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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February 29, 2008

Method men

Method Echo is a funky pop group which won a recent "battle of the bands" contest at downtown's Hard Rock Cafe. Listen to "Broken Into Pieces" and you can see why. The local group's song is this week's "Sunday Single," and it grooves with a highly polished and well performed sound. Can you say "radio friendly?"

METHOD ECHO
Song: "Broken Into Pieces"
Style: Funky pop and soul that'll resonate with Maroon 5 fans
Members: Josh Guererro (vocals/guitar), Tyler Hagan (guitar), Daniel Herrera (keyboards), Chris Moore (bass), David Moore (drums)
Influences: Tower of Power, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Roots, U2
Behind the song: "'Broken Into Pieces' is basically a break up song that I wrote about a girl that I grew up admiring, the girl that was too good to be true," says Guerrero. "You know, when you're so excited about the relationship you don't mind the dysfunction as long as you're with that person. It was young love. Guys usually don't write a whole lot of songs about themselves getting hurt or falling apart in the breakup, but I think we are in denial."

Click on the button below to hear "Broken Into Pieces":

On the Web: www.myspace.com/methodecho

Posted by cmacias at 1:45 PM | Comments |

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February 28, 2008

Requiem for an iPod

So today isn't the best of days - and I know many of you can relate to this - because it appears that my iPod has gone to the great motherboard pile in the sky. That's right, my iPod is dead. I've tried all of the troubleshooting tricks - resetting it, putting the thing in "disk mode," etc. - but this iPod obviously had a fatal hardware crash. Ugh.

This 20gb corpse with a click wheel is the only iPod I've owned, and I'm actually surprised that it's lasted this long. It's been drizzled with sweat at the gym, stepped on, and dropped more than a few times. This iPod has been a constant travel companion over the last few years, filling my head with music on flights to New York City and Miami, and keeping me company at work. (Let's hear it for jobs where it's OK to wear headphones.) I've also recorded dozens and dozens of interviews on this iPod, from Carlos Santana to the dude in Senses Fail.

So what to do with a dead iPod? I guess it could be used as a paperweight, and part of me wants to take it apart and dissect the thing like a frog in 8th grade science class. In any case, looks like I'm the market for a new iPod and will hopefully be rocking the earbuds by the weekend. Or maybe I'll just dig out my old Walkman ...

Posted by cmacias at 1:21 PM | Comments |

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February 27, 2008

"Sunday Single Showcase," Take II

The second edition of our "Sunday Single Showcase" is now good to go for March 9 at Old Ironsides, and we'll be featuring two local musicians who truly qualify as legends: Kevin Seconds and Sal Valentino.

Kevin Seconds, who also runs midtown's True Love Coffeehouse, is one of the pioneers of hardcore punk with his band 7 Seconds. And he's remained a figurehead in indie-music through his myriad projects and support of all things DYI (do-it-yourself). You can read more about him in the March 9 issue of Ticket+ and he'll share a new song at www.sacbee.com/sundaysingle.

Sal Valentino is the former singer of the Beau Brummels, and the band's song "Laugh, Laugh" is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band was also so famous back in the 1960s that they were animated on "The Flinstones." Sal lives in Sacramento now and released a wonderful solo album in mid-February, and believe me, this guy's got some great stories. Kevin Seconds also wrote a song and played on Sal's new album, so who knows what may happen when the two share a bill on March 9.

Here are the details:

SUNDAY SINGLE SHOWCASE
A monthly show featuring interviews and live local music hosted by The Bee's Chris Macias.
WHO'S UP: Kevin Seconds and Sal Valentino
WHEN: March 9 at 8 p.m.
WHERE: Old Ironsides, 1901 10th Street
HOW MUCH: $5
INFORMATION: (916) 443-9751

Posted by cmacias at 3:45 PM | Comments |

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February 26, 2008

Hard as candy

EW.com just broke the news about Madonna's new album title. It's set for release on April 29 and will be called "Hard Candy." But inquiring minds want to know - what's the meaning behind the new album title?

"She loves candy," says Liz Rosenberg, Madonna's publicist.

Wow, stop the presses. What insight! But at least the album wasn't called "Electrolyte Replacement" because Madonna loves to chug Gatorade after doing Bikram yoga, or something.

Anyway, the album will feature production from Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, and Nate "Danja" Hills. And you can bet that many Jolly Ranchers were consumed during the recording sessions. But here's a little more scoop from Madonna's rep about the album's inspiration:

"It's about the juxtaposition of tough and sweetness, or as Madonna so eloquently expressed 'I'm gonna kick your (butt), but it's going to make you feel good.'"

Posted by cmacias at 3:28 PM | Comments |

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February 25, 2008

Sunday Single Showcase, it's a wrap

Thanks to everyone who came out to Old Ironsides last night for our first "Sunday Single Showcase." Was a little anxious that the Academy Awards and some ominous looking weather on the Doppler radar all weekend would keep folks cozy at home, but all was good around show time. As for the gig, Ricky Berger pretty much floored everyone with her beautiful songs and stellar musicianship. And then Red Host capped the night with its melodically intense and dynamic rock - and I'm still sorta shocked that Jess Gowrie's drum sticks survived the set without breaking. Jess was really killing it on those drums.

Hosting the night was fun, if not a little trippy. I've seen a zillion or so shows at Old Ironsides, and I'm always used to watching the action on stage, not actually being up there myself with a microphone. But the interview portion of the "Sunday Single" showcase seemed to go fine (fun fact: Ricky Berger loves the Spice Girls) and we're learning about what works best in this talk-show format.

One of my favorite moments from the show happened between sets. I saw Ricky Berger and Chelsea Wolfe of Red Host chatting it up, and learned later that the two had never really heard of each other until Sunday's show. But the mutual admiration was quickly in effect. Seeing Chelsea and Ricky hanging together also reminded me of how much talent there is in Sacramento, and I have a hunch that the two will share a bill in the near future. If the "Sunday Single Showcase" was able to make connections like that happen, then I'd definitely say the gig was a success.

March 9 is the next "Sunday Single Showcase" at Old Ironsides, and we're looking at a very cool line-up which will be announced shortly. Stay tuned!

Posted by cmacias at 2:24 PM | Comments |

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February 22, 2008

Host with the most

Red Host is a local band that rocks hard but never feels like that bonehead stuff. Some might call the trio "Sacramento's equivalent of Queens of the Stone Age," but never mind that name dropping. Red Host is simply a solid band, and their song "The Game" is this week's "Sunday Single." Red Host will also play tonight at Old Ironisdes for the Bee’s debut “Sunday Single Showcase.” To learn more about the show and Red Host, check out Sunday's Ticket+.

RED HOST
Song: "The Game"
Style: Indie-rock, with an emphasis on the "r-o-c-k"
Members: Chelsea Wolfe (vocals/guitar), Ian Bone (bass), Jess Gowrie (drums)
Influences: Queens of the Stone Age, PJ Harvey, Sonic Youth, the Austrian painter Egon Schiele
Behind the song: "The chorus - 'Your face is all that I see when I fall' - that pretty much sums up what the song means," says Wolfe about the person who inspired the song. "We don't want to name names, but he made me feel (bad). But the song means more than just one person doing a (bad) thing. It's not a revenge song but a story.
"We're definitely a rock band, but we also want it to have a lot of feeling - really passionate and lush rock," adds Wolfe. "We feel like we're an honest band: We're doing our own thing, we’re developing on our own. We have so many ideas."
See them: 8 p.m. tonight at Old Ironsides (1901 10th St.), with Ricky Berger opening.

Click on the button below to hear "The Game":

On the Web: www.myspace.com/redhost

Posted by cmacias at 2:07 PM | Comments |

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February 21, 2008

Trouble Makers!

Was just scanning the list of upcoming gigs at Old Ironsides, and was stoked to see this: The Trouble Makers 15th anniversary show on March 28. These local garage-punk stalwarts only play once or twice a year, if that, but that's probably to the relief of club owners. A Trouble Makers set usually ends in some kind of destruction, be it a blown amp or spilled pint glasses, or maybe singer Tim Foster will jump on top of the bar and start running. So don't let their matching vests and pointy boots fool ya. This is garage-punk at its most primal - and fun. Can't wait ...

Posted by cmacias at 2:36 PM | Comments |

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February 20, 2008

Concert calendar

Lots of shows are shaping up, and doesn't look like all of them will set you back $200 per ticket (*cough* The Police at Sleep Train *cough*). For starters, looks like indie-rock faves Death Cab for Cutie is performing on April 22 at UC Davis' Freeborn Hall. This show comes exactly one day after Tegan & Sara, those other indie faves, perform at Freeborn. Or maybe they could just combine these shows and call it "Tegan's Death Cab for That Cutie Sara." ... on the complete other side of the rock dial, as in the place where the guitars go "chunk-a chunk-a" and shirtless dudes like to slam against each other in the mosh pit, the "Rockstar Energy Festival" is slated to go down July 11 at the Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Slipknot, Disturbed, Dragonforce, Sevendust, Mastodon and Machine Head are just a few bands on the bill. Energy drinks + metal = hours of taurine-induced family entertainment. Stay tuned for ticket information on both the "Rockstar Energy Festival" and Death Cab for Cutie gigs.

Posted by cmacias at 1:32 PM | Comments |

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February 19, 2008

The Beau Brummelstones

Ah, that extended weekend sure felt good. And it was filled over here with some music, including a little record shopping (purchases included vinyl copies of LL Cool J's "Goin Back to Cali," DJ Laz's "Mami el Negro," the Depeche Mode "Everything Counts" 12," MC Ade's "Bass Rock Express" and the unavoidable club banger "Low" by Flo Rida). And on Saturday night I popped into Old Ironsides for a bit, where Diciembre Gris from Woodland just about out-Cured the Cure with its fog machine, delayed guitar sounds and wicked hair a la Robert Smith. Good stuff ... but I was really feeling one of the opening bands, Velorio. This group from Bakersfield sounded like those great Santana bands from the early 1970s with its monster percussion section.

I missed the Sal Valentino gig at The Palms on Saturday, but heard it was a great show. Hope to catch him next time. Anyway, for those who aren't in the know (or didn't peep my story on Sal last Friday), he's the former singer of the Beau Brummels and has called Sacramento home for 14 years. Sal and his band are considered the first rock stars to break from San Francisco, and yes they were big in their heyday. How big? Well, the band was animated in an episode of "The Flintstones" and sing their hit "Laugh, Laugh." Check out the YouTube clip above and watch Betty and Wilma swoon in a prehistoric sorta way.

Posted by cmacias at 3:18 PM | Comments |

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February 15, 2008

Ignorance is bliss

The Ignorance is a Fair Oaks band that doesn't want to be bothered with sticking to one kind of sound. Check out their song, "A Door," which is this week’s "Sunday Single." It’s a track with traces of 1990s alternative-rock, plus horns, bongo drums and lots of freak-out vocals.

THE IGNORANCE
Song: "A Door"
Members: Kyle Graber (vocals/guitar), David Lindsay (drums), Jeff Florence (bass)
Style: A kitchen-sink approach to alternative-rock
Influences: The Pixies, Tom Waits, Violent Femmes, the Beatles
Behind the song: "'A Door' is a song about introspection and fusion between a man and the painting 'The Burning Giraffe' by Salvador Dali," says Graber. "We don't exactly go for one overall sound. We try to pull from all the different sounds we listen to and write music that keeps us constantly revolving but that somehow has an overall 'The Ignorance' feel. We cover mostly rock 'n' roll, psychedelia, punk and blues with touches of many other styles."

Click on the button below to hear "A Door":

On the Web: www.myspace.com/theignorance

Posted by cmacias at 8:00 AM | Comments |

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February 14, 2008

Love, exciting and new ...

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone, whether Cupid's tagged you with an arrow or you'd just wish this Hallmark holiday would hurry up already. But we've still got love on the brain over here, so here's a Feb. 14 mix of songs about all things amor. Feel free to leave your own favorite love jams in the comments section. It'll leave a lovely feeling for everyone - awww, huggy bears!

"You Remind Me of Something," R. Kelly
"Here, There and Everywhere," The Beatles
Theme to "The Love Boat"
"Just Like Heaven," The Cure (the Dinosaur Jr. version will also do)
"I Thought About You," Miles Davis
"Everything," Mary J. Blige
"Lips Like Sugar," Echo & the Bunnymen
"#1 Defender," onelinedrawing (a.k.a. Jonah Matranga)
"Eye Know," De La Soul
"Besame en la Boca," Pedro Infante
"Simplesmente," Bebel Gilberto
"Kiss You Back," Digital Underground

Posted by cmacias at 11:30 AM | Comments |

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February 13, 2008

Sunday Single Showcase!

'Twas just about a year ago that "Sunday Single"kicked off, and since then more than 50 local musicians have been featured in this "song of the week" feature. So we're going to celebrate by taking "Sunday Single" to the stage, as in the one at Old Ironsides. The "Sunday Single Showcase" is slated to be a monthly event at Old Ironsides, and we'll be doing the first one on Feb. 24.

But this isn't a same ol' gig. The "Sunday Single Showcase" will feature two bands and include a talk show format hosted by yours truly. It'll be a chance to learn more about Sacramento's musicians, hear some of the stories behind their songs, and seal it all with some great music.

The "Sunday Single Showcase" will debut with Ricky Berger, the first artist to be featured on "Sunday Single." She's since become quite the buzz around town with her lovely songs and musicianship. And then it'll be time to rock out with Red Host, a propulsive and dynamic band that's one of my favorite local groups right about now. You can learn more about Red Host in the Feb. 24 issue of Ticket+.

Hope you can swing by ... it'll be good times. Here are the details:

"Sunday Single Showcase" hosted by Chris Macias
WITH: Red Host, Ricky Berger
WHEN: 8 p.m. Feb. 24
WHERE: Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St.
HOW MUCH: $5
INFORMATION: (916) 443-9751

Posted by cmacias at 3:25 PM | Comments |

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February 12, 2008

Can you feel the love?

Valentine's Day is just a couple days away, but the folks at KSSU radio are already playing the role of Cupid - well, in a musical sense. The station at California State University, Sacramento is hosting a show tonight called "Frequencies of Love," with proceeds going to victims of the recent Southern California wildfires. And you thought a box of chocolates was a sweet gift.

The concert features a mash-up of musical styles: hip-hop from Live Manikins and Righteous Movement, punk from No Admission and the singer-songwriter Richard March. The gig will also double as a CD release party for Kepi the Band, the new group from the former Groovie Ghoulies frontman.

The price is $10, which rounds out to $2 per band. What a bargain! So round up your change and head to the ballroom at CSUS. The show starts at 7 p.m.

Posted by cmacias at 3:55 PM | Comments |

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February 8, 2008

Tokyo pop

Discovering new talent is what "Sunday Single" is all about, and when a CD from Rocky James came through we couldn't help but wonder, "Why haven't we heard more about this guy?" James (full name: Rocky James Kajimura) is an 18-year-old singer-songwriter from Loomis and this young dude is brimming with talent. His song "Tokyo" is this week's "Sunday Single" and it's a no-frills kind of number. He recorded the track by plugging directly into his computer, but James' songwriting skills truly shine through.

ROCKY JAMES
Song: "Tokyo"
Style: Low-fi acoustic songs with folk and indie-pop overtones
Influences: The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Ben Kweller ("I got to meet him and he was the coolest guy," says James.)
Behind the song: "I've been obsessed with traveling these last few years," says James. "I went to Japan three times, and the third time I went with my girlfriend. She lives there in Tokyo. We were there for three weeks and went to a little Japanese traditional inn. It was far into the country, so we took a train out there. It was as a really cool experience, a religious experience for me. I'm Japanese-American, and going out there and seeing all that was really beautiful and left good memories in my mind."
See him: 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Cool Cat Gallery (918 24th St.)

Click on the button below to hear "Tokyo":

On the Web: www.myspace.com/rockyjamesmusic

Posted by cmacias at 11:40 AM | Comments |

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February 6, 2008

Cutmaster Chino?

Just saw a flier for a party that's going down on Feb. 20. Royal Peacock Tattoo Parlor is celebrating its one-year anniversary, and they're putting down the ink and hot needles long enough to throw a bash at Harlow's. And the music will be spun compliments of one Chino Moreno, frontman for the Deftones. Chino moved from SacTown to Los Angeles a couple years ago, and his Grammy winning rock band is currently working on its latest tour de metal. Guess he's taking a break from laying down vocal tracks to head north and DJ this party. I didn't know Chino was on the DJ tip now, so we'll have to see what he spins. DJ Crook of Team Sleep, Chino's side project, will also be mixing it up at the party. No word if there's a discount in getting "mama tried" tattooed on your knuckles during the party. The soiree starts at 10 p.m. and costs $5.

Posted by cmacias at 2:48 PM | Comments |

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February 4, 2008

Super game, Petty OK

Hopefully the nacho cheese and chili fries aren't still trickling through your system today. But that was some Super Bowl, eh? Too bad the same can't be said of the halftime show with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. Now don't get it twisted: we're big fans of Petty and co. around here, and everyone rocked well enough. But did anyone else think their spot lacked some of the razzle dazzle you'd expect at the Super Bowl? Now we weren't hoping for Rihanna or Beyonce to hop on stage and lend harmonies to "Free Fallin'," but some kind of surprise cameo would've added a little "oomph" to an otherwise straightforward set. So it goes ...

Posted by cmacias at 12:20 PM | Comments |

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February 2, 2008

Classical gas

"Sunday Single" believes there are just two kinds of music: good and bad. Children’s songs, lounge tunes, heavy metal, free jazz - it's all been game for this "song of the week" feature. And this time we're going a little highbrow with a classical piano composition called "Geary Street" by Tanya Plescia.
She teaches the finer points of octave stretches and interpretation at midtown's Pease Conservatory of Music. Plescia's also getting deeper into composing, and "Geary Street" feels like a musical trip through rush hour traffic, but punctuated by moments of clarity and serenity.

TANYA PLESCIA
Song: "Geary Street"
Style: Solo piano music inspired by the Romantic era of classical music
Influences: Sergei Rachmaninoff, Frederic Chopin
Behind the song: "When I wrote it, it just kind of came out and didn't have a title," says Plescia. "I brought it for one of my students and her husband, who happens to be a well known local poet. She had just been to San Francisco and took the Geary Street bus line just for fun. She said it was so amazing to sit on the bus and watch that line go through all the different parts of the city - the seedy parts, to the business district, to Chinatown, to the ocean. And every walk of life got on and off that bus.
It was like this beautiful slice of life for her, and when she heard the piece she said that’s what piece conveyed to her."

Click on the button below to hear "Geary Street":

Contact her: Plescia11@sbcglobal.net

Posted by cmacias at 4:52 PM | Comments |

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