BeatNonStop A Weblog by Chris Macias Bee pop music critic Music geek (n. myü-zik 'gEk) 1: A person who proudly wore KISS commemorative pajamas in third grade. 2: A person who owns multiple copies of the same album, still buys vinyl and has a room dedicated to 2,000 or so CDs and records. 3. A person who wrote a five-part series about traveling with a local band in their stinky van - and loved every minute of it. 4: Chris Macias, the Bee's pop music critic, serving Sacramento's music scene since 1999.

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June 29, 2005

Humpty Hump and Debbie Deb

Whoa, here's a show that almost slipped past our radar. Digital Underground is performing Sunday at Empire, so apply a fake nose and glasses and dust off those "Humpty Dance" steps ("limp to the side like your leg is broken ... it's supposed to look like a fit or a convulsion"). The show starts at 8 p.m. and costs $15 for ages 18-20. $7 for the drinking set.

Next on the nostalgia trip is Debbie Deb with Rob Base on July 15 at Empire. For those who never went to an import car show or dance club in the 1980s, Debbie Deb is a queen of freestyle music who sounds a whole lot like Lisa Lisa. Bet the dance floor to be bum rushed by 30-something dance queens when synthesized bells come over the speakers and Debbie Deb starts singing "When I Hear Music." Coupled with a set by Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock, the dynamic duo behind "It Takes Two," it'll be like 1988 all over again. Doors open at 9 p.m. Call (916) 448-3300 for cover charge info.

Posted by cmacias at 3:24 PM | Comments |

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June 22, 2005

Dig this

Digable Planets is hosting a free "meet and greet" on Thursday at Infusion Cafe (1628 K St.). It's a chance to grab a cup of joe and chill out with the recently reunited hip-hop trio. The festivities run from 7 - 8 p.m., and then Digable Planets will head to Empire nightclub for their show. To quote the Digables, it should be "cool like that."

Posted by cmacias at 2:49 PM | Comments |

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June 20, 2005

And the beat goes on

BeatNonStop is back in the groove after taking a vacation. Glad I took some downtime because the summer concert season is about to kick in high gear. Thursday is Digable Planets at Empire, and Friday is the season’s big Top 40 show: Endfest at Raley Field, with Black Eyed Peas, Good Charlotte, American Hi-Fi, and more favorites from the hit parade. Also coming soon are Vans Warped Tour and Anger Management with Eminem and 50 Cent. Better keep some earplugs and spare $8 for a hot dog and bottled water handy.

Meanwhile, I spent the weekend listening to a bunch of records (yep, that means vinyl) that I bought at the Beat. Purchases included the 12” single for Lighter Shade of Brown’s “Latin Activity,” Madness “One Step Beyond” and a bunch of muscle car rock: Def Leppard “High and Dry,” a Nazareth “greatest hits” album, Foghat “Live” and Kiss’ “Love Gun.” Pass the cowbell …

Posted by cmacias at 12:58 PM | Comments |

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June 13, 2005

BeatNonStop is technically on vacation, but ...

In case you got hit by a rolling blackout, Michael Jackson was acquitted of all charges today. And the King of Pop's current legal woes just moonwalked out the door.

But the court of public opinion is still in session, especially when it comes to the future of Jackson's music career. Can the King of Pop make a comeback?

I say sure, if he makes good music again. The reason that Jackson's music sales have slumped over the years isn't just due to the ugly charges around him and general weirdness of his persona. If you're making music that truly moves people, the general public can be a pretty forgiving bunch.

But quick, name three songs off "Invincible," Jackson's last studio album. Even bought one of Jackson's albums in the last 10 years?

Jackson can spend millions on hiring the best music producers that money can buy, but he'll never have enough to bribe Father Time. Jackson's still a 40-something pop star who'll never dance like he did 25 years ago. MTV wants Justin Timberlake, Usher and Snoop Dogg now.

But Jackson could still have a good album or two inside him. What if he teamed with Quincy Jones, the producer who guided Jackson's best and most beloved work? What if Jackson quit worrying so much about trying to heal the world, and just got funky again like he did in the days of "Don't Stop Till' You Get Enough"?

The problem for the King of Pop is that he'll be forever measured by the success of "Thriller." No matter how good his music may be now, an album that sells more than 40 million copies worldwide is a once in a lifetime kind of deal. Jackson went wrong when he tried to make every album with "Thriller"-like aspirations. That just made everything sound bloated.

If Jackson wants to moonwalk back into disillusioned hearts, he's got to be a living, breathing dancing machine again - not some pixilated, Captain Eo cartoon character. If there's any musical magic left in that shiny glove, now's the time for Jackson to show it.

Posted by cmacias at 5:21 PM | Comments |

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June 6, 2005

Taking a break

It's time to rest my ears and cool down after a month-long run of stories. So BeatNonStop is taking the week off, but don't be surprised to see an occasional post. I'm planning to check out the Ash show on Tuesday at Harlow's and might have a story or two about some record shopping adventures.

Even though the last few weeks have felt like one extended dealine, it's been a fun stretch of stories: Reviews of Snoop Doog, Audioslave, Tesla "unplugged"; a profile of Kris Anaya from an An Angle; and this weekend's Heritage Festival.

One of my favorite stories was a non-music one: A feature about the rise of vintage BMX bikes that ran in Sunday's Bee. Ted Nugent's "Double Live Gonzo" and Blue Oyster Cult's "Some Enchanted Evening" got much play on my turntable while I wrote the piece and tried to tap into the good ol' days of 1979.

Also wanted to make note of "The Ikon Records Story" CD release party at the Press Club yesterday. The place was packed at 4 p.m. with members of Sacramento garage bands from the 1960s, and younger folks who love this musical blast from the past. The highlight of the party was when Gary Baermann, 61, hopped on stage and
sang a tune from his old band, Madd, Inc., with Th' Losin' Streaks. Good times ...

But now it's time to chill. See you at the coda.

Posted by cmacias at 1:25 PM | Comments |

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June 5, 2005

Good morning

Whew, Saturday turned out to be an amazing day for music, and now I'm getting my bearings back with some coffee. French roast, come to papa.

Anyway, I spent all day Saturday at the Heritage Festival and was exposed to much sun and just as much great music. Highlights included Lydia Pense & Cold Blood getting funkier than should humanly be allowed, Th' Losin' Streaks' garage rock hijinks - which included singer Tim Foster jumping in the nearby river at the end of their set - and the guitar heroics during Jackie Greene's set. The downside was that it was allergy hell with all the cottonwood blossoms floating in the breeze.

Later Saturday night, I headed to the Blue Lamp for the Raigambre/Lado Oriente show. Lado Oriente kicked off its set with some wonderful son jarocho music from Mexico, and then went buckwild with the best cumbias you'll hear this side of Colombia. Raigambre got down with its own cumbias and Latin funk, and basically had the capacity crowd going nuts. I just loved this show.

It was definitely a long Saturday, but in a couple hours I'm about to do it all over again. I'm checking out day two of the Heritage Festival, and then I have to jam downtown to finish my Heritage Festival wrap-up story for Monday's Bee. Once I'm done with my deadlines, I'm heading to the Press Club for the "Ikon Records Story" CD release party.

Better pour another cup of coffee.

Posted by cmacias at 8:56 AM | Comments |

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June 3, 2005

Catching up with "Papa J"

Got a call the other day from Jerry "Papa J" Martini. He's the former saxophonist for Sly & the Family Stone, and this member of the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame now lives in Folsom. Sounds like all's been going great for Papa J since I profiled him in September.

Papa J says he's been gigging about 20 times a month now. He plays every Thursday at Pachanga restaurant in Folsom, still rocks with the Stonehouse blues and cover band, and has been sitting in with local guitar ace Aaron King. Papa J also mentioned that'll be off soon for some shows in France with his Sly & the Family Stone tribute band.

Meanwhile, I'm up for a busy weekend of music. I'll be at the Heritage Festival on Saturday and Sunday. And if I'm not too sunburned, I'm planning to check out Raigambre's "welcome back" show on Saturday night at the Blue Lamp. Rock on ...

Posted by cmacias at 2:14 PM | Comments |

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June 1, 2005

Queens rule

Holy power chords, Batman. Last night's Queens of the Stone Age show at Empire rocked pretty darn hard. The band basically played a greatest hits set from its last two albums, "Lullabies to Paralyze" and "Songs For the Deaf," that was about as hypnotic as hard rock gets. The show was sold out and it was really stuffy in Empire, kind of like the temperature inside someone's mouth on a hot day. But this was one of the best small/medium sized shows that I've seen all year. And hopefully it won't take Queens of the Stone Age another five years to return to Sacramento. This show rates five devil-horn salutes (out of five).

Posted by cmacias at 3:06 PM | Comments |

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