In case you were out of town, busy working or just plain not in the know, then you may have missed one of the freshest jams this summer. Starting mid-afternoon on the beautiful, sunny Saturday of July 19, beneath the spaciously shaded and covered 28th and B Street Skate Park in downtown Sacramento, organizers Vince Horiuchi, Abe Dunham and Sacramento’s own Flexible Flave Breakdance Crew hosted a momentous 2-on-2 B-boy/B-girl battle entitled Back to the Future II. All ages, complete with a center dance floor, practice floors, snacks, vendors, live painting and all around positivity, made for an event full of folks, fun and good vibes well into the night. Roughly 60 crews from all over the West Coast came out to compete and rep the floor with their most flavorful uprocks, cleanest footwork, skillfully practiced power moves and unyielding break styles. DJ Ripp 1 from Ghetta Clue and DJ Chuy from Stockton supplied nonstop breaks and competition judges included Tony T (LA Breakers), Poe 1 (Style Elements, one of the first West Coast crews to make it big internationally) and Marx (Flexible Flave).

If you’ve never been to a jam before, picture this: First, doors opened and good music played, as B-boys and B-girls warmed up and signed up to sweat it out on the main floor, in the hot weather, in front of everyone, like true champions. Matched to compete with other crews at random, each had to battle down, strictly breaking, which is basically anything goes as original and smooth as they can make it, from 32 matches at the start until only the best two crews of the day remained. The final round was no easy place to get to and the top crews were challenged to give it all they had in an electrifying, athletic and artistic display of creativity and stamina made only more hype by the performance and musicianship of the live funk band 2nd Level. Yeah! Showcasing even more moves than they’ve already demonstrated earlier round after round in order to earn their spot in the finals, winners of the 2-on-2 competition were Nasty Ray and Lucid from the Bay Area. They took home a tough win over Sac’s own Legendary Steps (Phia and Coby). In between all of this, there was even a 1-on-1 exhibition that manifested between winner Random from Portland, Ore. against T-co (Art of Freestyle, Florida), Future (Flexible Flave), and Kane (Bham Tribe, Los Angeles). All oh-so fresh and oh-so right here in Sac! The perfect way to spend a summer Saturday! Nice job Vince Horiuchi and all the folks who helped, came out and supported. Keep a look out, because no doubt there will be more jams to come and the battles just keep getting better and better.

“I’m glad to see so much support for dance in the community these days. I’ve seen a lot of good changes happen throughout the years and I can’t wait to see what’s in it for us in the future. I put on these events every couple of months, to give young dancers the same inspiring experience I had when I started,” Horiuchi said.

On top of being a strong organizer, he is also a hard working break dance and performance instructor, not to mention he puts on motivating assemblies for grade schools and community programs throughout the area as well! For more info on this or other programming contact Flexible Flave at Flexibleflave@gmail.com or for classes, call Vince Horiuchi at (916) 616-1798.

By Nicole Martinez
Photos Courtesy of Vince Horiuchi

Post from: Submerge Magazine

The Park Ultra Lounge, Sacramento
Thursday, June 26, 2008

Suede Salon and Spa is becoming a cornerstone for the Sacramento fashion scene. On June 26 they hosted another show, adding to their runway resume. This time, the event took place at The Park Ultra Lounge in downtown Sac. Three of Sacramento’s most recognized designers were showcased, coupled with a Suede Salon custom look, making for a night of runway magic.

With the music pumping hard, the Park was rampant with fashion fans itching to get the show started. If you’ve never been to the Park, it opens up into a three-room space giving partygoers plenty of breathing room. Yet, on this night, despite the extra room, an eager audience swamped the runway creating cramped quarters. This was definitely not an event for the claustrophobic.

Benzo Couture set the show off with her “Socialite” collection. Designs that hearkened back to the 1980s were revamped as Benzo put a contemporary spin on some throwback styles. Benzo models flaunted tight corsets attached to full skirts detailed with huge bows and lace making for dresses that will surely make you stand out in a crowd. Mercedes Ben’s pieces were fully equipped with the intricate details one would expect to find in a couture collection.

Casey Sue Douglass honed in on her niche of making clothes for the modern, urban woman. A wide array of funky patterns featuring jersey knit and silks made up separates and dresses. Especially charming were the heart shaped cut outs gracing the back of many of her pieces. Douglass describes her collection as “Ready to wear couture…the piece you can put in your backpack and wear later.”

If the name of the game is fashion, then you can be sure Dee Aguilar will be in attendance. On this night she stayed true to the season’s trends offering up light summer dresses donning bright colors. The collection featured short dresses, mid-length dresses, club dresses and cocktail dresses. What’s best about this collection was she had something to suit every kind of woman.

This event can’t be acknowledged without giving a nod to Suede Salons Ashkan Bashiri. He’s been promoting local designers since 2004. He informs me he has big plans for the future. From what I gather, we can expect something no one else in Sacramento has been able to achieve up to this point. I’ll be anxiously waiting to see what he has in store!
These designers definitely made the show a worthy one. It wasn’t New York’s Fashion Week but the show at the Park Ultra Lounge showcased some of Sacramento’s best. If you call yourself a fashion connoisseur then you won’t want to sleep on these three ladies, whether you love them or hate them.

By Michaela Pommells
Photo Courtesy of Tom Huynh

Post from: Submerge Magazine

Sunday evenings for me are usually reserved for the couch, a six-pack and a movie. It’s like clockwork. So naturally I found myself in a bind when I learned there were some killer bands set to play at Javalounge last Sunday. It was indeed a tough decision, but ultimately I determined it was good to get out of the house and go see a very small, intimate show. It was a wise choice.

As I walked through the doors of the small coffee shop I immediately thought to myself, “I bet everyone is laying on their couch watching a movie,” because there was maybe nine people inside, including San Francisco’s indie-fuzz rock group Calling All Monsters. As the band began their set, I quickly realized that all those not in attendance were missing out big time. CAM’s songs were short, sweet and jam-packed with loud fuzzy guitars and shouted vocals. None of the songs seemed to last more than three minutes, which gave the set a very punk rock show feel. They earned brownie points for that right there. Overall, Calling All Monsters’ set was very fun to watch and ended much too quickly. I highly advise you check these guys out if you like loud, feedback riddled rock ‘n’ roll crafted in a tasteful, elegant manner.

The next group of bearded men set to play was West By Swan out of Chico. I’ll be honest; this was the band I really came to see. I have had the pleasure of witnessing them perform many times and never once have I been disappointed. I think it’s mainly because they sound like two of my favorite bands that are nothing alike (Fugazi and Explosions in the Sky) all mashed together. After a spacey instrumental intro full of ambient noises and guitar loops via vocalist/guitarist Dan Greenfield, the group launched full force into their heavier distorted songs. Toward the end of the set Dave Greenfield (guitar) pulled out an electric 12-string guitar, which added an awesome chorus effect. The rhythm section, consisting of Daniel Taylor (drums) and Conrad Nystrom (bass), played so fiercely that my cup of water had ripples in it. I found this to be quite humorous because I had been watching Jurassic Park right before the show and the T-Rex was causing water in puddles to ripple. So, I guess you could say that West By Swan rocks as hard as a T-Rex walks, which is real hard. Keep an eye out for these guys because I know they will be back soon, hopefully with their new record (rumor has it it’s almost done) in tow.

As the third and final band began to set up their equipment I realized they had a clarinet player and I was immediately intrigued and excited to hear what would become of this rare instrumentation. I soon learned they were dubbed San Kazakgascar, a local group made up of Jed Brewer (vocals, guitar), Greg Hain (bass, vocals), Paul Takushi (drums, vocals) and Mike Woo (clarinet, vocals). As their band’s name suggests, they have a very Middle Eastern vibe. About halfway through their set, Brewer introduced the song “National Anthem of San Kazakgascar” by saying, “People have trouble with our name so we wrote a song where we say it over and over again.” It was definitely effective because after that song I had no problems trying to properly pronounce their name. That’s damn good marketing right there, all bands should have a song where they just repeat their own name. OK, maybe not all bands. Anyways, San Kazakgascar plays a very interesting and unique (at least to this scene) style of music full of vocal chants and barks and all kinds of other fun noises. I suggest you step outside your comfort zone and give them a shot. I did, and I don’t regret it one bit.

By Jonathan Carabba

Post from: Submerge Magazine

I’m usually not one to attend rock shows in the arena setting because the sound quality usually blows and beers are like twelve bucks, but when the opportunity presented itself to see one of the largest tours of the year thus far, I couldn’t resist. When rumors first surfaced in late ‘07 that Linkin Park would be touring alongside Coheed & Cambria and Chidos, my initial reaction was that of complete confusion. It was indeed an odd grouping of bands but certainly set the stage for a very successful tour beginning on February 12 in Omaha, Nebraska and ending Monday night at Arco Arena in Sacramento.

Unfortunately, we missed the opening act Chiodos. Sometimes things just don’t work out as planned when you are on the guess list for a show of this magnitude. While we patiently waited in the security booth area for our passes I could hear the Michigan based post-hardcore sextet, and see them on a tiny little TV screen, so that was better than nothing I suppose. I cannot comment on whether or not they put on a good show, but from my past experiences seeing them live, I think it is safe to say that they did.

When I entered the actual arena I was immediately heartbroken. There was one beer garden and the line stretched half way around the building. On top of that they were only selling one drink per person so my plan of convincing someone at the front of the line to buy me one was out of the question. It was a bummer, but at least we had legit seats because Coheed & Cambria played so well it surely would have floored me. Armed with two female back up singers and an arsenal of songs from their four rock-opera albums, Coheed seemed at home on such an immense stage. Although the majority of the crowd was obviously there to see Linkin Park, they proved worthy of the coveted main support slot when songs like “The Running Free,” and “Welcome Home” got the crowd both excited and involved. After a lengthy and impressive set the band announced their thanks to LP for bringing them out on the road, and headed back to their bus for the final time on this tour.

It was during the set change before Linkin Park that I noticed a strange phenomenon occurring. People’s eyes seemed to be glued to a couple very large screens on the sides of the stage that were displaying text messages being sent by crowd members to a number posted on the screen. What could be so interesting about that you ask? I can’t personally tell you but the many thousands of people in attendance seemed addicted to it. The messages varied from, “Scream if you support the troops,” to, “Scream if you are tired of screaming,” which was my favorite. When the giant text message screens stopped functioning the crowd was furious, but they were soon rewarded as Linkin Park rose onto stage from a number of elevators. It was without question a grand entrance to an overwhelming applause. Although they are not my favorite band in the world with their nu-metal/rap-rock fusion, Linkin Park sure knows how to satisfy a nearly sold out arena. Everyone in attendance rose to their feet and sang back the words of co-front men Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda. Playing songs off of all three of their albums including last years Minutes to Midnight, Linkin Park proved they are among the top few rock acts in the world.

By Jonathan Carabba
Photos by Melissa Welliver

Post from: Submerge Magazine

BY JONATHAN CARABBA
PHOTOS BY MELISSA WELLIVER

WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT THE BOARDWALK WAS an evening filled with booty shakin’ and hand clappin’ as the PacSun Tour graced Orangevale with its ever-so-rockin’ presence.

I must admit, I’m that guy who misses the opening band most of the time and this was the case once again. We arrived right as Denver, Colorado’s electronica meets screamo act Breath Carolina (not part of the PacSun tour) was loading off the stage. Take a quick peek at their myspace page and you will see what I mean. Think dancy-techno laced with synthesizers, whiny vocals and brutal screams in the background. It’s interesting to say the least. Never mind, it’s actually more annoying than anything else but hey, that’s just my opinion.

After a lengthy set change, which gave me just enough time to consume a delicious frosty brew, Another Day Late was ready to rock. Hailing from Orange County this quintet sounds like a billion other bands out there in the scene right now. They lacked energy and really didn’t do much to get the crowd involved besides the typical clap along that I am really starting to despise. Sixteen-year-old girls seem to love it though, so keep it up dudes. Their set was short, no more than twenty minutes, but most people seemed to lose interest after the first song or two.
The third band to take the stage was Danger Radio. They were surely the youngest band of the night but had the most mature sound. Vocalist Andrew De Torres has a great soulful, almost R&B style voice that reminds me of Jamiroquai a little bit. By the end of the set they had the entire floor moving to the music after De Torres mentioned, “You guys look a little tense…let’s start a dance party.” Danger Radio proved their talent by providing the crowd with spot-on three-part vocal harmonies, impeccable beats, the occasional guitar solo, and oh yeah, more hand claps! These kids will surely have a strong career ahead of them as long as they steer clear of the cookie-cutter, pop-punk sound that is dying fast. Something tells me they are very aware of this though; be on the look out for their full-length release sometime this year.

Envy On The Coast’s lead singer Ryan Hunter has cool dreads, and guitarist Sal Bossio has a sweet afro. Those were the first things I noticed. They took second place in my “band with the coolest hair of the night” contest. I also noticed the blinding floodlights (provided by the band) that kept flashing ridiculously bright in the crowd’s eyes. What I failed to notice was something original coming out of the speakers. These guys are great at what they do, don’t get me wrong, but it’s been done before. They did have a good following though I will give them that. Kids were singing along and jumping around and the band seemed to feed off the crowd’s energy, which is respectable enough. Their single “Sugar Skulls,” was the crowd favorite and included a neat little backup vocal melody by Afro Bossio, as I have come to call him. Alternative Press named these guys one of the “100 bands you need to know in 2007.” Thank god it’s 2008.

Rounding off the night was Victory Records’, The Audition. These guys are extremely solid. It was obvious that they deserved to have the coveted headline slot. The kids that did stick around were ecstatic to see them, singing back every word. The overall level of energy was brought to new heights as they charged through songs off both of their albums, including “Champion” which came out just last week. The band mentioned that they just shot a video for the song “Warm Me Up,” which was my personal favorite. Another crowd favorite was “Make It Rain,” but I didn’t like that one very much seeing as I really want it to stop fucking raining! For the final song of the night, Ryan from Envy On The Coast came on stage and whirled his dreads around some more. Cool shit.
All in all this was a pretty radical show that opened me up to some cool new bands that I probably wouldn’t have found if I didn’t attend. Plus, The Boardwalk kicks ass because it sounds great and they serve beer. Seriously, every venue should serve beer, but make it cheaper please, thanks!

Post from: Submerge Magazine

At first glance, the venue appears as if maybe you’ve ended up in the wrong place. Surely this tiny, tucked-away, church building is not the chosen location to house four local bands and their throng of supporters for the evening. What in God’s name (literally) is going on here? As I walk through the front doors past the merch tables, crew and into the stage room I find myself staring at amps, guitar cases, cables, drum kit pieces and…a large mounted cross. Oh, yes. This is definitely a church. And the congregation of young music-lovers shall be praising the rock ‘n’ roll Gods tonight.
A flurry of action catches my eye and I realize the first band is up real soon, and the stage is looking real empty. Push Push Pull is up first and its members were definitely going to have to push and pull their shit together to start on time. Luckily the old adage of “working better under pressure” proves to be true in this case and the rushed set-up does not affect the performance. Self-described as a cross between The Rocket Summer and Cute Is What We Aim For, Push Push Pull produces a mellow, melodic sound which reverberated through the room with dance-y power chords and steady synth strokes. The band’s debut EP, The Handsome Reward, is scheduled to be released late next month and sounds promising.
Nicky London, singer of Everyday wastes no time quickly jumping up on stage and chatting up the front row. Dressed in designer jeans, a trendy V-neck and caught on what seems to be the third day of not shaving, he is especially popular with the ladies. It comes as no surprise that the Roseville native knows how to work the crowd, emerging from well-known acts such as Rip Nicky and With Hearts of Heroes. Only one other body takes the stage, that belonging to Austin Haymen, guitarist. The acoustic duo swoon the masses and I can almost hear hearts breaking all over the room. Hell, I almost fell in love within those fifteen minutes. With uh, Austin’s guitar playing, duh. Coughcough.
The band up next admits it’s going through a lot of changes, and I think it’s safe to call that an understatement. The vocalist’s range is all over the place and sloppy tuning on all instruments is apparent. I ask the guy next to me to check my ears for bleeding. People begin leaving the room midway through their set. I’d have walked out too if I didn’t have to write this review. The Paper Melody, Brightest Light or whatever they’re calling themselves this week did a poor job of keeping the audience engaged and at a small venue like this, that’s a huge point blow. After a few songs of experimental rock terror, it’s over. Hallelujah.
After a seven week tour, the boys of Talk of the Town! are up and happy to be home. The room fills to maximum occupancy and at the risk of getting shoved aside I scurry toward stage left and post up. Only a few notes into the opening song “The Remedy” and everyone’s already rocking out. Two girls in particular are stoked as ever and squeal when singer Tyler and bassist Bryan motion for them to move in closer. The Yuba City five-piece definitely bestows upon all in attendance a musical spiritual experience. With over 33,000 friends on Myspace who dig their indie pop sound, Talk of the Town! is the it-band in their part of town, and spreading. After a successful U.S. tour the boys say there’s nothing they can’t accomplish.

Words & Photos by Elizabeth Franco

Post from: Submerge Magazine