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

Midtown had a modest turnout for Sacramento's Second Saturday Art Walk. One of the things I wanted to find out about was who gets to play live music at these events. I understand from talking to local owners that an entertainment permit from the city is actually required but many artists show up without a permit and use it to get exposure. I ran into a few bands who didn't know what I was talking about when I asked about permits. Funny how I keep running into groups who perform at Second Saturday who don't even have a group name yet. What's amazing about Second Saturday, despite the cold breeze, was that I found great opportunities for local musicians and painters to showcase their work.

Yep. Launch just went “next level.” Does it really surprise anyone? It shouldn’t, if you’ve followed the progression of the Launch Festival over the last couple of years, as it moved from a one day fashion, music and art shindig at the Greens Hotel on Del Paso in 2011, to a weeklong series of individual events around town, culminating in a blowout festival at Cesar Chavez Plaza in 2012. And now, this. Launch and Radio 94.7 dished up the lineup for the 2013 installment of the Launch Festival on Facebook earlier today, and it is a doozie! Those top two spots are going to get the most attention when Launch fires up on September 7 and 8, again at Cesar Chavez Plaza, with hot-charting arena

April and May are the perfect months for enjoying the Sacramento sun. Sure, you can drink a decent beer outside on many a streetside table, but this is about back patios, gardens and out-of-the-way spots to drink out of doors. A lack of car traffic is key, and both fountains and live music earn you extra points. Before long it will be far too hot to sit and bask with a beer, so without further ado, here are five excellent places in the area to enjoy a beer outdoors.  If you agree, disagree, or wish to share your favorite spot in the area, I invite you to do so – secret spots welcome! Bows & Arrows This collective has a nice, albeit generally minimal, selection of beers; excellent food

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

Recently I learned that a well known park in Sacramento called Goethe Park changed its name to River Bend Park. When I asked several different people who know the area what happened I was given several answers. After I did my own research I found a more shocking answer than anything anyone had told me. But the good news is that the name change resolved the issue to the degree that local parks should not be named after people, no matter how wealthy, who were associated with genocide. When you Google search "Charles Goethe" the first link that comes up is Wikipedia, with a listing that begins "Charles Goethe (1875-1966) was an American eugenicist." Eugenics was once a growing science in th

Emcee Dennis Mangers promised the “Sacramento Has Talent” show audience that they would leave saying, “That’s entertainment!” His prediction proved true, as a lineup of talented local dancers, bands, musicians, comedian, filmmaker, singers and a spoken-word artist delighted the crowd. The April 4 show at the Crest Theater was presented by Access Sacramento as a benefit for a neighborhood youth reporter program. Guest artist Lisa Daggs and her five-member band opened the show with a rocking performance of her hit single “Forgiveness is a Powerful Thing.” An energetic Daggs connected with the crowd as she moved about the stage and let her raspy, powerful voice soar. Daggs’ musical career

Beatnik Studios' Final Friday attracted a crowd of over 100 guests to its monthly event. Final Friday featured the artwork of David Mohr, Trent Liddicoat and James Angello. The three artists were present for a meet-and-greet. I had met one of the artists at an artist reception last year at Sol Collective. Liddicoat indicated that his work, along with that of the other two artists, will be exhibited for two months. “I was asked to exhibit because I'm friends with the other artists who are showing and they studied at Sac State with the curator (Kelley O'Connell) who is working here,” said Liddicoat. The self-taught artist shared that he did not attend art school, has been friends with

Expect an evening of art, music, food and family fun at Beatnik Studios during its Final Friday event. Final Fridays is a free monthly event that showcases local, regional and statewide talent and is open to an all-ages audience. Beatnik Studios is located on the corner of Broadway and 17th Street. Final Friday will feature the art of David Mohr, Trent Liddicoat and James Angello. An artist reception will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 29. Music will be provided by Rook Family, Orion Walsh, Autumn Sky and Musical Charis. I sat with Wesley Davis, photographer and co-owner, Beatnik Studios to talk about Final Fridays. Davis began by saying, “We actually have a new artist director. H

Nonprofit, non-commercial media Access Sacramento, offers paid stipends to young journalists ages 16-21. To raise funds for the stipend program, on April 4, you can sample local, diverse and enteraining talent – 12 acts in all – set to perform at 7 p.m. at the Crest. Click here and judge for yourself.  Funds raised help pay stipends to the two-year media project "Neighborhood News - Youth Correspondent Stipend Program". As social media grows, especially with younger generations, traditional mass electronic and print media continue to struggle with diminished advertising revenues, reporter layoffs, and fewer resources for the coverage of local neighborhood news. New challenges invite new s

How many acoustic rap/ballad medleys have you heard lately? Does hip hop mix with classical music or are there strict rules that say this cannot be done? Whatever the rules are, Chris Goslow loves to experiment beyond musical boundaries with different styles. Part of his multicultural slant on music comes from growing up in San Francisco and studying music at U.C. Berkeley. Another part of his diversity comes from a love of many styles that covers a wide spectrum of music. He now makes a living performing and teaching music in Sacramento while being happily married to photographer Charr Crail, who has worked for the Sacramento Bee and now does freelance photography and digital art. Chris