Since childhood, Chris Cotter has known what he was born to do. Growing up, he found TV, film and live performances fascinating, as he imagined the many elements that had to come together to make compelling art. This fascination eventually led him to start his own business, Integrant Sights & Sounds, so that he could tell engaging stories through the medium of video. His art takes several forms. Chris produces music and entertainment shows, and also develops video marketing content for small businesses. On the entertainment side of the business, Chris has been involved with shows for a few “big names” in the music industry. Earlier this month, Chris was the technical director for Sammy H

I can't remember the last time there was an all-day music festival in the city limits with some big-name acts, so I was excited to check out the Monster Energy Aftershock 2012 festival at Discovery Park on Sunday. The bill was a mix of "hard rock" bands on two stages. Performers included FallRise, Stepchild, Oleander, Beware of Darkness, Gemini Syndrome, Hell or Highwater, Escape the Fate, Hollywood Undead, Theory of a Deadman, Chevelle, Bush, Deftones, and Stone Temple Pilots. I was especially excited to see Deftones, Bush and STP, since they remind me of being in high school, and they play songs I recognize. Sacramento bands were well-represented (FallRise, Stepchild, Oleander, and De

It’s Friday night at Ace of Spades with Chino Moreno, lead vocalist of the Deftones, and Shaun Lopez, guitarist of Far, crossing over to a new experimental era with †††. A line of tattooed girls with skin tight jeans slink through the crowd as fans trickle in. Over 500 people paid homage filling the bar, to near capacity with a mix of high school students, collegiate couples, 80’s heavy-metal fans, punk rockers and adult film models. There were two openers Secret Empire, a six man band from Los Angeles and Dawn Golden and Rosy Cross from Chicago.  Both bands were the opposite of the other, balancing a yin that sided on the side of heavy metal and the yang on the side of experimental elec

Sacramento-natives the Deftones played to a sold-out house at Ace of Spades Tuesday night. The Dillinger Escape Plan and Le Butcherettes joined them for a concert where all ticket proceeds were donated to the Chi Ling Cheng Special Needs Trust. The goal of the show was to raise money to help cover medical expenses for Deftones bassist Chi Cheng, who survived a near-fatal car accident in 2008 that left him in a coma. Cheng is now being treated by doctors in New Jersey who specialize in conditions like his. According to the One Love for Chi website, he is in a “minimally conscious state.” “Chi’s progress is very slow,” drummer Abe Cunningham said. “We were through there last month, and we

Trust me, fellow Sactowners…in about six or seven weeks, we’re going to be yearning for this. It’s June 5, and in what should have been our first full official weekend of summer, everyone seems to be deadlocked in collective melancholy over the “WTF!” of late season rains (for these purposes, “WTF” will be officially dubbed as “weather that fails”). We will get our sun. We will get our heat. And it’s summer, which means, we will get our shows. Here’s a look at some of the summer’s can’t miss shows in Sacramento. Cheers! Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt – You can say whatever you want about Lyle Lovett, like his ballyhooed relationship with Julia Roberts or the fact that he bears a slight rese

It seems like all eyes are on Raley Field this weekend – and amazingly, it’s not because of the Riverkittys. Country superstars the Zac Brown Band (one of the few popular “country” stars these days with the guts to actually sound like country) are getting after it on the field on Thursday night, setting up the stage for Friday’s night’s Brew Fest, and Saturday’s you-knew-it-had-to-happen-eventually “Sactopalooza” party, which features cover bands of the following artists: Journey, Beastie Boys, U2, Dave Matthews Band, No Doubt, Van Halen, Sublime and INXS. Coverpalooza? And no, we are not even "going there" with EndFest, we're just not. So, when you’ve wrapped up the beer tastings and p

The second annual “Yoga for Chi” class will be held Jan. 22 to benefit Chi Cheng, bassist for Deftones, who has been in a coma since November 2008. “It’s an hour-long free yoga class for all ages, and it’s open to all skill levels,” said Julie McKechnie, who will be hosting the class from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Jan. 22 at American River Crossfit, 1512 Howe Ave. Students are encouraged to make donations, which will help Cheng’s family raise the money needed to transport him to New Jersey to see a specialist. Cheng, who has lived in both Sacramento and Stockton, was in a car accident on Nov. 3, 2008, and though his family says he is improving, he has yet to regain consciousness, according to o

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 dur

Since the release of their first studio album, “Adrenaline,” in 1995, Sacramento natives the Deftones have managed to create a sound that harmoniously blends aggressive guitars and percussion with undeniably beautiful vocals. Throughout the 15 years the group has been making music, the Deftones have built up a dedicated fan base that includes devotees of metal, experimental, hip-hop and alternative sounds. To date, the Deftones have released six complete albums (not counting the 2005 B-sides and rarities CD), and each one delivers a different sound than the last. “Adrenaline” is filled with all the emotion and raw material that should constitute a band’s first album, while their softest a

Last Sunday, the Yoga Solution studio was filled with the relaxing sound of "namastes," "oms" and a meditation gong. But what spoke the loudest, perhaps, were three chants of "Chi." On Oct. 4, 10 people came together to practice yoga and send "chi," or life force energy, to Chi Cheng, bassist for the Grammy-award-winning Sacramento band, Deftones. Cheng has been in a coma since Nov. 4, 2008, after being involved in a motor accident. The event was organized by yoga instructor Julie McKechnie, who normally teaches classes for members of the Gold River Racquet Club. Her friend Jennifer Sadugor, the owner of Yoga Solution, 887 57th St., allowed her to use her studio for the fundraising gathe

It was 9:00 am when I got the call. “Sonny, it’s Abe. Hey, you want to play guitar for a session with Brian Wheat and me? The session is around noon today. We’re doing a Lennon song and it would be great if you could do it. I’d really appreciate it.” Hmmm, let me think for a second. Play guitar at a fancy recording studio with multi-platinum Grammy-winning rock star Gods or sit in front of a computer at work. Hmmmmm, tough choice. “I’d be honored,” I told Abe. That was how I came to be a part of creating this rendition of John Lennon’s classic reaction to the Vietnam war, Happy Xmas (War Is Over). So this is Christmas And what have you done Another year over And a new one just begun O

As you have read from this storyline, Deftones bassist and good friend Chi Cheng was ejected from a car and seriously injured, resulting in a coma, a state he remains in as I write. Even though comas have been known to last as long as several years, they rarely last more than 2 to 5 weeks. Chi has been in his for over four weeks now. To augment the amazing medical care he is receiving, a band of brothers and sisters came together in Sacramento on Tuesday, December 9th to raise some much needed funds and send some positive chi to our good friend Chi. Benefit shows are a strange thing. On one level, you have a friend lying in an uncertain state, hopefully healing his way back to this world.

Tuesday, November 4th was to be like nearly every other Tuesday in my life. Head into the office, do some email, make some connections, then get picked up by my best friend Abe Cunningham for our weekly lunch at Tuli Bistro. But when Abe called fifteen minutes before our meeting time, I wasn't prepared for the news he would deliver. Chi Cheng, our good friend and brother, was in a severe car wreck in Santa Clara and is in a coma. For those of you who know him, you know he's a man mountain of positivity and all smiles all the time. For those of you who don't, Chi is a native of Stockton and Sacramento, a poet, a musician, and a father. As the bassist for Deftones, he's helped elevate Sacra

Time and time again I am totally shocked when I hear of a well known band being from the Sacramento area. Are you like me? I mean, Sac-town isn’t that massive, so how come we didn’t hear about them before they became a household name? I’ve constructed a small list, with names of various artists who will probably surprise you… Also - to make your life just a little easier, each link is a song by that artist. - The Deftones - http://search.playlist.com/tracks/deftones%20change I'm sure everyone has heard their song called “change." They have got this really hard, yet umm… well, almost brainwashing sound. This band is huge as far as underground music fans go, though they have alternated ba