There are some quality acts from Reno, Nev. While the scene changed drastically from the ’90s era where seemingly every club thrived, Cobra Skulls is proof positive that a DIY ethos and solid songs are all you need. It’s about crisscrossing the United States playing small rooms like Luigi’s Fun Garden and spreading love for unabashed punk and rockabilly. For the better part of six years, the Skulls have released a handful of records, toured with various headliners and even signed with Fat Wreck Chords. Grab a leather jacket, a slice and a beer. It’s going to be sweaty.1050 20th Street, www.cobraskulls.com.
If you’re planning on catching one of Southern California’s greatest proponents of both Irish music and rock, you best show up early. For some ungodly reason, the Young Dubliners are opening (yes, opening) for cover band Superlicious. One would think that the band’s years of touring experience would make them a veritable headliner in any town by default. However, given the economic downturn that has greatly affected the live-entertainment sector, it’s no surprise that these billing fiascoes happen. While their most recent output is 2009’s Saints and Sinners, the band is anything but idle. 614 Sutter Street in Folsom, www.youngdubliners.com. (SN&R)
There are few guitar-based double-bills that can rival the pairing of John Scofield and Bill Frisell (pictured). While both guitarists have great bodies of work, it’s the juxtaposing of their styles that’ll make for one helluva spectacle. Frisell’s straddles the mellow yet contemplative side of the musical spectrum while Scofield’s output showcases him as the forerunner of fret board calisthenics. This is one event that’ll draw a crowd of listeners, guitar students and teachers alike. If you haven’t heard either artist, pick up Ghost Town or Nashville by Frisell, and simply anything by Scofield. 1 Shields Avenue in Davis, www.billfrisell.com, www.johnscofield.com. (SN&R)
Through sheer determination, sweat and a whole lot of road miles under their belt, Southern California’s Aggrolites are a DIY success story. One listen to “Free Time” or any of the band’s signature tunes is proof that this isn’t just another Sublime-esque throwaway. Hearkening back to the sound of the Trojan Records ska/reggae label, this is one band who manages to meld the old with the new. It’s doing some one-offs around California with Social Distortion and has already moved up to headliner status at Harlow’s. If you’re looking for solid, working-class reggae, this band delivers. 2708 J Street, www.aggroreggae.com.
During its short-lived heyday, White Zombie’s No. 1 DMA—that’s record-distribution lingo to describe what markets artists were selling or performing well in—was Sacramento. For those who witnessed the double bill with Pantera back in July of 1996, it’s no secret that Rob Zombie had fans in the Valley. Rob’s touring cavalcade of horror, shock and awe will play the intimate Ace of Spades, formerly dubbed Venue for a short while, and previously Empire. Horror movies and over-the-top stage show aside, Rob Zombie’s immense body of musical works are worth the ticket price alone. 1417 R Street, www.robzombie.com. (SN&R)
For more than 22 years, Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys have been dishing out heaping portions of country, swing and just about anything else in between. For the uninitiated, this touring troupe not only looks like a vintage act, they also play well-worn gear that lends to the band’s authentic sound. Although seemingly relegated to smaller capacity venues, this group has earned many accolades during its storied career. If you’ve yearned for a place and time to don that ’50s-era dress or to simply put that old hat to good use, simply pack up the car and head to the hills (Grass Valley, that is) this weekend. 314 West Main Street in Grass Valley, www.bigsandy.net. (SN&R)
Come early for the awesome French dip sandwich, stay for the punk onslaught. Folks looking to hear some local or national punk rock need to visit this L Street staple. Although seemingly off the radar for quite some time, this eatery/live-music venue has survived the economic crisis in Sacramento by sticking to the genre they do best. If you’re a fan of sloppy punk rock done with gusto, this four-piece delivers. They’re rounding out a five-band bill which also features Get Shot!, Dead Panic, Machine City and Zero for Zero. Cheap drinks and a cheap cover. What more do you need? 2107 L Street, www.myspace.com/thelefthandband.
2010 ends this week and, for those of us who actually still listen to (and purchase) new music, this has been an exceptionally good year. Barring all the recent data that physical sales of music are fast coming to an altogether disastrous and timely death, there are those who have the foresight and wherewithal to look beyond their local radio station to satiate their musical appetite.
I’ve taken it upon myself to ask various members of the musical community—from band members to talent buyers, industry folk to local legends—what releases or individual songs hit them the hardest this year. This by no means is an all-encompassing map of the entire scene’s tastes. But, at the very least, it’s a litmus test with some results one might never expect. Without further ado, let’s see what some of Sacramento’s finest, in alphabetical order, think of this year’s crop of music.
Random Abiladeze, artist
Who Cares, Teenage Ego Trip Macklemore, The Language of My World Black Star, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star Bilal, 1st Born Second
David Watts Barton, Sacramento Press
Girl Talk, All Day The Black Keys, Brothers The Arcade Fire, The Suburbs
Sam Coe, musician
Grinderman, Grinderman 2 Beach House, Teen Dream Sea of Bees, Songs for the Ravens
DJ CrookOne
Black Milk, Album of the Year Gangrene, Gutter Water Chico Mann, Analog Drift Flying Lotus, Cosmogramma
Marty DeAnda, owner, Dig Music
Kevin Seconds, Good Luck Buttons Jackie Greene, Till the Light Comes The Mother Hips, Pacific Dust
Kevin Dockter, musician
Rufus Wainwright, All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu Autolux, Transit Transit Yann Tiersen, Dust Lane
Rick Ele, KDVS
Tyvek, Nothing Fits The Whines, Hell to Play Drunkdriver, self-titled
Derek Fieth, Pets
The Black Angels, Phosphene Dream Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Beat the Devil’s Tattoo Crocodiles, Sleep Forever
Ross Hammond, musician
Peter Gabriel, Scratch My Back Zach Hill, “The Primitives Talk” Phillip Greenlief, Lines Combined
Laurence Herman, engineer, Electron Pro Audio
The Books, The Way Out Voivod, Infini
Sarah Huang, manager, The Beat
The Black Keys, Brothers The National, High Violet Beach House, Teen Dream
Ryan Lindow, producer
Shed, The Traveller Scuba, Triangulation Janelle Monae, The ArchAndroid
Terra Lopez, Sister Crayon
Flying Lotus, Cosmogramma Warpaint, The Fool Baths, Cerulean
Marc Malakie, promoter, curator
La Plebe, Brazo en Brazo Killing Joke, Absolute Dissent Disappears, Lux
Nick Miller, SN&R
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Before Today F, Energy Distortion Shad, TSOL Honorable mention: Antoine Dodson, “Bed Intruder”
Robby Moncrieff, producer
How to Dress Well, Love Remains Mayer Hawthorne, I Need You 12-inch single Appetite, Scattered Smothered Covered Pregnant, “Uphill Divination”
Dave Park, CEO, Recombinant
Cee Lo Green, “Fuck You” Broken Bells, “The High Road” LCD Soundsystem, “Drunk Girls” (song and video) Honorable mention: The Black Keys, Brothers
Barry Prickett, Portmeirion
Girl Talk, All Day Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy LCD Soundsystem, This Is Happening
Evan Schneider, Tha Fruitbat
Meat Beat Manifesto, Answers Come in Dreams Opiou, Slurp and Giggle Bassnectar, Wildstyle EP
Doom Bird, DoomBird Sea of Bees, Songs for the Ravens Musical Charis, People, People
Danny Secretion, the Secretions
The Queers, Back to the Basement Bastards of Young, California Redemption Semi-Evolved Simians, End Holocene
Shaun Slaughter, deejay, producer
Favorite dance release: Azari & III, “Into the Night” Favorite indie-rock release: El Guincho, Pop Negro
Jae Synth, producer
DLRN, The Bridge Wacka Flocka Flame, Flockaveli Taylor Swift, Speak Now
Adam Whitley, the New Plague
Triptykon, Eparistera Daimones Dio, At Donington UK: Live 1983 & 1987 Forbidden, Omega Wave
Sherman Baker, Musician
Doom Bird, DoomBird Portugal. The Man, American Ghetto Dusty Brown, This City Is Killing Me
Paul Wilbur, manager, Armadillo Records
Gaslight Anthem, American Slang Inquisition, Into the Infernal Regions of the Ancient Cult (reissue)
Dennis Yudt, writer, musician
High Wolf, Ascension Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra, Kollaps Tradixionales Pan Sonic, Gravitoni
And while the glut of new releases that clog up the music pipeline continue to be force-fed down our throats (by major labels and independents alike), there are still viable releases coming out with each successive year. Upon further inspection, 2010 has not been any worse (nor any greater) than the previous years. Visit your local library if you want to check out new music, or make the effort to keep up with your favorite labels or artists.
Finally, in case you’re wondering, my favorite records of the year were, in no particular order: Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra, Kollaps Tradixionales; The Books, The Way Out; Joanna Newsom, Have One on Me; and honorable mention for Bonnie “Prince” Billy & the Cairo Gang’s The Wonder Show of the World.
Now go figure out your own list and buy an album or two, damn it! (SN&R)
Certainly not your typical ska band, the Slackers exude a great reverence for reggae, jazz and even dub classics. For the better part of nearly 20 years, this group has been anything but sedentary and, more importantly, have worked in defiance of their self-imposed moniker. Although their last release, The Great Rocksteady Swindle, came out in April earlier this year, expect the band to play newer material as well as classics from their earlier Hellcat Records output. Currently a six-piece ensemble led by the multitalented Vic Ruggiero (vocals and keyboards), this is one post-New Year’s show worth slotting into your Outlook calendar. 2708 J Street, www.theslackers.com. (SN&R)
Larry Rodriguez has a special place in my heart. A week after my father passed away (two years ago, mind you), I went to Old Ironsides to clear my head and be around some close friends. Rodriguez was spinning that night and floored me with the incredible depth of his repertoire. Unlike other deejays who don’t frequent record shops and rarely spin the oddball tune, Rodriguez is one of the few I recommend to this day. Looking for some vintage soul? Brazilian fare? Joe Bataan, anyone? If so, he’ll be hosting a New Year’s Eve soiree at the Fox & Goose. For $5, you can’t do much better. 1001 R Street.
Eddie
