Tag: Music

Macias’ “Sunday Single” feeds your MP3 need

Ricky Berger
Ricky Berger
sacticket.com

…if your MP3 need is so small that it can be fed only once every week with just one MP3, that is. But I kid the Macias. I think a big time local-focused MP3 blog is great for the local artists. His first post yesterday introduces us to Ricky Berger, a young singer-songwriter whose track “What’s Your Name?” is really well put together. Macias says think Norah Jones and Dido, sort of an easy-listening vibe with a nice mix of sounds. I just wanted to point out that her publicity photo is a complete ripoff of “The 40-Year-Old Virgin.” Now I kid the Ricky Berger!

Sacramento County exhibit hasn’t gone Far

Jonah Matranga
Jonah Matranga

The family and I took in the sights at the Capitol this afternoon, which is one of our favorite spots. I happened to notice that the Sacramento County exhibit on the ground floor (near The Ahnold’s office) has not one, but two photos of Jonah Matranga. There is a large photo of Jonah performing at Cesar Chavez and then a smaller photo in a collage from what appears to be the same performance.

I’m not sure what to make of it but I thought it was funny. The Nevada County exhibit, for reference, has not one but two photos of their most famous one-time resident, Samuel Clemens. (Hmm, I notice that he resided at the Holbrooke Hotel, and as we all know is most famously impersonated by Hal Holbrook. Hmm, I wonder if Mark Twain had a dog named Michael Chabon or a secretary named Dave Eggers or something…)

The Shins’ Sacramento connection

The Shins interviewed by Jim Krasinski, Filter Magazine
Yes, that’s Jim from The Office

I’m a huge fan of The Shins, the earnest yet quirky indie rock outfit featured as the band that can change your life in the otherwise unwatchable “Garden State” by Zach Braff. I’m excited about their new album, “Wincing the Night Away” (which you can stream on Scenestars), out January 23 (my birthday) on Sub Pop, and their appearance this weekend with host Jake Gyllenhaal on Saturday Night Live. (Sub Pop is excited about that too.)

And then I realized that, as they would say on the local news, The Shins have a Sacramento connection. Continue reading “The Shins’ Sacramento connection”

!!! – “Myth Takes” due out March 4th

!!!Tracks from !!!‘s forthcoming release “Myth Takes” have been hitting the mp3-link-osphere… Fans of the group’s hard dance rock will be pleased. It’s hard to pick a favorite from this mix but I like “A New Name” and as noted elsewhere you can’t beat the song title “Bend Over Beethoven.”

(Sadly, I have just noticed–before I read it in the Wikipedia link, that is–that a Google search for “!!!” gets you precisely zero results–well, not exactly zero results; it’s more like that search breaks Google. Luckily a search for the most common spelling, “chk-chk-chk” gets you where you want to go…)

True Love Never Dies

…it just moves a few blocks.

The SacRag is pleased to announce the return of The True Love Coffeehouse! Earlier this month, owners Kevin and Allyson Seconds had the “soft” opening and are open for business at 2315 K Street.

In no time at all, the True Love will be reclaiming the title as the coolest place in town to catch live, local music. Will we also see the return of the Waffle King? Will movie night return? Can we still get the invigorating quadruple-shot Dark Lord?

The Grand Opening is still coming at an undisclosed date in the near future. Keep your eyes peeled as this will be a great party.Welcome back!

Regional Transit: The Soundtrack

If you’re like me, you enjoy musical accompaniment on your RT commute. Be it the popular Apple iPod device, a Walkman, or the songs in your head, there are certain tunes that really fit the bill for your particular route and time of day. For example, on a rainyish day like today, crossing the river on I5 heading into Natomas, Sufjan Stevens was where it was at. After work, heading uptown on the 50E I’m thinking maybe something a little more rockin.

Well, I want to hear from you. Leave a comment with your route and some songs that make it rock (or make it roll) for you. Perhaps we could get a mix CD going…so feel free to also donate several thousand dollars for permissions if you’d like to see that happen!

Entertainment Classification

The Sky Bar, never high on anyone’s list of entertainment destinations, has been labeling itself as “Sacramento’s Home to Jazz,” for quite a while. A quick peek at their website tells a different story, however. Proudly listed on their homepage is the music calendar for this week: Wed-Salsa, Thurs-DJ (top 40 & R&B), Fri-Salsa & 80’s, Sat-Live Salsa, Sun-Freestyle open mic. Wow, I am blown away at how they can pack their musical calendar with so much jazz. It’s really incredible. As long as you count Top 40, R&B and salsa as jazz, then the Sky Bar certainly is Sacramento’s “home to jazz.” Or maybe they’re just big fat liars.

Calling the Sky Bar the “Home to jazz” is like calling Pollock Pines “Chocolate City.” Nice try Sky Bar; if you’re going to change your music, go ahead and change your slogan.