Category: Arts

Totally Awesome Comedy Weekend

Something told me that it was going to be a great comedy weekend coming up.  No, really.  I had a dream that George Carlin was performing on Crondall Drive and had a really crappy turnout, so he gave everyone in the audience free CDs, then we played the piano together and I made spaghetti. If that’s not a harbinger of comedy gold, I don’t know what is.

Friday-Saturday: Bobcat Goldthwait @ Laughs Unlimited, 8 and 10:30pm

If you haven’t checked out Goldthwait’s seminal 1987 album “Meat Bob” lately, then it’s time for a refresher.  No matter how manic and absolutely nutso the guy seems, his stand-up was actually insightful and witty. Don’t let all the Police Academy movies fool you, Bobcat’s got chops. Don’t expect the screaming freak-out routine however, he’s calmed a bit with age.

Saturday: Louis C. K. @ the Crest, 8pm

My favorite comedian working today, Louis C.K. is appropriately blunt yet fantastically absurd, a perfect recipe for the times we live in. Yeah, his short-lived sitcom didn’t exactly win any awards, but that puts the former Conan O’Brien writer in good company. Anyone remember the George Carlin show? At $32.50 a seat, even in a recession, the price is well worth it.

Friday: Special Guests @ The Sacramento Comedy Spot, 9pm Continue reading “Totally Awesome Comedy Weekend”

Update on Chi Cheng’s condition

Chi Cheng, bass player for Sacramento’s Deftones, remains hospitalized since a traffic accident left him in a coma early last November.

In her most comprehensive statement since the accident occurred, Cheng’s mother updates us on her son’s condition and their fight to pay for his care. If you would like to help, visit http://www.oneloveforchi.com/. Deftones also report that they are beginning to book shows with Sergio Vega on bass. Fans may remember when Sergio briefly filled in for Chi in 1999.

I have included her entire note after the page jump, and please remember to keep Chi and his family in your prayers.

Continue reading “Update on Chi Cheng’s condition”

Double dose of the walking dead at MOBS

A zombie-themed double billing at Movies On a Big Screen Friday:

7 and 8:30 pm, “Dead Exit” (2009)
This is a locally produced and shot zombie horror flick, and it was actually filmed primarily on location at the Movies On a Big Screen theater. It’s a short film (about 20 minutes) that is being presented as a “Sneak Preview” before it heads out on the festival circuit. The cast and crew will be in attendance, and you can bet some of them will be dressed as reanimated ghouls.

The reanimated infestation has reached a crisis point, overwhelming both local law enforcement and federal agencies. Designated evacuation and quarantine sites, known as “green zones,” were developed to protect the few survivors and strategic assets that remained. … In the midst of the chaos and confusion caused by the latest collapse in the perimeter, three lone survivors rush to the final evacuation point.

Continue reading “Double dose of the walking dead at MOBS”

Tales from dancing on laps

This lap dance story is rich:

When Helen Hart tried to jump start business at her house by putting up a sign for adult tap dancing classes, the 79-year-old grandma started fielding calls for adult lap dancing services.

“I get maybe three to 17 [calls] a week,” Helen said. “I’m nearly 80, so age does mean something. Can you imagine a man coming to the door and I open the door and I go, ‘Yeah?’ He goes, ‘Oh, never mind.'”

It’s made even richer by Helen’s sense of humor…

This lap dance story is not so rich:

Sacramento’s Sheriff’s Department is calling for a ban on lap dancing, but only for two adult bars the county has been battling for years over zoning issues…”The physical nature of the lap dance creates an unsavory element, if you will. I mean, it attracts an unsavory element that leads to prostitution, loitering around these businesses,” counters Sgt. Tim Curran, spokesman for the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department…”There’s no hands touching the customers or customers touching the girls, not at all,” said Mull. He also said in a time of high unemployment and fewer dollars flowing into government coffers, the lap dance ban makes no sense. If the bars have to close down, he said 130 jobs will be lost.

I don’t think the hands touching thing is what concerns people here…but, I could be wrong. You could always just invite the unsavory element to your house for a Pole Dance party!

Fairytale Town celebrates 50

Folks may be surprised to learn that Fairytale Town opened its doors on August 29, 1959!

Of course you already know that…

Fairytale Town is a nonprofit family park with more than twenty three-dimensional child-size play sets based on favorite fairytales and nursery rhymes. A family of friendly animals and children’s gardens nestle in this safe and colorful place. Fairytale Town’s mission is to promote the imagination, creativity and education of children.

Yesterday they kicked off a two-week book drive.

…families bringing in a new book to Fairytale Town March 2 – March 16 will receive one free child with a paid adult admission. All books will be donated to Woodbine Elementary School here in Sacramento.

Be sure to check out their calendar as they are celebrating all year long (with a new site on the way, too!)

Congratulations!

Did Someone Say BANJO-RAMA?

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!  At the Carmichael Elks Lodge, come and see your favorite dixieland banjo players strum it up.  According to the website, the event runs from 11:40am to 5:30pm (banjo players are very specific with timeliness). 

If you’ve never attended a Banjo-Rama before, then you owe it to yourself to probably not come to this one.  Honestly, this is the 42nd annual Banjo-Rama, and if you haven’t come out for one of the 41 previous events, you’re not coming this year.  I know that: you know that: let’s stop pretending that you care about my banjo obsession. 

There, I’ve said my piece.  You can all go about your business.

The Ace-man leaveth

Fans of the Adam Carolla show were greeted with some bummer news today as Adam announced that Friday will be his last show on terrestrial radio. The show’s home station, KLSX (97.1) in Los Angeles will switch to the oh-so-popular “Top 40/Contemproary Hit Radio” format on February 20th.

From latimes.com:

“Beginning next week, new episodes of Carolla’s show will no longer broadcast in any market, although it is believed that “best of” shows may air in some territories.”

The good news is that the show will continue via podcast starting Monday at adamcarolla.com.

The show was heard locally on 106.5 (KWOD).

Can’t wait to go back? Check out The Constants

LockeIf you’re eagerly awaiting the return of “Lost” on ABC next week, make sure to check out Sacramento’s premiere “Lost”-themed band The Constants. Their MySpace page boasts three songs and a video, and I suppose there must have been a long band meeting about whether or not to cover “You All Everybody,” and though I would love to hear it, I guess I probably would have also decided not to do it.

Sounds like: “We can’t really say that practicing is our… primary objective”

In the off chance that you have recently emerged from a time capsule and are currently burning through the “Lost” DVDs, the song “Who Will Go” will reveal lots of characters who die.

(Found this via Heckasac, of course)

Punching the Bee’s Ticket: Sacramento Comedy Spot Featured

Sure, we all know that Sac hates hip-hop, but the Bee sure loves improv.  Resisting the urge to feature another poorly reviewed movie on the cover of the Friday Ticket, the Bee went with the local angle and featured performers from the Sacramento Comedy Spot.  Stepping away from his usual theater and dance reviews, Bee critic Marcus Crowder does a nice writeup of the shows being offered at the ‘Spot every Friday night.  

Hats off to the small group of folks who work hard at the ‘Spot every week to put on creative, entertaining shows, not least of which director Brian Crall, who busts his ass to keep the place running like a wildly uncontrollable ship without a rudder.  Improv at the Comedy Spot runs every Friday night at 9pm, tickets are $10, presale tix can be purchased on the ‘Spot’s website.

An unsatisfying journey


Make a U-turn, if possible

I don’t know why this story of folks getting lost trying to get to the new Red Hawk casino using their GPS devices makes me chuckle. Perhaps it’s the fact that I’ve been in the same situation before trying to decide if I should use my common sense or hand my faith over to a talking box when driving to a new destination.

I have such a love/hate relationship with my Garmin Nuvi. On one hand, it’s been a life saver when I’m forced to take side roads or alternate routes due to a traffic accident or construction. On the other hand it, it’s caused many delays especially when I approach forks in the road or subtle turns. Hard right or soft right? Veer right or stay to the right which is actually straight with no turn at all?

Back to the Bee story…

Continue reading “An unsatisfying journey”