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.

BACK TO THE BEATNONSTOP HOME PAGE

« December 2005 | | February 2006 »

---

January 31, 2006

What's confirmed for Coachella

So much for the rumors about the Smiths and Smashing Pumpkins reuniting for the Coachella Festival. The full line-up of this two-day extravaganza near Palm Springs was announced today, and the biggest surprise is that Tool is a headliner. Tool hasn’t performed stateside in three years, and the band’s prog-metal is kind of an odd fit for a festival that focuses on indie-rock and electronic music. Tool did perform at Coachella back in 1999, but the last few years haven’t featured many bands that make people want to mosh.

The festival runs on April 29 – 30 at the Empire Polo Field in Indio. Tickets run $85 per day, or $165 for a weekend pass. Camping is $35 for the weekend. All of this goes on sale Saturday at noon through TicketMaster. For more info.: (916) 649-8497 or www.ticketmaster.com.

Here’s the full line-up for Coachella 2006:

Saturday, April 29
Depeche Mode, Franz Ferdinand, Sigur Rós, Common, Damian Marley, Atmosphere, Carl Cox, My Morning Jacket, Ladytron , Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Tosca, Cat Power, Animal Collective, HARD-Fi, Derrick Carter, Devendra Banhart, She Wants Revenge, The Walkmen, The Juan Maclean, Audio Bullys, Imogen Heap, Lady Sovereign, Deerhoof, The Duke Spirit, Editors, stellastarr, Lyrics Born, Matt Costa, The New Amsterdams, The Zutons, Platinum Piped Pipers, White Rose Movement, Chris Liberator, Colette, Joey Beltram, Hybrid, Wolfmother, The Like, Living Things, Nine Black Alps, The Section Quartet, Infadels, Youth Group, Shy FX & T Power, Infusion.

Sunday, April 30
Tool, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bloc Party, Paul Oakenfold, Scissor Sisters, Matisyahu, James Blunt, TV on the Radio, Sleater-Kinney, Mogwai, Coheed and Cambria, Gnarls Barkley, Coldcut, Phoenix, Digable Planets, Amadou & Mariam, Little Louie Vega, Mylo (DJ Set), Seu Jorge, Wolf Parade, The Go! Team, Kaskade, Metric, Art Brut, Dungen, The Dears, Jamie Lidell, The Magic Numbers, Los Amigos Invisibles, Jazzanova, Michael Mayer, Mates of State, Gilles Peterson, Gabriel & Dresden, The Subways, Minus the Bear, Be Your Own Pet, Giant Drag, Kristina Sky, The Octopus Project.

Posted by cmacias at 3:43 PM | Comments |

---

---

January 27, 2006

Granduddy

It’s a sad day for Northern California’s music scene. According to New Music Express Grandaddy has broken-up. This is the alternative-rock band that rose from its native Modesto to become a worldwide favorite in indie-rock circles. It’s “Sophtware Slump” album from 2001 was a stunning and bittersweet take on alienation in our high-tech society. Grandaddy will evidently release a swan song of an album, but there are no plans to tour.

So here’s to Grandaddy’s odes to fallen robots, disposable technologies and hazy visions of the Central Valley’s landscape. This band will be missed.

Posted by cmacias at 4:33 PM | Comments |

---

PodNonStop 012: Coldplay

Love them or hate them, Chris Martin and Coldplay are one of the top music acts in the world right now, and they're coming to Arco Arena. Chris Macias gives you his take on the band and the show.

Download PodNonStop 012

Stream PodNonStop 012 live

Posted by icahir at 2:27 PM | Comments |

---

---

January 26, 2006

Purple and yellow

Well shoot, while I’m at Arco Arena on Monday night covering Coldplay, Prince will be playing a show with Tamar at the Fillmore in San Francisco. Don’t know much about Tamar, but understand she’s a recent member of Prince’s New Power Generation band, and The Purple One is apparently producing Tamar’s upcoming album as well.

I’d be at the Fillmore faster than you can say “Housequake” had it not been for the Coldplay concert. Even if Prince is just jamming on guitar all night, seeing him in a small venue like the Fillmore would rock harder than the guitar solo in “Let’s Go Crazy.”

Tickets for Tamar and special guest Prince go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through TicketMaster. The price is $31.21, and there’s a two ticket limit per person. For more information: (916) 649-8497 (TicketMaster) or www.ticketmaster.com.

Posted by cmacias at 2:54 PM | Comments |

---

---

January 25, 2006

Talk this way

My main assignment for this morning was a phone interview with Tom Hamilton, bassist for the almighty Aerosmith. The band’s touring to support a recent live CD, “Rockin’ the Joint,” so the conversation centered around life on the concert stage.

With three decades of touring under his rock-star belt, Tom shared some great stories. He reminisced about Aerosmith’s first gig ever (at a high school dance), being pelted with cherry bombs and a size 9 woman’s shoe on stage (that’s how fans in the ‘70s showed their love), and the club gig that resulted in the new album. Look for the story and an accompanying podcast on Sunday, Feb. 5. That’s the day before Aerosmith touches down at Arco Arena. And please, leave the cherry bombs at home for that one.

Posted by cmacias at 2:05 PM | Comments |

---

---

January 24, 2006

Hooray for Junta

I got a call this morning from Charles Twilling who said that his new venue, Junta, will have its debut show on Wednesday. That’s good news for those who’ve been waiting for this all-ages live music club to finally open. It’ll all kick off Wednesday night with No Avail, Don’t Let Go, It’s Like Love and other bands. The gig starts at 8 p.m. and costs $7. Look for the venue at 718 K St., below Bonehead Tattoo.

Upcoming shows include Grand Buffet with DJ Jester the Filipino Fist (Jan. 29), Pigeon John (Feb. 4) and the Revolution Smile (Feb. 25). For more info. Check out Junta’s MySpace page: www.myspace.com/juntalive.

Posted by cmacias at 2:02 PM | Comments |

---

---

January 23, 2006

Manic Monday

Did you know that today is supposed to be the most depressing day of 2006?

So here's a happier-than-thou mix to beat this bluest of Blue Mondays. Boost your serotonin levels with:

"Molly's Lips," Nirvana
"Feelgood by Numbers," The Go! Team
The theme song from "Villa Alegre" (PBS kids' show from the 1970s)
"Rock Steady," Aretha Franklin
"Eye Know," De La Soul
"Como Ves," Ozomatli
"Something Good," Utah Saints
"Express Yourself," Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
"I Can't Stop Smiling," Velocity Girl
"Sunshowers," M.I.A.
"Season Cycle," XTC

Or if you just want to hide in the dark, wallow in this Monday misery with this mix:

"Love Will Tear Us Apart," Joy Division
"A Coral Room," Kate Bush
"The Last Night," Bob Mould
"NYC," Interpol
"Round the Bend," Beck
"Depression," Black Flag
"I Put a Spell on You," Nina Simone
"Don't Fear the Reaper," Blue Oyster Cult
"Answering Machine," The Replacements
"Roads," Portishead
"Love Ridden," Fiona Apple

Posted by cmacias at 1:51 PM | Comments |

---

---

January 19, 2006

Future hitmakers

Does your band rehearse at the House of Hits near Marconi Avenue? If so, drop me a line, and lemme know when you rehearse out there.

Posted by cmacias at 4:27 PM | Comments |

---

---

January 18, 2006

Calling all Coldplay fans (and foes)

Are you hot for Coldplay? Or does the thought of Coldplay make you shiver? We want to hear from those who think Coldplay is the second coming of U2, or if this alternative-rock band is too bland for your taste and tickles your gag reflex. Send your thoughts to: cmacias@sacbee.com and please include your phone number and a hometown so we can contact you.

Posted by cmacias at 11:38 AM | Comments |

---

---

January 17, 2006

Will to power

Saturday night I trucked out to Orangevale for the Will Haven reunion show. I’d been looking forward to this gig for, well, the past three years that the band’s been broken up. This Sacramento band defines all that is heavy, and it’s no wonder that Will Haven has fans around the world who like their music loud, louder and LOUDEST.

I popped into the Boardwalk around 10 p.m., just as Red Tape was getting ready to go on. I’ve been a fan of this band since frontman Jeff Jaworski passed along the “Divebomb” demos a few years back. But this wasn’t their crowd. Red Tape’s set was punchy enough with its punk-metal fusion, but it seemed like the crowd was saving its mosh energy for Will Haven.

Because the crowd went buckwild when Will Haven hit the stage. I settled into my vantage point, right at the edge of the mosh pit and a few rows back from the band. It was perfect. Will Haven rocked with so much passion that you couldn’t help but get sucked into the bombast of this set. If anything, the band seemed recharged after taking a three-year break. Guitarist Jeff Irwin crowd surfed while chugging away on his guitar, and by the look in singer Grady Avenell’s eyes, you could see how stoked he was to be back. Round two of Will Haven is in full effect.

Posted by cmacias at 5:26 PM | Comments |

---

Flip Your Wig

I'm usually not one to feel like a fan boy, but that's how I felt when I interviewed Bob Mould on Monday. His music, whether it be with Husker Du, Sugar or his solo stuff, has always held an important spot in my record collection. Any time I think about what my Top 10 "Desert Island Discs" would be, Husker Du's "Zen Arcade" is always up there. That's an album that helped get me through high school. It was raw, it was progressive, and the storyline has always haunted me over the years.

I can't say that I've followed Bob's solo career as close in the last few years, especially when he put down the guitar and went electronica. But Bob was a great sport on the phone, talking about his new album (“Body of Song”), DJing at his “Blow Off” dance parties in Washington, D.C., and his upcoming acoustic tour which comes to Harlow’s on Feb. 12. (Look for my Bob Mould story on Feb. 10).

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that he’ll play at least a few of these songs at Harlow's:

“I Apologize”
“Celebrated Summer”
“It’s Too Late”
“Classifieds”
“Out of Your Life”
“Makes No Sense at All”
“Could You Be the One?”
“Chartered Trips”
"Flip Your Wig"
His cover of “Eight Miles High”
“Hoover Dam”
“Changes”
“The Way We Act”
“Feeling Better”

Posted by cmacias at 12:53 PM | Comments |

---

---

January 12, 2006

2006 = In the Mix

BeatNonStop is back in biz after some vacation time and being buried in a few obligatory stories. And since 2006 is just under way, here are a few New Year’s resolutions:

- Post more frequently to this bloggy blog
- Give the new Fiona Apple album a second chance
- And change that dorky picture at the top of the blog

If my upcoming workload was set to music, the tempo would be a brisk 130 beats per minute. It’s going to be busy here very soon, what with Coldplay and Aerosmith coming to town at the end of January, and those Grammy Awards not long after that.

My first story of the year runs today, and it’s one that was fun to write. It’s a piece about the reunion of Will Haven, Sacramento’s masters of super-heavy music who are returning from a three-year break. I’ve always dug Will Haven’s balance of bombast with experimental textures, so I even broke from my vacation time to drop by a rehearsal. I was pretty much blown away while I used a 4 x 12 speaker cabinet as a chair while Will Haven cranked through some old tunes and a few new ones. Plan for some serious headbanging mania when Will Haven performs on Saturday night at the Boardwalk.

Other than that, I’m waiting for my next shipment of Baltimore Club (a.k.a. BMore Club) records to arrive from TurntableLab.com. I’m also thinking of dropping by the Blue Lamp on Sunday night for DJ Wokstar’s dancehall reggae party.

Here’s to a sonically stupendous 2006 …

Posted by cmacias at 3:28 PM | Comments |

---