Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "autumn sky"

March's Final Friday at Beatnik Studios

2013-04-02T07:32:00Z

Beatnik Studios' Final Friday attracted a crowd of over 100 guests to its monthly event.

Final Friday featured the artwork of David Mohr, Trent Liddicoat and James Angello. The three artists were present for a meet-and-greet.

I had met one of the artists at an artist reception last year at Sol Collective. Liddicoat indicated that his work, along with that of the other two artists, will be exhibited for two months.

“I was asked to exhibit because I'm friends with the other artists who are showing and they studied at Sac State with the curator (Kelley O'Connell) who is working here,” said Liddicoat.

The self-taught artist shared that he did not attend art school, has been friends with Angello for two years and that they met when they both previously worked together. Many of the artists and guests shared the commonality of being friends with others and made the event an intimate gathering.

Liddicoat stated that most of the art in this show, except for four pieces, was created for the Beatnik exhibit.

The musical part of Final Friday included the Rook Family, Orion Walsh, Musical Charis and Autumn Sky.

Musical Charis, which recently returned from their "Desert Dessert Tour" that also included Orion Walsh, took the stage first.

Musical Charis kicked off an evening of great music with “Eye Candy.” After playing “East West” it became evident that the local band was set to deliver a great performance. Different artists picked up instruments and joined Musical Charis at different points, making the event more like a family reunion than anything else.

Audience participation also contributed to the fun, with much hand clapping, foot stomping and joining in to sing to some of the songs.

Most of Musical Charis' songs are original, but once in a while they throw in a cover song. Their rendition of U2's “Sunday Bloody Sunday” with Orion Walsh was a great addition to their set.

Orion Walsh, accompanied by Musical Charis, also sung a wonderful rendition of "Amazing Grace." After Musical Charis had played for a while, they departed from the stage, leaving Orion Walsh alone onstage.

Visitors continued to enter Beatnik Studios throughout the evening to enjoy the art, music and socializing in a very casual atmosphere. On the side patio, several guests enjoyed the warm evening, while still listening to some of the music.

The Rook Family entertained with a folksy set that captivated the audience. This was the first time I've seen them perform, but at the same time they've only been together for a few months. The audience joined in with some hand clapping and foot stomping. Several members took turns at the microphone, sharing vocals.

Autumn Sky was the last performer to take the stage. Having seen her on stage before, I was quite pleased to see her performance at Beatnik Studios. Her energetic set had the audience involved as well, as she asked the audience to move closer to the stage.

Autumn Sky's set included a more traditional rock style, and she made it livelier by jumping and moving around the stage. Autumn Sky's musical talent was well-received, and she delivered a great closing performance.

Final Fridays at the Beatnik, from what I've witnessed, are a great showcase for Sacramento-area talent. By combining art, music and a great place for social gathering, Beatnik has created an entertaining venue for guests of all ages to enjoy.

Log on to Beatnik Studios to view their upcoming events during the month of April. Visitors can view some of their past events as well as other information about their space availability for venue rentals.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Final Friday at Beatnik Studios

2013-03-28T01:58:40Z

Expect an evening of art, music, food and family fun at Beatnik Studios during its Final Friday event. Final Fridays is a free monthly event that showcases local, regional and statewide talent and is open to an all-ages audience. Beatnik Studios is located on the corner of Broadway and 17th Street.

Final Friday will feature the art of David Mohr, Trent Liddicoat and James Angello. An artist reception will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 29.

Music will be provided by Rook Family, Orion Walsh, Autumn Sky and Musical Charis.

I sat with Wesley Davis, photographer and co-owner, Beatnik Studios to talk about Final Fridays.

Davis began by saying, “We actually have a new artist director. Her name is Kelley O'Connell who has been a friend of ours for a long time. She's a recent graduate of Sac State with a degree in Fine Arts. She has a good network of artists and is really passionate about doing new things with Sacramento artists.”

As the new Gallery Director, this will be O'Connell's first Final Friday. Davis stated, “She brought in all the artists which is exciting. The artists are David Mohr, Trent Liddicoat and James Angello. Both David Mohr and James Angello are Sac State graduates and Trent Liddicoat is a self-taught artist.”

Music is an integral part of Final Friday and Davis talked about the lineup saying, “I asked Musical Charis to host this Final Friday because they haven't done it in a long time. They're good friends of ours, they live right upstairs here. They're on tour and are basically bringing their tour package. It will be like their homecoming show they're touring with Orion Walsh. Autumn Sky will be here as well with the Rook Family. So Musical Charis put the music portion together for this Final Friday.”

As we talked about Final Friday, Davis shared some thoughts about how the event started.

“Final Friday started about three years ago. Beatnik opened five years ago, in reality it will be five years in May. Actually we may have been doing Final Friday for four years, maybe over four years. Anyway, we started doing them as an open studio it was called Last Friday Open Studios and it kind of disappeared for a while and then we brought them back. I was like the one that said 'Hey we should really be doing these Final Fridays because it's a night to showcase studio space and to invite the community to come in and see what we're up to.' So we started it back up and the venue is really accessible, it's open to people of all ages. We don't charge to get in and then we have live music. So our goal, our main goal, for Final Friday is just to kind of give a little cross section of music and art culture in Sacramento to as many people as we can.”

Davis has been at Beatnik since its beginning and he shared a little history about the studios.

“When we first opened up we were a shared studio. Our business plan was to have kind of like an Urban Hive, a common working space but for photographers specifically where we would have a studio then offices and spaces just to meet clients. That was really up and down and then we also had the gallery pretty much from the get-go. We would hang art and show art and that was also kind of up and down and then we started doing events here. That was never really the original intent, to do events, but the events were very popular and we saw the potential of having them.”

Davis saw the use of events saying, “Event revenue helped support the studios so we made the transition to become an event space and now you now we're a full out event space. We do weddings almost every weekend from spring to fall. Weddings are the big events but we also do fundraisers and all kinds of different parties. The cool thing about the events is that all those people who come for the events they get to see the art and they get to experience the culture that we provide.”

Beatnik has been around for almost five years and Davis noted that they must be doing something right and they're not planning on going anywhere as they continue to grow.

When asked why Final Friday was chosen instead of Second Saturday or First Monday or anything similar Davis said, “We're not trying to compete (with other events). We did Second Saturday but we want to provide a completely unique experience. We'd like to provide an evening where you can be in one place not hop from place to place to place. We want people to come and soak it all in, in one place and spend quality time with the artists' work. We wanted our own kind of night something out away from the grid, away from that cluster of galleries. We wanted to give people a night where they could really feel like they've been soaked in an atmosphere that we provide instead of going for 10 minutes and then leave.”

The public is invited to enjoy local art and music at Beatnik Studios every Final Friday. The venue is open to guests of all ages. Log on to the Beatnik Studios Facebook or website to find out more about the studio and other events throughout the month.

Editor’s note: Every Thursday we deliver a local event guide straight to your inbox, right on time to make your weekend plans. Sign me up.

Four generations of women to perform at Fairytale Town

2012-08-30T01:10:23Z

On Wednesday, Sept. 5, Fairytale Town will open its gates at 5:30 p.m. for a late summer evening concert by four local female musicians who represent not only the talent found in our area, but four generations of that talent.

Parie Wood, Autumn Sky, Larisa Bryski and Valerie V will perform on the Mother Goose stage, and attendees are invited to bring chairs and blankets. The all-ages concert begins at 6 p.m.

The idea for this concert began last year with Marty DeAnda of Dig Music LLC when he presented three generations of local male performers. Because of the event’s success, DeAnda “immediately began working on a female version,” and said that he’d like to make the event semi-annual with a goal of seven generations for the next event, mixing male and female performers.

“We want to show people how deep and long lived our talent pool is in Sacramento,” added DeAnda.

The talent of these four women, attendees will discover, covers a spectrum of musical styles, including Valerie V and her jazz influence and Autumn Sky’s indie-folk style.

Parie Wood and Larisa Bryski, who have worked as student and teacher for three years, shared their thoughts on their work and the upcoming concert.

Wood said, “I think the idea of combining four generations of music is genius because we all come from unique backgrounds, and from those backgrounds we get unique perspectives that affect us greatly as people, and then of course as musicians. I'm honored to represent the youngest generation of music.”

About performing with her vocal coach, Wood said “It’s a full-circle thing.”

Wood recently released her first EP, and she spoke briefly about that experience, which included utilizing Kickstarter.

“Releasing an album is something I've wanted to do since I was 10 years old, and it's been such a learning experience for me. It's made up of a compilation of songs I've written since I was 12. Getting it recorded, produced and released was a very grass-roots thing which I find really fitting for my first album.”

DeAnda, the show’s organizer, offered much guidance to Wood for this project, which included raising funds through a grass-roots effort using crowd-source funding. Kickstarter helps creative people fund creative projects, and Wood’s campaign raised $3,700 dollars.

“A thousand of which came from a grant from my school, The Met Sacramento. So I've received a lot of help and am totally thankful and humbled,” Wood said.

Although she’s never performed with the others, she has seen Autumn Sky and Larisa Bryski perform.

Bryski spoke about the concert, Marty DeAnda and her music.

“The multi-generational aspect of this particular show really makes it feel more about celebrating the legacy of female singer/songwriters in Sacramento. Marty at DIG Music cares deeply about the artists that he works with, and really appreciates the passion we put into creating our art. I think this show will allow us to convey that passion in a simple, honest way. I'm really honored to be a part of it!”

About Wood, Bryski said, “I am hoping to get Parie Wood on stage with me during my set. I've always wanted to duet with her.”

Although she’s never heard Autumn Sky or Valerie V, Bryski is looking forward to hearing both women perform.

Also regarding Wood, Bryski said, “As for Parie, I can't say enough good things. She's a former protege of mine, although that's probably not fair to say, because her talent and wisdom at only 16 years old surpasses anything that I could possibly teach her. She's a good friend and a beautiful young artist.”

About her own music and influences, she said “I'm a classically trained vocal coach and mommy to a three-year-old daughter by day, and a rock and roll musician by night. My music stems from my childhood, listening to the Beatles, Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin. I love what I do and am proud to say I've been making music with my band in the Central Valley for over a decade. And, I'll never stop.”

Both Wood and Bryski offered their thoughts on the diverse group of musicians.

“The four of us are different stylistically, sure. But I think our love of music is universal,” Wood said.

Bryski added, “I do think that our styles, although very different, will complement each other at this show. I believe that each of us represents a certain cross section of the music culture in Sacramento. So, there will be a little something for everyone.”

Everyone includes adults and children, as Kathy Fleming, Fairytale Town’s executive director, is quick to point out.

“Fairytale Town is a great venue, especially for concerts,” Fleming said.

During regular hours, adults without accompanying children are not permitted in Fairytale Town, but concerts like Wednesday’s give all adults the opportunity to “experience Fairytale Town and an event that is meaningful to them.”

About children, Fleming continued, “it is important that children be introduced to music at an early age.”

Fleming spoke of the many programs offered at Fairytale Town and the importance of play, pointing to the fast pace of today’s society allowing for “less time for children to do free, imaginative play.”

Fairytale Town “provides a safe place to do that, and when we add events like this concert, it’s a win-win for the adults, too.”

Gates open at 5:30 for this ticketed event, and the music begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are a bargain at $10. Membership at Fairytale Town means two for one admission. Children 12 and under are free. This family-friendly event is sure to please fans of local music and open musical windows for the next generation.

Summer Concerts at Fairytale Town

2012-07-10T22:05:06Z

Sacramento favorites and up-and-coming musicians will rock Fairytale Town’s Mother Goose Stage this summer.

Mumbo Gumbo brings their signature danceable sound—a mixture spanning rock to soul, afropop to lush balladry and zydeco to country—to Fairytale Town for a live performance on Wednesday, Jul. 11. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., and the concert starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person and go on sale in June. Members receive 2-for-1 admission, and children 12 and under are free. Blankets and chairs are welcome, food and drink will be available for purchase.

Jackie Greene returns to Fairytale Town for a fourth annual benefit concert on Saturday, Aug. 18. The outdoor concert supports Fairytale Town’s education programs and park improvements. Gates open at 6:30 p.m., and the concert starts at 8 p.m. Ticket prices are $30 if purchased in July and $35 in August. For concert rules and restrictions, please visit fairytaletown.org. This concert is sponsored in part by Otto Construction, Berryessa Gap Winery and Sudwerk Brewery.

Four generations of local female artists take to the Mother Goose Stage for “Voices: Where the Girls Are,” an exciting and unique evening concert on Wednesday, Sep. 5. Performers include 16-year-old up-and-comer Parie Wood, indie darling Autumn Sky, rock vocalist Larisa Bryski and jazz vocalist Valerie V. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., and the concert starts at 6 p.m. Event tickets are $10 per person. Members receive 2-for-1 admission, and children 12 and under are free. Tickets go on sale in August. Blankets and chairs are welcome. Food and drink will be available for purchase.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.fairytaletown.org or call (916) 808-7462. Concerts are sponsored in part by Capital Public Radio.

Fairytale Town is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit children’s park and educational center in Land Park whose mission is to promote the imagination, creativity and education of children. Established in 1959, Fairytale Town is home to more than 25 three-dimensional play sets based on favorite fairytales and nursery rhymes, a family of rare and miniature breed animals, interactive learning gardens and two performing arts stages. From March through October, the park is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. From November through February, the park is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards is the Marketing Manager for Fairytale Town, a magical children's park in the Land Park neighborhood of Sacramento. Her favorite play set is the Crooked Mile.

Autumn Sky to Perform at the Crocker on December 15

2011-12-13T00:58:28Z

The Crocker Art Museum will host local indie darling Autumn Sky for a night of original folk and pop on Thursday, Dec. 15. Sky is an award-winning, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter from Sacramento. She will play songs from past releases and her soon-to-launch sophomore album, "The Hallelujah Chorus.” The concert will take place in the Museum’s Setzer Foundation Auditorium at 7 p.m.

At 23 years old, Sky has been playing for Sacramento crowds for over six years and has garnered much local acclaim for her lively and engaging shows. Her unique style mixes pitch-perfect and deeply emotive vocals with indie and pop sensibilities. She released “Diminutive, Petite EP” in 2007, followed by her debut album “All Which Isn't Singing” in 2008. Sky has performed at the California State Fair, Downtown Sacramento’s Concert in the Park series, and the Crest Theatre. Most recently, she received the Outstanding Singer-Songwriter and Readers’ Choice Artist of the Year awards at the 2010 and 2011 Sammie Block Party and Music Awards.

Tickets are $6 for Museum members and $12 for nonmembers. Tickets can be purchased at crockerartmuseum.org, the Museum Admission Desk, or by calling (916) 808-1182.

The Crocker Cafe will offer a themed drink special that evening in honor of the concert. The “Sky Crock-tail,” a Skyy Vodka dirty martini, will be available for $7 from 5 to 8:30 p.m.

Playlist is part of the Museum’s Thursdays ‘til 9 program series. The Crocker is open every Thursday until 9 p.m. for film screenings, social gatherings, concerts, and art happenings presented in collaboration with regional art groups. For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

The Crocker Art Museum was the first art museum in the Western U.S. and is now one of the leading art museums in California. Established in 1885, the Museum features one of the country’s finest collections of Californian art, exceptional holdings of master drawings, a comprehensive collection of international ceramics, as well as European, Asian, African, and Oceanic art. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Tuesday–Sunday; 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Thursdays. Every Third Sunday of the month is “Pay What You Wish Sunday.” For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

Local musicians stage homecoming show

2011-06-13T23:05:23Z

Eleven weeks, 24 states and 53 shows after they pulled out of their Sacramento driveway, Adrian Bourgeois and Ricky Berger are home once again.

Bourgeois and Berger, close friends and self-described “musical co-conspirators,” spent the last two and a half months on tour, criss-crossing the nation from Oregon to Maryland and back again, taking their music to all points on the compass.

This weekend, they celebrate the end of their tour with a homecoming show at The Refuge, an all-ages club on L Street in Midtown.

“It was a wonderful experience,” Bourgeois, 23, said in a recent interview. “We are glad to be home, though.”

The two traveled in Berger’s Chrysler Town & Country minivan (affectionately called “Vanna White”), filling it with a variety of musical instruments “and lots of shoes,” according to Berger.

“Eighty percent of being a musician is hair and shoes,” Berger said with a laugh.

Planning for the tour began in late December and included arranging for accommodations across the country with a variety of family and friends – and the occasional benevolence of a acquaintance found on a website designed to put couch-surfers together with available couches.

“We really saw how generous people can be,” Bourgeois said. “We met a lot of people for the first time when we dropped in to sleep on their sofa.”

Both Bourgeois and Berger are talented and accomplished musicians in their own right (Bourgeois has two albums to his credit, and Berger is working on her second album this summer), and their musical styles are similar and strikingly different at the same time.

While they both have an acoustic, folk music undertone to their work, Bourgeois has a pop-music sound with a subtle Beatles influence. Berger, however (who plays no less than eight different musical instruments), has a style that evokes a smoky ’20s jazz club with a distinctly contemporary edge.

When they come together for a show, they each bring something different to the stage, making for an energetic and engaging performance.

“We haven’t written a single song together,” Bourgeois said. “(On the tour,) we played our own sets, and we also combined sets by switching off with each other every couple of songs.”

The mix worked, Berger said.

“The more time we spend together, the better we work together,” Berger said. “There’s a chemistry between us that helps when we get on stage.”

At some of the venues they were slated to play on the tour, they were met with a crowded house of appreciative fans; at other stops, they were lucky if the customers at the bar turned around to watch between sips of Miller Light.

No matter where they played, though, for Bourgeois and Berger it was always about the music, and it was easy to see when they struck the right chord with the audience.

“Once in a while, we’d play the same venue more than once and we’d get a good crowd both times,” Bourgeios said. “If people come out and see you play again, that’s how you measure progress toward success.”

Now that the tour is over and they’ve had a chance to reflect on the experience, Bourgeois and Berger said they are looking forward to putting on a great show for a hometown crowd in Sacramento.

“We want to (perform) at The Refuge because it’s an all-ages venue,” Bourgeois said. “Sacramento is really lacking in places that welcome everyone, so this is a logical choice for us.”

“We remember what it was to be under 21,” added Berger. “You can’t get in anywhere, but you still want to see a good show.”

Adrian Bourgeois and Ricky Berger will be on stage at The Refuge, 1723 L St., on Friday. The show starts at 7 p.m. and features the talents of Musical Charis and Autumn Sky. Tickets are $5 in advance, $7 at the door.

For more information, call 764-5598.

Photos: First Naked Lounge show of 2011

2011-01-04T03:55:48Z

The first show of 2011 at Naked Lounge Downtown took place Saturday and featured performances by Sacramento artists Adrian Bourgeois, Ricky Berger, One Eyed Rhyno, Brian Rogers of Izabella, and Autumn Sky.

The musicians celebrated the new year by performing a selection of songs written in 2010.

Naked Lounge Downtown is a live music venue located at Naked Coffee on 11th and H Street. Click here for upcoming events.

Adrian Bourgeois

Adrian Bourgeois (foreground) and Ricky Berger

Ricky Berger

One Eyed Rhyno

Brian Rogers

Autumn Sky

Photos by Steven Chea

Autumn Sky to celebrate most-wonderful time of the year at the Torch Club

2010-12-21T20:10:00Z

Photographs by Barry Wisdom

Christmas may be Autumn Sky McClean’s favorite holiday, but it’s the fans of the 22-year-old Orangevale-based singer/songwriter who are getting the early yuletide gift: a 5:30 p.m. show Tuesday at downtown Sacramento’s venerable Torch Club.

Though she admits to being a bit behind in the seasonal revelry department, the perpetually busy McClean – who holds down a day job at a local café while forging a music career that’s already spawned two CDs – said she’s miles ahead of last year, when she failed to even tinsel a tannenbaum.

“But we did have a Christmas branch,” McClean said of the household she shares with husband Matt and feline “snuggle bug” Digby, adding sincerely, “it was a very pretty Christmas branch.”

Sincere is a very big word for this home-schooled child of a worship leader, who took McClean and her five younger siblings from church to church across California, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin.

Wearing her musical heart on her sleeve serves her well as she delivers her largely autobiographical canon of self-described “indie-folk-pop” with heartfelt emotion – whether it be anger (“Conversations”) or admiration (“Katie You’re a Hero”).

McClean said Tuesday evening’s extra-long 90-minute allows her to perform fan favorites, a few holiday chestnuts, as well as offer some new original songs that could find their way onto her current album-in-progress (“The Hallelujah Chorus”).

Featuring similarly well-known (and unsigned) local artists such as the Kelps, Sojourner Zink (of Trainwreck Revival) and Rachel Wilens, McClean’s third release (following 2007’s “Diminutive, Petite” and 2008’s “All Which Isn’t Singing”) is tentatively set for a late-spring release – hopefully on a well-known label.

“There’s a chance,” she said cryptically. “There could be some big, exciting news soon. But nothing’s signed.”

A record deal would be a wonderful Christmas present for the earnest, hardworking McClean, who has toiled arduously, albeit cheerfully, performing more than 50 gigs a year at sometimes less-than-glamorous venues.

It also would, she said, break the Sammies jinx, referring to the annual Sacramento News & Review local music competition that bears the same stigma for musicians as making the cover of Sports Illustrated has for athletes.

McClean nabbed two Sammies statues this year, taking home the prize for outstanding singer/songwriter as well as garnering the readers’ choice award for favorite artist. “Which is mind-boggling,” she said.

“I think it took a long time for downtown Sacramento to find out about my music,” she surmised. In the five years she’s performed publicly, she has played every likely and unlikely venue in the area, from Luigi’s Fun Garden to Cesar Chavez Park, from Club Retro to Macy’s Downtown Plaza.

It’s been a long road – especially when carting around a guitar, ukelele and tambourine – but McClean said performers have to pay their dues and that she feels lucky to have found something she loves to do.

“I’ve been getting more recognition locally, and that’s amazing,” she said. “I’m really grateful for that. For such a long time, I’ve felt like the kid from the suburbs, and now that the cool kids are telling me I can be cool now, too, I feel so excited.”

“If you put the effort into it, things will happen for you,” she said – sincerely.

2nd Annual Sac Shows Local Music Awards

2010-10-12T09:20:29Z

The music scene was alive and kicking in Sacramento this past weekend. Saturday’s Sammies Block Party presented by the Sacramento News and Review was held at the R Street Corridor. Adam Saake and Tais were masters of ceremony and did an excellent job for this venue that has been hosted by the Crest Theatre the last few years.

On Sunday another awards event was held at the Tropicana across from the Arden Fair Mall. Various awards were given in different categories. Several bands took the stage with Dance Gavin Dance closing out the show.

A packed house rocked for several hours on Sunday night as favorite Sacramento area bands played to the delight of the packed house at the Tropicana during the 2010 Sac Shows Local Music Awards. The event started off as a red carpet gala as nominees and guest musicians entered the Tropicana.

This was an all ages show and the Tropicana was split into 2 rooms. One side was for the under 21 age group and the other side, the Awards room, was for those over 21. The stage was in front of both sides of house. The under 21 side looked like it was standing room only and bouncing energetic waves of people moved from one side of the room to another.

One performer was also an award recipient and that honor went to Arden Park Roots. They played an incredible show and got both sides of the Tropicana on their feet. Their energy remained in the club for the rest of the evening.

The 2nd Annual Sac Shows Local Music Awards winners were announced in between live music sets. Several groups took the stage during the event including Green Audio, Jonny Craig, Arden Park Roots and Dance Gavin Dance with Jonny Craig joining them. The Dance Gavin Dance set ended the evening with a very energetic performance.

Some of the award winners were:
Screamo/Post Hardcore - Batten Down Your Heart
Metal/Hardcore - Carcerys Vale
Indie/Acoustic - Autumn Sky
DJ - DJ Eddie Edul
Roots/Reggae/Funk - Arden Park Roots
Punk - The Secretions
Pop - Hero's Last Mission
Rock - Track Fighter
Special Hall of Fame Award to the Deftone's Chi Cheng
People's Choice Award - Above the City

Long thank you speeches were not the norm and a couple of the more memorable ones were given by Autumn Sky who excitedly jumped on stage to accept her award and in the excitement of the moment almost forgot her purse on stage. Danny Secretion’s advice to those who love music and have the passion to share it with the world was quite appropriate in saying “If you’re going to play music play it from the heart don’t play it for the dollar”. Finally, it was great to see Dave Buckner from Papa Roach come on stage to present an award.

The last act of the evening was the ever popular Dance Gavin Dance with their former lead singer, Jonny Craig, joining the band on stage. The Sacramento music scene continues to grow and inviting local bands to play at shows of this caliber it will, I believe, eventually explode on to the national scene. The bands that played on Sunday night were inspired when the audience showed their appreciation. The audience’s energy inspired the artists performing to dig deeper into their musical souls and bring out their best. The live music at this show was fantastic and it will be interesting to see what local area performers will play next year.

Sacramento to “Chalk it Up!” this weekend

2010-09-01T04:20:31Z

Sidewalk chalk isn’t just for kids, anymore.

This Labor Day weekend, Sacramentans can get in touch with their inner child at the 20th annual “Chalk it Up! to Sacramento” chalk art festival in Fremont Park. Saturday through Monday, 200 professional artists will be on their hands and knees, creating two-by-four masterpieces on the sidewalk.

Non-professionals can purchase their own squares for $10, which includes a box of chalk. A communal space with communal chalk on the interior of the park will also be available for kids and adults alike to chalk it up.

Darby Flynn, president of Chalk it Up! said this type of event is special to Sacramento.

“We want to make sure that our arts remain visible,” Flynn said. “I know it’s tough right now in this economy for everyone: Arts and artists especially have a hard time. So it’s something that definitely keeps the profile of artistry in Sacramento alive.”

Each sidewalk square is sponsored by a local business, for the cost of $150. Each artist receives a 24-piece box of chalk. Flynn said this chalk is not your typical chalk: It is buttery in texture, and similar to pastel chalk, yet is environmentally friendly because of its water-soluble component.

More than 5,000 pieces of chalk will be used this weekend, all donated by University Art on J Street.

Traditionally, Chalk it Up! has not been a competition among artists. This year, however, Flynn said the public will get a chance to vote for their top-three masterpieces. Winning artists will receive a people’s choice award and prize on Monday afternoon in an awards ceremony.

The festival will feature activities for both children and adults. A beer garden area will be located in the park, among along with food and craft vendors. The Kids Creative Space will feature a spot for children to participate in arts and crafts, including making their own instruments through recycled materials with the help of the McClatchy High School Marching Band.

The art festival is also part music: Nine local musicians will perform each day of the festival. Featured artists include Walking Spanish, Ricky Berger, Autumn Sky and Prieta.

Chalk it Up! was at one point held in Cesar Chavez Park and began when a group of community artists got together who wanted to show off the talents of Sacramento artists. Flynn said the festival has been located at Fremont Park, 16th and Q streets, since 1999.

Mochii Yogurt, located across from Fremont Park on 1530 16th St, sees an increase in revenue to double what is normal during the festival weekend.

“Chalk it Up! is a huge event. It’s fantastic for business,” Mark Otero said, founder of Mochii Yogurt. “We get a lot of families, a lot of creative people. It’s really good for the community.”

The festival occurs daily from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. starting this Saturday through Monday.

For those who can’t make it out to the festival, the chalk art will stay on the sidewalk for a couple weeks, until the city of Sacramento washes it off, Flynn said.

Concerts in the Park

2010-07-17T08:31:46Z

Over one hundred degree weather seemed to have kept many Concerts in the Park aficionados at home (or at least indoor at bars across Sacramento). Concerts in the Park’s line up for Friday included Juliana Zachariou, Autumn Sky, Gerald Pease and Kate Gaffney.

As I approached Cesar Chavez Plaza tonight I could hear Juliana Zachariou singing in the background. Juliana was runner up in the Jammies 2010 held earlier this year and I've been lucky enough to have seen her performance before. I heard her singing in the distance as I waited for a traffic light to turn green on the corner of I and 10th streets. Just as I was about to cross the street an ambulance was heading toward the intersection and cars sped off as the ambulance approached. The ambulance came and went but had to slow down for vehicles to move out of the way. I walked the one block to Cesar Chavez Park and by the time I was about to get comfortable in the shade Juliana’s performance ended. That was very disappointing but I was lucky enough to hear two of her songs.

Autumn Sky (her real name) started her act a few minutes after Juliana Zachariou finished her set. It was still pretty warm but there was a lot of shade around the stage. The saying “there’s a story behind every song” can be taken quite literally when Autumn Sky performs. She actually tells a story before almost every song making it seem like the audience knows more about the song and Autumn makes it seem like you can relate to the song. This was the first performance I’ve seen her where she shared a stage.

I did not get a chance to see her whole show as I had to go over to the Mix Downtown (on 16th and L) to see an art exhibition. Every Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. they showcase a local artist during those hours. Tonight’s featured local artist was my daughter Mariana. She had 12-15 pieces showing. Her four brothers and some friends were there to show their support. We were able to enjoy the atmosphere and meet some interesting people. It gave me a chance to meet a fellow Sacramento Press contributor Hannah Jones who’s an intern for the Press.

After the art show ended a little after 7 p.m. I made my way back to Cesar Chavez Plaza to enjoy a little bit more music. I missed Gerald Pease, who played with some of his other Bucho band members, and part of Kate Gaffney’s show. She performed on Thursday at the El Dorado Hills Town Center and it looks like she has a full schedule in Sacramento next month. You can follow her shows by going to her website. Anyway, I was able to enjoy several of her songs and she too connected with the audience by telling us a little more about her songs. The singing was excellent but they also had a musical jam session towards the end that had audience members kicking up some dust.

Although the weather seemed to keep many people away this evening, a cool breeze here and there, and cooler music made the evening quite enjoyable nonetheless.

Photos:

1 - Juliana Zachariou

2 to 5 - Autumn Sky

6 to 11 - Kate Gaffney

Join us at Concert in the Park, July 16

2010-07-15T23:20:22Z

After a small break, The Sacramento Press will be back at Cesar Chavez Park, 10th and J Streets, for Concerts in the Park featuring Kate Gaffney.

This free, all-ages outdoor concert series will run every Friday until Aug.13. This week’s show runs from 5-8 p.m. with acts Juliana Zachariou, Autumn Sky, Gerald Please and headliner Kate Gaffney featuring a full, live band.

In its 19th year, Friday Night Concerts in the Park still attracts huge crowds from all walks of life. Interesting vendors, delicious food stands, great live music and the ever-popular beer garden make for a fun and inexpensive summer evening.

Stop by the Sac Press booth to spin our prize wheel, enter a raffle, and sign up for our weekly newsletter and brand-new promotion, Deal Ticket. We will also be live-streaming, which can be found here on the day of the show:

Free live streaming by Ustream Free video chat by Ustream

Come by and check out the festivities!

Friday Night Concerts in the Park return May 7

2010-03-30T20:52:21Z

The Downtown Sacramento Partnership (DSP) has released the 2010 schedule for the Friday Night Concerts in the Park. The free, outdoor concert series will rock Cesar Chavez Plaza (10th and J streets) every Friday night from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. starting May 7 though August 13.

For the latest concert news, visit www.downtownsac.org/concerts.

2010 CONCERT SCHEDULE*

May 7 - Kepi Ghoulie
The Kelps, Dog Party, Simpl3jack

May 14 - Rick Estrin & The Nightcats
Low Down Dirty Dogs

May 21 - Dance Gavin Dance
Phallucy, Con of Man, Desario

May 28 - Mike Farrell
Aaron King & The Imperials, One Eyed Rhyno

June 4 - Method Echo
The Nibblers, Live Manikin

June 11 - The Nickel Slots
Los Blazing Hangovers
Mae McCoy & The Neon Stars

June 18 - Secretions
The Shruggs, The Four Eyes, The Enlows

June 25 - Mumbo Gumbo
Not An Airplane

July 2 - The New Humans
Sister Crayon, Chelsea Wolfe

July 9 - Izabella
Walking Spanish, Inversions

July 16 - Kate Gaffney
Gerald Pease, Autumn Sky, Juliana Zachariou

July 23 - Lite Brite
Prieta, Musical Charis

July 30 - Whiskey & Stitches
Final Summation, Bastards of Young

August 6 - The Golden Cadillacs
Light Rail, Johnny Guitar Knox & the Soothers

August 13 - The Brodys
The Phantom Jets, This Luxury

*Schedule is subject to change.

Produced by the DSP, the Concerts in the Park attract more than 4,500 fans every Friday night during the 15-week concert series. The event is presented by Budweiser and sponsored by Revolution Wines, CBS 13 and CW 31.

Disclosure: Article submitted by DSP Marketing Manager Jennifer Snyder

Sac Show winner Autumn Sky's annual Valentine's Day Show

2010-02-06T03:15:55Z

Valentine's Day can be challenging for everyone out there, whether you've got a special someone to impress or not. The choices are limitless, and it can be hard to set something up that everyone will enjoy. This year, why not please the whole crowd with a just-before-Valentine's Day show starring local indie pop songstress Autumn Sky and up-and-comer Tre Burt?

Miss Sky, who recently won the Sac Show award for best Acoustic Show, holds a Valentine's Day show each year. 2009's show at Luna's Cafe drew a huge crowd, where patrons and audience members alike sat on floors and laps to fit in the tiny room. This year will prove to be no less of a good time, especially considering that the rules have changed some. This year's show is free, all ages and will be on the second saturday artwalk. It also happens to be hosted at a venue famous for it's tasty frozen treats. Feel the Valentine's Day blues coming on? Then make a stop over at this show and just try not to smile.

Autumn Sky with Tre Burt

Yogurtagogo, 17th and L Sacramento, CA

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13th

All ages, no cover!

7pm

For more information, please e-mail Autumn Sky at mermaid_sings@hotmail.com.

PAST SHOW R EVIEWS

"Then something unusual happens: as Sky begins to strum and sing, the audience chatter instantly stops. Adults, teens and toddlers are all held in rapt attention as Sky’s pitch-perfect voice fills the room. (Her) voice is on par with Joanna Newsome’s poetic warble, Chan Marshall without the baggage and Jolie Holland, minus the Vaudevillian rain clouds." - Tony King, Midtown Monthly

"Autumn Sky...has a lot of potential to be one of Northern California's break out folk artists as Joanna Newsome, Vetiver and Devendra Banhart have done in the past." - PerfSpot.com

New Year's Eve ball drop off, fireworks on

2009-12-31T04:14:12Z

You may have already heard the New Year's Eve ball drop is off for this year.

Norm Alvis of Edaddywarbucks.com, which co-sponsored the drop last year along with Paragary Restaurant Group, asked both the city and the Downtown Sacramento Partnership to pay a third of the estimated $100,000 for a ball drop. Neither agreed, so the event was canceled.

One celebration that might compare to the spectacle of last year's celebration, which drew an estimated crowd of 12,000 to 20,000 people, is a city-sponsored event in Old Sacramento.

Organized by the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, the celebration will feature live music, food and drink vendors and perhaps most importantly, a fireworks display at 9 p.m. and midnight. Internationally renowned company Pyrotechnique By Grucci planned the $40,000 "Sky Spectacular," choreographed to music and featuring computer-assisted launching from West Sacramento.

One unique vantage point for the fireworks display is the Empress Hornblower cruise boat.

The free event begins at 6 p.m. near Rio City Cafe. A tent will hold live music by rock'n'roll singer-songwriter Todd Morgan and Jimi Hendrix-tribute band Ralph Woodson Experience. Radio Disney Rockin' Road Crew will also provide a variety of individual and group performances.

Entertainment continues in the streets of Old Sacramento.

Clemon Charles, a pop and rock artist will play from 6 to 10 p.m. on the corner of Second and J streets. Allie Marcel and Friends will play blues-rock on the corner of Front and J streets from 8 p.m. to midnight, and Autumn Sky will sing pop-folk on Front Street in front of the train ticket booth at 8 and 10 p.m. The Obsidian Butterfly Fire Dance and Performing Arts group will perform on the corner of Front and K streets from 9 p.m. to midnight.

Vendors will be selling warm drinks including coffee, tea and hot chocolate as well as snack foods like kettle corn, hot dogs and pretzels, until about 12:30 a.m. Restaurants in Old Sacramento will also be open and selling food.

"(Previous years), we've had anywhere between 30,000 and 50,000 people," said Mike Testa, The Convention and Visitors Bureau's vice president of communications and public affairs. "Our attendance might be higher because of the economy (since) people are looking for value and it's a family event."

Luckily, a break in rainfall is predicted Thursday night and into the wee hours of the new year. It's not expected to return until about 4 a.m. New Year's Day, give or take a few hours.

There will also be plenty of portable toilets, Sac PD officers and private security, Testa said.

Visit nyesacramento.com for the full entertainment schedule. Visit sacramentopress.com/tag/newyearseve for more New Year's Eve events.

What are your New Year's plans? Please discuss below.

Autumn Sky's CREATURE FEATURE

2009-10-22T02:26:23Z

Autumn Sky's "Creature Feature"

The only Halloween theme to land on a day sure not to interfere with your elaborate Trick-Or-Treats festivities falls on Friday, October the 30th. Join one of Sacramento's top chaunteuses, Autumn Sky, for a night of ghoulish tricks, treats, and musical fun at Luna's Cafe on O and 16th at 8:00pm. Cover at the door is only $6, and it's an all ages event sure to entertain with special guests Adrian Bourgeois, Carly Duhain, and Jared Emme.

See you there (muahaha.) Costumes are highly encouraged, as all the talent will be in full Halloween-themed attire!

AUTUMN SKY'S "CREATURE FEATURE"

8:00pm on October 30th. $6, all ages, located at Luna's Cafe and Juice Bar on O and 16th.

See www.myspace.com/autumnskymyspace for more information.

Autumn Sky at Club Retro's Benefit Show and Food Drive

2009-09-26T07:35:57Z

If you're free this evening, grab a couple of cans and make it on down to Orangevale for this for-a-good-cause event. Autumn Sky will be opening the lineup of indie and rock bands, dedicated to getting food to needy families in the area this season.

This will be an 8:00PM, all ages show. The cover will be somewhere around $6, and you are encouraged to bring at least two cans of food with you. Come early for a good place to stand, this is expected to be one of the biggest shows of the year at this venue.

As usual, I'll be there early to chat and hang out with you guys. Don't be afraid to say hello!

A portrait of Autumn Sky

2009-09-26T03:46:25Z

Most 20-year-olds don't play over 15 instruments or write three songs per week. Nor have they traveled and lived all over the United States. But Sacramento musician Autumn Sky didn't grow up in a so-called "normal" household.

Having played hundreds of shows, the ambitious Sky is on the rise.

Sky (she uses her middle name instead of her last name, Hall) was born in Paradise, Calif. She and her family lived out of a Volkswagen Beetle near Puget Sound in Washington and spent time in Oregon and Wisconson before settling in Sacramento.

She also recalled living in a log cabin in Mendocino as part of a nudist colony.

"There is a whole [photo] album that my parents have and it's all these babies and families just hanging around, only wearing tool belts," Sky said, with a hint of dry humor. "The sad thing is that people who live in nudist colonies are not the people you want to see nude."

Another thing that sets Sky's family apart is that they are high on the autism spectrum. Her father has Asperger's. She is the oldest of seven, with brothers and sisters who also have autism, Asperger's and dyslexia, she said.

"All of those disorders are blessings. There's so much of a stigma [but] I think it makes us all really cool," Sky said. "My autistic brothers are the sweetest people in the world."

It's hard to imagine Sky's colorful background when face-to-face with her. She wears girly dresses, reads poetry (e.e. cummings is her favorite poet) and once worked at Starbucks, she said.

Sky is currently on hiatus from jazz classes at American River College, works at Raley's during the day and admits a guilty pleasure: listening to pop musician/actress Mandy Moore.

Her hobbies include painting and writing and illustrating her own children's books. When she was younger, she had stage fright, and aspired to to be a journalist and author as a creative outlet.

Sky was introduced to music growing up around a grandmother who played piano and a mother who played both piano and violin and sang. She started taking piano lessons from her mother at age 6, then moved to violin at 11.

As a young teenager, Sky started doing open mic nights at her church, but she soon found her niche after moving on to the True Love Coffeehouse, as well as the Fox and Goose pub. "I used to do five open mics a week," Sky said, adding that she gained a sense of friendship among open mic performers.

"What else was I supposed to do?" she added. "Performing is so much fun for me, and it brings me so much joy to bring other people so much joy; it's extremely therapeutic."

"[Sacramento's music scene] is vastly underrated; there's so much potential," she said. "In L.A. I would be a folk singer among 500 others. It's very good for me to be in a place like this. I feel like [people] really cherish the music that comes out of here."

She released an EP, Diminutive Petite in 2008, and a friend from church helped Sky finance and produce her first album All Which Isn't Singing earlier this year. She made the album with most of the Sacramento band All on Seven backing her, creating an upbeat blend of pop, folk, and rock.

Sky is currently working on a follow-up album and is in talks with a label to have it released by next spring. "It has a '60s sound mixed with Tim Burton and Sunshine Pop," she said. If all goes according to plan, she will also be touring the Northwest in the upcoming months, she said.

Sky will be playing at Club Retro, 6521 Hazel Ave., Orangevale, on Saturday at 8 p.m. One can also see her play during her 11 Sacramento-area shows scheduled in October.

She will soon make her journalist aspiration a reality by previewing some of her own shows, here, at The Sacramento Press.

Photographs credit Caitlin Bellah/Autumn Sky

What's happening at the Capitol: September 19, 20

2009-09-19T05:58:28Z

Saturday, Sept. 19

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and The Effort will hold an "Out of the Darkness" community walk near the west steps of the Capitol. Musician Autumn Sky will provide music for the expected 1,500 participants.

Sunday, Sept. 20

9 a.m. - noon The Sacramento chapter of the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation will hold its annual fund-raising walk. Participants can show up and register on walk day near the south steps. Four-hundred people are expected to participate.

An Autumn Sky in springtime

2009-04-13T04:55:25Z

Luigi's Fungarden on 20th Street will be playing host to an album release party for one of Sacramento's homegrown songstresses, Autumn Sky, Friday, April 24. Also on the bill are The Early States and Adrian Bourgeois.

Autumn Sky (whose lyrical name is, amazingly, not a pseudonym) has been working on her first album, entitled All Which Isn't Singing, since 2007, and its release on the 24th will be the latest milestone in a lifelong musical journey. Sky can boast of having danced with Santa Barbara alt-rockers Toad the Wet Sprocket while still a toddler, proficiency with 14 instruments, and an appearance on NPR Sacramento's Insight program.

It would be easy to describe Sky's music as folk-pop and leave it at that, and indeed the melodic guitars and Sky's almost-warbled vocals are reminiscent of a host of acts painted with that brush, but there is a wry sense of humor and self-awareness in many of her songs that warrant a second, or even third, look.

In a live performance this humor is even more visible – in Sky's banter with the audience and in her self-deprecating introductions to her songs.

"I have a really big John Denver fetish," she confesses before launching into a cover of Leaving On A Jet Plane.

In addition to her album release show at Luigi's, Sky will be appearing on KDVS radio's Cool as Folk program on the 17th, and on the 22nd, she will appear at both CSUS, for a music video fundraiser, and return to NPR's Insight for a performance/interview.

Her MySpace page features several of her songs, as well as more information about show times.

Here comes the weekend!

2009-02-12T00:44:10Z

There's a lot to do this weekend in Sacramento, with the Amgen race on Saturday and all its attendant events; and then there's Second Saturday, with a number of great openings at local galleries.

But if you're up for music, there's a bit less to choose from. Still, there's enough to check out, and quite a bit to look forward to. Tickets are going on sale this Saturday and Sunday for a number of upcoming shows. More about that in a moment.

First, perhaps the most interesting live music event of the weekend is the Mega Bollywood Show this Valentine's Saturday, at the Crest Theatre. Colleen Belcher's story about the event on SacramentoPress.com says it all about a show that is going to be shamelessly over-the-top. Check it out.

And if you're down with local artists - and we here at SacramentoPress.com are, above all, local - then you've got two great opportunities:

One is the Secretions show Friday at Javalounge on 16th Street and Broadway, an all-ages show that is guaranteed to rock your bad self. Get there early-ish, this is a small venue.

Another is the triple-threat showcase of local singer/songwriters Saturday night at Luna's Cafe. Autumn Sky, Ricky Berger and Justin Farren will share their tales of love and longing on the most romantic day of Walgreen's year.

But if you're looking for news on big shows, the deal is tickets on sale. Topping the list is Saturday's on-sale date for Coldplay's only NorCal show, at the Shoreline Pavilion in Mountain View on July 13. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m.

Another big show is the Il Divo show July 23 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. Tickets go on sale Sunday at 10 a.m.

Finally, and more important, locally, tickets for the April 8 Memorial Auditorium show by Fall Out Boy go on sale Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Others on the show are Metro Station and Cobra Starship.