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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« September 2006 | | November 2006 »

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October 30, 2006

Let's be Blunt

Just got off the phone with James "You're Beautiful" Blunt, the lothario of soccer moms and adult-contemporary fans everywhere. I'd heard that James could be kind of cagey in interviews - and with quips about soccer moms, who can blame him? - but he was a very cordial and funny guy. He talked about the guitar that accompanied him to Kosovo during his stint in the English army, and how that guitar survived a warzone but not a minor motorbike accident. James also talked about some of his highlights over the last year (think partying after the MTV Video Music Awards), and how he's stretching his 45-minute debut album into a 90-minute concert. He'll be here on Nov. 9 at the Memorial Auditorium.

The above picture was taken in 2005 at the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin. This was a few months before his "Back to Bedlam" album was released in the United States and before "You're Beautiful" was played a zillion times on the radio. I went to that gig at Buffalo Billiards to see the Go! Team, but caught the last couple songs of James' opening set. He was playing "Wisemen" and I remember thinking, "Hmmm, that's a pretty catchy tune." Randy Pench, the Bee photographer who took that shot, really liked James and made sure that we got a picture of him. Maybe he'll be the one to get pictures again when I review James' show.

Posted by cmacias at 4:24 PM | Comments |

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October 27, 2006

Requiem for Tower, Opus 1 (4th movement)

Today's column from the Bee's R.E. Graswich, he of the Hawaiian shirts and fresh scoops, has an item about Tower Records' farewell party for employees. But was the party's music played via CDs or MP3s? Enquiring minds want to know.

Back on 16th and Broadway, the "going out of business" sale continues at Tower. And BeatNonStop continues to receive e-mails from folks who've gone to the sale and come home with plenty of memories and nostalgia with their purchases.

Here's a great letter from Linda Berlin of Sacramento:

I was in Tower Broadway the first weekend the big sale started, feeling like if everyone who was in there buying discount CD’s had patronized the store before…maybe this wouldn’t be happening! (snarl). But what I really wanted to say is the wonderful little lady whose name I do not know, who knows everything about classical music and will take the time to help you has always been my hero. I always thought when I retired from the real-work world I would go to work part time at Tower, and I wanted to be just like HER. She was the best customer service person I have ever met anywhere: enthusiastic, genuine, really knowledgeable and very patient and kind and darn quick too! Many evenings with no money and nothing to do would find me in Tower, browsing and listening to the tunes playing I would never have heard anywhere else. I bought way too many recordings because they were played on that great sound system there, only to get home and be disappointed because part of the joy of Tower was being with a lot of other people who also were singing and dancing in the aisles along with you. Group Dynamics Aerobics at Tower will be no more. The Beat is going to have to try to pick up the slack because there is nothing else like Tower here in this town.

Posted by cmacias at 3:18 PM | Comments |

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October 24, 2006

Feeling Greene

I just wrapped-up a story about Jackie Greene, and by my count, this is the 1,257th time I've written about him. But it's tough to not write about the guy. Just a few years ago he was slugging it out on the local singer-songwriter circuit. And in just a couple of weeks he'll be headlining the Warfield in San Francisco. You see, Jackie's already outgrown the Fillmore, so instead of doing two nights there he's doing one big show at the Warfield.

But the story that runs on Sunday has a different angle. It's about the recent collaborations between Jackie and Chris Webster, the singer for Mumbo Gumbo who releases stunning solo albums. Jackie produced three songs on Webster's upcoming CD and the two are also good for a few duets on the album. It's a partnership that's making for some wonderful music, and you can see the two on Nov. 2 at California State University, Sacramento. Webster will be opening for the Jackie Greene Band, but don't be surprised if Greene takes the stage early to play organ in Webster's group.

Posted by cmacias at 3:39 PM | Comments |

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October 23, 2006

The return of DJ Deus

See the DJ going all wiki-wiki-wiki on the far left? That's Garrett Tsujiuchi, better known in the scratch scene as DJ Deus. This picture was taken a few years back, and not long after this story ran on Sacramento's turntablists, DJ Deus up and retired. He's since spent that time working with computers and raising a family, but DJ Deus is now back in a big way. He dusted off his turntables and records and entered QQuest, a DJ battle sponsored by Pepsi and headed by QBert, one of the kings of scratch DJing. Well our own DJ Deus didn't just shake off any rust - he's now a finalist in the QQuest battle. So BeatNonStop wishes DJ Deus good luck as he practices and prepares for the final round, which will go down on Dec. 9 at Ruby Skye in San Francisco. Here's to a triumphant battle and no needle hops. Go DJ Deus!

Posted by cmacias at 2:04 PM | Comments |

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October 19, 2006

Bargains and bitterness

Did you check the front page story in today's Bee about the Tower Records liquidation sale? It's a sad read for us music fans, that Tower's once mighty stock of merchandise is getting its final pick-overs, and soon it'll all be gone. This going-out-of-business sale does not come with a smile for many of us.

Here's what some BeatNonStop readers had to say in reflecting about Tower:

When I heard that Tower Records was closing, I was overwhelmed with emotions. It was a place where my father was so happy. He loved his music and his movies. Like my father, his children, his grandchildren and great-grandchild all have a love of music. And all have been to, and will miss Tower Records. My father passed away this year. The closing of Tower Records is very sad, but it has brought my family many beautiful memories. And many a happy time for Dad.

- Connie Brainard, Sacramento

I too visited Tower last week, and the mood was somber. The experience was like visiting a dying friend in the hospital. While there I reflected on all of the great music Tower allowed me to find and experience. I grew up in a small town, so our only record store was a family-owned place that was catering to the Top 40 and whatever catalog of recycled hits K-Tel or Ronco was hocking at the time.

When I moved to Sacramento Tower became THE destination for me most weekends. It was an oasis and introduced me to music and people I would not have met anywhere else. I also appreciated Tower's earlier editions of "Pulse." I would pick it up and dig through it for anything interesting --the writing was sharp and the content eclectic. I was rarely disappointed.

My fondest memories are of visiting Tower when certain new releases arrived. I remember the giddy excitement of friends as we watched them open boxes of U2's "Unforgettable Fire" the day it was released --it was like a scene out of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I also remember looking for obscure artists that few other record stores even knew, but yet Tower always had a copy of Blind Willie McTell or The Lime Spiders at the ready.

Clearly, the company made some bad business decisions and customers have ventured elsewhere for their music needs. I'll admit that I still frequented Tower, but found the selection limited over the last five years, and therefore visited less and less often.

I'm sorry to see the business go, but thanks Tower for all the good times.
Thanks Tower Records.

- Ken DaRosa, Sacramento

Posted by cmacias at 12:31 PM | Comments |

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October 18, 2006

Think Pink (and Justin)

We're hearing that Justin Timberlake is going to bring sexy back to SacTown. Look for Justin to headline Arco Arena on Jan. 12, with Pink slated to open this gig. More information to come soon, so just hang tight, all right?

Posted by cmacias at 12:19 PM | Comments |

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October 17, 2006

Two 'fer Tuesday

Is Tuesday becoming the new Friday (or at least the new Thursday)? Just check the going-out options for tonight, which usually doubles as the deadest day of the week. First there’s the Yo La Tengo gig at Harlow’s, a must for the indie-rock inclined. And here’s another reminder that the show will be at Harlow’s (2708 J Street), not Empire as it may say on your ticket.

And have you ever wanted to chill out at The Park (15th and L Streets), but been daunted by the $15-$20 cover charge – not to mention a scene where just about every dude’s wearing $200 True Religion jeans? Now there’s a function held every Tuesday at The Park called True, and it’s free. That’s right, it’ll cost you nada, zilch, and zero dollars, and the bonus part is that there’s no dress code. So bust out your most comfortable thrift-store jeans – heck, wear cutoff Dickies and house slippers if you want – and head on down. Music will be provided by DJ Riff Raff, Tyco & Dusty Brown, D Sharp of the Quannum crew, plus more music and visual artists in the house. What a bargain.

Posted by cmacias at 2:33 PM | Comments |

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October 13, 2006

Xtina alert

Just got word that Christina Aguilera is coming to the Memorial Auditorium on March 9. Stay tuned for ticket information, and perhaps a snippy joke or two.

Posted by cmacias at 3:41 PM | Comments |

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October 11, 2006

And on a related note ...

First came news that the (+44) show at the Boardwalk has been rescheduled for some time in December. And now we have word that the Yo La Tengo show will now be at Harlow's instead of the Empire nightclub. The date remains the same - Oct. 17 - and tickets from Empire will be honored at Harlow's. But the show is now 21-and-up, so the young 'uns out there with tickets will need to get a refund at the place of purchase.

The reason for the venue change? Ticket sales were on the slow side (and maybe that's why they look kind of dour in the above picture). But it sounds like many locals already had tickets to see one of Yo La Tengo's three shows next week at the Fillmore in San Francisco. But if you really want to get close to Yo La Tengo, then the Harlow's show is a must-see.

Posted by cmacias at 2:58 PM | Comments |

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October 10, 2006

Stop the presses

The lead item in today's Coming Distractions" column lists an upcoming date for the (+44) show at the Boardwalk on Oct. 21. But that's all changed with a press release that was sent out this morning. The band, featuring Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus of blink 182, has rescheduled its tour. Barker's arm is broken, and instead of doing the legend-of-the-one-armed-drummer deal, the (+44) tour will now start on Nov. 8. No word on the date of the Boardwalk make-up show, but the press release says that new dates should be announced in the next couple of days.

Posted by cmacias at 1:01 PM | Comments |

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October 9, 2006

Everything must go

It's now sinking in that Tower Records on Broadway – and every other Tower for that matter – is going to be gone soon. Last night I took a trip to Tower to check out the liquidation sale and it was just a big bummer. The banners read “Store Closing” and “Everything Must Go” and people were literally carrying armloads of CDs and rummaging through the CD racks. I was checking out some classical CDs by Arvo Part and Vaughan Williams, and the bargain shopper next to me turned and said, “This is really sad.”

If you’re a native Sacramentan like me, the shuttering of Tower Records is like losing a second home. I can’t think of how many nights I’d spent hanging out and shopping at the store. If a Friday night was on the slow side, a trip to Tower was always a good escape, a chance to get out of the house for a couple of hours and leaf through magazines at Tower Books and dig through the CD bins at the record store. A trip to Tower was even a family outing when I was a kid. My dad (a.k.a. PopsNonStop) would sometimes take a Saturday or Sunday afternoon to load me and my brother in the car and head to 16th and Broadway. My dad would browse the latest Car & Driver magazine at Tower Books and I’d look for a record with whatever lawn mowing money I had.

It’s kind of odd that a retail store can bring out so many memories. But record stores are special. They house the music that becomes the soundtrack of our lives, and it’s sad that more and more of those houses are getting knocked down.

Have any memories of Tower that you’d like to share? Send them to cmacias@sacbee.com.

Posted by cmacias at 11:47 AM | Comments |

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October 5, 2006

"Let the rain come ..."

12:30 a.m. in a parking lot on Martin Luther King Boulevard near 41st Avenue. The air smelled extra crisp, the clouds hung heavy from above. Or maybe the breeze felt fresh because we'd been holed up talking for a while in Tre-8's new studio. It's situated in the back of a clothing store that he's running with a couple of partners, a spot to buy Bape sneakers, Air Jordans and Red Monkey shorts. Back outside, we relished the air and told Chris Rock jokes, and then it was time to head home. The rain pattered down about an hour later and it sounded good, a rhythm that hadn't been around in five months. So much for the songs of summer.

Here's a playlist that's in tune with the changing season:

"Rain," The Beatles (or something by the Beatles tribute band, Rain)
"Walkin' in the Rain With the One I Love," Love Unlimited
"Autumn Leaves," Keith Jarrett (from "Live at the Blue Note")
"Rain," Tones on Tail
"I Love a Rainy Night," Eddie Rabbit
"October," U2
"Cloudbusting," Kate Bush
"Sunshowers," M.I.A.
"So. Central Rain," R.E.M.
"November Rain," Guns N' Roses (play this one next month)

Posted by cmacias at 3:06 PM | Comments |

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October 4, 2006

Tell her about it

Play us a song, you're the piano (wo)man ... Alexa Ray Joel, daughter of Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley, is mining her own musical career. And like her pops, Alexa plays piano and does the singer-songwriter deal. (You can hear samples of her music at www.myspace.com/alexarayjoel). You can catch her for free - and what a bargain that is - on Saturday at the Hard Rock Cafe (545 Downtown Plaza, suite C #103). Doors open at 9 p.m., so grab some Jimi Tenderstix nuggets and kick back. Alexa is scheduled to perform at 10 p.m. For more information: (916) 441-5591.

Posted by cmacias at 3:45 PM | Comments |

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Pickin' and grinnin'

A few posts ago, we posed the question: "What are the all-time greatest guitar solos?" It was inspired a by a list from Guitar One magazine that listed Jimi Hendrix's "Machine Gun" as the greatest guitar solo in the whole wide world of six strings and a fretboard. They didn't say which version of "Machine Gun" made the No. 1 spot, though I have a hunch it was the version from "Live at the Fillmore East."

My personal No. 1 spot goes to Frank Zappa's "Watermelon in Easter Hay." I've always loved the way Zappa can make a guitar solo sound like a glorious composition, not the wanky look-at-how-fast-I-can-play stuff that sounds like an amplified bumblebee. Plus, Zappa had that kind of golden guitar tone that could never be captured in some digital effects box.

A couple of other readers chimed in with their favorite guitar moments. Here's what they said:

From: Eric Porter, West Sacramento

"Situation" Jeff Beck Group
"Since I've Been Loving You" Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page)
"My Old School" Steely Dan (Jeff "Skunk" Baxter)
"Montana" Frank Zappa
"Machine Gun" Jimi Hendrix
"Hotel California" The Eagles (Joe Walsh/Don Felder)
"Friends" Eric Johnson
"Driven To Tears" The Police (Andy Summers)
"Analog Kid" Rush (Alex Lifeson)

"All these solos meet a very strict criteria: No instrumentals (the guitar solo was originally implemented as a break for the vocalist), no live versions, no duets (the two Eagles' guitarists switch off for the initial stretch before playing together) and rock'n'roll songs only (jazz would just be unfair and another list altogether. It also violates the non-instrumental clause)."

From: Jeffrey Callison, Sacramento, host of "Insight" on Capital Public Radio

I'd add Jimi Hendrix's solo in "Hey Joe." So many guitar solos are gratuitous; they're often just there because, well, it's time for a guitar solo. But in "Hey Joe", the solo is the emotional climax of the song. It's like we're listening to Joe go wild, even though the solo itself is beautiful and controlled.

Posted by cmacias at 12:13 PM | Comments |

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October 2, 2006

Appetite for Cancellation

Tonight was supposed to be the Guns 'N Roses concert extravaganza - that is, until Axl Rose and company announced a couple weeks back that the gig's pushed to Jan. 10. Well I could've used a little "Welcome to the Jungle" and a guitar solo right about now, especially after being buried in a story.

But do you think Guns N' Roses will actually make that Jan. 10 show? We all know how Guns N' Roses keep promises: That "Chinese Democracy" album that's a zillion years in the making, and do you remember how Guns N' Roses scrapped its previous American tour.

My guess is that it's 50-50 odds that Guns N' Roses will take the stage in Sac Town, so now ... let the wagering begin!

Posted by cmacias at 2:12 PM | Comments |

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