Tag: Sacramento

Funk and flow at Harlow’s

One of the best hip-hop lineups to come through town in some time is tonight, so get your shoes on and get to Harlow’s for The Deadliest Catch Tour at 9pm. Chali 2na, from Jurassic 5, is touring on his release Welcome to the Fish Market, a teaser for his frequently delayed first solo album Fish Outa Water. He is performing with his band, so expect high-intensity funk jams and psychedelic looping to get the crowd dancing.

The three accompanying acts are equally stellar MCs: Gift of Gab from Blackalicious, Mr Lif and Lyrics Born. Mr Lif just released I Heard it Today which is even more politically hardcore and confrontational than his usual work. Gift of Gab and Lyrics Born both have local roots through UC Davis and their early work with the Quannum MCs. They have deep fan bases in Sacramento, so get to the show early if you are buying tickets at the door. Tickets can also be bought online or at The Beat.

Seventy-Five years of Old Ironsides

One of the great Sacramento cultural institutions is celebrating its (her?) 75th birthday this weekend. Midtown Monthly did a great salute to the history of The Old I in their November issue. With the same owners for these 75 years, it is also a celebration of Billie Jean Kanelos and her family. I particularly enjoyed the piece from Kim Kanelos, who began booking music there in the early 90s. Kim is also asking that people post their favorite Old I memories on their Facebook page.

MM hasn’t posted the issue to their website, so you’ll have to keep an eye out for printed material distributed for free throughout Sacramento. The Bee also did a brief interview with Billie Jean and her husband Sam.

Their November festivities culminate this Sunday from 1-6pm with DJ Larry Rodriguez and plenty of celebratory food and drink specials.

Old Ironsides
1901 10th Street

Sacramento Seen in Green: City Voted 7th on Environment

Back in 2002, Sacramento earned an award from Time Magazine for being the most diverse city in the nation. It’s still a badge of honor we wear proudly, and it’s time to add another star to our uniform. Sacramento has officially been ranked the 7th “Smarter City” by the Natural Resources Defense Council. Basically, we’re mean on being green.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) didn’t pass out this honor lightly. Their mission is to “protect wildlife and wild places and to ensure a healthy environment for all life on earth.” Birds, bees, trees, you, and me—the NRDC is trying to protect us all. Their “Smarter City” ranking drew upon a number of environmentally-friendly criteria, breaking down the results by city size. Sacramento was measured in the “large city” grid along with jolly green giants San Francisco, Seattle, and the like.  

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State Parks cutbacks announced

In the face of a public outcry over the possible closing of many of California’s 278 State Parks, the Governor has announced his alternative plan for funding our State Park system. As announced last month, all parks will remain open, but more than $14 million will be cut from the budget through various means. Services to many parks will be scaled back, including hours of operation, maintenance, staff, and educational opportunities.

After the jump, I will provide a summary of all cuts to Sacramento area parks. If you are planning on visiting any State Park, make sure you research the location to insure that your visit is not adversely affected. And, please, remember that we all own these parks. With reduced services, it is more imperative than ever that we all be good scouts and clean up our own messes, pack out what we bring in and leave no trace of our visit behind.
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SF Mime Troupe in town this weekend

Michael Gene Sullivan performs a song from Too Big to Fail
Michael Gene Sullivan performs a song from Too Big to Fail
The fantastically awesome San Francisco Mime Troupe will have their annual free Sacramento area performances this weekend. For those who are unfamiliar, these are not the creepy non-speaking Marcel Marceau-type mimes with the white painted faces, trapped in a box, walking against the wind, pulling the invisible rope… you know, the ones you want to whack with an olive loaf. No, these are revolutionary mimes that perform physical comedy and feats of agility, talk and sing, and educate their audiences about complicated political realities that affect us all.

This year, which is the 50th anniversary of the SFMT, they have written a wacky comedy about the economic crisis. Titled Too Big To Fail, the show concerns a goat herder and his struggles to build his small business enough to support his family, make his village proud and keep a home for his favorite goat named Bamusa. As he becomes a goat kingpin, he encounters bankers, lenders, mortgage brokers, Wall Street tycoons and ponzi-scheming scalawags. The story is presented in the style of the West African Griots, who have an famed oral storytelling tradition and are known for their talented traveling bards.
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Thrill the World!

Thrill the World with your zombie bad self!
Thrill the World with your zombie bad self!

Since 2006, a strange worldwide phenomenon has been growing. Once a year, people around the world perform the Thriller dance to benefit charities for kids and to break the World Record for largest simultaneous dance. Some dress like zombies, others might actually be zombies. Last year, more than 4000 dancers in 72 cities in 10 countries broke their own record and are shooting for even more this year. The 2009 Thrill the World has additional poignancy because of MJ’s passing earlier this year and has turned into a “tribute” to MJ’s music and his love of children.

So, Sacramento, are you ready to Thrill the World? Rehearsals are already happening every Monday night, 7:30 PM at the Southside Park Bandshell. There is a local website set up by Event Manager Donna Fultineer, who has designated the Meadowview Family Resource Center as the local charity. Organizers emphasize that the only requirement is a soul for getting down and that people of all ages and physical ability participate. To join in on the fun, check out the website or simply show up on Monday! If you want a head start, there is a tutorial video to help you out.

All About Walken

The Cast of All About Walken
The Cast of All About Walken
The longest running comedy show in LA is coming to Sacramento for only one night. All About Walken, which plays at the Guild Theater this Saturday, features seven Christopher Walken impersonators, including St. Francis alumnus Amy Kelly. The show is not traditional theater, but an interactive experience that tells the life story of Walken through audience participation, crazy hair, music, improvisation, multimedia and, of course, dancing. Tickets are $20 at www.brownpapertickets.com, call (888) 227-2285 for info.

All About Walken: Conceived and directed by Patrick O’Sullivan. Starring O’Sullivan, Kelly, Kyle Cadman, Kenzo Lee, Dionysio Basco, Joe Dallo, & Aryiel Hartman.

Midtown Cocktail Week

While I am a beer, wine, tequila and whiskey guy, I appreciate a good cocktail. Artistry and superior ingredients separate the men from the boys, or in this case, the well from the top shelf. Next week, Sacramento celebrates our top shelf cocktail makers and shakers with the second annual Midtown Cocktail Week.

Imbibers have the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of Sacramento’s favorite mixologists. My personal favorite is Chris Tucker at the L Wine Lounge and Urban Kitchen, who has a seasonal cocktail menu with an eye for subtle flavor blending. Anyone can pour booze over ice and get you fucked up. The key to quality drinks are the other ingredients, which Chris carefully sources from organic, sustainable and local vendors. I also hold Ella in high regard, but their small bar and high prices discourage my casual boozing.

All events are free and open to the over-21 public, except for a private seminar with industry veteran Jon Santer. For $25, burgeoning boozologists can learn from a pro and take home some cool tools to aid you in home cocktail crafting. Seats are limited, so reserve your spot now!

Note: Jon Santer had to pull out of this event, so the seminar will be led by Erick Castro, who manages the totally awesome Bourbon & Branch in SF.

The Mentalist comes to Sacramento

the-mentalist-bigWhen I heard that the hit CBS show The Mentalist was coming to Sacramento, I immediately had high hopes for the things that he could accomplish. I imagined him strolling to the Capitol, using his mind tricks to convince our Legislators to compromise instead of sticking to hard line political goals. I saw him hypnotizing the Governor into donating $1000 to the general fund every time he blamed someone else for our budgetary failures rather than using his bully pulpit to encourage California to spend money wisely. I envisioned him using his powers of divination to foresee a Sacramento with sound levees, a bustling K street and a decent taproom downtown. I heard him calling to me in a soft, ethereal voice, “Stickie, I want to cast you in a minor supporting role in my hit television series.”

Which one is the most likely? Unfortunately, it is the last one on that list, as producers of The Mentalist are looking to cast more than 100 Sacramentans for an upcoming shoot. If you would like your shot to appear on a hit show, read on!
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Swine Flu in Sacramento County

{NOTE – This story contains out-of-date info about the number of cases in our area. For updated Sacramento-specific information, see the County’s DPH website.}

The first case of Swine Flu has been confirmed in the Sacramento area, so get ready for the en-sooey-ing panic.

Sorry.

To avoid unnecessary panic and worry, it is important to understand the facts behind the 2009 Swine bug. The strain(s) of the virus that have been popping up in the United States appears to be a milder version of the more lethal strains that have been found in other countries. Only one patient has required hospitalization, an elderly woman. Everyone else has gotten a nasty flu and recovered. This is the only the 8th case in California and the 40th in the US, so the chances of getting it appear to be quite slim. (Update: 3 positive cases in Fair Oaks, making a total of 10 CA cases as of 4/28)

This is not a deadly superbug. Let’s hope it stays that way.

It is also not spread by eating pigs. Please maintain your normal bacon consumption level.

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