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.
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.
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.
“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.”
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.
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 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.
