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Scream Park California

Already a big hit in other cities, Scream Park California has expanded its operations to include Sacramento. The set-up includes three different haunted houses as well as live musical entertainment. Although all ages are welcome, word is this event is graphic and not suitable for wee little ones. That said, Scream Park, which will be open through November 2, is easily one of the best haunted houses in the area for your buck. $20-$40, various times, 4909 Auburn Boulevard, www.screamparkcalifornia.com.
(SN&R)

Sound Advice: Costumes, closing venues and a Sammies alert

Almost Halloween: The Hangtown Halloween Ball returned to El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville last weekend much to the delight of thousands of returnees. The three-day festival, which featured a bevy of bluegrass, jam and boogie woogie bands, completely sold out on Saturday.

Now in its fifth year, Hangtown showcases some of the best regional and national acts around, and creates an environment that feels much like a Grateful Dead parking lot—except in an elaborately decorated fairground setting. Show-goers were mostly dressed in Halloween costumes. There were even two different guys dressed like deviled eggs.

While there was a huge downpour of rain from the first night, that simply meant all of Saturday’s scheduled Main Stage performers before 5 p.m. were relegated into a smaller, standing-room-only, indoor concert hall. Acts like North Lake Tahoe’s Dead Winter Carpenters filled the room to capacity with high-energy sets.

Saturday night also featured Colorado’s Leftover Salmon, a raucous bluegrass band who seemingly always skips the Sacramento Valley on their own tours. The crowd favorite, who had everyone on their feet and dancing, threw down a ferocious set on the Main Stage—even joined by local favorite Joe Craven on violin.

The highlight of the day came from San Francisco’s Brothers Comatose. This finely-honed string group delivered wonderful bluegrass fare replete with gorgeous harmonies, courtesy of bandleaders and brothers Ben and Alex Morrison. The band’s appearance on the much smaller Gallows Stage was packed to the rafters.

The annual event looks like it’s bound for yet another year. Start packing now and plan ahead.

—Eddie Jorgensen

Farewell Marilyn’s: Sacramento must wave goodbye to another live music venue on Saturday, as Marilyn’s on K is closing its doors for good.

The announcement came a couple weeks ago. Linda Swanigan told The Sacramento Bee that attendance had fallen and she had been looking to sell for about a year. A San Diego company will use the location for a bar arcade with old-school games and craft cocktails.

And with a new sports and entertainment arena set to move into the neighborhood in 2016, now seemed like a particularly good time to sell, Swanigan told SN&R.

“Anticipating it would be another two years before the arena is completed and the housing and retail construction will be ongoing, made it easier to consider our lease options for the club,” she wrote in an email.

But for the underground venue, which first opened on 12th and K in 1998 and moved to its current location in 2005, this weekend is an opportunity to revisit the glory days and invite regulars to play one last time.

The big farewell affair is Saturday. Doors open at 11:30 a.m., and the live music may start as early as 1 p.m. At press time, Marilyn’s was still finalizing the lineup.

Among those slated to play: New Orleans-inspired brass collective City of Trees Brass Band, classic rock band Playback the Hits, zombified Black Sabbath tribute band Children of the Grave, funk band Mercy Me!, rockers the Denver J Band and live karaoke band You Front the Band. Plus, a special one-time set with members of the Diva Kings and Cuesta Drive.

The live music will go all night—well, until 1 a.m.—so drop by in the afternoon, leave, return, leave, return, etc. With no cover, there won’t be much fuss at the door.

—Janelle Bitker

Sammies update: Everyone relax, the Sammies—SN&R’s long-running celebration of local musicians—have not gone the way of the 8-track cartridge. Promise.

Over the last few weeks we’ve received many emails and phone calls from readers inquiring about this year’s nominations process and awards ceremony.

After all it’s been nearly a year since the 2013 awards were handed out at Ace of Spades. By that calendar, we should have already been deep into the voting process by this point.

The Sammies are happening—just not next month. Instead, for various logistical reasons, they’ve been pushed to March 2015. Voting will start in January.

We’ll keep you posted here, or check www.newsreview.com/sacramento/sammies for future news.

(SN&R)

Exquisite Corps’ divine interventions

Exquisite Corps releases a new record, hits the road and forges its own path

The very definition of an “exquisite corps” of people, really.
The very definition of an “exquisite corps” of people, really.PHOTO BY JESSE VASQUEZ

Catch Exquisite Corps on Saturday, September 20, at 9 p.m. at Witch Room, 1815 19th Street. Tickets are $8 in advance through Dimple Records; $10 at the door. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/excorpsmusic.

Indie rock is a form of music that knows few boundaries. In an effort to squash any remaining limitations of an undefinable art form, the members of Exquisite Corps have built a band that uses two-part harmonies, haunting melodies and strings with great effect.

Formed in 2011 by guitarist and principal songwriter Bryan Valenzuela, the band launched rather organically as a solo project. Over time, Valenzuela worked new musicians into the fold.

“I was just playing around solo and slowly added other members as they became free,” he said.

However, he soon realized less might have to be more. After expanding into a sextet with two violins, the band found it hard to work around the string section’s schedules and eventually downsized to four members.

The current band comprises Valenzuela on lead vocals and guitar plus Robby Dean on drums and vocals, Nathan Webb on bass, and Adam Rice on organ and keyboards. For local events such as their CD release show Saturday, September 20, at Witch Room, the band will be rejoined by original-member violinists Kristin Arnold and Reylynn Goessling.

Exquisite Corps has done things largely themselves. So far it’s been a successful journey that’s included selling out a show at the Crocker Art Museum and drawing nearly 300 people to its 2012 CD-release show. The band’s new self-released album Vignettes follows that independent path. Recorded with producer Ira Skinner at Alley Avenue Recording Studios in Midtown, Valenzuela said the pairing proved to be a good fit.

“His place has a live tracking room which produces great sounds,” Valenzuela said. “I’ve always thought [Ira] had great drum tones and the timing was perfect.”

As of late, the band plays more dates out of town than in, traveling near and far to the likes of Chico and Nevada City. The latter town’s scene, in particular, Valenzuela says, is one to watch.

“A lot of bands from Nevada City are great, including Mount Whateverest and the Soft Bombs,” he said. “There’s a cool scene there.”

2014 is shaping up to be the group’s best year yet. Following Saturday’s release show, the band will embark on a West Coast tour down to San Diego and then head back up to the Northwest for a show in Seattle.

The band, which currently holds a monthly Thursday-night residency at LowBrau, doesn’t have any big projects lined up—though Valenzuela says they’d love to do another Crocker gig.

In the meantime, Valenzuela will continue working on various endeavors. By day, he’s a full-time artist and says he draws inspiration from his work, which includes setting up exhibits for the Crocker Art Museum and working on public-art projects. Earlier this year, Valenzuela won a Leff-Davis Fund for Visual Artists grant—something he says has been a boon to his work.

“I got a $5,000 grant and it’s helped me keep creating” he said.

Sounds exquisite.

(SN&R)

Israel Vibration proves that slow and steady wins the race

After more than four decades, the members of Israel Vibration sets their own schedule

“Don’t worry, the bus will wait.”
“Don’t worry, the bus will wait.”PHOTO COURTESY OF ISRAEL VIBRATION

Israel Vibration performs on Sunday, August 10, at Assembly Music Hall, located at 1000 K Street. The show begins at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $22. Simple Creation is also on the bill. See www.israel-vibration.com for more on the band.

Reggae fans have almost always been a different type of concertgoer. Not only do they provide the bands they love with an extremely loyal following, they usually show up en masse to concerts expecting a start time other than the one advertised.

Perhaps not coincidentally, the members of roots-reggae bands tend to do everything on their own, slow, and certainly not methodical, schedule.

Take, for example, what it took to even get an interview with Israel Vibration, the Jamaican roots-reggae band set to appear on Sunday, August 10, at Assembly Music Hall: Repeated phone calls and too many unsuccessful emails—and that was just to find a band contact. Finally, however, an interview was arranged and completed. Well, after the scheduled interview time and day was changed several times, that is.

Still, perhaps the band has earned a right to set its own schedule.

The original members of Israel Vibration—Cecil “Skelly” Spence, Lascelle “Wiss” Bulgin and Albert “Apple Gabriel” Craig—all met at an early age while at the Mona Rehabilitation Centre in Jamaica where they received treatment for polio.

Later, they formed a band and have toured and released albums for more than four decades—first as a trio, and later as a duo when, in the late ’90s, Craig left to pursue a solo career.

Spence, now 60, now looks back on that time at the rehabilitation clinic as a positive experience.

“It was a good experience for me. The workers took good care of us, and I got to visit my family in the summertime,” said Spence, his voice giving off a barely discernible Jamaican accent.

Although Israel Vibration’s first recording went awry in 1975 after the band recorded its “Bad Intention” single at the legendary Channel One Studio—the release never saw the light of day—Spence said they learned from the experience.

“We had a disagreement with the label, and we didn’t feel comfortable staying. That’s that,” Spence said.

Eventually, the band made it to RAS Records—home to such reggae greats as the Wailers Band, Yellowman, Black Uhuru and Luciano. There, they released numerous records before joining Mediacom in 2007.

The label switch was necessary, Spence said.

“Let’s just say that over the years, RAS could have done a lot more for us,” he said.

It’s been more than four years since Israel Vibration released an album, but the duo isn’t resting. The band tours regularly—although these days the venues tend to be smaller clubs instead of the big-money festival circuit it once populated.

No problem, Spence said, the vibe is just the same. Well, mostly.

“Sometimes the festivals bring a different energy, but I still think they are both interesting,” Spence said. “However, there is a little more pressure at festival shows. With as many as 15 or 20 acts on a festival, you are competing and need to bring your A game.”

Up next, the band plans to record in September and also continue touring. At some point, Spence said, he and Bulgin would like to bring it all back home with a return to Jamaica.

“I would like to … give something back. I’d like the band to do a free concert if possible at the Mona Rehabilitation Centre,” Spence said.

Expect it to happen—but, as with anything on the band’s schedule, just don’t expect it to happen anytime soon.

(SN&R)

Metal, money and markets

Elk Grove bassist Michael Spencer talks about life with thrash-metal veterans Flotsam and Jetsam

“We look angry and grim, but we’re actually quite jolly. No, really.”
“We look angry and grim, but we’re actually quite jolly. No, really.”PHOTO COURTESY OF FLOTSAM AND JETSAM

Catch Flotsam and Jetsam at 8 p.m. on Friday, July 11, at The Boardwalk, located at 9426 Greenback Lane in Orangevale. Tickets are $18 advance and $20 at the door. Exmortus, Hatchet, Conceived in Chaos and Graveshadow are also on the bill. More about the band is at www.flotsam-and-jetsam.com.

For the better part of two decades, Flotsam and Jetsam has maintained a stronghold in the thrash-metal scene. What started in 1981 isn’t slowing down anytime soon. And while the Arizona-based band’s current lineup boasts just three of its five original members—drummer Kelly David Smith, singer Eric “A.K.” Knutson and guitarist Michael Gilbert—the current incarnation, rounded out by Steve Conley on guitar and Michael Spencer on bass, is its strongest yet.

The band, currently on a West Coast tour that stops at The Boardwalk on Friday, July 11, just rereleased what is arguably its strongest album, 1988’s No Place for Disgrace.

Spencer, who played with the band for a few years in the mid-’80s and rejoined in 2013, now lives in Elk Grove and owns an air-conditioning automation company. He recently chatted with SN&R about the band’s future, the state of the industry and why European touring beats stateside trips.

Most of the band lives in Arizona. Any plans on moving, too?

No. I’m the only California guy in the band. Everyone else in the band are lifelong Arizona boys. What’s been cool with me rejoining Flotsam was within a month after being back in the band, one of my clients based in San Francisco began contracting me to work at one of their largest Phoenix locations. So all my travel to rehearse for tours and record the last album was essentially paid for through my company’s relationship with a client.

How profitable is the touring circuit today as opposed to 20 years ago?

One of the issues with touring today is getting the income from the clubs or the headlining act to make it financially viable for the band. Flotsam, like every other touring band out there, has a minimum [guarantee] that we need to maintain that assures our bills are paid when we’re on the road away from our day jobs. Flotsam has been far more popular in Europe, the [United Kingdom] and Australia than [in the United States], so we may find that the U.S. market isn’t a profitable market for us. It’s definitely a different scene for the band here in the States compared to overseas.

How has the downturn of the record industry affected the band? Do you still receive any royalties from previous albums?

Royalties still come in mostly from Internet plays and iTunes along with CD sales. Being on the road is how a band generates interest and gets CD and merchandise sales. With labels not offering [tour] support any longer, every midlevel band’s strategy has changed.

You left the band and then came back in 2013. Were you in touch with the members during that absence?

I was in touch with Michael Gilbert for a few months after originally leaving the band in 1987 after a short U.K.-Europe tour supporting Megadeth. … Somewhere around 2010, Kelly and I started speaking after I put out a limited run of No Place for Disgrace preproduction CDs.

Will there be a new album this year?

Not with our current touring schedule. It looks like we’ll have a window in August to begin working on the preproduction for a new album. It looks more like a spring 2015 release.

Any plans for after the current tour?

After our European-U.K. festival run next month … we’ll be getting back to the writing process for a couple of months, unless there’s an offer for a support slot for a tour either in Europe or the U.S. We’ve already had a few offers come our way, but we need to make sure it works for us.

(SN&R)

Eight Gigs: Arabrot

Wed., July 8, 7:30 p.m., Starlite Lounge, $10

If any experimental band named after a garbage dump deserves your attention, Norway’s Arabrot certainly fits the bill. After 14 years, the band has released a handful of EP and full-length albums. It recently released yet another EP titled You Bunch of Idiots EP—in conjunction with Fysisk Format and Eolian Records. Fans of Melvins, Shellac, early Swans and even the Birthday Party will enjoy the music found in Ababrot’s gloriously awkward catalog. If you’re new to the band, check out its self-titled release from 2013 and view the breathtaking video fort “Ha-Satan Dêofol” which redefines the experimental metal world. Also on this bill are Dispirit, Lycus and Ghold. 1517 21st Street, www.arabrot.com/imodi.

(SN&R)