Music fit for a Kings fan?:
Who is this AL3 deejay that the Sacramento Kings hired to spin at home games?
AL3 never train-wrecked last Monday, but he killed the crowd’s vibe more than once, his ultimate buzzkill never more abrasive than when he busted out an “Eye of the Tiger” remix during a timeout in the third quarter. The Kings were rallying on the comeback trail, but his cheese put fans on their butts. And then AL3 started hooting into the microphone. Try again, hype man.
As it turns out, AL3 is the “official deejay of the UFC,” or Ultimate Fighting Championship, providing soulless soundtracks to sweaty men grappling on mats—which he may excel at (who knows?). But outside the octagon he’s just another bad Las Vegas poolside-deejay type blasting banal mash-ups.
I attend the Kings’ season home opener every year, so I’ve come to expect less-than-adventurous musical offerings at games. For instance, each year the Maloofs have new songs boom over the PA while the announcer introduces the starting lineup. This year, one of the songs was by Muse.
Sigh. I get that post-Neanderthal, Radiohead-meets-cokehead rock is popular. But can we scratch the ax grind for just one year—last year’s intro song was Rob Zombie—and get some beats bumping for a change?
Suggestions: Eliminate all dance tracks that feature the lyrics “choo-choo.” Keep Van Halen’s “Panama,” but use it sparingly, such as when Hassan Whiteside hits a 3-pointer. And straight-up ban “Enter Sandman” from the fourth quarter; the crowd wants to get pumped, not pass out on 1991-era MTV metal NyQuil equivalent.
Oh, and Kings dancers: That show-tunes “Locomotion” remix dance number, not so hot. If I wanted generic boogie and blast of psychoactive Kylie Minogue, I’d go to Rite Aid, where I can groove to “She Bangs” on their intercom and refill my Provigil scrip.
Still, go Kings! (Nick Miller)
Impending doom or head change?:
If you like the Mars Volta, then dig Free Moral Agents, where bandleader Isaiah “Ikey” Owens replicates the mothership’s penchant for watery grooves and intonations, but (mostly) without the buzz-saw guitar solos. The only problem is the band sometimes gets too absorbed in DayGlo frippery and vocalist’s Mendee Ichikawa’s drone. At best, though, Free Moral Agents maintain a sense of dread and impending doom—or is that the psychedelics kicking in? The Long Beach group heads to Sacramento in support of the just-released Control This, which encompasses all of the qualities described herein. Get to the show early and witness rapper 2Mex, who just released the aptly titled My Fanbase Will Destroy You.
Also playing with Free Moral Agents is Aquifer, Wednesday, November 10, at Sol Collective, 2574 21st Street; 8 p.m.; $8. (Mosi Reeves)
Shenanigans?:
Another hip-hop friendly venue goes kaput. This time, it’s Image VIP Lounge, at J and Seventh streets, which is now Shenanigans, a live-music venue and sports-themed bar. They’ve got a calendar of upcoming gigs on their site at www.jstreetshenanigans.com; local reggae-rock troupe Arden Park Roots plays on November 24, just in time for some pre-Thanksgiving wings. Mmm. (N.M.)
More than nothing:
Desert Noises are a Utah-based trio hailing from both Orem and Provo. And while origin shouldn’t be a point of issue, one listen to the electronically-tinged “New Man” or the sleepy vibe of “Blue Skies” is proof positive that their fine state does have something to offer other than massive expanses of nothingness. Their current West Coast tour takes them to all of the familiar haunts that have the good sense to hire them. If you’re a fan of laid-back fare a la Low, the Mercury Project, or shoegazer pop, their upcoming show with tour mates, Parlor Hawk, and local Doofy Doo should be a no-brainer.
Desert Noises plays Monday, November 8, at Luigi’s Fun Garden, 1050 20th Street; 8 p.m.; $5; www.myspace.com/thedesertnoises. (Eddie Jorgensen)
(SN&R)