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.

Well, that’s a wrap – congrats to all of the winners and entrants who submitted to our Journalism Open 2013. We had 76 written submissions this year and 114 photo submissions, and it wasn’t an easy job to narrow either of those categories down. But somehow we all managed. Myself and editor Jared Goyette narrowed down the top 12 articles which were then tallied by our panel of guest judges. Photos were judged by myself and Goyette. You can find a complete list of judging criteria here. Our $400 People’s Choice Award was a close race between Stephania Erkenbrecher’s article on Verge Center for the Arts and Ron Mullins’ piece on medical cannabis. I spent much time calling around to verify v

Two bands brought encouraging and positive vibes to Ace of Spades on Friday. The alternative rock band, The Reel, opened the night with their inspiring sound and lyrics, and was a great, positive opener for the headliner, Andrew McMahon. Formerly part of the bands, Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin, singer and songwriter McMahon shared his talents with the crowd. With over seven albums worth of material, he performed a wide range of material from all of his past albums and solo projects. Taking the stage with a pink button-down, smoothed back blonde hair and a bottle of Sierra Nevada on top of his piano, McMahon was set to give an unforgettable performance. Interactive with the

We’re on the cusp of an important week – not only is Valentine’s Day just around the corner, The Sacramento Press is gearing up for our Journalism Open 2013 Awards Celebration. You’ll be there, right? Don’t forget to order your presale tickets and RSVP so we know to save you a spot. But before you get to shopping for boxes of chocolate or a new ascot to impress your favorite Community Manager, make sure you haven’t missed anything awesome this week on The Sacramento Press. Check out our most-viewed content of the week. Community Contribution: 5. Obituary: Sheila was a regular presence in the central city and beyond by Bill Burgua -- 4. Old Sac Mardi Gras 2013 this weekend by Mike Ibe

George Strait touched his hand to his heart, pointed to his fans and tipped his hat in his Sacramento farewell concert. “I’ll always remember you,” promised Strait, who is on his final tour after more than 30 years on the road. The “King of Country” and his Ace in the Hole band performed to a full house on Jan. 31st at Sleep Train Arena. In neatly creased jeans with a big silver belt buckle, pinstriped pink shirt and black cowboy hat, Strait strapped on his black guitar and launched into “Here for a Good Time.” Fans enthusiastically responded to the opening song and every song thereafter. During the most popular numbers, such as “Ocean Front Property” and “Amarillo by Morning,” nearly th

Ladies, prepare to swoon. Fresh off some dates opening for Fun., singer and songwriter Andrew McMahon will be in Sacramento to headline at Ace of Spades on Friday, Feb. 8. McMahon was the vocalist, pianist and primary songwriter for now-defunct bands Jack's Mannequin and Something Corporate, and now performs solo (with a full backing band). Expect the seasoned and energetic pianist to reach deep into his catalog and belt tunes from his previous bands in addition to his new solo work. Next up for McMahon? Four more dates opening for Fun., and then a continuation of his North America headlining tour through April. He also plans to release a new EP in February. Tickets are $22.50 plus a

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

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

Another week, another Top Five Fridays. Our community contributors (mostly) gave us a reason to smile during a busy week for both the Sacramento Police Department and reporter Karen Wilkinson. And let’s not forget – the Kings are still leaving. Before you dive into your weekend, take a look at The Sacramento Press’s most popular articles of the week. Community Contribution:  5. How public radio helps indie artists by Alex Cosper Weekly columnist and owner of SacTV Alex Cosper turned his attentions this week to the role public radio plays in the success of indie artists, as well as our community as a whole. 4. No injuries after RT light rail train and car collide by Kati Garner Kati Gar

From all-female rockers to an eclectic rock duo, there was a rock band for every style this past Wednesday, Jan. 16, at Ace of Spades in downtown Sacramento. If you have any doubt that all-girl rock bands no longer exist, you will be mistaken once you hear Canadian-based rock group Hunter Valentine. Not your sweet and innocent girly group, Hunter Valentine brings a masculine femininity to the rock genre. With a raspy yet distinguished voice, lead vocalist Kiyomi McCloskey, accompanied by Laura Petracca (drums), Veronica Sanchez (bass) and Aimee Bessada (guitar and keyboards) set it off with her band, making a great opening to the night of rock ‘n’ roll. As McCloskey engaged with the c

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

Saturday night Power Balance Pavilion hosted country superstar Carrie Underwood and “The Blown Away Tour,” complete with singer and songwriter, Hunter Hayes. The tour is based around Underwood’s fourth album, “Blown Away,” released earlier this year. The mostly-female crowd was dressed and ready for a country night out in Nashville - cowboy hats and boots and all. “Is that the line to the women’s!?” I overheard one woman exclaim, “Mother of pearl!” The merrymaking and revelry was pure entertainment for all involved. Underwood won the hearts of many, waving and chatting throughout the show despite her slightly hoarse-sounding voice. She gave a shout out to “American Idol,” saying that s

!!! (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

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

A cloud of incense, copious amounts of body hair and tree-hugging hippies vomiting love and sunshine all over each other. These are things that might come to mind when envisioning Wanderlust, a music and yoga festival nestled in the mountains of Lake Tahoe. While the love and sunshine part might be partially (and pleasantly) true, the rest couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead, Squaw Valley was transformed over the weekend into a gathering place for fit, radiant and well-kept yogis and yoginis of all ages and backgrounds, arriving by land and air from various parts of the West Coast. Aimed at creating a community around mindful living, the festival’s mission is to encourage the p

The “American Idol” tour came to Sacramento on Saturday, July 21, to Power Balance Pavilion. The tour consisted of the top ten contestants on season 11. Even hours before the show started, you could see fans in self-made “Idol” T-shirts waiting outside Power Balance Pavilion in anticipation of the show. The concert started off with a group number that was sung by all the “Idol” artists except for the winner, Phillip Phillips. The whole crew did covers ranging from “Party Rock” by LMFAO, “That’s What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction, and even classics like “Rolling on the River” by Tina Turner. This concert was both fun and vibrant. It contained a level of show quality that was enha

Capital city music lovers, rejoice! Sacramento and the surrounding areas are a hotbed for incredible music talent and excellent venues.  Sacramento’s collection of venues includes notable venues such as Harlow’s, Ace of Spades, the Crest Theatre, the Memorial Auditorium, and Power Balance Pavilion.  Add Thunder Valley, Folsom’s Three Stages, UC Davis’ Freeborn Hall and Mondavi Center, and seasonal outdoor venues such as Wheatland’s Sleep Train Amphitheatre and Cal Expo’s stages during the California State Fair, and there are so many places to go for a great show.  And no, I haven’t forgotten about Midtown favorites like The Distillery, Blue Lamp, and Marilyn’s.  I also never forget about

Rap artists brought down the stage at Ace of Spades on Second Saturday. K-Ottic (Kenny Giacomini) took to the stage with special guests rapper Quen and singer Sunnie Williams. Originally from Virgina, K-Ottic became a Sactown native when he attended high school at Bear River High School. Lyrically, K-Ottic lacked a natural continuous flow, but had decent beats to engage the crowd. Although K-Ottic has some work to do in polishing his sound, the crowd was supportive and enjoyed his performance. Female vocalist Sunnie came out for the song "One Time." The song was a creative blend of K-Ottic rapping and Sunnie singing on the chorus. Even thought K-Ottic didn't do too much to get the cr