Muse came to the Sleep Train Amphitheater in Sacramento Tuesday night to an almost sold out crowd. This was one of several stops in California to kick off their North American Tour. Band of Skulls opened for Muse. They were a great compliment to the headliners. The same old school rock and roll music quality that Muse has in some of their songs is mirrored in this band. The songs focused on instrumental solos and well played transitions almost as much as the lyrics. While this is a relatively new band, having only formed in 2009, I don't think it will be long before they are headlining their own show. They have a raw quality and a unity to their music that makes them special. Muse has be

No discussion on alternative rock circa 2000 would be complete without mention of Papa Roach and their radio-ready hit single “Last Resort,” especially if you were in high school or college during that time. The Vacaville band (also known for singles “Scars,” “Forever” and “Lifeline”) broke out of Sacramento and went on to sell more than 10 million albums worldwide. They return this weekend for a two-night stand at the recently opened venue Ace of Spades, touring behind their seventh album, "Time for Annihilation." More alternative rock than nu-metal now, the band can probably still be counted on to deliver a high-energy rock show filled with heavy guitars, sharp hooks and “guy liner.”

Attention hipsters and indie dance music fans! Head on over to Blue Lamp this Saturday to catch indie dance duo Sugar & Gold with special guest Yip Deceiver. Shaking off comparisons to MGMT and Hot Chip, the San Francisco-based S&G weave together elements of funky disco, melodic electro and smooth R&B to create dance-heavy pop grooves with their unique signature. Rated "Best Local Dance Band" in 2007 by SF Magazine and "Best Party Band 2008" by SF Weekly, S&G are known for their energetic, outrageous live shows that will have you sweating in your skinny jeans. Davey Pierce (Of Montreal) side-project Yip Deceiver opens. Sugar & Gold and Yip Deceiver perform at Blue Lamp this Saturday at

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 Adrian Bourgeois (foreground) and Ricky Berger Ricky Berger Ricky Berger One Eyed Rhyno One Eyed Rhyno Brian Rogers Brian Rogers Autumn Sky Autumn Sky Photos by Steven Chea

By Mareva Brown  (Posted by David Watts Barton) Continuing a holiday tradition that began in 15 years ago with the work of a master’s student in music, the Sacramento Children’s Choir performed its 2008 winter concert with a harmony of sweet voices at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in downtown Sacramento. The Choir was begun in 1993 when director Lynn Stevens had idea to start a premiere children’s chorus that would draw singers from the greater Sacramento area. It started with 40 singers as a part of her master’s program at California State University, Sacramento. Today, there are about 160 singers in four separate choirs ranging in age from 7 to 18. Children are placed in the