Sac in Stereo - a Sacramento local music blog

Sacramento Press: New vinyl store coming to midtown

2010-08-03T11:03:00.000-07:00

According to a post last week on Sacramento Press, midtown will soon have a new vinyl record shop, Phono Select Records. The store will open in September on K Street, and is being led by a longtime buyer for Tower Records and his business partner.

Sacramento Press writer Suzanne Hurt describes the planned store, noting it will carry local bands and small labels:

"More than half the inventory will be vinyl records — about 5,000 to 6,000 will be 33s or "long-playing" records (LPs), and about 1,000 will be two-song 45s. The store at 2312 K St. will stock almost as many CDs and a smattering of cassettes, which are seeing a revival among indie rock labels. About 70 percent of the merchandise will be used.

"A lot of LPs are being reissued now. Some of those have thicker, higher-quality vinyl and better sound, making this a good time to buy records, Basi said.

"The roughly 1,200-square-foot store will contain listening stations with phonographs, cassette players and CD players. The store will sell more than music. Phono Select will carry old and new posters, books, magazines, T-shirts, band buttons and pop culture curios."

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Dane Drewis plays Crawdad's tonight

2010-07-08T13:17:00.000-07:00

Dane Drewis has a bloodline strong with Motown, bossa nova and pizza. According to a March feature in Submerge Magazine, the local singer/guitarist grew up in a home full of soulful tunes, but did his best not to listen to it:

"I couldn't stand all the stuff they listened to when I was growing up; all the Motown, lots of bossa nova and Latin jazz. I heard it millions of times, but went out of my way to block it out of my mind. Now that I'm older it's coming back in waves I would never have imagined.

[...]

"I heard Led Zeppelin for the first time when I was a senior in high school. That's how into hip-hop I was. I used to be able to go through whole DMX and Tupac albums word for word. In hindsight, I listen to those records now and there's a lot of musical stuff going on there. It was my way of rebelling, but it led me here. Couldn't have been that bad."

Now, the former frontman of Cuesta Drive is focusing on music more similar to what used to fill the halls of his home, and his family is taking notice. His sisters and mother often lend background vocals, and his father is touring with Drewis, playing bass guitar.

The rest of the time, the roles reverse and the ardent SF Giants fan works for his father at the family pizzeria.

Drewis will play at 8 tonight at Crawdad's on the River, 1375 Garden Highway. His light, soulful tunes will likely be a perfect fit for the low-key venue, which I first visited about a month ago. Crawdad's is more restaurant than venue, more date-destination than concert hall, and wide-appealing music like Drewis' will likely be well-received.

Drewis released his debut solo album, Rock & Soul, in April. Promo video after the jump...

Dane Drewis - Rock & Soul - Promo from Michael Hutchinson on Vimeo.

[Dane Drewis - official site]

Record Store Day guest report: Dimple Records Vinyl Store

2010-04-17T22:34:00.000-07:00

By Paul Rios - Special to Sac in Stereo

I admit that I used Record Store Day as an excuse to visit Dimple Records’ vinyl specialty store. When this hallowed of crate-digger holidays comes around, normally I just make a beeline for R5 or The Beat. Both have more in the way of atmosphere than any of Sacramento’s local Dimples. Still, my curiosity about the new store made me reconsider. I figured I could pick up a couple RSD exclusives, snag some kooky, dollar-bin throwaway and call it a day.

When I arrived at the Dimples on Arden, the Record Store Day festivities were already in full swing. I just missed a live performance in the main store, but some folks from 100.5 The Zone kept the music flowing. Rather than subject myself to the greatest hits of Sugar Ray, I headed down the alley to the vinyl store. Outside, an older guy diddled on an acoustic guitar next to a hot dog stand and a prize wheel. The vinyl store space was about the size of a garage and stuffed, to my surprise, with great, cheap stuff like “Big Ben” by Jorge Ben, which I snapped up for a George Washington. I snagged a Record Store Day reissue of John Fahey’s “Yellow Princess” and fondled one of the limited edition “Dummy” reissues before deciding to buy less-than-mint copies of “Tijuana Mood” and “Station to Station” among other things.

Along with a prerequisite table of free 7-inch singles, tote bags and stickers, vinyl store customers had a chance to spin the prize wheel and win other goodies. Myself, I managed to win a $20 record cleaning kit, which will be damn useful because I have a whole stack of those dollar-bin throwaways that could use a good scrub. And a wonderful Record Store Day was had by all.

Thanks to Paul for the submission! Submit your story here.

[Photo: dimple.com screenshot]

Submit your Sacramento Record Store Day stories

2010-04-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

Sadly, I'm spending the weekend in the vast expanses of central California (Kings County, to be exact). This means I won't be in Sacramento for any Record Store Day festivities.

Have a story about Record Store Day in the City of Trees that Sac in Stereo readers should hear? Submit it!

Record Store Day coming to Sacramento shops April 17

2010-04-16T16:10:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow, hundreds of independent record stores around the world will celebrate the third-annual Record Store Day. In Sacramento, four stores are listed as official participants: Dimple Records (all six locations), R5 Records, Rare Records and The Beat.

According to the event's official website, there are strict criteria for a store to participate:

A Record Store Day participating store is defined as a physical retailer whose product line consists of at least 50% music retail, whose company is not publicly traded and whose ownership is at least 70% located in the state of operation. (In other words, we’re dealing with real, live, physical, indie record stores—not online retailers or corporate behemoths).

More info after the jump.

Typical Record Store Day events include giveaways, concerts and sales. Last year, several local stores celebrated, the Sacramento Press reported.

Also, Pitchfork has a massive rundown of interesting new releases and events.

Record Store Day official website

[via IndieBlogHeaven]

Landmark record store The Beat featured in national podcast

2010-04-13T10:04:00.001-07:00

A couple weeks ago, a nationally aired podcast focused in on Sacramento's music collectors and the well-known record store The Beat. State of the Re:Union, a Florida-based podcast focusing on specific communities around the country, traveled to Sacramento as part of its "Sounds of the Re:Union" series.

"For many of us, independent record stores are the unsung cultural cornerstones of an area," Ian DeSousa, creative director for the podcast, said in a press release. "We're excited to have the opportunity to shine a light on institutions like The Beat, the kind of local epicenter that creates a gravity all its own and connects a community of music lovers."

Also, look for the nice, tidy statement from Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson on his love for The Beat.

Video after the jump.

Sounds of the Re:Union - For the Record: The Beat.

Sounds of the Re:Union

SN&R Music Festival videos part one: Light Rail and Righteous Movement

2009-06-29T18:41:00.000-07:00

Light Rail took home one of 19 Sammies at Saturday's festival (20 if you count the tie for Outstanding Hard Rock/Metal). Before the awards were handed out, they took the stage in the sweltering heat. A few songs in, they were joined by an unexpected guest. Hit the jump to find out who (hint: it's the other musical group in the title of this blog post).

And for good measure, here's one more video of the unique musical combination that Light Rail and Righteous Movement created:

Update: One more video from Righteous Movement, who decided to go with a beatbox song after going back and forth about which song to perform next.

Update: One more video of Righteous Movement and an interesting dance they taught the crowd.

Stay tuned for more videos from the Sammies music festival.

Sammies winners announced, MC Rut takes home three awards

2009-06-27T23:11:00.000-07:00

In 2009, the Sacramento News & Review's Sammies belonged to Middle Class Rut. The two-piece band took home three awards, it was announced at today's music festival in Cesar Chavez park.

The members of MC Rut, who weren't actually present at the festival, took honors for Outstanding Rock, Outstanding Release/Album and Outstanding Sacramento Band.

Full list of winners after the jump:

Outstanding Emcee: Random Abiladeze

Outstanding Rock: MC Rut

Outstanding Punk/Hardcore: Final Summation

Outstanding Hard Rock/Metal: Man Automatic and Prieta (tie)

Outstanding Hip-hop/Rap: Righteous Movement

Outstanding Turntablist: DJ Epik

Outstanding Jazz/Blues/Latin: Ross Hammond

Outstanding Indie: The New Humans

Outstanding Country/Americana/Folk: Light Rail

Outstanding Experimental: Mom

Outstanding Singer-Songwriter: Be Brave Bold Robot

Outstanding Teen Band: Red Wire Army

Outstanding Reggae/Ska/Funk/Jam: Arden Park Roots

Outstanding Pop: Agent Ribbons

Outstanding Electronica: Tha Fruitbat

Outstanding Dance DJ: DJ Whores
(this was an open category where SN&R did not provide any nominees)

Outstanding Hip-hop Producer: Jae Synth

Outstanding Release/Album: MC Rut, MC Rut

Outstanding Sacramento Band: MC Rut

Friday out-of-towner shows: The Hard to Get at Fox and Goose, Cursive at the Boardwalk

2009-06-25T18:39:00.000-07:00

Every once and a while, somebody interesting stops by Sacramento (No, the Yin Yang Twins don't count). Just because it's an artist you might not have heard of before doesn't mean it's not worth checking out.

Here are a couple out-of-towners stopping by on Friday:

The Hard to Get - The Hard to Get take turns between feathery rhythms and bright vocal harmonies. The lighter side of their repertoire shines - so it's probably appropriate they'll be in a low-key venue like Fox and Goose.

Guitarist / vocalist Melissa A. Kaplan describes the band's sound as an "indie rock duo in the spirit of The Pixies, Mates of State and Sleater-Kinney." They'll also be playing R5 Records on July 5 on their way back south to their native L.A.

Fox and Goose (21+)
9 p.m., $5
(with David Fletcher of Davis)

After the jump, someone a little more upbeat in a little more of an upbeat venue (and a free download):

Cursive - Cursive's music comes in waves, sometimes surging forward and sometimes lurching in all directions. The Omaha, Neb. natives will be at the Boardwalk for a $15 show. Their recent full-length, "Mama, I'm Swolen," earned three out of five stars from Rolling Stone.

The Boardwalk
8 p.m., $15 advance
(with Mt. St. Helen's Vietnam Band and Box Elders)

The Hard to Get - Looking Good [MediaFire]

Video: Middle Class Rut headlines Concert in the Park, pays tribute to KWOD

2009-06-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

Touring isn't easy for any band, but Middle Class (MC) Rut probably has it a little easier than most – the band is a duo, so there can't be too much equipment to load. That being said, the pair of guitarist Zack Lopez and drummer Sean Stockham are way louder and more energetic than any two-piece should be.

Middle Class Rut – Let it Go

After the jump, see what happened when the band asked the crowd at Cesar Chavez Park what it thought of the new 106.5 The Buzz.

Bonus: Here's one more song from the band's set:

Metal band White Minorities to play free benefit concert for Derek's Wish

2009-06-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

Defiantly politically incorrect metal band White Minorities is hoping to do some good tomorrow with a free benefit concert for Derek's Wish, an organization dedicated to helping families with children who are battling terminal cancer. Derek's Wish was founded by Cyndie French, whose heart-wrenching story was covered extensively in the Sacramento Bee in 2006.

The 21+ concert, which starts at 9:30 p.m. tomorrow at Callison's Bar and Grill, is free, but the band is asking for donations for Derek's Wish.

Bassist and band manager Troy "T-Bone" Jones, who said he's close friends with French, said this is White Minorities' first benefit concert. It comes at a poignant time for Jones, whose mother was recently diagnosed with cancer of the uterus.

"I recently found out about it, so this show is somewhat bittersweet," he said in an e-mail. Still, he's positive about the show.

"We would love to do nothing but benefit shows if we could," he said. "Not only do we have a good time like always, (but) we raise money for a good cause as well."

And in case you're as curious about the band's name as I first was, the explicit explanation (and a live video of the band) is after the jump.

From the band's MySpace bio:

We are White Minorities...if you are offended by the name GOOD, fuk being politically correct! It means nothing prejudice. We are a symbol of just how incorrect political correctness is. We are down with anyone who likes GOOD FUKIN' Music no matter what color u are..

White Minorities – Muzzle

Andy Hawk's free music series continues at Powerhouse Pub in Folsom

2009-06-17T15:07:00.000-07:00

Tonight, former KWOD'ers Andy Hawk and DJ David X will again bring a free concert to the Powerhouse Pub in Folsom.

Here's a quick rundown of the lineup:

Plasma Cannon – Plasma Cannon seems to do two things very well: haunting, pipe-organ-fueled shanties and upbeat, melodic punk anthems. That may seem like an odd mix, but somehow the styles seem to fit well.

Radio Orangevale – Radio Orangevale plays off uneven rhythms and creates an unpredictable freight train of sound that seems to stumble forward in unexpected bursts.

Further reading:

SN&R Bio: Radio Orangevale

The Stash – The Stash is a seductive, light-hearted mix of pop and R&B with smooth melodies that float above dance-friendly backing beats. They're definitely a little more "club-friendly" than the other bands on the lineup, but that's not always a bad thing.

Middle Class Rut returns from German festival, doesn't care for Fred Durst

2009-06-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

Local rock duo Middle Class Rut just returned from Germany's largest music festival, the three-day Rock am Ring and Rock im Park. Their impression of the whirlwind festival is posted on the band's MySpace, but here's an excerpt:

on the days that we played, none other then limp bizkit headlined the whole festival. felt like the 90s all over again... but in a bad way. the shittiest part of the 90s. crazy that that dude has to just throw on a red hat, play really bad rap rock and 80k people will lose their minds. i made a note to bring my red hat next year.

Video from the band after the jump.

Middle Class Rut will be performing at this Friday's Concert in the Park in Cesar Chavez Park. The concert is free and starts at 5 p.m.

Last SN&R Sammies showcase will blend pop, country, funk [free downloads]

2009-06-11T16:59:00.000-07:00

Well, this is it. The end of the line. Tonight is your last chance to evaluate a few Sammies candidates at the same show before voting ends on Sunday.

Thursday:

9 p.m., $6

Old Ironsides(21+)

The Impotent Ninja (nominated for Outstanding Pop): At first listen, it's hard to guess how many members are in this band. When you realize it's a duo, it makes the soothing melodies, rhythmic guitar and danceable drum-loop foundations all the more impressive.

Jeepster (nominated for Outstanding Pop): Part endearing pop-rock melodies and part swirling haunted house theme music, Jeepster is hard to define, even for the paper that might give them an award. "Honestly, I’ve been sitting here over an hour and I still have yet to find a band they sound like," the Sacramento News & Review wrote. "That must mean something, right?"

ZuhG. (nominated for Outstanding Reggae/Ska/Funk/Jam): If there were more bands like ZuhG. around, the world would probably be a much more easygoing place. The band's guitars chop along with a steady rhythm while Bryan Nichols' vocals swirl back and forth with the sensual saxophone lines of "Bot."

Kate Gaffney (nominated for Outstanding Country/Americana/Folk): A Philadelphia native with strong pipes and a penchant for country staples like slide guitar and rich organ tones, Kate Gaffney brings some Nashville flavor to the table. Luckily, her songs lean more toward triumphant anthems rather than forlorn cries about pickups and lost love.

The Impotent Ninja – Corvus (four-song EP) [MediaFire]

Jeepster – Don't Go Too Far [MediaFire]

The final awards show and music festival will be June 27 (more on this later; stay tuned):

Punk SN&R Sammies showcase concert tonight at the Press Club

2009-06-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

There are only two Sammies showcase concerts left before the big awards show on June 27, and tonight is mohawk and circle pit night at the Press Club. Here's a preview of the three punk bands that will be performing.

tonight:

9 p.m., $6

Press Club (21+)

Boats! (nominated for Outstanding Punk/Hardcore): In a lot of ways, Boats! is just unpolished enough. The guitars have a dry growl and the drums a sort of hollow thud, but the bouncy rhythms and bare vocal lines competing for a couple minutes of attention balance it all out.

further reading:
Sacramento Bee - It's wild sailing for these Boats

Another Damn Disappointment (nominated for Outstanding Punk/Hardcore): Even if you don't pay attention to Sacramento's punk scene, it's hard to have not heard Another Damn Disappointment's name somewhere. The five-piece, uptempo punk band has been around for more than 10 years, and their energetic sound conjures up images of sweaty circle pits and crowd sing-alongs.

further reading:
Submerge – Relentless about the music

Final Summation (nominated for Outstanding Punk/Hardcore): Final Summation seems to only have one speed, but that's OK. Even when they're playing acoustic, guitarist Bear Williams looks like he's doing everything he can to not explode out of his seat and jump around the stage. That energy carries over to the full-band versions of their songs, too – urgent yet melodic.

Another Damn Disappointment - Dickhead

Free Dance Gavin Dance CD release show is at capacity

2009-06-09T17:19:00.000-07:00

If you didn't plan ahead and e-mail Dance Gavin Dance to reserve a spot at their CD release show tonight at Club Retro, you may be out of luck. In a bulletin posted at 3 p.m., the band relayed the news:

"If you have not heard back from the e-mail or from us, then you aren't on the list."

It goes on to point out that some people who reserved spots may not show, so die-hard fans who happen to be procrastinators might do well to try their luck anyway.

Otherwise, the full-album stream at Smart Punk will have to suffice.

Happiness, Dance Gavin Dance's new full-length album, is out today on Rise Records.

One of three final SN&R Sammies showcase concerts: Tuesday at the Torch Club

2009-06-08T17:34:00.000-07:00

The end of Sammies season is rapidly approaching, and the folks at the Sacramento News & Review are busy putting on the final showcase concerts before the big awards show June 27.

This week, there will be three consecutive showcase concerts featuring some of the nominated artists. Sac in Stereo will bring you a brief preview of each show before it happens.

Tuesday:

9 p.m., $6

Torch Club (21 +)

Aaron King and The Imperials (nominated for Outstanding Jazz/Blues/Latin): Aaron King blends weighty grooves with agile flecks of piano accompaniment and all the flying guitar licks any blues band should bring to the table.

Light Rail (nominated for Outstanding Country/Americana/Folk): An upbeat back-and-forth of guitarist/vocalist Tyler Williams' creamy vocals and Shane Kalbach's melodic violin parts, Light Rail oozes weathervanes and ~~steam engines~~ Regional Transit lines.

Ricky Berger (nominated for Outstanding Pop and for Outstanding Release/Album): Ricky Berger is a soft-spoken singer-songwriter who can't seem to stick to one instrument for more than a couple songs. For more information, read this previous post.

Trainwreck Revival (nominated for Outstanding Country/Americana/Folk): Sometimes sultry, sometimes folksy and sometimes bluesy, Trainwreck Revival would sound right at home in a dark bar or at a sweltering summer barbecue.

Stay tuned for previews of Wednesday and Thursday's Sammies showcase concerts.

Light Rail - Sacramento (song starts at 4:18)

Video: Sammies-nominee Ricky Berger plays the Coffee Garden, talks self-promotion

2009-06-06T17:29:00.000-07:00

Ricky Berger isn’t much on self-promotion.

“It’s uncomfortable for me to do it,” she said. “I hate pushing people to do things.”

The singer-songwriter is nominated for two Sammies this year (Outstanding Pop and Outstanding Release/Album), but she isn’t sure when voting ends or when winners are announced (June 14 and June 27, respectively). Maybe she’s just a little too shy for all the marketing work.

Last night at the Coffee Garden on Franklin Boulevard, she sang:

“I’m kinda shy
I’m the kind of girl who just likes to listen
and I don’t really party
I spend all my evenings with Ovaltine, the Golden Girls and my pajammies.”

Throughout the course of her performance, Berger took turns on the guitar, piano, xylophone, flute and ukulele (she didn’t bring her accordion). Her list of instruments to try next includes the stand-up bass, pedal harp, celesta and clarinet.

She started playing piano when she was 4, but her only formal musical training came in the form of a year of flute lessons and a couple years of piano lessons much later.

“I’m a big fan of just figuring it out,” she said.

During the three years she’s lived in Sacramento, she has figured out that she likes performing a lot more than she thought she would.

When Berger dropped out of high school at 17, she asked her grandmother in Natomas if she could live with her. She packed her bags and left her native Bakersfield, hoping to eventually become a songwriter.

“I totally caught the bug,” she said, adding that she never planned on performing so much. “I didn’t think I was good enough.”

Others would beg to differ. The Sacramento News & Review wrote Berger’s “notes tend to float into your ears and rattle around for days,” and Alive and Kicking said her “melodies are always catchy and simple. As are the lyrics.”

Berger has also been compared to Judy Garland by Midtown Monthly and Marty Deanda of DIG Records. She isn’t so sure about that.

“Most people just tell me I sound like myself,” she said. “Maybe it’s the red lipstick.”

Reggae legend Yellowman to play Harlow's with locals DJ ESEF, Selektah KDK and King Hopeton

2009-06-04T16:00:00.000-07:00

It would probably be hard to think of a less likely reggae star than Yellowman (born Winston Foster, aka King Yellowman). He grew up an orphan in Jamaica, and was shunned throughout his life for being an albino. He developed skin cancer, and in 1983, doctors told him he had only three years to live.

He has since gone on to release literally dozens of albums, and tonight will perform at Harlow's (2708 J St.) with locals DJ ESEF, Selektah KDK and King Hopeton.

Sacramento's DJ ESEF said he's honored to open for Yellowman.

"He is an inspiration for a lot of reggae fans," he wrote in an e-mail. "He always surprises me with his endless positive energy."

ESEF and KDK will open the show with a DJ set, then King Hopeton will perform a live-band set. ESEF and KDK will return for turntable sets before and after Yelloman's performance.

Doors open at 9 p.m., and admission is $20.

ESEF and KDK perform every Friday at the Capitol Garage for "Get Down to the Champion Sound," a reggae dancehall event.

Download a mixtape from ESEF from his website:

DJ ESEF - The Serious Mix, Vol. 1 [zip]

Free Sounds of Sac show tonight in Folsom: Smoke, Bastards of Young, The Ruin

2009-06-03T12:11:00.000-07:00

Tonight at 8, former KWOD DJ Andy Hawk's Sounds of Sac showcase returns to the Powerhouse Pub in Old Folsom, with Smoke, Bastards of Young and The Ruin performing. It may be a bit far for midtown-ites, but perhaps the free cover will make up for that.

Of the three bands, Smoke is the only one I've seen live (I think I may have played a show with them back in the day). They're a solid, 4/20-friendly band with heavy Sublime influences.

I'm not sure I could describe Bastards of Young (Swagger City Records) any better than this description of their split LP, found on their MySpace:

Bastards of Young deliver six whiskey soaked anthems that will have you singing along before you even know the words.

The Ruin falls somewhere between the other two artists, with punchy guitar riffs leading into melodic alt-rock choruses.

~~I've got e-mails out to all three bands asking for permission to post downloadable MP3s, so hopefully you'll have some iPod fodder later today.~~

Update 5:55 p.m.: Here's a free download from The Ruin:

The Ruin - Slip Away [MF]

Video: Fate Under Fire at Sacramento State Battle of the Bands

2009-05-11T11:06:00.000-07:00

On Monday, Fate Under Fire competed in the battle of the bands at CSUS. I played music with the drummer, Rob, for a while, but this was the first time I had seen this band perform.
They were the last band in a lineup that included several bands of varying levels of talent. Despite their strong crowd response, Fate Under Fire didn't place in the competition that night.

A story about the battle of the bands appeared in The State Hornet and is available online.

Fate Under Fire can be found at:
http://www.myspace.com/fateunderfire

Video: Heavy is the Crown plays Second Saturday

2009-04-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

Somehow, I know half of this band and I had never seen them play before. I think this was also the first time I went to Sacramento's Second Saturday Art Walk with the goal of seeing a specific band.

The band was set up in a big parking structure with metal siding (not the best for acoustics), and in the adjacent building was some of the art shown in the video.

The band can be found online at:
http://www.myspace.com/heavyisthecrown

The sculptor whose work is at the start and end of the "intro" can be found here:
http://www.shanegrammer.com

Note: This video was posted to YouTube on April 15, but was not posted to SacTunes until May 11. It was backdated for organizational purposes.

Free download: DJ Shaun Slaughter's hour-long "Bravado" mix

2009-02-12T15:25:00.000-08:00

Tonight, the Mix Downtown on 16th and L Streets will likely be swarmed with hipsters looking for nothing more than pounding rhythms and a dance floor. The weekly "Bravado" dance party happens at Mix every Thursday night, and to help promote, DJ Shaun Slaughter has released an hour-long mix of electronica, hip hop and dance tunes simply called the "Bravado January 2009 Mix."

Download the mp3 here [zShare]

"Bravado" starts at 9 p.m. and is $15 – click the link to the right before 7:30 to RSVP for $5.

The lineup for this week's event features DJs Shaun Slaughter, Jon Droll and Adam J. The headlining act will be Hottub, an Oakland trio that has shared the stage with MIA and Santogold. Video after the jump.

Famed metal artist Ed Repka designs Sacramento band's album artwork

2009-02-11T16:28:00.000-08:00

Sacramento metal band Fallen Man has joined the list of artists to feature cover artwork penned by Ed Repka. Some of the other bands Repka has worked with include Megadeth, NOFX, Death and Toxik.

Fallen Man called it an honor to have Repka design its cover art, writing, "As a fan of Death, Uncle Slam, and Megadeth I’d been aware of his contributions to metal art since the '80s. I contacted Ed to see if he was willing to bring my 'Mercenary' concept to life, and he delivered a stunning cover."

Fallen Man's album is also available on iTunes.

[Brave Words via Fallen Man]

Other Ed Repka album covers after the jump.

Video: Kevin Seconds acoustic at Luna's Cafe

2009-02-11T15:37:00.000-08:00

Last night, some of Northern California's punk rock veterans played an acoustic show at Luna's Cafe on 16th Street. The lineup included Kevin Seconds (7 Seconds), Joey Cape (Lagwagon), Jon Snodgrass (Drag The River) and Chad Rex.

Here's a quick video of Kevin Seconds being joined by his wife Allyson for "Sunday Afternoon Bicycle Polo:"

(click through to watch in HD)

The show drew a good crowd, but many of the people in attendance left after Joey Cape's performance. Seconds didn't seem to mind too much; he had been bouncing around running sound for the other performers all night, and his set was considerably shorter than the other singers.

Contact me

2009-02-02T23:42:00.000-08:00

Contacting Cody Kitaura:

e-mail: sacinstereo (at) gmail.com

twitter: @sacinstereo

About Sac In Stereo

2009-02-02T23:35:00.000-08:00

About this blog:

Sac in Stereo is an independent music blog focusing on every kind of music in Sacramento, Calif. The name comes from a podcast I helped start at the State Hornet during my college days. After graduation, I decided the name needed to live on.

There aren't enough people writing about Sacramento's diverse music scene. We've produced major label, world-famous bands. We have all kinds of venues. We have scores of enthusiastic music fans. We all need some help connecting with each other. That's where I come in.

About Cody Kitaura:

I'm a graduate of Sacramento State (journalism major, music minor). I've worked for the university's newspaper as a news writer, copy editor, features editor and online managing editor. I also used to play in a band, so I understand how difficult it can be for independent artists to get heard. This blog may mention bands I've known or have played shows with, but when it does, I'll make a note of it.

If you have a band and want to be featured on this blog, drop me a line. I cannot promise anything, but I'll do my best to post up any music I think is deserving.

Important:

All music posted is copyright its original owners. If you would like me to remove a download, photo, mp3, etc., please contact me.