One thing noticably odd about the absurdly awesome High Sierra Music Festival, held each year in the hills of Quincy, CA, is that it rarely seems to feature Sacramento-based talent - odd in that we are the closest major city. After spending the last couple of years holding commando sets and street performances (as many bands do at HSMF) on top of RVs, local funkmasters the Nibblers scored themselves an official 10 a.m. Saturday morning spot on the Big Meadow stage as the first band of the day, and they absolutely made the most of it, pulling weary campers out of their tents (almost literally) and into the groove. It's called funking your way up. Big Meadow was the Sactown spot on Saturd

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. In Sacramento, the festivities kick off with Blues for Life at The Torch Club , a live music festival & pasta cook-off from 1pm to 7pm on October 2.   Ten bands, 10 restaurants, and a five-year Sac town tradition, this event is the primary fundraiser for Albie Aware, a foundation that brings preventive care, support, and education for those with breast cancer or seeking assistance for early detection and treatment.   “If treated early, cancer fatality can diminish with the proper care,” commented Doug Carson. In 2002, his wife Albie Carson, a 50 year resident of Sacramento, lost the battle with cancer because the tumor was caught too late. This

People got funky with the funk, R&B and soul bands at the Friday Night Concert in the park at Cesar Chavez last week. The Bell Boys and the Gerald Pease Combo put on great shows that had people bopping their heads. The Nibblers headlined, with people dancing and filling the dance area in front of the stage. The Bell Boys, made up of brothers Erik, Jacob and Elijah, opened the evening with a fresh sound mix of hip-hop and electronic sounds echoing through the park. They were joined by singer James Cavern. The young guys’ energy was infectious as Jacob and Erik played their hearts out on guitar and drums while lead singer Elijah Bell smiled as he sang to the crowd. The Bell Boys got peop

Friday night’s concert in the park at Cesar Chavez Plaza features R and B, funk and soul from local sensations The Nibblers. Supporting the headliners will be sets from The Gerald Isaac Pease Combo and The Bellboys. This week’s show kicks off at around 5 p.m. and runs until 9 p.m. If you can’t make the show, The Sacramento Press will also be live-streaming video of each band’s performance, which can be found in this article on the day of the show. Located between Ninth and 10th and I and J streets, this free, all-ages outdoor concert series will run every Friday until Aug. 12. See a full schedule of this season’s lineup here In its 20th year, Friday Night Concerts in the Park attracts

Five bucks. It sure doesn't go as far as it used to. What follows is a short list of things that you can purchase for $5: 1.25 gallons of gas 1.33 gallons of milk 3.875 songs on iTunes 2.86 tacos from Chando’s or 4 from Lalo's (Lalo's are better anyways) 1 foreign or microbrew at Streets of London, if it's happy hour A large white mocha or caramel macchiato or pumpkin latte or whatever the hell the kids are drinking these days .8333 $5 foot-longs from Subway ($5 foot-longs actually cost $6. It's tough all over.) A Sunday Chronicle and a bagel with butter (maybe) 3 pictures of this chick with the slogan of your choice written on her face 1 picture of that same slogan on a piece

Sacramento's merry band of funkateers, The Nibblers, opened up for New Orleans' party-funk phenomena Big Sam's Funky Nation on Sunday night at Harlow’s. Wowzers. I don't know much, but I do know that whenever our Nibblers join forces with a New Orleans powerfunk group led by a virtuoso slide trombonist featured prominently in HBO's "Treme," you better drop whatever you're doing and head on over. It is always an incredible show. I wasn't feeling well on Sunday evening, to the point where I was actively soliciting offers to take over my spot covering the show.  (By "actively soliciting offers", I mean "updating my Facebook status from bed".) Boy, am I glad I didn't find any takers. I

New Orleans' funk phenomenon Big Sam's Funky Nation rolls into Sacramento Sunday night to play a show at Harlow's. "Big Sam" Williams, a former member of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, has been celebrated as "the top man on the slide trombone in the birthplace of jazz" by the San Francisco Chronicle.  He also has a recurring role playing himself on the HBO Original Series "Treme."  Jambase describes Big Sam's Funky Nation as "soul food to get us through the week" and touts the band for always "bringing a straight raw party." BSFN is a stalwart on the U.S. festival circuit, having appeared at New Orleans Jazzfest, Bonnaroo, Voodoo Arts and Music Fest , South by Southwest, Gathering of the

Drifters, turn back! We’re keeping it good and local (kinda) this week as we celebrate our last weekend of theoretical playtime before Christmas all but consumes our ability to gobble up live music. We’re flanked by two gigs over the course of five days from one of the darlings of our local music family that have since relocated, but are spending a little time at home for the Holidays. I’ll be taking next week off to dunk my head in a giant bowl of eggnog, but keep your eyes peeled the week after for a special New Year’s edition of the Rundown once we’re done singing “O, Tannenbaum” – because Lord knows we need something to counter all the usual NYE nonsense of paying $50 for a cover band

 Trombone Shorty is blowing up.  The onetime child prodigy (he started playing at age three, was a bandleader at age six and was touring the world with Lenny Kravitz at 18) is now 24, and he's everywhere.  Maybe you saw him on stage with The Dave Matthews Band at the "NFL Opening Kickoff 2010."   Or maybe you've seen him on HBO's hit show "Treme."  Perhaps you caught him and his band, Orleans Avenue, on Letterman a few months back. If you have yet to experience Trombone Shorty and his unique brand of "supafunkrock," despair not – you'll have plenty more opportunities, beginning with his show Friday night at Harlow's.  He agreed to take a few minutes out of his very busy schedule to speak

 Join the Sacramento Press for an evening of Hip Hop, Funk and Soulful Electronica at the 4th Concert in the Park of the season. Concert in the Park, a free outdoor concert series ,takes place every Friday of the summer at Cesar Chavez Plaza, 10th and J Streets from 5:30 to 8:30. Live Manikins open the showcase of great local talent followed by The Nibblers and headliners Method Echo. The series, now in it's 19th season, features local artists representing a range of genres including rock, pop, punk,hip hop, blues and folk. Starting at 5:30 this afternoon, The Sacramento Press will provide live streaming video of all the action including interviews of the local bands and footage of eac

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

Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews is a musician's musician. The prodigy started playing music at age 3 and got his big break at age 4 sharing the stage with Bo Diddley. "It was so long ago I can't remember," said Andrews, now 24. "I remember my mom saying I was playing (trombone) and some people crowd-surfed me to the stage, and they put me on the stage, and that was it." He earned his name because he could play a trombone before even being as tall as the horn. Sunday night, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue will play their high-energy set at Harlow's. Opening will be The Nibblers, a seven-piece rock band led by local singer Hans Eberbach and Mumbo Gumbo members Lynn Michael Palmer, Jon W