Last Thursday, May 16, Pepper played for a sold-out show at Ace of Spades here in Sacramento. The band decided to shake things up a little bit, and played the entire show solo, with no opening acts. Pepper came to the stage with high energy and good vibes as they played some of the fan favorites, as well as four brand-new songs off their upcoming self-titled album.      Though some in the crowd got a little rowdy, Pepper kept a positive attitude throughout the night, and kept the crowd entertained and lively.  

Instead of looking back, as one might do when celebrating a 25th anniversary, Ron Cunningham of the Sacramento Ballet seems always to look forward. The latest ballet company production is Modern Masters Proteges, in which Cunningham invited three former dancers with the Sacramento Ballet to create new works for it. Jared Nelson, a Yuba City native who, after a stint with the local company, has danced for about a dozen years with the Washington Ballet; Ilana Goldman, who danced several seasons in Sacramento before moving on to the Trey McIntyre Project and then to the University of Washington where she’s soon to graduate with an advanced degree; and Amy Seiwert, who became resident choreogr

This past Friday I attended my first Concerts in the Park of the year. The evening was spent with great friends, family and a full evening of phenomenal musical performances. I could hear I'm Dirty Too playing from a block away before arriving at Cesar Chavez Plaza. I hurriedly made my way to the park entrance on 10th and I streets. My hurry was to no avail as I had to wait in a long line for 15 minutes for security to check everyone coming in. Once inside I noticed a thirst had been built up so I got in line to purchase some drink tickets. After a short wait in line I got a drink and walked around the park. Several food trucks and specialty food stations lined the park near 9th and

Families enjoyed a Mother's Day celebration at the 4th Annual Vida de Oro Folk Art Festival. The festival was held at the Good: Street Food + Design Market building located at 1409 Del Paso Blvd. Vida de Oro (which means “golden life”) was a free, family-friendly event held Saturday, May 11. This was the first year that the event was held at this venue. Artists, vendors and performers were on hand to help celebrate the event. The Good warehouse building has a high ceiling, and for most of the day it helped keep things somewhat cool, bringing relief from the hot weather. Delicious food and drinks were sold at the back of the building, providing a picnic-type setting. Vendors and ar

Dennis Newhall has been the organizer and curator of the Sacramento Rock and Radio Museum since 2000. The museum, which houses a wealth of local concert memorabilia, only opens for the public on Second Saturdays. It's located at 911 20th Street, next door to what used to be a hot local band venue called the Oasis Ballroom. Dennis himself played a role in the local music and radio scene, working for radio stations KZAP, KSFM and KROY. The museum showcases his vast collection of concert posters and donated memorabilia of mainly the 1960s through 1980s, but also includes later artifacts. On Saturday night, May 11, Dennis and I did a video interview for SacTV.com about the museum and how it ha

Sacramento's own post-hardcore outfit, A Lot Like Birds, is off on the road today to record their third full-length album with Producer Kris Crummett (Sleeping With Sirens, Dance Gavin Dance) at Interlace Studios in Portland, OR. For the last year or so the band has been slaving away at their rehearsal space at House of Hits in Sacramento, in-between touring the US and Europe, to lay the groundwork for their latest project which according to the band, is to be their most ambitious release to date. "It's gonna be nuts," says drummer Joseph Arrington, stating that the band is both very excited and very stressed about the culmination of their journey on this new record. "We have 10 songs wri

Making a special appearance this Memorial Day, “Igor the Jazz Cowboy” will return to Sacramento for this one-of-a-kind exclusive performance. A star from decades of concerts at the “Sacramento Music Festival,” this show is not related to the festival and will feature the best of all Igor’s talent. His music includes the roots of Americana, from New Orleans to Arizona’s cowboys and beyond. Igor will team up with local comedy magician John Heinen, and together for the first time they will perform at the gorgeous campus of Sacramento’s Unitarian Universalist Society, located near Fair Oaks Boulevard between Howe Ave and Fulton Ave at 2425 Sierra Blvd. The admission price of $15, children und

Sacramento has been off and on the music industry's radar for many years, with its heyday being in the 1980s and 1990s as far as producing national acts. Lately Sacramento seems to be a music market of fresh material that includes national rock band Oleander, local r&b singer-songwriter Carla Fleming and local country/rock singer-songwriter Kally O'Mally. Each of these new releases has a refreshing sound that contrasts with a controlled corporate era characterized by over-production and redundant formulas. Somehow, Sacramento is helping resolve the problem that today's national hits sound too corporate and predictable.  SacTV.com continues to document local music that stands out as Olean

Paul Valéry, the French writer, poet and philosopher, once said, “An artist never really finishes his work, he merely abandons it.” Those words exemplify the process that took place over a three-year period to create a mural at Rio Americano High School. On Tuesday night, April 30, the unveiling of the completed mural took place at Rio's band building. The high school's “Rio Music” project commenced in 2010 with the sponsorship and support of the Sacramento River Cats and the Rio Band Boosters. Artist Markos Egure was commissioned for the project, which proceeded in three different phases. Egure's other artistic work can be seen at various sites in the Sacramento area. Egure, and the

Friday is Oleander day at the world famous Ace of Spades nightclub. All are invited. Space is limited. Don't miss your opportunity to party with one of the best acts to come out of Sacramento – Oleander. After a ten-year sabbatical, Oleander returns to Sacramento’s top spot, to throw a kick-ass show, bringing their new album "Something Beautiful," to light. The show is Friday night 1417 R st. Ace of Spades Night Club. Tickets are $15 and doors open at 6:30. Tickets are still available visit your local Armadillo Music in Davis and Dimple records, you can also pruchase tickets online at at http://aceofspadessac.com/

Tequila, tacos, maybe some more tequila—these are but some of the tasty aspects of the quickly-approaching Cinco de Mayo. If you're lucky enough to spend this fifth of May in Sacramento, there's also comedy, music, and more to make your Cinco de Mayo celebration a festive one. In addition to the events below, find even more in Sacramento365.com's Holiday Events section. Laugh a lot: Sacramento Cinco de Mayo Festival: Sleep Train Arena; Sun 6pm Enjoy non-stop laughter on stage with the Latin Stars of Comedy, row after row of low rider cars on display, and Latin All-Stars Band playing all your favorite songs non-stop live. Cinco de Mayo Comedy Jam: Punch Line Comedy Club; Sun 7pm Come c

     It’s never easy to say goodbye, especially to the legendary band who helped get this country through some of the roughest times it has ever seen. Lou Coppola and the Nor Cal Big Bands Preservation Society will say goodbye to the public on May 19 by holding a farewell ball in Sacramento.       There have been many leaders of the bands in the past, but Coppola, 85 and executive director of the Nor Cal Big Bands Preservation Society, has witnessed his band perform during difficult stages in American history. From the Great Depression to World War II, the vibrant and uplifting tunes of the big bands have helped bring light into the American people and always kept a positive tune in the he

When I recently went through a box of old cassettes I was amazed to find so much music I had forgotten about. One of the songs I found was called "Strange New World" by Plastic Violents from 1992. David Conley, who hosted the local radio show "The Sound of Sacramento" on KWOD was the lead singer. It was like finding a nugget from the past that still sounds futuristic. David was talking about the project on Facebook, which gave me the idea to check my old library of cassettes. It turns out I have one of the last cassettes by Plastic Violets ever made. It made me wonder about not just how many other lost tunes I have on cassette, but all the other lost tunes that everyone else has on cassett

Last Thursday night, reggae band Katchafire brought their New Zealand style to the stage at Ace of Spades, bringing along with them Through the Roots, Simple Creation, and Maoli.   Through the Roots is a California born band based in San Diego, they started the night off and had the early birds to the show moving to their beat and reggae sound.   Moving through the set the next band Simple Creation, was a little bit more upbeat and set a great mood for the crowd to get ready for Maoli, and Katchafire. Maoli pumped up the crowd with high energy especially with their special guest Johnny T who jump around stage rocking his guitar and laying down some smooth vocals.   Ending th

April's Second Saturday Art Walk drew the highest attendance of the year. More visitors and vendors enjoyed warmer weather as they visited the various art galleries and events in Midtown. Sacramento law enforcement made its presence known as they patrolled Midtown on foot, bicycle, horseback, patrol car and I even saw a helicopter flying in the 20th and J Street area, The added security made some people feel safer. “I like to see the police out here. I've heard about people getting robbed and assaulted the past few months around here and I do feel safer walking the streets,” said Grant Martin. Other people walking with Martin's agreed with his comments as they nodded. 20th Street betw

Sacramento's outdoor festivals and events increase during the spring and summer. The Xipe Colores Ceremony is one of these festivities that has been celebrated for the past 37 years. The annual ceremony recently took place once again at Southside Park. The April 13 event began a little later than expected but brought a good size crowd of supporters to the event. The Xipe Colores Ceremony was organized by the Maquilli Tonatiuh Aztec Dancers and dancers from Kalpulli Itzkuauhtli also participated. Xipe Totec was, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Aztec god of spring and new vegetation and also the patron of goldsmiths. The Xipe Colores Ceremony held at Southside Park celeb

A few weekends ago I was inspired by Second Saturday in Midtown, how it helps local talent overcome barriers. Art itself can be a direct expression, but in order to have the opportunity to communicate with an audience, the artist must have a venue then must overcome the noise of society to stand out and be perceived in a crowd of messages. For the artists connected with Second Saturday, local business owners help them overcome the first major barrier. The art that captures people's attention comes down to the art itself. The paintings that caught my attention for SacTV.com were the ones with not only bright colors, but expressions beyond the norm that communicated a vibrant sense of commun

ZuhG is a band with deep roots in Sacramento. They have been described as unique, energetic, funky, lively and above all, fun to watch live. ZuhG is a band that moves audiences to their feet and inspires them to move to their beats and to dance. The talented musicians that make up ZuhG are not afraid to experiment with different types of music and do things differently. They have played most of Sacramento's venues and venture out to spread their brand of music as they constantly tour. Although reggae continues to be what most fans enjoy when they watch ZuhG play, the band continues to experiment with different music genres, including folk music. Their last CD was “Calm & Clear,” a folk

Sunday night (April 21), Sacramento audiences will have a unique musical experience and that is to meet and experience Canada's Petunia and the Vipers when they perform at the Torch Club (901 I Street, Sacramento). Petunia And The Vipers’ name may suggest an L7 covers band, but in actuality they are an altogether more eclectic outfit, combining old-style country, rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll with elements of big band and swing. Furthermore, Petunia is the stage name of 100% male frontman, Ron Fortugno. With a piercing gaze, Petunia looks into the collective soul of the audience, then launches into some high and lonesome vocals that conjure up the ghost of Jimmie Rodgers. Not content with

7 p.m. The doors to Ace of Spades are to open soon and the line of eager fans wraps the length of the R Street block, twice. Sunday’s all-ages show sold out within days after going on sale. But the venue isn’t just packed with teens dressed in Thunder Horse’s cropped shirts and jean short cut-offs. The 900-person capacity room has plenty of 21 and over attendees squeezed into its small side bars and patios. ∆ (pronounced Alt-J), first to mark mainstream media in early 2012, has shortly since been packing concert halls and music venues across the country, all the way to the other side of the pond, where they call home. Within a year of releasing its first full-length album, the British-bas