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, 2007

Mr. Kenny's Neighborhood

This episode of "Sunday Single" is brought to you by the letter "p" and the word "funk." The "p" stands for pre-school, which is what Kenny Powell (a.k.a. "Mr. Kenny") teaches when he's not making music. The "funk" refers to Mr. Kenny's style of childrens' music - make that a "preschool jam" like his song "Let's Be Silly!" You can read more about Mr. Kenny in today's Ticket+ section. Here's a taste of what Mr. Kenny and his music is all about:

KENNY POWELL (a.k.a. Mr. Kenny)
Song: "Let's Be Silly!"
Style: Funky music for kids
Influences: George Clinton, James Brown, "circle time" at preschool
Quote: "Teaching can either age you or keep you young. I decided on the latter. I just think it's important for people of any age to get silly, to just 'act the fool' sometimes."

To hear "Let's Be Silly!," click on the button below. And please, try not to get any graham cracker crumbs on the keyboard:

On the Web: www.preschooljam.com

Posted by cmacias at 10:55 AM | Comments |

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June 28, 2007

Oh, the guilt

I'm just going to come out and say it: I like "Fergalicious" by Fergie. It really hurts to write that, especially after all the times I've dogged Fergie and her Black Eyed Peas in concert and CD reviews (i.e. "they're diluting hip-hop into a Sunny Delight commercial … please freeze these Peas"). But darnit, that "Fergalicious" is still go-go dancing in my head. I understand part of the attraction: “Fergalicious” interpolates “Give it All You Got” by Afro-Rican and J.J. Fad’s “Supersonic,” which are two of my favorite jams from way back. And there’s that little stuttering part that goes "Fergalicious def -, Fergalicious def –" that's like a burst of fruit flavor in every bite.

All of this got me thinking about "guilty pleasure" songs. What might be yours? It’s time to get all "Dr. Keith Ablow" and confess those songs you secretly like and are buried deep on your iPod. List those guilty pleasures in the comments section below, or send an e-mail to cmacias@sacbee.com.

Here’s my own guilty pleasure mix. Just don’t tell anyone, OK?

“Lost in Love,” Air Supply
“Goodies,” Ciara
“Gypsy Rose,” Cinderella
“Roll With the Changes,” REO Speedwagon
“Hemorrhage (In my Hands),” Fuel
“Lip Gloss,” Lil Mama
“Real Gone,” Sheryl Crow
“Wisemen,” James Blunt
“Inside Out,” Eve 6
“Blind,” Korn
“Does Your Mother Know,” Abba
“Come Clean,” Hilary Duff
“Da Dip,” MC Luscious
“Carry on Wayward Son,” Kansas

Posted by cmacias at 12:43 PM | Comments |

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June 26, 2007

What a coinky dink

What is it with Sacramento bands and Dia de Los Muertos altars on their album covers? Witness the latest releases from Will Haven ("The Hierophant") and An Angle's "The Truth is That You Are Alive." Two totally different bands - Will Haven bring the metal-core, An Angle is on the indie-rock tip - but nearly the same album cover concept. Hopefully these altars bring some good juju to both bands.

Posted by cmacias at 2:14 PM | Comments |

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June 25, 2007

R5 – Let the music play (and DVDs, too)

So it’s Sunday night and not a whole lot is popping. But wait, R5 opened over the weekend so might as well check that out. For those not keeping score at home, R5 is the new record store launched by Tower Records founder Russ Solomon. The first thing I noticed about R5 is that the logo’s red and yellow coloring scheme is basically a lift of the old Tower Records branding. And then you walk inside and it’s the familiar sight of CD racks and people browsing around. Looks like a lot of shelf space has yet to be filled in, and the guy working the register said much more product is coming soon.

The stock of CDs looked fairly decent so far. Did they have Husker Du? Check. Arvo Part in the classical section? Check. And look at all those Miles Davis CDs. But I did strike out in finding anything by the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Shucks.

A good chunk of the store, I’d say almost half, is devoted to DVDs. So think of R5 as a hybrid Tower Records/Video. The selection of music DVDs was pretty good, and I picked up a New York Dolls documentary called “All Dolled Up.” I’ve always judged a video store by the scope of its foreign film selection, and I hope R5 grows in this area. The selection was small but they were offering a bunch of cool “Criterion Collection” DVDs, including “Hoop Dreams” and “Tokyo Story.” Too bad they didn’t have the Criterion version of “My Life as a Dog” … but overall it felt comforting in a music fan kind of way that CDs and DVDs were once again to be found at 16th and Broadway. And that’s always good news for those slow Sunday nights.

Posted by cmacias at 10:35 AM | Comments |

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June 22, 2007

Far out

This installment of "Sunday Single" requires an open mind and a taste for improvisational jazz. The song is "At Least They Moved the Meat Truck" by the local jazz guitarist Ross Hammond. The tune comes from his latest album, "Ross Hammond’s Teakayo Mission" and features top players from the Bay Area, including drummer Scott Amendola and David Boyce. The track is certainly heady and near furious at times, but check out the interplay around the group.

Here’s more about Hammond and his song:

ROSS HAMMOND
Song: "At Least They Moved the Meat Truck"
Style: Heady, improvisational jazz
Influences: "If the music has a spiritual base - it’s not just done to make a buck - then I can always connect with that. I’ve always been into soul and jazz: Curtis Mayfield, Gil Scott-Heron, Sonny Sharrock. Scott (Amendola) and David (Boyce) have also been a huge influence on how I hear music."
Story behind the song: "I was on my honeymoon in Ireland and we were supposed to stay at a bed and breakfast. The place we booked wasn’t available so we ended up in the ‘burbs of Dublin. There was a big butcher truck out front of where we were staying and finally moved. I told my wife, ‘Look on the bright side: at least they moved the meat truck.'"
See him: July 7 at the The Palms (13 Main St., Winters)

To hear “At Least They Moved the Meat Truck,” click the button below:

On the Web: www.rosshammond.com

Posted by cmacias at 8:42 AM | Comments |

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June 21, 2007

Songs of summer

Summer officially started around 11 a.m. today, so here’s a “woot woot!” to the hottest of seasons. After the endless cold snap of this last winter, I’m sure we’re all looking forward to some backyard barbecue action, dips in the pool and some much needed vacation time. But none of this would be proper without a boom-box or car stereo bumping some songs that somehow sound best in the summer.

More importantly, what are your favorite songs to play in the summer? Leave a comment or hit me up with an e-mail: cmacias@sacbee.com

Here’s my quick summer mix:

“Fire,” Ohio Players – This classic bit of 1970s funk never fails to bring the heat.

“Summer in the City,” Justice System – Not to be confused with the Lovin’ Spoonful tune, this acid jazz track bumps with a huge bass line and a saxophone line that’ll send the mercury rising.

“Sunset,” Kate Bush – For those summer evenings when the Delta breeze kicks in and it feels good to cool down. Also check out “Deliuis (Song of Summer)” from her “Never For Ever” album.

“More Bounce to the Ounce,” Zapp – This song has nothing to do with summer, but it’s the perfect tune to bump while some carne asada is cooking on the grill.

“Cruel Summer,” Bananarama – The dog days of summer never sounded so, like, tubular. A must for any ‘80s-themed summer party.

“This is Why I’m Hot,” Mims – This club banger still gets everyone sweaty on the dancefloor. Make sure to throw your hands up when Mims says, “Sac Town, they do it every day.”

“Summer Breeze,” Seals & Crofts – For you DJs out there, here’s a way to add some “boom” to this soft rock tune from the 1970s: Mix in the beat to N.W.A.’s “Express Yourself” and you’ve got some mash-up summer madness.

Posted by cmacias at 11:44 AM | Comments |

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June 19, 2007

Me and S-O-V (and Gwen's set list)

Yes, the picture is grainy and only half of my mug is in there, but that's me and Lady Sovereign. The queen of the U.K.s "grime" scene was opening for Gwen Stefani last night, and I ran into Lady Sovereign while she was strolling around the Sleep Train Amphitheatre's concourse. She'd finished her set and must've been looking for more beer or something. I was stoked ... one of the records I've been playing the most at home is this Baltimore Club remix of Lady Soveriegn's "Love Me or Hate Me." Anyway, I was dorking around when we took the picture and said, "Make way for the S-O-V!" as I clicked the camera on my cell phone. She was cool with it all, I said "thanks" and went on my way back to my seat.

Check out my review of Stefani's show, the sweetest concert on wheels. Here's the setlist from the show:

"The Sweet Escape" (with cameo from Akon)
"Rich Girl"
"Yummy"
"4 in the Morning"
"Luxurious"
"Early Winter"
"Wind it Up"
"Danger Zone"
"Hollaback Girl"
"Wonderful Life"
"Now That You Got It"
"Don't Get It Twisted"
"Cool"
"Orange County Girl"

Encore
"The Real Thing"
"What You Waiting For?"

Posted by cmacias at 3:36 AM | Comments |

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June 15, 2007

Sunday drive

And now, for this week's Sunday Single ... we bring you Cuesta Drive, a band from Sacramento that came together when they were college students (that is, when they weren't gigging and playing frat parties) in San Luis Obispo. Check out "Mary Anne," a song from the band by clicking on the button below. Fans of the Dave Matthews Band will want to perk up their ears for this one.

CUESTA DRIVE
Song: "Mary Anne"
Style: Funky rock with a little bit of soul.
Influences: Dave Matthews Band, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Sublime, Santana.
Story behind the song: "My sister is a creative writing major at UC Santa Barbara and always into writing short stories," says Dane Drewis, lead guitarist and singer. "She shot me those lyrics, and one day I had a song I'd been working on and put those lyrics to it. It worked perfectly. I just stumbled into it, and it definitely worked out for the better."
See them: 6:30 p.m. next Sunday at Crawdad's on the River (1375 Garden Highway)

To hear "Mary Anne" click this "play" button:

On the Web: www.cuestadrive.com

Posted by cmacias at 9:26 AM | Comments |

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June 14, 2007

Dedicated to dad

Been up all night writing after the Police's show in Oakland, and soon it'll be time for a looong siesta. But BeatNonStop wants to get a head's up on some Father's Day wishes, so here's a little something for my pops:

Dear Dad,

Thanks for buying me all those KISS records when I was a kid. Other parents were scared of the band, but not you, dad. You didn't even mind when me and J.J. from next door took some of your tennis rackets and used them to play air guitar when "KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park" was on TV. Thanks for understanding, dad. I remember getting mad once because you wouldn't take me to see Led Zeppelin's "The Song Remains the Same" at the midnight movies. But shoot, I was only in 6th grade. After all these years, and with a son of my own, I now understand, dad.

You bought me a lot of records back then - Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin - even though other parents said those albums were evil and had hidden backwards messages on them. (And sorry if I messed up your record player by trying to play some songs backwards). I even got Motley Crue's "Shout at the Devil" for Christmas one year, and you didn't make a big deal out of the huge pentagram on the album's cover. You knew I loved the sound of hard rock guitars, and that it was all in fun. I still kept going to catechism, just like you and mom wanted, and all that loud music didn't wreck me in the long run, right?

And thanks dad for all those trips to Tower Records on Saturday and Sunday afternoons ... and for dropping me off to all those concerts ... and for paying for my guitar lessons and gear ... and for coming to all my concerts and shows when I played trumpet ... and especially for driving me to Santa Clara twice a week so I could march in my favorite drum and bugle corps ... and for never making cracks about the huge Iron Maiden poster on my bedroom wall. But most of all, thanks for encouraging me to enjoy all kinds of music. I know a lot of it must've seemed weird, since you were more of a Neil Diamond fan and all, but thanks for trusting me. You rock, dad, and I love you.

Happy Father's Day,

Chris

Posted by cmacias at 4:19 AM | Comments |

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June 12, 2007

Separate Ways

Just when Journey was back in the limelight again, this had to happen: Singer Jeff Scott Soto has left the band. Talk about bad timing. Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" was used in the big finale of "The Sopranos" on Sunday night (and how we would've loved a flashback scene of Tony and Carmela cruising around in a Camaro).

Soto, of course, didn't sing on the original version of "Don't Stop Believin'." That honor goes to Steve Perry. But talk about a chance to capitalize on a pop culture moment, even in a Perry-less Journey. But Journey is now Soto-less and hasn't named a replacement singer. And for those keeping score at home, Soto was actually a replacement for singer Steve Augeri.

"Don't Stop Believin'" is meanwhile No. 25 on the iTunes charts. Maybe Journey's just making way for Perry to return to the band? That might be an offer he couldn't refuse.

Posted by cmacias at 5:27 PM | Comments |

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June 11, 2007

Friday Night Concerts, take 2

Attention local music fans - and you in the beer garden, too. The Friday Night Concert line-up in Cesar Chavez Plaza has been tweaked slightly. Here's how the new schedule looks:

June 22
Jonah Matranga
Two Sheds
Ghetto Moments
David Houston

June 29
Beer Dawgs
Richard March
Sherman Baker

July 6
Sol Peligro
Atapaz
The Bennys
Scott Rodell

July 13
Kai Kln
Hot Pistol
We Prick You

July 20
The Brodys
Didley Squat
Young Aundee
Little Medusas

July 27
The Snobs
Red Tape
The Helper Monkeys
Brian Hanover

Aug. 3
Jackpot
The Proles
The Refinery
Brandon Tyler

Aug. 10
The Alkali Flats
Dave Gleason's Wasted Days
Stars & Garters

Posted by cmacias at 5:18 PM | Comments |

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June 8, 2007

A sugary single

For this early look at the week's Sunday Single, we head down the central valley to the Modesto area. That's the homebase for Justin Blizzard, a singer-songwriter who specializes in folk-pop songs with religious overtones. You can catch him at such Modesto clubs as the Fat Cat, and he also shares his music with residents at area convalescent homes. Here’s a little more about Blizzard and "Give Me Some Sugar":

JUSTIN BLIZZARD
Song: “Give Me Some Sugar”
Style: Folk-pop, with poetic and religious overtones
Influences: Tom Petty, Crash Test Dummies, John Denver
Quote: "Initially it was a song that I wrote based upon the movie 'Army of Darkness.' There’s a part in the movie where the guy says, 'Give me some sugar, baby,' but then I changed the lyrics. I also found out that one of my grandmothers said, 'Give me some sugar' for a kiss. It's pretty much a love song."

To hear "Give Me Some Sugar," click on the button below:

On the Web: www.cdbaby.com/cd/justinblizzard

Posted by cmacias at 8:39 AM | Comments |

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June 7, 2007

Chillin' at KSSU

Popped into KSSU last night, the radio station at California State University, Sacramento (a.k.a. the home of the Hornets). DJ Rob Fatal is set to be program director at the station soon, but the real reason I swung by was to check out a the station’s set of CD turntables. Now, I’m the kind of guy who still swears by vinyl when it comes to turntable matters, but Rob insisted that I try scratching on some CDs. So I gave them a spin, and you know what, the CDs felt pretty cool – and no needle hops to worry about as well. Have I seen the digital DJing light?

Danny Secretion of local punkers the Secretions was just wrapping up his radio show, and came out to the lobby while Rob was busting out some wicked scratches. .And then Rob slipped a Secretions CD into the turntable and scratched on a sample of “1 – 2 – 3 –4!” The funny part is that Rob was scratching on Danny Secretion’s voice, and Danny just cracked up in amazement. Looks like Rob may add a little scratching to an upcoming Secretions show, so stay tuned for that.

I also got a copy of The Local Slice, a ‘zine published by KSSU radio. And look at this: the cover story was on Antoinette “Butterscotch” Clinton, a world champion beat-boxer who I profiled in 2005. All of that music making with her mouth has evidently led to an increasingly rising career. Lately she’s been part of Mike Patton’s Peeping Tom project, which on record features Norah Jones, Bebel Gilberto and members of Massive Attack. She even joined Peeping Tom on stage at the recent Coachella festival. Butterscotch has also been collaborating with indie hip-hop favorite Pigeon John and was booked on the Tom Green Live. You go, Butterscotch!

Posted by cmacias at 12:31 PM | Comments |

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June 5, 2007

What was your first concert?

So I was thinking about last week’s Killers show (short review: great energy, terrible acoustics) and how I ran into a friend out there before the Killers came on. She was saying that she’d never seen a show at the Memorial Auditorium, and I realized that my very first concert was at the Memorial Auditorium. This was back in 1982 when I was a fresh-faced 7th grader at Sam Brannan Jr. High School. And that first concert featured the Clash, and the band was on its “Combat Rock” tour. The Clash was actually touring as an opening act for the Who, and the two were set to play Oakland a few days later. But the Clash did a few one-off shows as a headliner, including that gig at the Memorial Auditorium.

So what was your first concert? Share those memories in the comments section or send an e-mail to cmacias@sacbee.com.

Back to that Clash show … my guess is that I looked like a total dweeb out there, and there was a good chance that I was rocking a Member’s Only jacket. But I was too excited to really worry about my concert wardrobe. I couldn’t even say I was the biggest Clash fan back then, either. I’d been turned on to “London Calling” at summer camp, and knew the main hits from “Combat Rock.” But that was about it … and I didn’t care because I was just so amped about going to that first concert. It was a sort of rite of passage, to see if you could hang with cooler people who are way older than you, get your eardrums blasted, and come home with a T-shirt that cost a good chunk of your allowance. And then you’d wear that T-shirt to school the next day to show everyone how rad you were, and hold forth with stories about how the Clash played “Train in Vain” and you didn’t get home until – gasp! – 11:30 p.m. I’ve still got that “Combat Rock” T-shirt (a muscle shirt, size “small”) tucked away carefully in a drawer. Wish I still had the ticket stub …

Posted by cmacias at 10:47 AM | Comments |

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June 1, 2007

Tumbling dice

This week's "Sunday Single" goes out to you high rollers out there. It's a song called "Tahoe Boogie" by the local guitarist Richie Barron, and it's an ode to rolling the dice and gambling away in Lake Tahoe. You can read more about Barron and his "Tahoe Boogie" in today's Ticket+ section. For now, here's a little more about Barron and his song.

RICHIE BARRON
Also known as: "The Barron of Blues"
Song: "Tahoe Boogie"
Style: Chicago blues, jump blues
Influences: Freddie King, Howlin' Wolf, the craps tables in Lake Tahoe
Quote: “I used to be an avid craps player. 'Tahoe Boogie' sprung out of a time when I basically ended up buying furniture for Harrah's. I wrote the song about that whole trip. Luckily, I don’t have to gamble any more. I had to hock my guitar every two months, and then get it out so I could play."
Local gigs: Barron plays every Saturday from 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. at Bridges on the River, a restaurant and lounge on the Garden Highway.

To hear the song, click on the button below:

Posted by cmacias at 9:56 AM | Comments |

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