If you’re not into blast beats or heavy-handed guitar riffs, Abyss would rather have you stay home and jerk off to Netflix. This is the sound of an M-80 being shoved down your pants and exploding at groin level. The band recently released its debut record, Heretical Anatomy, on the awesome 20 Buck Spin label. And, as luck would have it, Abyss will grace Sacramento’s Press Club to lay waste to those who like it fast and dirty. Fans of sloppy grindcore bands like Napalm Death, Impaled and Carcass will find great reward on tunes like “Atavistic Decay” and the album’s highlight, “Chained To Extinction.” Also on the bill are Rat Damage, Sexless and xTom Hanx. 2030 P Street, http://aphoticabyss.blogspot.com.
It may seem like an odd cultural juxtaposition but there couldn’t be a better place to hold the Festa Italiana than the magnificent Croatian American Cultural Center. Enjoy wonderful food, let the kids go wild in the piazza and check out myriad offerings at the marketplace. $12, free for children 15 and under; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday at 3730 Auburn Boulevard, http://festaitalianasacramento.com.
August 1, Sacramento Classic Car & Parts Swap Meet
Take it from someone who’s been to this parking lot soiree multiple times: Bring sunscreen, a hat and loads of water. This gathering just outside Sleep Train Arena always seems to land on one of the hottest days of the year but it’s worth a little heat exhaustion. Expect to find lots of vintage cars and parts as well as the kind of miscellaneous stuff found in random garages and warehouses. It’ll be easy to see why the event’s motto is “In Rust We Trust.” 6 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, August 1; $10, children 10 and under are free. Sleep Train Arena, 1 Sports Parkway; www.sacramentoswapmeet.com.
Points North hail from the Bay Area and Sonoma County, but point of origin shouldn’t be an issue. Guitarist Eric Barnett, bassist Uriah Duffy (of re-formed Whitesnake fame) and drummer Kevin Aiello sound as big as another immensely popular Canadian trio who just played their 40th anniversary tour.
Besides opening for guitar heros such as Michael Schenker, Eric Johnson, Al Di Meola and Pat Travers, Points North have become a headliner in these parts. They released their second, self-titled album earlier this year on Magna Carta Records, which, aside from the awesome rocker “Colorblind,” is totally instrumental.
If guitar and bass calisthenics are your thing, melodic ditties like “Child’s Play” and an intricate barnburner like “Ignition” will get you jumping. Like many of their Magna Carta labelmates, the band caters to those who like melodies delivered with technical prowess and just the right amount of power.
Barnett holds his own against any of the aforementioned guitarists he’s opened for, and the rhythm section of Duffy and Aiello decimate the groove. Prepare to lay it down when Points North come to HopMonk Novato on Aug. 1, with openers the Devil in California and Flanelhed. 224 Vintage Way, Novato. 9pm. $10. 415.892.6200.
Earlier this year, Gene Simmons of KISS proclaimed, “Rock is dead,” and a massive backlash ensued. Because of the headlines that failed to address the context of his quote, Simmons was consequently vilified by the media.
On many levels, however, he was completely correct. Bands growing up during these times are getting virtually killed by file sharing and the like, and the model for new acts to grow has been eroded. Sacramento’s Some Fear None, however, have led the charge locally and in neighboring cities to prove Simmons and the many naysayers here dead wrong. Through hard work, perseverance and a lot of sweat and tears, they have shown other striving local acts that a great band can come together and rise above. Furthermore, they are proof positive that people will pay to hear and see quality music when it’s done with heart and gusto.
For the uninitiated, Some Fear None is a hard rock band featuring Nathan Giguiere (vocals/guitar), Charles Carrasco (guitar), Jason Weisker (drums), and Gina Salatino (bass/guitar). And while the current lineup took several years to find its stride, the band is now firing on all cylinders and making one of the most ambitious moves a local band can take: headlining the 900-capacity Ace of Spades.
While the band’s influences are far reaching—they love everything from Deftones to Foo Fighters, Far to Alice in Chains, Tool to Soundgarden, Tremonti to Helmet—their sound is definitely radio-friendly, harmony-driven hard rock fare that would work well in rotation on 98 Rock or any like-minded station across the United States.
Unlike the thousands of Sacramento bands who play far too often, Some Fear None practice the “less is more” mentality and know how to properly set up a local show for maximum effect. As evidenced at their selection of support slots for national acts and, of course, their own headlining shows, their live shows are major events.
Frontman Nathan Giguiere took some time out of his busy schedule to shed some light on the band’s new release To Live and to Die and their pending CD release show on Aug. 1, 2015.
How did you come to join the band? I had never heard your name previous to joining Some Fear None. What’s interesting about me is that I really had no part of the music scene or industry before joining the band. I didn’t even have any music to send them for the audition. I simply said, “Look, I want to do this and, at the very least, trying out for the band is something that is very important to me.” The band advertised on Craigslist for a singer, and I went there to see what was going on in the scene and to be basically be a fly on the wall so I could learn the ins and outs of being with other guys in a band setting. I replied to their return message letting them know that writing was my strong suit and to send me three songs, and I will provide the vocals and lyrics. I guess it worked because here I am. I had no training formally but I sang in my church choir my entire life beforehand.
So when did the band Some Fear None come to fruition? Some Fear None was originally formed in 2010 and played five or six shows. I auditioned in the summer of 2011 after the band had broken up since the bassist and second guitarist had just left. They called me back for what I thought was my second audition and then told me they were breaking up. “We want to be straight with you, we have no band and would love to play with you. If you’re in, all we need to do is find a space, find a bassist and guitarist.” I told them I could play guitar and we immediately started auditioning bassists and eventually found Sean Navine; who played around four shows but soon left due to personal issues. After we parted ways, we decided to let Gina, my sister-in-law and guitar tech, get a shot. She was friends with me for years and was actually a guitarist that knew how to play bass and became even better over time. She’s a monster player and ended up joining the band after filling in for a couple of shows. After she bought her own bass rig, it was obvious she was serious. She joined in November 2011 and has been here since.
What was the band called before that? Snapdraggin. It had two of the members, Chuck and Jason, from Some Fear None. They previously had a singer that didn’t work out for whatever reason. I simply said I didn’t want to hear what he’s done before since I had my own ideas and needed to prove myself. Snapdraggin, believe it or not, was close to being signed but they had a massive falling out which I would rather not go into.
Exactly how long did To Live and to Die take to write and record? It basically took two years. We released Break Fold and Elevate, our first CD in May [2013] and did a CD release show. 98 Rock put us on Local Licks and that eventually helped us land a slot on the Sac Town Rocks show in June 2014 at the Capitol Mall with Tesla and Oleander. We played third of five on the local band stage and had a great response. The new single is called “Wave,” and we’re pushing that right now.
So you’ve been basically living and dying promoting the shit out of this show at Ace of Spades. Why such a big room and why not The Boardwalk or another smaller venue? First off, I need to mention that Eric Rushing [Ace of Spades talent buyer] gave us our big break. What I most respect about him is that he has trusted me ever since we started working together. A couple of years ago Eric said, “You put a good lineup together, and we’ll do it” without really thinking twice. On May 4, 2013, we headlined Ace of Spades and drew over 700 people and definitely proved ourselves worthy of the room. Of course, now we have a new album and the pressure is even greater. However, we’ve been pushing this show for a bit. I work well on deadline and so does my band. Once you have a CD release show on the books, it makes everyone work to get the artwork done, the music produced, and have the show properly promoted.
Is everybody involved in the songwriting process these days or have you taken over? Yeah, everybody contributes, and it’s definitely a group effort. Of course, I write all my own lyrics and tell the stories but the initial songwriting comes from who brings the riffs or songs in. I’ve made a point to remove myself and write lyrics alone after the music is pretty much done. Every lyric I write is the result of how the music makes me feel and is usually about an experience that I’ve personally had. I use the song as the backdrop. We’ve been rather deliberate with the songs we chose for the new record. When we play live these days as well, we have dropped all the earlier songs in the band but one song called “Exit Wound,” which was reworked for greater effect.
Why use an expensive well known name like Howie Weinberg to master your album? Only a year ago I recognized that as amazing as we’d like to think we are, there are a million other bands thinking the same. The only thing separating us from the others was what we put into the album to make it better. We had a band meeting and talked about where the band was at. We then signed a short-term management company contract to have someone help connect us with the right people. The Inner Light Agency suggested Howie and he did our album for only $200 a track. We had no relationships outside of here and had always been the red-headed stepchild in the Sacramento scene that had to earn everything. Simply put, we are the guys who have done our dirty work and it’s been a long, hard road to get where we are.
What are some of your favorite markets to play these days and why? We have tried to trade shows with other bands in other markets, but they have always failed us and not delivered a return show. It’s so much work to set up a trade, and we don’t have the time nor energy to track down bands who owe us a show favor. We need to work on getting out of town. We religiously rehearse two times a week and for every one show in town we play three out of town. With the release of our sophomore album To Live and to Die, we have set our sights on the West Coast and expanding into new markets. These are places where our fanbase is small but notable but there are requests growing to play cities like Phoenix, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle, Spokane, Portland and more. In 2016 we will be focused on the promotion of the new album by heading out on several mini-tours in support of it.
Do you have some outtakes that will be released on a later EP? We recorded 14 songs. Eventually, the plan is to release a single for one of the extras called “Driver” that will have an accompanying video. The new album has 12 songs.
Is your end goal to get a record deal or is the band simply concentrating on building a fanbase? A little of both. We’ve had a couple of indie label offers but my end goal is not to be signed. We’re not desperate to find anyone yet. We are constantly looking to diversify our portfolio and get ourselves seen by as many people as possible. The moment of musical euphoria is just as important to the audience member as it is to us and music is our vehicle to help deliver it.
See Some Fear None celebrate their new CD To Live and Die on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2015, at Ace Of Spades in Sacramento. Also on the bill are Black Map, Sages, Control and Heat of Damage. Tickets are $12 in advance and can be purchased at Aceofspadessac.com. For more info on Some Fear None, visit Facebook.com/somefearnone.
Elvin Bishop has been playing music professionally for more than 50 years. The 72-year-old blues/rock guitarist/songwriter got his start in 1963 playing with famed harmonica player/bandleader Paul Butterfield; he scored a top-10 hit (“Fooled Around and Fell in Love”) in 1976 and he’s continued to record and tour regularly ever since. This past spring, Bishop was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of Butterfield’s band, and his latest album, 2014’s Can’t Even Do Wrong Right—a gritty collection of workingman’s roadhouse blues mixed with lively R&B—won best album at the 2015 Blues Music Awards. (Bishop also took home Best Song for the title track, and—with his group—Best Band.)
The CN&R caught up with the busy musician to discuss his life of music as he prepared to visit Oroville with his band for tonight’s show at Feather Falls Casino Brewing Co.
Are you working on a follow-up forCan’t Even Do Wrong Right?
I’m sort of in the process of writing tunes for the next one. Basically, when the songs come, I start writing. I don’t really have a process for it. Most of my songs are written in the studio. I try not to limit myself unnecessarily but in the end it’s sort of my goal to do things this way.
How many shows are you and the band playing these days?
We fly out and play just about every weekend, and this schedule is really working for us. We’re doing Edmonton’s Blues Festival and another in Canada [the Summertime Blues Fest] in addition to playing around the Bay Area. We’re even playing a festival in Poland [Rawa Blues] in October. If the money’s right, we do it. These days I take the gigs that can take care of the band.
Do you think you could you make a living simply by licensing “Fooled Around and Fell In Love”?
Pretty much. The one smart thing I did was hold on to my own publishing at an early age. You know, record labels traditionally would collect your publishing money, then give a portion to the publishing house, and then it would finally go to you. It always just seemed like just one more way to get screwed, and I wasn’t having none of that. I’ve been writing songs for over 50 years and my mailbox is usually pretty full because of it.
Any advice for the newer artists who are just starting to release records and tour?
Truthfully, I feel sorry for the young guys coming up. These record labels want a piece of everything you make, from merchandise to publishing to whatever else they can get. There aren’t nearly the amount of clubs around as when I started playing out. I’d say just keep playing wherever and whenever you can.
There’s often a negative stereotype attached to bands that play casino gigs, but those venues usually pay better and draw a bigger crowd. How do you feel about that stigma?
I don’t give a fuck. I’ll play any damn where we can get our foot in the door as long as the checks clear. I know what I’m supposed to be doing and know how to do it. Of course, it’s a little more fun playing for people in a small club since they’re right in front of you, but really the venue I play doesn’t matter so much. I’ve got a great band behind me, including Ed Earley [trombone/percussion], who’s been with me for over 25 years, and it’s one of the best feelings in life to play out live.
With such a huge catalog of music, how do you go about choosing a set list?
I really follow the crowd these days and react to the situation. You want people to hear enough of the new ones, but then they get upset they haven’t heard enough of the old ones. Then you get the folks who hear the old ones and tell their friends that “Elvin played the same ol’ shit again.” Sometimes you can’t win. You really just want to get up on stage and nail that shit and leave ’em wanting more. I think we do a good job of that.
Mon., July 27, 8 p.m., Cafe Colonial, donations requested
“Profound Sound was burglarized on June 1and there are expenses that must be paid for our customers’ stolen equipment,” says Joey Cline, owner of music-gear shop Profound Sound Midtown. “We know stuff is just stuff, but it was other people’s stuff that was stolen that we are concerned about and want to pay for.” Thankfully, local musician Charles Albright (pictured) has lined up a benefit show to help raise funds for the stolen gear, says Cline. “He has pulled together a homogeneous mix of talent all putting out some effort for Profound Sound Midtown and we really appreciate it!” Charles Albright, Cross Class, Death Rogen, Shut Up Stupid and Elder Youth perform. 3520 Stockton Boulevard, www.facebook.com/ charlesalbrightcharlesalbright.
Wed., July 29, 8 p.m., Center for the Arts, $37-$47
Although most folks know Sir Todd Rundgren for “Hello, It’s Me” and nothing more, there are legions of fans who have followed this ever-changing artist into whatever musical territory he chooses. Rundgren is now 67 years old and still releases new records; his fabulous 25th studio album, Global, came out in early April 2015. To say Rundgren is ambitious on the live front would be an understatement since he delivers with remarkable ease whether playing solo or with a full live band. If you’ve never experienced him live, be prepared for a varied set list that is sure to please both die-hard fans and newbies alike. 314 West Main Street in Grass Valley, www.facebook.com/toddrundgren.
This ongoing series presented by the city of Roseville draws thousands to roam Vernon Street and check out classic cars. There are many vendors, activities for kids, a beer garden and more food than would be expected during a weeknight soiree. Bring money for eats and drinks. Free, 5 p.m. at the corner of Vernon and South Grant streets in Roseville, www.downtownroseville.com.
This year’s festival will feature seven Japanese films over the course of three days. If you’re looking for a respite from the heat and would love to enjoy some fine Japanese films, this year’s lineup wins above anything else this weekend. On the menu are Like Father, Like Son; I Was Born, But …; The Tale of The Princess Kaguya; Pecoross’ Mother and Her Days and Unforgiven to name but a few. $10 per screening, various times at the Crest Theatre, 1013 K Street; www.sacjapanesefilmfestival.net.
Eddie
