p.m. John Heffron, Grant Lyon, Hosted by Jill Maragos, Feb. 14 - 16, Thurs., 8 p.m.; Fri. & Sat., 7:30 & 9:45 p.m. Grant Lyon, Feb. 17, 7 p.m. WTF Wednesdays w/ Mars Parker and Guests, Feb. 20, 9 p.m. Rivest Dunlap Presents: Raw Comedy, Feb. 21, 8 p.m. Taylor Williamson, Tony Camin, Feb, 22 - 23, Fri. & Sat., 7:30 & 9:45 p.m. Mike E. Winfield and Friends Birthday Show, Feb. 24, 7 p.m. There Goes the Neighborhood Comedy, Feb. 27, 8 p.m. Sacramento Comedy Spot Open Mic, Sunday’s and Mondays, 8 p.m. Improv Taste Test and Harold Night, Wednesdays, 7 - 10 p.m. Cage Match and Improv Jam, Thursdays, 8 - 10 p.m. Anti-Cooperation League, Saturdays, 9 p.m. STAB! Comedy Theater Comedy Open Mic, Thursdays, 9 p.m. STAB! Podcast Panel Show, Fridays, 10 p.m. Late Night Leftovers Open Mic, Saturdays, 11 p.m.

R E U R O Y AD HE 2.20

CALL US (916) 441-3803 OR EMAIL US info@submergemag.com TODAY! 26

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 27, 2019

2.25

MEDIUM CINDY KAZA Tommy T’s 7:30 p.m.

Tommy T’s Kabir “Kabeezy” Singh, Feb. 15 - 17, Fri., 7:30 p.m.; Sat., 7 & 9:45 p.m.; Sun., 6 p.m. Gerald Kelly, Feb. 22 - 24, Fri., 7:30 p.m.; Sat., 7 & 9:45 p.m.; Sun., 6 p.m.

Misc. √ 8th and W Streets Certified Farmers Market, Sundays, 8 a.m. 12 p.m. 20th Street (Between J and K) Midtown Farmers Market, Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Auburn State Theatre Sierra Watch Presents: The Movie To Keep Squaw True, Feb. 20, 7 p.m. B Street Theatre at The Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts House on Haunted Hill – The Comedy, Through Feb. 17 A Doll’s House Pt. 2, Feb. 26 - April 7 Belle Cooledge Library Poetry as Healer w/ Special Guest Sandy Holman, Feb. 23, 6 p.m. Blue Cue Trivia Night, Wednesdays, 9 p.m. The Boxing Donkey Trivia Night, Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Cal Expo 5th Annual Mega Family Expo, Feb. 23 - 24, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sacramento Autorama, Feb. 15 - 17 Country Club Plaza Certified Farmers Market, Saturdays, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Community Center Theater Sacramento Ballet Presents: Hamlet, Feb. 15 - 17, Fri. & Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. Crocker Art Museum Black History Month Celebration Family Festival, Feb. 17, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Arte Extraordinario: Recent Acquisitions, Through March 24 Modern Menagerie: Sculpture by Loet Vanderveen, Through March 31 History, Labor, Life: The Prints of Jacob Lawrence, Through April 7

Crooked Lane Brewing Co. Trivia Night, Wednesdays, 6 p.m. Davis Arts Center Poetry Overturned: Ladies of the Knight, Feb. 17, 2 p.m. Florin Road & 65th Street Certified Farmers Market, Thursdays, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Fox & Goose Pub Quiz, Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Goldfield Trading Post Sacramento Emerging Artist Showcase feat. Burlesque, Stand-Up, Live Music and More, Feb. 17, 7 p.m. Guild Theater V-Day Sacramento Presents “A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant & A Prayer: Writings to End Violence Against Women & Girls,” Feb. 16, 6 p.m. Highwater The Trivia Factory, Mondays, 7 p.m. Historic Old Folsom Farmers Market, Saturdays, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Jill Solberg Performing Arts Theatre Hawkins Classical and Contemporary Ballet Company: Sleeping Beauty, Feb. 16, 2 & 7 p.m. Kupros Craft House Triviology, Sundays, 7:30 p.m. Luna’s Cafe Poetry Unplugged, Thursdays, 8 p.m. McKinley Library Reading and Discussion of When We Were Colored w/ Ginger Rutland, Feb. 16, 3 p.m. Midtown BarFly Salsa Lessons, Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Sactown Union Geeks Who Drink Trivia, Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Empire’s Comic Vault Game Night at Sactown Union, Feb. 19, 6 p.m. Streets Pub and Grub Pub Trivia, Sundays, 8 p.m. Strikes Unlimited (Rocklin) Let’s Get Quzzical: Trivia Game Show Experience, Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Sunrise Light Rail Station Certified Farmers Market, Saturdays, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Tommy T’s Magic Mike “Girls Night Out The Show,” Feb. 19, 7:30 p.m. Medium Cindy Kaza, Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m. Two Rivers Cider Co. Valentines Day Party w/ Live Performances, Feb. 14, 6 p.m. Cribbage Night, Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Trivia Night, Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Verge Center for the Arts Movies on the Verge Presents: Narcissister Organ Player, Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m. Yolo Brewing Co. Trivia Night, Tuesdays, 6 p.m.

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Thursday February 28 7:30pm | $10adv | all ages

The Happy Fits

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Issue 285 • February 13 – February 28, 2019

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 27, 2019

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM BRYCE VINE’S GLEEFUL BEGINNINGS TO HIS CARNIVAL DREAMS WORDS RYAN KAIKA • PHOTO JUCO

ost people know Bryce Vine for the success of his 2017 single “Drew Barrymore,” but the actress who’s helped shaped his life isn’t the one we’ve heard him rap about. Vine—born Bryce Ross-Johnson—lived a humble lifestyle with his mother in a New York City apartment until his first birthday, when they both moved to Los Angeles so that his mom could pursue an acting career. She made her mark with a main role on the soap opera Passions, and while a career in the entertainment industry wasn’t the plan for Vine, with inspiration from his mother’s dream, he eventually found footing in the City of Angels as his own artist. “I saw her go from struggling when I was super young, trying to keep her own values and morals in an entertainment industry that people get lost in all the time, and making it work,” Vine said over the phone before the first night of his 25city tour began on the East Coast. Vine was mostly self-taught musically, learning at age 13 to play the guitar that his mother bought for him before playing in a punk band in high school. He was eventually accepted at Berklee College of Music in Boston where he met his producer, Nolan Lambroza. What seemed like the ideal path for the young Vine, “everything is clear in retrospect,” he explained. While his time at Berklee proved important for Vine, it cast doubts in his life as to whether his musical pursuit was worth it. “I was two months into Berklee, and I was positive that I didn’t belong there because there was a huge pool of talented people and I never really considered myself a great singer,” Vine revealed. “I called my mom and I was like, ‘I think I made a mistake; I don’t deserve to be here.’ I was overwhelmed.” Despite the competitive surroundings, Vine’s mother convinced him to stick it out and apply for a spot on Fox’s musical series, The Glee Project. “When I was at Berklee, Glee was everything,” Vine said. “Everyone was auditioning for this show and I wasn’t going to; I hadn’t watched an episode, and my mom hit me up the last night that you could put an audition tape online, so I sang ‘Gold Digger’ by Kanye West.” Vine’s audition earned him a spot on the series, however, he was ultimately the first one voted off of the show. “I got way more hate from The Glee Project than I have so far in my career as an artist, which is kind of baffling to

SubmergeMag.com

me, but I’m prepared for it now,” Vine said about his brief time on the show. It’s another experience for him that’s much clearer in retrospect. “It prepared me for all of the things it takes: the practice, presenting yourself as yourself on camera and more than anything it prepared me for the scrutiny,” he continued. In 2014, Vine released his debut EP, Lazy Fair, which featured two hit online singles, the nostalgic pop-rap “Sour Patch Kids” and the upbeat electronic jam “Guilty Pleasure.” In spite of the EP’s success, Vine was eager for the next step. “I was longing to travel and understand the world, and when you write for a living, you constantly need new stimulation and you need to take in the world around you,” he explained. Following the acclaim of Lazy Fair, Vine earned a spot on Hoodie Allen’s Happy Camper European Tour, and finally got his opportunity to see the world as an artist. He would then go on to release his next EP, Night Circus, a still nostalgic but more cynical take on the city that he grew up in, named after Bret Easton Ellis’ novel that satirizes the celebrity culture of Hollywood in the ‘80s. Despite growing up in Los Angeles, Vine says that he always felt like an outsider in Hollywood because of his humble roots. “It kind of allowed me to see everything through a glass wall while I’m walking around L.A. and going to parties, but feeling a little bit like an outsider because I see the world differently than a lot of people do,” Vine said about the content of Night Circus. “That’s what I’m talking about with any of the ‘cynical’ stuff; it’s fun and it’s in the moment—I get it—it’s just not long term … and I read too much to fall into it.” Vine received an offer from a major record label around this time, but after meeting the record’s president, the deal was taken away. “I really had to get that fire that wasn’t there,” Vine said, “and once that happened, I started producing a lot more of my stuff, just like when I was a kid … all of the sudden everything started happening.” Vine reevaluated his career after that fateful meeting and developed a routine by going to the gym everyday to stay motivated. “I would reward myself by sitting in the sauna for 20 minutes after the gym and just sit there and read and not focus on anything else, just reading my book, and then going to the studio,” he said.

“For months I did this, and would just fail at writing every single day … and then the wheels just started turning.” The metaphorical wheels turned out to be the influence for his hit single “Drew Barrymore.” Vine describes the song as a “Frankenstein” project, one that originated when he was writing constantly after his gym sessions and was finally completed with a hook from a voice note that he received two years prior from singer Julia Michaels. “I was trying to write a song that focused on how somebody makes you feel and what it would be like to spend your whole life in a room with somebody,” Vine explained about the basis for the track. After early struggles—from Berklee, to The Glee Project, to losing out on his first major record deal—Vine’s dream finally came to fruition in November 2017 when he signed with Sire Records. “For the first time in my life, I felt like I could introduce myself as an artist … I never wanted to be one of those people who walked around Hollywood and said I did a bunch of shit that I didn’t do,” Vine said. Fast-forward to today and Vine’s dream girl-inspired hit currently has more than 100,000,000 plays on Spotify, and he’s working on his first official album, Carnival, slated for a summer 2019 release. The album’s first single, “La La Land,” is expected for an early March release with a special guest feature, which Vine has yet to reveal. I spoke with Vine on the morning of the Super Bowl, just hours before his show, and asked him who he’d be rooting for later that night. “I’m not watching it,” he said, “I’m gonna be on a train from PA to New York writing the last song that needs to be finished on my album … very few people get this kind of opportunity so it’d be stupid to squander.” He may have Drew Barrymore’s muse to thank for his rise to fame, but it’s the guidance of his mother that pushed the 30-year-old rapper to his status as hiphop’s next breakout artist.

SHOWS AT SAC STATE

SPONSORED BY UNIQUE PROGRAMS FOR MORE INFO VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR CALL 278–6997

WWW.SACSTATEUNIQUE.COM NOONER

NOONER

SACRAMENTO TAIKO DAN

LAUREN WAKEFIELD

WED • FEB 13 • 12P • UNIVERSITY UNION REDWOOD ROOM

WED • FEB 20 • 12P • UNIVERSITY UNION REDWOOD ROOM

FREE: traditional Japanese drumming

FREE: soulful singer / songwriter

EVENT

THE LANGSTON HUGHES PROJECT PRESENTS ASK YOUR MAMA: 12 MOODS FOR JAZZ

THUR • FEB 14 • 730P • UNIVERSITY UNION BALLROOM FREE: a multi-media concert performance and homage to the struggle for artistic and social freedom at home and abroad at the beginning of the 1960’s

MOVIE

THUR • FEB 21 • 730P • UNIVERSITY UNION BALLROOM FREE: special movie screening

EVENT: DOORS OPEN AT 5 PM. SHOW STARTS PROMPTLY AT 6 PM

TUE • FEB 26 • 5P • UNIVERSITY UNION BALLROOM stage production edited by Eve Ensler ( The Vagina Monologues) & Millie Dayle to end the violence against black, brown, trans & non-binary. Tickets are $5 for Sac State students, $7 for Community College students, $10 General Public, available at www.SacStateUNIQUE.com or the ASI Student Shop. Show begins promptly at 6 pm.

Catch Bryce Vine live at Harlow’s (2708 J St.) Wednesday, March 6. Tickets are $20 in advance, and $25 day of the show. Doors are at 6:30 p.m. and show starts at 7:30 p.m. Opening is Travis Thompson. For more info, visit Brycevine.com or Harlows.com.

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 28, 2019

THE SHALLOW END LIVING THE MEME JAMES BARONE jb@submergemag.com Did anyone else see Representative Jerry Nadler, D-NY and head of the House Judiciary Committee, spar against acting Attorney General, and owner of world’s largest head, Matt Whitaker this past week? If you haven’t, I suggest you do. It was like Thunderdome for grumpy white dudes. There was one particularly testy passage when Nadler read Whitaker the riot act, basically for being a waste of space (stating the obvious) and followed it up to his admonishment by asking, “In your capacity as acting Attorney General, have you ever been asked to approve any request or action to be taken by the special council?”—referring, of course, to the Mueller probe. It seemed like an innocuous enough question. After all, Nadler didn’t ask if Whitaker had or hadn’t approved any such things, but if he’s been asked to, and he wasn’t even questioned as to whom may or may not have made such requests, just, like, basically, in the course of your job, have you ever had to perform the tasks presumably required of your job? But Whitaker seemed intent on making it perfectly clear that—surprise, surprise—he’s not doing anything, probably because if pressed as to what the United States’ Attorney General’s job entailed, he’d most likely be as clueless as the rest of us. I mean, if someone asked me what an Attorney General did, I’d just hedge my bets and answer, “Important stuff,” which I’m sure is vague enough to be factually correct. For his part, though, it wasn’t enough for Whitaker to just play dumb or pivot or, I don’t know, just stop wasting everyone’s time and answer the question. As an aside, I wonder how much these hearings cost taxpayers per hour. It’s probably not cheap … just saying. He seemed to want to prove that though he’s the human equivalent to a lump on a log, there was, in fact, something going on in that ponderous noggin of his. So, he flashed an impressive feel for comic timing by pausing, briefly, before retorting: “Mr. Chairman, I see that your five minutes is up.” The response sent gasps and nervous chuckles through the crowd. Even Nadler had to crack a smile. I mean, to be honest, it was pretty funny. I couldn’t tell if Whitaker was just a master at deadpan comedic delivery, or if that’s just the only face he’s capable of making.

Issue 285 • February 13 – February 27, 2019

I suppose it shouldn’t be such a surprise that Whitaker knows how to make for good television. He was a talking head, after all, before he improbably landed a gig as the nation’s top law enforcer. In fact, it was said that he made comments that he used his television appearances, on which he was critical of Robert Mueller’s investigation, as a sort of audition for his current job. Were those just glib comments or was he being honest? Obviously, there seems to be no better way to hold public office than building your celebrity. Look at the White House’s current occupant. He couldn’t really run a business, or a reputable university, or even build a building, but he was sure able to make a lot of people think he could. And he’s not the first to do so. Ronald Reagan was an actor before he became a wildly successful politician; Jesse the Body Ventura leveraged a flashy career in professional wrestling into a governorship; Al Franken was funny as fuck on Saturday Night Live before he became just another senator to fall to scandal; and California elected the freaking Terminator as governor in a bizarre recall election that also included Gary Coleman and pornstar Mary Carey on the ballot. It makes me think of Back to the Future, when Marty McFly lands in 1955 and looks up Doc Brown, the only person who could possibly believe that time travel was possible. Brown, as kooky as he is, asks Marty who the president is in 1985. When Marty answers truthfully, Doc scoffs, “Ronald Reagan? The actor?! Then who’s the vice president? Jerry Lewis?” I was very young when I saw this movie. I didn’t know Reagan as an actor, just as president. My parents thought the joke was hilarious. I’m not sure if they voted for Ronnie or not, but I’ll assume they did, because didn’t everybody? I might not agree with Reagan’s policies now that I’m old and tree-huggy, but I still remember him being president-y, for whatever that’s worth. I’m also not one of those people who think famous people just need to shut up and sing/dance/play sports/act/direct movies/ what have you. It’s a democracy, after all, and everyone should have a voice, whether I agree with them or not, but I do wonder what Doc Brown would say about where we are now. Also, I’d like to ask him if he has any more room in that DeLorean, so I can flux capacitor may way the fuck out of this mess. Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

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Issue 285 • February 13 – February 28, 2019

DIVE INTO SACRAMENTO & ITS SURROUNDING AREAS

FEBRUARY 13 – 27, 2019

#285

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