Meet Kari Shipman – one of Sacramento’s hardest-working fashionistas. Shipman is the woman behind Juniper James, and you can also find her at artist incubator Flywheel at the Downtown plaza, which she co-owns. She’s proud to call herself a member of the creative working class, and is dedicated to seeing Sacramento’s artistic community grow. We almost lost her to Los Angeles. but fortunately for us (and unfortunately for L.A.) she made the decision to put down roots in Sacramento. Below she shares her thoughts on the necessity of Sunday brunch, enjoying the outdoors like a true urbanite, where the boys can find the best vintage duds, and how to sustain a creative class. Watch the city fly

Why shouldn't there be a big ol' mess of Cajun and blues music all the way out and up here in Northern California … so far away from the Crazy Crescent City that lies in the mouth of the Mississippi River? The answer is totally affirmative. We have our own delta right here in the “backyard,” so to speak. We even have quite a good-sized river that runs through it. It's also where our “breeze” comes from. And it's where the 35th annual Isleton Cajun & Blues Festival happens. This weekend would be a good time for you take in this big mess of great music down Isleton way, near all the tall broadcast towers. The delta is another beautiful and different part of the rather fickle but unique top

Hate him or love him, the guy cranks out the hits. International music sensation Pitbull will be performing live at Sleep Train Arena this Thursday, June 13. The Miami-born entertainer has had number one singles in more than 15 countries. There's no doubt you've heard - and maybe gotten sick of - several on the radio, in a movie, or on TV. "Rain Over Me," featuring Marc Anthony; "Give Me Everything," featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer; "International Love," featuring Chris Brown; and "Feel this Moment," featuring Christina Aguilera, are just a few of his poppy club anthems. His seventh studio album, “Global Warming,” also features the hits "Don't Stop the Party" and "Back in Time," th

The underground music and art scenes will open up to the public this week during this month’s Final Friday at Beatnik Studios. The event will feature local painters and live music. Beatnik’s art director Kelly O’Connell said, “We’re trying to bring some painters that aren’t necessarily well-known yet, but that have some really exciting work. (Final Fridays) are celebrations of their openings.” This month’s event will showcase two painters, Jeff Mayry (featuring a collaboration with Bobby Edwards) and John Mess. Also featured at the event will be two local bands, Guero and Project 4 Trees, performing live music at 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. O’Connell explained the motivation behind the gall

On Saturday, April 13, 2013, the Sacramento French Film Festival will bring Gainsbourg-mania to Sacramento for the fourth year in a row, with Serge! a party paying homage to one of France’s most provocative artists, Serge Gainsbourg. Featuring films, music, art and French cocktails, Serge! is one of the most fun and unique parties Sacramento has to offer! Serge Gainsbourg, a major figure in the 1960's, ‘70's, and ‘80's pop-culture, took the world by storm through a fog of Gitanes and alcohol, reinventing himself from Gainsbourg to “Gainsbarre”! Singer-songwriter, director, actor, photographer, provocateur, and iconoclast, Gainsbourg was the lover of sex-symbol Brigitte Bardot and fathered

Hollywood band Black Veil Brides performed at Ace of Spades on Wednesday night in support of their new album "Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones." The air was thick with anticipation as support bands Overwatch and William Control played their sets. When Black Veil Brides finally took the stage, the packed venue erupted with the defeaning squeals of teenage girls and made me very thankful I had brought hearing protection. I can say with complete confidence that it was an entertaining show. Want to see what shows are coming up at Ace of Spades? Click here.  

Don't let the party stop after you've had your fill of beer and fashion this week, Sacramento! How do tattoos, black face paint, and tight, black leather sound? Good? Then check out Hollywood rock band Black Veil Brides at Ace of Spades next Wednesday, March 6. While seemingly more known to some for their visual aesthetics than their music, these wild-haired bad boys in eye shadow are continually refining their musical style and have seen it evolve from screaming heavy metal to a more anthemic rock sound. They're making a play for the big time with their third album, "Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones," an ambitious rock opera à la My Chemical Romance's "The Black Parade.

If you didn't make it out to Ace of Spades last night to catch the Hot Water Music tour, you missed some great performances. Critically acclaimed group The Menzingers kicked off the night right with a set of rough, blue-collar punk. Vocalist Greg Barnett mentioned that it was the band's first time in Sacramento. Mission accomplished on making a good first impression. After finishing a set that included fierce songs like "Nice Things" and "Irish Goodbyes," the crowd hoped to hear more, chanting "One more song!" which doesn't happen very often with supporting bands that no one cares about. All signs (my past experience) pointed to second support act La Dispute putting on a passionate, en

Florida's Hot Water Music has been refining a brand of gravel-throated rock somewhere between punk and post-hardcore (or whatever you want to call it) for nearly 20 years now. On Thursday, Feb. 7, they bring it to the best live music venue in Sac, Ace of Spades. Led by guitarist and vocalist Chuck Ragan and featuring a very tight and complex rhythm section, HWM is touring behind 2012's "Exister," their eighth studio album and first album of new material in eight years. A live album, “Live in Chicago,” was also released in late 2012. Joining HWM on the bill are the indisputably excellent Grand Rapids, Mich., band La Dispute and The Menzingers, from Scranton, Pa. The Menzingers' "On the

Al Stewart returns to Harlow's On an evening from a Stewart concert in a city where they have good times, I strolled out of Harlow's crowd like all was hunky-dory, contemplating the rhymes of Al Stewart's provoking and image-filled songs. I thought just then as I walked back to my car, “I hope Al returns to Sacramento. The cat does great stuff.” That's especially so when he shares the stage with another great guitarist, one who lives just across the causeway in Davis, named Dave. All that played in my head Dec. 18, 2011, one of those Years of the Cat, if you know what I mean. In 2011, Stewart and Dave Nachmanoff ruled from the Harlow's platform as I sat there, rapt. I had missed out,

Wiz Khalifa and the Taylor Gang came to the Sacramento Sleep Train Arena, Sunday, Nov. 11. This concert took a turn for the interesting before I had even left the stadium parking lot. Several of its participants were already drunk or smoking the band’s preferred choice: weed. Many car alarms went off as some people stumbled into the arena to watch the artists that made up the Taylor Gang and the headliner Wiz Khalifa. Once inside the arena it became quickly obvious that this was not a family outing. The outfits ranged from interesting in color to scantily clad. But as Wiz said when he first took to the stage, “We are all about creating an environment where you feel free to be yourself. D

Eric Church played at the Sleep Train Arena on Saturday, Nov. 10, with special guests Justin Moore and Kip Moore. While I am personally not a fan of country music, I couldn’t help but be a little charmed by the fans who are. Dressed in cowboy boots and hats, it was nice to have the door held open for me and to hear “Excuse me, ma’am,” as I passed by. Church is a very popular country musician, especially with the ladies, so I saw a lot of jumping up and down as crowd members made their way to their seats. Justin Moore started the night off, playing crowd favorites like “Til My Last Day” and “Small Town USA,” which got the audience amped up. Kip Moore followed. One of his more entertaining

Townhouse Lounge, the bar and nightclub located at 1517 21st St., is expected to close early next year, according to owner/operator Desi David. “We’ve been there so long – it’s been 15 years – and the landlord is going to raise the lease,” he said. “We don’t blame them, and we don’t know what’s going to happen in the future.” David said the business won’t close immediately, and will likely stay open through the holidays, and possibly into next year. “We’re being completely positive about it right now,” he said. “We’ve got a nice community, and we will see what happens.” The business is open from 9 p.m. - 1:30 a.m. every day and features multiple levels of dancing, a bar and live music

!!! (Chk Chk Chk) is back in California for a few days, and they put on a banger of a show last night at Harlow's. I was hoping frontman Nic Offer would be wearing tiny little shorts and I was not disappointed. His pair on Thursday featured The Rolling Stones' “Some Girls” album artwork. Guitarist Mario Andreoni and the rest of the band sounded great. The skinny and lithe Offer thrust his pelvis all over the stage, and came down into the crowd a couple of times to get sweaty with the audience. He smelled awful, and freely admitted as much himself when he got back on stage. If you're wondering about the next !!! album, Offer said they were working on it and it'll be released next y

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

Saturday, September 15, 2012 was declared Sammy Hagar Day in Roseville, California. Roseville, trying to bolster it's downtown business district and nightlife reputation took the opening of Sammy's Rockin' Island Bar & Grill and turned it into a full weekend of festivities with Sammy being presented with the key to the city and a charity concert by the Red Rocker himself. Five placer county non-profit organizations benefited from the proceeds of the events; as Sammy said "We haven't even opened the doors yet and we've already raised $40,000 for local charities." It is hoped the restaurant will be the catalyst for change in downtown Roseville, where businesses along Vernon Street seem to

Music review by Gary Chew Jazz and blues vocalist Catherine Russell came into my “sonic” view late. I'm so much the richer for that now-comfortable music connection with this native New Yorker. I know that, after scrutinizing her talent, I'm the poorer for not having heard this woman sooner. But Catherine, as they say, was a late bloomer, albeit has worked with names that have blinked on marquee lights, just like her father, Luis Russell, did. Luis Russell was Louis Armstrong's music director in the mid-forties, and was a pianist, composer-arranger and big band leader. Catherine sings at Harlow's (2708 J St.) on Friday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. Swell Productions and Capital Public Radio (my

Smokey Robinson brought Motown to Thunder Valley Casino Resort’s Outdoor Amphitheatre in Lincoln on Saturday night. Even at 72, Robinson was in great shape and able to get the audience on their feet as he performed his hit songs “More Love,” “Ooo Baby Baby,” “Tears of a Clown,” I Second that Emotion” and more. Arriving on stage shortly after 8 p.m., Robinson greeted the crowd in a flashy white suit. He later changed into a more casual look – wearing stylish jeans and a tee-shirt. From the beginning of the show to the very end, Robinson sang uniquely expressive vocals, rarely missing a beat. On top of being a great singer and songwriter, Robinson makes for a great front man, keeping th

Editor's note: This article was co-written with Madison Loven.   Join us August 11th for the grand opening of Sacramento’s newest gallery, Rossi Sculptural Designs Studio. Clad humbly in corrugated metal, the mid-sized studio sits inconspicuously in a warehouse district in midtown. In it you’ll find metal pieces of all shapes and sizes, colored glass pieces, hand tools, and various machines with which to manipulate the mediums. It is an artist’s playground. And according to its owner, there is an artist in everyone, even if they don’t know it. Run by local artist and sculptural bike rack extraordinaire, Gina Rossi, this gallery is also a school for learning how to fuse glass and weld me

  Read Casey Kirk's take on Wanderlust 2012 here.  Photos by Steven Chea.