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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April 30, 2007

Moz rewind

Right now I'm listening to "Everyday Is Like Sunday" and reliving Friday's Morrissey show in my head. My full review of this gig at Stockton's Bob Hope Theatre is here, but here's the quick 'n easy version: Morrissey = good; stage jumpers = bad. A buddy of mine also saw Morrissey last night at John Ascuaga’s Nugget, and said the set list was virtually the same, except he also sang “Girlfriend in a Coma.” Maybe that's the song Morrissey was getting to in Stockton before that knucklehead stage jumper caused Morrissey to cut the set short. BTW, sounds like nobody successfully jumped on stage last night at the Nugget. I'm sure Morrissey was relieved.

I hadn't seen a show in Stockton in a while. Last time I was in the “sunrise seaport” of the Central Valley was a few years ago to see Third Eye Blind at the Fox Theatre (which is now called the Bob Hope Theatre). The theater looks really wonderful and ornate, like our own Crest Theatre, but about twice the size. But I still think the Bob Hope Theatre has mushy acoustics, and my concert buddies from Friday all agreed. But here’s one of the best parts about Friday's concertgoing: free parking! Yep, one of the garages near the theater offered free parking (e.g. something that's just not going to happen here in Sac.). I expected parking to be much more hectic in Stockton because street parking is limited, and the nearby Asparagus Festival was drawing extra traffic downtown. But parking was all good in this Stockton 'hood, and for that, many of us who commuted from Sac are thankful. Yay Stockton!

Posted by cmacias at 11:47 AM | Comments |

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April 27, 2007

Stop hatin', start participatin'

Turn on those computer speakers and check out this week's "Sunday Single": "Let the Hate in (I Won't)" by the local songwriter Lee Bob Watson. The tune is a plea for everyone to chill out with knee-jerk rhetoric and bad vibes, and just soak up some good 'ol rock 'n' roll with a Gospel twist. You can read more about Watson and the song in today's Ticket+ section.

Click on the button below to hear "Let the Hate in (I Won't)." Don't you think Watson sounds like John Lennon here?

On the Web: www.myspace.com/leebobmusic

Posted by cmacias at 8:57 AM | Comments |

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April 26, 2007

Shadow dancing

Darnit, I missed the Elvis resurrection on “American Idol” last night, but did catch DJ Shadow’s show at Empire. The gig was on the early side: Shadow’s 90 min. set wrapped up just before 10 p.m., just in time to make way for Empire’s “college night” to take over the club. Speaking of college, Shadow bantered a few times about his days at UC Davis and waxed about some of his old Sacramento area stomping grounds. In one bit, he remembered when the Arden Fair mall was a one-story deal, and how he went to see “Batman” there. Bette Vasquez from KCRA Ch. 3, was filming a segment outside the theater and tried to get a soundbite from Shadow. The future DJ superstar mumbled about trying to find his jacket, or something, and Vasquez scurried off to interview someone else.

Back to the music … Shadow opened with “Building Steam
With a Grain of Salt,” one of the opening salvos from his great “Endtroducing” album. The stage was lined with a bunch of turntables (for triggering a Serato set-up on his laptop) and an MPC sequencer to construct the songs. Shadow’s set covered tracks from throughout his career, including “Three Freaks” from his latest album, “The Outsider.” Some of Shadow’s fans have been hating on “The Outsider,” which may explain the half-capacity crowd last night. “The Outsider” is heavy on “hyphy” hip-hop, and more straightforward in its thump than the splice-and-dice tracks that Shadow’s known for. Me? I really dig Shadow’s hyphy tracks. They’re built with tons of boom and a wilding-out feel that’s not usually seen in Shadow’s music. They’re the rare DJ Shadow tracks that you can really dance to, and it was a trip to see a couple of raver-hippie types doing their own, shall we say, interpretative dancing to “3 Freaks.”

Shadow also mixed together a really cool bit toward the end of his set, but don’t know what the song was called. It was an upbeat track in the '80s electro-funk vein, and the whole set ended with “Midnight in a Perfect World” from “Endtroducing.” Shadow also mentioned that he hadn’t played Sacramento in eight years, and hopefully it won’t take that long for him to come back. And hopefully a few more people will come out next time around.

Posted by cmacias at 1:53 PM | Comments |

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April 24, 2007

Sorry, couldn't resist

If Sanjaya getting kicked off "American Idol" wasn't a feel-good moment for most of us, the warm fuzzies continue with "Idol Gives back." Tonight's "American Idol" contestants will sing "life anthem" songs as part of the "Idol Gives Back" theme. It's a two-night special that doubles as a charity for children in the U.S.A. and Africa. Will everyone join hands for a singalong of "We Are the World" or "We're All in the Same Gang?" Guess you'll have to tune in and find out.

Now, my colleague Rick Kushman pleads for us to hold the cynicism in his latest column. Rickster, you're my buddy and all, but I just can't resist:

"American Idol" wants to save the world? Shoot, they couldn't even save us from William Hung!

Anyway, for a full recap of tonight's golden-hearted edition of "American Idol," check "Idol Chatter." It's a blog by Leigh Grogan, The Bee's resident "Idol" addict.

p.s. William Hung held charity sales of his album in Asia following the 2004 tsunami. And you know that grief-stricken families were comforted by Hung's pitch-deaf version of "She Bangs."

Posted by cmacias at 1:38 PM | Comments |

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April 23, 2007

Is SacMag afraid of hip-hop?

Have any of you seen the new issue of Sacramento Magazine? Well, they’ve got a guide to the local music scene and spotlight a bunch of local bands - it was good to see Ghosts of California and Two Sheds get some SacMag love – and profile such movers and shakers as promoter Jerry Perry and Mitchell Koulouris of Digital Music Group, Inc.

But here’s what was sorely missing: attention to local hip-hop. The intro. to the local music package pays lip service to rap music, but doesn’t profile anyone from Sacramento’s hip-hop scene. Diss!

Now we don’t expect T-Nutty to be feasting with the Dining Divas anytime soon – or Hoshall’s Salon doing Brotha Lynch Hung’s braids – but passing over the rap scene is, shall we say, wick-wick wack. Such local rappers as Brotha Lynch and C-Bo have each sold upwards of 2 million albums. That’s more than all the artists combined on SacMag’s roll call of the music scene. And then you’ve got super-producer Rick Rock, who lives near Arco Arena and has crafted beats for the likes of Jay-Z, Tupac Shakur and Busta Rhymes. Now I understand that these guys aren’t the easiest to get a hold of, and may be a little rugged for SacMag’s target readership. A picture of G-Macc from 24th St. sharing page space with an ad for Shari's Berries would be, uhm, interesting. But if there was concern about finding local rappers who were easier to digest while reading at the dentist’s office, well SacMag’s writers wouldn’t have to look very far. Mr. P Chill, Addict Merchants and Another Rap Group are three positive-minded outfits that quickly come to mind.

And no mention of the internationally acclaimed hip-hop scene that sprung from University of California, Davis, in the 1990s? That would be Blackalicious, Lyrics Born and DJ Shadow (shameless plug: but you can read about him here).

Oh yeah, and Jackie Greene lives in San Francisco now and doesn’t really qualify as a local musician anymore. But SacMag still made him the poster-boy of the feature. Guess it’s OK to get SacMag love if you live out of the 916 area code – just don’t be down with that hip-hop.

Posted by cmacias at 2:18 PM | Comments |

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April 20, 2007

Sing us a song, you're the piano man

Lots of piano-led pop has come our way since "Sunday Single" was launched in February. And this week’s edition is no exception. It's a song called "Not Much Here" by Phil Putnam, whom you might fancy as Sacramento’s own version of Ben Folds. Putnam's music is influenced by Folds and other pianist-songwriters, including Tori Amos and Elton John. But Putnam sounds good on his own, with a quirky keyboard line in "Not Much Here" and storyteller lyrics.

"I tend to think in terms of cities when I write, and I had L.A. on the brain when I wrote 'Not Much Here,'" says Putnam. "'Not Much Here' is from that moment when you realize there's nothing more to gain from where you’re at. It's about finding where you fit, where you don't, and feeling free and strong with the fact that when you know you are, you belong everywhere."

To hear "Not Much Here," click on the button below.

On the Web: www.philputnam.com

Posted by cmacias at 9:39 AM | Comments |

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April 18, 2007

You can't handle the truth!

Sorry for the lack of recent BeatNonStop activity, but I was sucked into the civic service vortex known as jury duty. And though I wasn’t sworn in as a juror, and didn’t get a chance to recite Jack Nicholson’s rants from “A Few Good Men” in front of a packed courtroom, well I did have lots of fun. How much fun? Let's see, I got to stare at a hallway full of metal chairs for the better part of three days. And I got to enjoy the adventure of looking for a spot in the jury parking lot. Oh, and I did just about finish “Triksta: Life and Death in New Orleans Rap” by Nik Cohn. It’s an ego-filled journey through New Orleans’ “bounce” scene, with cameos from such Big Easy rappers as Choppa and the great DJ Jubilee. Cohn drops the “n” word way too casually in this book, especially for a native of Ireland who’s good for Denny’s senior discount. But Cohn does know how to turn a phrase, and his immersion in a New Orleans hip-hop scene that doesn’t normally welcome outsiders showed serious guts.

Anyway, I’ve been catching up on work, including a story coming Friday on the recently reunited Kai Kln. And I just filed my profile on the elusive DJ Shadow, which runs in the Ticket+ section on Sunday. I’d been trying to interview DJ Shadow since I started this music critic gig back in 1999, but could never seem to get through. But the day finally came, and DJ Shadow was a great talker. I might end up running some of more of his quotes on this blog once the story runs.

Speaking of DJs and producers, I just got wind of a new function on Wednesday nights at Sol Collective (2010 Del Paso Blvd.). “Beat Therapy” is a chance for local producers to play some of their tracks and get feedback from an audience. Producers are also welcome to bring MCs and live musicians to flush-out their songs. All genres of music are welcome. For more information: www.myspace.com/beattherapy916.

Posted by cmacias at 3:37 PM | Comments |

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April 16, 2007

Hold the Don Imus jokes, please

And now a tip of the stemware to Don Ho, Mr. "Tiny Bubbles" and the Hawaiian music star, who died Sunday at age 76. He entertained generations of Hawaiians and buzzed tourists, many of whom went home with a snapshot of Ho serenading the table with "Tiny Bubbles." So pour a glass of Korbel or a late-1980s vintage of Krug, if you're a high roller like that. And then click on the YouTube video above to see a slideshow about Mr. Ho himself. Tiny Bubbles ... in the wine ...

Posted by cmacias at 1:39 PM | Comments |

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April 13, 2007

All that I needed to know ...

Here's a "Sunday Single" that's loved by kids and parent approved. The song is "Wash Your Hands," an ode to good hygiene by the local childrens' musician Mister Cooper. So grab a sippy cup and some Graham Crackers, and click on the button below to hear "Wash Your Hands." And please do wash your hands - computer keyboards harbor lots of germs and maybe a few wayward Cavity Creeps.

Posted by cmacias at 8:45 AM | Comments |

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April 11, 2007

May flowers

Enjoying the rain today? Well, here's someone who enjoys some dark clouds and a good 'ol downpour: Axl Rose. This YouTube clip is from a Guns N' Roses gig at Arco Arena circa 1993. Funny how the baby grand piano Axl appears to be playing sounds like a pre-set on a Yamaha DX-7 keyboard. And dontcha just love those gong strikes around the :50 second mark? I know I do.

But the plug was pulled on this show after bassist Duff McKagan got pelted with a bottle. Here's a snippet from the Bee's review of the show:

"Ninety minutes into a set that started at 11 p.m. Saturday, just as the band had finished playing the ballad 'November Rain,' lead singer W. Axl Rose returned to the spotlight to inform the crowd that someone had hit bassist Duff McKagan with a bottle (filled with urine, he said) - the show was over."

Yikes ... anyway, check out the video and please beware of wayward bottles.

Posted by cmacias at 3:35 PM | Comments |

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April 10, 2007

Sounds of Sacramento

Got a call from Joey D, the ever-ecstatic local record collector and honcho of Frantic Records. And any time Joey D’s on the line, you know you’re going to get an earful - but in a good way. Maybe he’s unearthed some ultra-rare 45” single from a Sacramento band circa 1965. Or perhaps he’s stoked about one of his upcoming compilations of Sacramento’s garage-punk from the 1960s, like “The Ikon Records Story” (and yeah, “Daddy Was a Rolling Stone” by the Knightsmen still rocks after all these years).

But this time Joey D was stoked on a show that he’s helping to put together. It’s called “Sounds of Sacramento: Hearing Our History,” which will be held May 11th at the Sacramento Archives and Museum Collection Center (551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd). The show will feature photos, memorabilia and displays dedicated to such Sacramento musical landmarks as Bill Rase Studios, Tower Records and Charlie Brandt Studios. And of course there will be plenty of music, including vintage Sacramento songs spun by Joey D and Alec Palao of Ace Records. The Shruggs are also going to kick out the jams, Sacramento style. I’m also hearing that more surprises are in the works, so definitely stay tuned.

For more information: www.sacramentoarchives.org

Posted by cmacias at 3:23 PM | Comments |

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April 5, 2007

Sunday Single

For this edition of “Sunday Single,” we head to the streets of South Sacramento. But this track isn’t the “horrorcore” style of gangsta rap that the area’s known for. “To Be Someone” by First Degree the D.E. is a hip-hop song on the positive tip, with First Degree singing instead of tapping into his usual rap flow.

“It’s the same type of message but a different channel,” says First Degree the D.E., known on his cell phone bill as Michael Colen. “So I decided to sing on that one, and basically just get people to not blame others, to be responsible for themselves and their actions. Instead of blaming SMUD that the power got turned off, save that money and pay the bills. That’s how it was with me.”

To hear "To Be Someone" for yourself, click on the button below:

Posted by cmacias at 4:41 PM | Comments |

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I know you got soul

Went record shopping the other day and scored a nice copy of James Brown's "Soul Power" on 45. And when I put that single on the turntable at home and hit the "play" button, those funky horns and drums came spanking through the speakers, just about begging for a dance floor. That's the power of James Brown's music, and though the Godfather of Soul is gone, his music lives on. So here's a plug for a new function that's going down on the first and third Thursdays of each month at the Distillery (21st and L streets). It's a James Brown tribute called "Brand New Bag," with live music led by local bassist Harley White Jr. and his band. DJ Larry Rodriguez will spin between sets, and that'll bless the midtown area with the most funk per capita in the Sacramento area. Cover charge is a tax season-friendly $5. Get on your good foot, and get on down.

Posted by cmacias at 3:45 PM | Comments |

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April 4, 2007

Quick hits

Did anyone forward you the story yesterday about Keith Richards snorting his father’s ashes? The Rolling Stones guitarist was quoted as saying such in New Music Express, but is now backpedaling. Rats …

How J.Lo can you go? “Como Ama Una Mujer,” the first all-Spanish album from Jennifer Lopez, debuted at a not-so blockbuster No. 10 on Billboard’s album charts. It’s the lowest chart entry for Lopez since she bonked her head and was deluded into thinking she could sing.

Brush up on that “Humpty Dance.” Digital Underground is coming to Avalon nightclub (805 15th St.), a night dubbed “Freaks of the Industry” which includes a lingerie/pajama theme and Shock G look-a-like contest. Sounds, uhm, freaky … Also be on the lookout for an Avalon show in the near future with K-Ci & JoJo. No word yet if there will be a JoJo look-a-like contest.

Go see Molotov with Los Abandoned tonight at California State University, Sacramento’s University Union Ballroom. Deal? The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20, $15 for students.

Posted by cmacias at 4:20 PM | Comments |

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April 3, 2007

Isn't it ironic, don't you think?

Right now I'm sending some props to Rachel Leibrock - my friend and colleague who has the dish on upcoming concerts in Coming Distractions- because of a YouTube link she sent me yesterday. It's a clip of Alanis Morissette covering "My Humps" by Black Eyed Peas, and it's pure awesomeness.

Instead of merely channeling her inner-Fergie, Ms. Morissette turns "My Humps" on its ironic head and belts it as a piano-led ballad. Maybe Alanis feels a weird kind of kinship since they both paid dues on children's TV shows: Alanis on Canada's "You Can't Do That on Television," Fergie on "Kids Incorporated." Whatever the case, this version of "My Humps" pretty much rules. So I'm hereby saying "sorry" for all the times I slagged Alanis for releasing mediocre albums and yodeling too much. She's redeemed herself, big time.

Posted by cmacias at 3:39 PM | Comments |

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