I remember fondly going out to an annual breakfast with my dad, The Game Guy, Sr., one special Saturday in December for pancakes and then to a little mall full of non-chain stores to visit Santa Claus- who was the embodiment of ol’ St. Nick if I ever knew one.  One of the benefits of being at such a mall was the total lack of crowds which allowed our Kris Kingle to be take his time and actually engage in a conversation with me.  After I got done visiting with Santa, my dad and I would then go Christmas shopping for my mom (it wasn’t until many years later that I realized the Saturday alone was probably the greatest gift my Dad and I could have given her).

By the time my sister came along, we kept up this tradition for at least 10 years.  And for 10 years, the same Santa Claus.  No foolin’- it was the same guy every year, and after a few years, he started to remember my dad (something about the Scotch my dad would bring for him probably was the trigger).

So as I looking towards my first Christmas as a dad, I can’t wait to start this tradition with my own son, Game Boy.  Naturally this begs the question: where, dear readers, is the best place in Sacramento for a pancake breakfast (please don’t say Pancake Circus) and an awesome Santa? My first thought was to search out non-chain-based malls to capture the Santa experience of my youth, but then quickly realized that meant Florin Mall which instantly terrified me.  So, any other suggestions?

When we’re not asking the tough questions and searching for the right answers, we enjoy us some Sacramento trivia. With all the tension surrounding the state of the world right now, we were thrilled to hear from “Anna in Sacramento” today.

Anna writes (in my best Casey Kasem voice)…

Dear Sac Rag,

“Okay, we’re having a fit of nostalgia here in the office/random memory (very random!). Can anyone name/remember the bands that played at KWOD’s 1998 Summer Concert at Arco Arena (also known as the show that Green Day canceled because their drummer got bonked on the head by one of the guys from Third Eye Blind)?”

There’s not a ton of information on the InterWeb, so what say all you thirtysomethingers out there?

Academy Scholar Julie Anne Miller

The Academy at All Hallows, the resident symphony orchestra of All Hallows Catholic Parish, will present Beethoven’s 9th Symphony tomorrow night at 8pm at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament.

More than 150 musicians and vocalists will perform together when the Academy Orchestra and Chorus join with Nevada County’s Music in the Mountains Chorus to mount this inspirational monument of western art and music. Beethoven, long deaf at the time of composition, rocked the musical world of 1824 Europe with this work of unprecedented scope and vision. The finale, with its setting of Schiller’s “Ode to Joy,” has become one of the most socially important musical works of all time, and is often performed to mark historically significant times–most notably the performance led by Leonard Bernstein to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Continue reading “Beethoven’s 9th at Cathedral tomorrow” »

Fetch your earplugs, Sacramento, it is Noise Fest time again!

The only way to describe Noise Fest as a whole is to call it f-ing loud, although many acts are experimental, avant-garde, industrial, electronic, and/or hardcore. Hell, some of it can barely be called “music” in the literal sense and is more accurately tagged as “aural art”. My dog is PISSED that I have been listening to a sampling of this year’s artists. If you like music that pisses off dogs, this is your weekend to stay in town.

Forty acts from the West Coast and beyond will perform for three days at Luna’s Cafe and The Space Theater. A pass for the whole shebang is only $25, which is a deafening bargain for the amount of entertainment you’ll get. Check the web site for a complete schedule and links to most of the bands.

If you like ragtime guitar and turn-of-the-last-century tunes (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?) check out the Gallus Brothers tonight at Sophia’s Thai Kitchen in Davis.

Cover charge is only $3, and for your three bones you’ll get a toe-tapping night of music and revelry (and maybe a free kazoo).

Gallus Brothers, 10:00pm
Sophia’s Thai Kitchen

I went to the Chalk It Up festival on Saturday to meet up with an old friend and to enjoy the nice weather and chalk art. But I also was going to check out some of the bands that were playing. 

That’s a change from this festival in the past. Before, the music was kinda hippy-dippy, singer-songwritery, lightweight poppy stuff. I have nothing against that kind of music, but it just don’t float my boat.

Continue reading “Best Band in Sacto?” »

The release party for the Sammies winners The Ancient Sons’ debut album “The Dark Gospel” is tonight at Old Ironsides. Also on the bill are Pets, Them Hills, and Phantom Floats. That’s a pretty solid lineup, at least judging by the songs I have listened to. I don’t go out much. Read on to download a solid track from “The Dark Gospel”…

Continue reading “The Ancient Sons CD release party tonight at Old Ironsides” »

Here’s a little quiz for our loyal readers.

What is the name of KCRA’s newest anchor? (Pictured at right)
A) Sleptan Drood
B) Gurgan Flep
C) Gulstan Dart
D) Lionel Twain

Click here to find out if you’re correct.

Having just returned from a massive road trip, I’ve got my favorite local band Jackpot on the brain. For some reason whenever I hit the road in Norcal it makes sense to have Jackpot on the stereo. Something about the mishmash of sounds–on “Shiny Things” and “F+” at least–and Rusty Miller’s creaky voice and memorable lyrics is quintessentially Sacramento to me. So Jackpot was in frequent rotation up through Glenn, Tehama, Siskiyou Counties and into Oregon. (Also: “The House at Pooh Corner” read by British actor Peter Dennis. Melancholy but hilarious.)

Continue reading “JACKPOT @ Blue Lamp Sunday, early show, $5″ »

Yes, you read that correctly. Two gentlemen from the East Coast have stolen my dream of having the world’s most popular banjo duo. They’ve even sunk as low as using my favorite topics to craft witty, erudite songs from, such as the Hindenburg and William Howard Taft. This was no spoken dream about which I told everyone I ran into and they happened to overhear. No, their devilry is much more sinister. This is a subconscious dream, an unspoken dream, a dream that I didn’t even know I had. Basically, as soon as I heard their music, I knew that it was my music, being sung by others.

Who are these no-goodnick ne’er-do-wells you ask? They are none other than the Two Man Gentleman Band, and they will be right here in our neck of the woods tonight, in Davis. I suggest you all come down and help me give them a piece of mind, or crumple at the feet of their brilliance.

Two Man Gentleman Band-TONIGHT, Sophia’s Davis
10PM- Cover is only $5 (Kazoos not included)
Bitchin’ music video below the fold Continue reading “Someone Stole My Dream” »