TOUCH: Lace up at the Fourth Annual Red Shoe Crawl • June 23, 2013

Walk the streets of Midtown and downtown in those red sneakers or pumps to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northern California, an organization that aims to provide confidence-building experiences benefiting the lives of children with special needs. The fourth annual Red Shoe Crawl begins Sunday, June 23 with registration starting at 1 p.m. at The Citizen Hotel (926 J Street). All funds from the event help the Sacramento Ronald McDonald House and Camp Ronald McDonald at Eagle Lake. All participants will receive event information and begin the crawl by sampling tasty eats from dozens of restaurants, including Bombay Bar and Grill, Three Fires Lounge, and even food trucks such as Drewski’s and Mama Kim’s To-Go. All eateries involved will serve up a variety of bites from farm-to-table options, Mexican cuisine and even sandwiches. Come ready to eat and be sure to visit at least five participating restaurants from the three different zones set up throughout town to qualify to win a pair of tickets anywhere with Southwest Airlines. Complimentary shuttle services will also be located between The Citizen Hotel and Pieces Pizza. After bellies are full, head on over to the after party at Mulvaney’s B & L (1215 19th Street) where live music provided by Emperors Jazz Combo in the Great Room and guitarist Mac Russ entertaining patrons in the Courtyard keep the good times rollin’. Visit Rmhcnc.org for more information and to purchase tickets ranging from $60 in advance and $75 the day of.

-Steph Rodriguez

Post from: Submerge Magazine

Words by James Barone

France. The very name seems to stand for all things romantic and pretentious; beautiful and despondent. Maybe it’s these dichotomies that have made the country such a ripe place for the arts over its rich and colorful history. Claude Monet, Honoré de Balzac and Jean-Luc Godard are just a few of the vaunted artists to come from France; and that’s not even counting all the creative minds who’ve flocked there in hopes of tapping into whatever it is the country seems to have that inspires artistic minds to create great works. Sacramento may be far from Paris (more than 5,500 miles), but that’s no reason you can’t bask in France’s je ne sai quoi from the comfort of your own city, and from June 21 through 30, you’ll have the opportunity to do just that via the magic of cinema.

Organized by the Sacramento French Cultural Society, the Sacramento French Film Festival is entering its 12th year. For the 2013 installment, the festival organizers have brought a host of Sacramento premiers and a handful of notable classics from across the Atlantic to delight local moviegoers, all of which will be shown at the historic Crest Theatre. Here’s a rundown of five of the films that you won’t want to miss.

Cloclo (2012)

Screening: June 21 at 8:30 p.m.

The SFFF gets off to a show-y start with this film about French pop star Claude François, who is best known for composing “Comme d’habitud,” which served as the basis for Frank Sinatra’s classic “My Way.” Starring Jeremie Renier (who appeared in the high-octane French action classic Brotherhood of the Wolf and alongside Colin Farrell in In Bruges), Cloclo (aka My Way) follows François from his upbringing in Egypt, through his rise to fame in Paris until his untimely death in 1978. This sprawling bio-pic features lush camera work and plenty of ‘70s style glam. You’ll only have one chance to catch Cloclo at the SFFF, and its lone screening will be preceded by the festival’s opening reception, starting at 6 p.m. in the Crest Theatre lobby. The reception will feature sets from DJs Christophe and Roger; food provided by Selland’s Market Cafe, Estelle’s Patisserie, Hot Italian and more; and an open bar courtesy of Barefoot Wine and Track 7 Brewery. If that’s not a good way to start a festival, I’m not sure what is.

Starbuck (2012)

Screenings:
June 22 at 1:05 p.m.;
June 23 at 1:20 p.m.

For something a bit lighter, check out Starbuck, a comedy that mushroomed into an unlikely international hit. The film follows the story of David, a forty-something slacker, who donated his sperm to a bank to make some extra cash. Due to a mix-up, his sperm went on to father more than 500 children, and 20 years after many of them are now filing a lawsuit to find out who’s the daddy (known only under the alias of Starbuck). If this sounds familiar, it’s because Hollywood is currently working on its own version of this film, Delivery Man, starring Vince Vaughn due out later this year. Check out the original French version first, so you can act all holier than thou when the American version is released (it’s fun, trust me). This is a fun, accessible film that shatters the myth that French films are all cigarette smoke and sadness (not that we don’t like those things too).

Les Miserables (1958)

Screening: June 30 at 1:25 p.m.

Maybe you were one of the many who swooned over the latest Hollywood musical reinterpretation of Les Miserables last winter? Well, this isn’t anything like that. You won’t find any tear-jerking songs, but you will be treated to perhaps the truest adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel ever to grace the silver screen. This is a bona fide big screen epic clocking in at more than three hours in length (this screening will also have a 20-minute intermission). Adapted and directed by Jean-Paul le Chanois and starring Jean Gabin as Jean Valjean, this is majestic filmmaking on par with classic Hollywood epics such as Ben Hur or Cleopatra.

Aaltra (2004)

Screening: June 29 at Midnight

The SFFF also has a couple of late night options for moviegoers who like films that push the envelope. When an altercation ends in two feuding neighbors getting their legs crushed by farm equipment, the duo must set out on the road across Europe to Finland to track down the tractor’s manufacturer. Aaltra seems to follow typical road trip mode, where two characters who really don’t get along are forced to band together and journey a great distance so comedy may ensue, but unlike other road trip movies, our two protagonists here make most of the trip via wheelchair. This dark comedy will probably make you feel bad for laughing at its jokes. Don’t worry, it’s just a movie. Laugh away. You won’t go to hell, I promise.

Thérèse (2012)

Screening: June 30 at 7:45 p.m.

American audiences fell hopelessly in love (at least I did) with French actress Audrey Tautou when Amelie made a huge splash here in the States. While that hasn’t necessarily translated into a huge career in Hollywood, the actress is still breaking hearts overseas with her Audrey Hepburn-esque looks and sensitive performances. Thérèse, based on the novel by François Mauriac, is the final film Claude Miller completed before he died and closed out last year’s Cannes Film Festival. Thérèse will have the same honors here at the SFFF and for good reason. This harrowing historical drama tells the story of a woman trapped in a loveless marriage who never loses her free spirit. Tautou is also featured in another film shown at the SFFF, Delicacy, which will be screened June 28 at 6:15 p.m. and June 29 at 12:50 p.m. Thérèse will be followed by the festival’s closing night’s champagne party, which will also be held in the Crest Theatre lobby.

For more information and a full rundown of all the films featured in the Sacramento French Film Festival, go to Sacramentofrenchfilmfestival.org.

Post from: Submerge Magazine

Bands like Ol’ Cotton Dreary, 50 Watt Heavy, Drive Thru Mystics, Whiskey and Stitches, Drop Dead Red and dozens more will ring in a weekend of rock ‘n’ roll celebrating the 79th anniversary of Old Ironsides (1901 10th Street). The music performances begin at 7:30 p.m. with 14 bands performing the first night on Friday, June 14, hosted by Moe Better Man, and the following evening, hosted by Jerry Perry, kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Both evenings include a variety of food trucks and raffle prizes, plus tickets are only $10. Or, shell out five more bucks for the two-day wristband, which is a one-of-a-kind, anniversary collectible. Go on, be the cool kid and celebrate with music and familiar faces at one of Sacramento’s oldest bars and music venues. Visit Theoldironsides.com for more information.

-Steph Rodriguez

Post from: Submerge Magazine

Soul/rock group The Staxx Brothers return to Sacramento and this time they’re performing with local funk band Phat Butta Jam. On Friday, June 14, Marilyn’s on K will witness the band’s coined “hard ass soul” music, a mixture of funk, soul and hip-hop. The Seattle-based band’s latest album Jungle Cat was produced by none other than Scott Colburn, the man behind albums like Feels, Strawberry Jam and Water Curses from Animal Collective, and Neon Bible from Arcade Fire. The Staxx Brothers 10-track full-length album is available for only $10 on iTunes and Amazon, but stop by Staxxbrothers.com to brush up on their music before the show.

Post from: Submerge Magazine

Words by Danny Secretion • Photos by Nicholas Wray

At the risk of sounding like one of those guys who hasn’t been to a local show since 1989, regales in days of yore and constantly reminds “the kids” about how shows were better back in the day at some venue that closed during the Reagan administration, I’ve seen a lot of bands from our local punk scene. Some good. Some not so good. When a band leaves you in such awe of what they present with both their live show and their music that it inspires you to the point of doing something you’ve never dreamed of doing (say, write your very first article for a magazine), that band is beyond good. That band is great. The band I speak of is City of Vain.

Just spending two hours with half of this band left me feeling rejuvenated and hopeful. The gratitude I have for them is immeasurable. Before this interview, I was fortunate enough to listen to rough mixes in Steve’s car. Set list standards like “New Helvetia,” “To You My Friends” and “Stuck Here With You” are delivered with all the power and glory of their live performances. Newer songs like “Moving Up Moving Forward,” “Out on an Island,” “Lessons in Social Class” and “Backs Against the Wall” will more than satisfy those of us who have been listening to this band for nearly two years. Fans of The Clash, Rancid, Bouncing Souls or The Specials who have yet to see this band perform live should hang their heads in shame. Your penance is to pick up two copies of Shaking Hands With Yourself and get your ass out to a show.

Your band consists of musicians from a variety of groups. What was it about this band that you wanted to do differently from your past music projects?
Newell Dunn: For me it was enjoyment. I wanted to have fun. After my last band, I had a long hiatus, so I was itching to play.
Steve Ross: I’m with Newell on that. I’d gone through relationships, had children and I realized I hadn’t done this [play music] in a while and that was my life’s blood before all that.

So did you approach music differently this time around than you did when you were younger?
SR: I appreciate it more!
ND: I appreciate that I get to play music again. I’m still playing music.
SR: I feel like to be able to get up there and for people to give you 30 minutes of their time regardless of where you’re at and who they are, to sit there and even sit through a song is still a privilege to me.

How did the different facets of our local music scene (the hardcore scene, the street punk scene, the pop-punk scene) react to you initially?
ND: I’ve played in hardcore bands and street punk bands before, and everyone I knew in this town from the hardcore scene were like, “You’re doing that? It’s so outside what you’ve done before.” But they all liked it. It was all positive. As far as the street punk scene, I played an early demo for Kenny Beasley [of Pressure Point] way before we even played a show, and he really liked it.
SR: Kenny is one of the most supportive people. He’s an icon that we hold dear. I’m blown away that he’s interested in what we’re doing.
ND: There’s a wide range of people who come to our shows. I’ve seen metal heads, hardcore kids, punks, people you look at and say, “normal.”
SR: I don’t think we ever stopped to think about who was coming to the shows. We were just extremely fortunate. Our first show was one of our best-attended shows, and we were just surrounded by good friends who were excited to see us up there and were intrigued because they hadn’t heard it. To this day, that show is ingrained in my mind as one of my most favorite times ever playing.

Because of the message you send through your music and live performances, I’m not alone in saying City of Vain is one of the must-see bands in Sacramento. Did you ever feel like you were on to something special and unique when you started playing bigger shows?
Minh Quan: I felt so, but it wasn’t because of the size of the show. We could play for one person or 1000 people, but for me it’s that I love playing the music and I’m up on stage with five of my best friends.
SR: When we go up there, we go up there as a unit. I make it a point to outwardly exude the fact that we are a family. You’re watching friends that hang out outside of this. We go out to shows together, because that’s just what we would do even if we weren’t in a band. If it looks like we’re having fun onstage, it’s because we’re genuinely are having fun.
ND: Having so much fun! I love it!

You’ve toured with bands that aren’t even from the same time zone as us. What’s your reasoning for touring with bands from across the Atlantic?
SR: Mike Bolado from the band Old Glory has done more for us than we’ve done for us. He’s quite possibly the seventh member of our band. He sees something in us that we often don’t even get, but he’s willing to go out there and book all these tours; he’s forged these relationships overseas with these bands. It’s honestly the best vacation you could ever spend going out with somebody from another country who is just as intrigued in your culture as you would be going over there.
Explain your experience in touring with this band. What are some of the more challenging aspects
of touring?
SR: 11 people in a van.
ND: Who is going to stay sober to drive.
MQ: Sitting between two huge guys, being wedged between Drew and Mike Bolado in the heat of the summer with a barely functioning A/C in Arizona. But it’s my high school dream to be in a band like this, to be able to tour and make good music and be with five other guys who are just as passionate as me. Honestly, the hardest thing about tour is jobs. Every time I would come back to a new job in a new place.

What’s something you think our local music scene has over other scenes you’ve experienced through touring?
ND: Passion. Heart.
SR: When we go out, we let it be known that Sacramento is where we’re from. We may malign our city sometimes, but we’re definitely proud to be from here. There’s an inherent amount of respect we get from people in other cities because of some of the bands that have come out of here.

What’s something you think needs to improve with the local music scene?
ND: Venue accessibility and more all-ages venues. When some of these bigger bands come through, I think some of these local venues need to step up to the plate and say, “We want to do this show, but we need to put some locals on.” Sacramento has its own amazing music scene that needs to be exposed to these bigger bands.
SR: You look at a promoter like Sean Hills [Punch and Pie Productions], who really has his ear to the ground experiencing what this city has to offer. He brings touring bands in and makes it a point to put them with quality bands from Sacramento. It boosts the Sacramento bands’ reputations and gives them an opportunity to roll out the red carpet for the touring bands, and in return have those bands reciprocate when our bands come through their towns.

Let’s talk about the new music. Your past music has been heavy on melody, positivity and accessibility without losing any musical aggression. What can people expect from new City of Vain?
MQ: More of the same…it’s just better. We put in more time and a greater effort. I think Steve’s songwriting is even better than before.

How did the musicianship of your band members inspire your songwriting for this album?
SR: This record was written after the decision to bring in Minh full-time. I’m extremely privileged to be in a band where everyone has the ability to contribute to make the songs better. As a songwriter, I can listen to other styles of music and hear something that intrigues me and then incorporate that into our songs because we have the keyboard, the two different guitar styles and that backbone of a strong rhythm section. It doesn’t take long for a song to take shape when everyone is open to collaborate.

How did the songwriting for the new album influence your musicianship?
MQ: Keyboards aren’t traditionally in punk rock. I had to do my research to figure out what’s right to play in the music. It’s definitely influenced the way I play a lot.
ND: It’s pushed me to play better because I enjoy it more. I’m able to “let go” and “have fun.” With Steve’s songwriting, we have a solid foundation from the get-go. I believe in this music like it’s my first band.

What style of music inspired this album?
SR: We all have our staples that we go to. The Clash is obviously a huge influence for me. The Specials were my favorite band from junior high to this day. That goes back to having keyboards in this band which links us to having the ability to do things like that in this band.

Tell me about two of the new songs, “Lessons in Social Class” and “Backs Against the Wall.”
SR: It’s all stuff that’s important to me that I wouldn’t hesitate to have a conversation with someone about. The goal is to provoke thought, not to propagate or profess any sort of stance or make people choose. There’s two sides to every story and if you’re intelligent enough to question something and make an educated decision, that’s what this country is supposed to be about. It’s not about hating or dismissing someone because they don’t agree with you, but really celebrating that fact. Also, telling both extremes to fuck off. You guys are on opposite ends of the spectrum, but you’ve gone so far one way or the other that you’ve forgotten the rest of us right here.

If this new music doesn’t get over with your fan base, what will keep you positive?
SR: We love doing what we do. There’s always going to be the critics, but I won’t lose any sleep over it.

If this new music takes off and sends this band to the next level, what will keep you grounded?
ND: Each other. We feed off each other as a group.
SR: We built this band on honesty and being genuine. To do an about-face would just be suicide. None of us would let the other person do that. This is about the six of us and the people who really enjoy this music.

It’s a safe assessment to say that 50 percent of the audience of any local punk show consists of your colleagues; many of them younger musicians in their first bands. What I’m trying to say is…Do you have any words of advice for the kids?
ND: Keep going! If you love it and you’re passionate, keep going.
MQ: Keep doing what you love.
ND: That’s the biggest paycheck right there.
SR: Learn from every experience you have. If you’re not having fun, you need to take a step back and not be afraid of having that open line of communication.

What about words of advice for musicians in their twenties, thirties, forties or beyond who are struggling with finding the joy that you have in playing music?
MQ: If they’re in their fifties and playing Eagles cover songs, they can go fuck off [much laughter].

OK, favorite song on the new album?
ND: “Backs Against the Wall.”
MQ: My favorite song on the record is “Lessons In Social Class,” but my favorite song to play live is “Stuck Here With You.”
SR: It’s tough for me because I’m critical of them all. I think lyrically I base it on that. I’m most proud of the lyrics on “Stuck Here With You” and “Backs Against the Wall.”

City of Vain’s release show for Shaking Hands With Yourself is on Thursday, June 13, 2013 at The Press Club. Crashed Out, Old Glory and Union Hearts will also perform. For more information on City of Vain, look them up on Reverbnation or on Facebook.

Post from: Submerge Magazine

Words by James Barone

Chris D’Elia’s manic stage presence and energetic delivery make him perfectly suited for life as a standup comic, but when he was trying to break into comedy he first took a different route. D’Elia tried his hand at being an actor first, then a writer, but when that wasn’t working out, he decided to take the plunge into the do-or-die world of standup. As it turns out, it was the best thing the young comedian could have done.

Standup was the springboard for his career, but D’Elia is as focused as ever on his stagecraft. In the following interview, he talks about his popularity on video sharing app Vine, his standup career, conquering his fear of the stage and what life is like as a “black comic.”

You’re in Denver tonight right?
Yeah, I am. It’s really nice up here.

I’ve been through Denver once. It’s a fun city, but it’s got a weird vibe. I don’t know if it’s the mountain air or what. People seem a little wilder up there.
Yeah, I think it might be because at certain times of the year they don’t have much to do so they go nuts.

Does the altitude affect you in any way since you talk on stage for an hour?
The last time I was here, it did. It definitely takes its toll on me. I get anxious. A few days in, I get short of breath. But I live.

I was checking out some of your standup clips on YouTube the past few days leading up to the interview. How do you feel about clips of your live show being up online for free?
If it was already on TV, I don’t care. If it was already on TV, then it’s good to have it up online too so people can access it, so I like that. When it’s just from the club, or a fan or audience member did it, I always message them to take it down, and they’re usually pretty cool about it. If it’s like The Laugh Factory shooting it—they’ll shoot a lot of their shows and they’ll ask you if they can put up stuff—I always tell them no with the material and OK if I’m just messing around with the audience, because that’s just going to be a one-time thing. It’s not something I’m working on.

Yeah, I noticed a lot of The Laugh Factory clips, which is why I asked. I noticed a lot of them were you interacting with your audience…
Yeah, that’s why they’re up there. Sometimes because of that, people think that’s what I do at shows, that I mess with the audience, and that’s not the case. I don’t like that. I don’t enjoy it. I’d rather do my act than have somebody heckle me, because that’s annoying.

So audience participation isn’t something you particularly enjoy?
No. I’ll do it, because I like to put people in their place for being rude.

I saw a couple of clips where you were ragging on Drake…
Yeah, I don’t know. I’ll be driving to the clubs, and there’ll be hip-hop on, and then I’ll be like, “I’m going to talk about this on stage.” Those two bits, those were like the only times I did those, and Laugh Factory got them on camera. If it’s a really current topic I’m talking about, I don’t mind if they use it, because it’s not like I’m going to be talking about it for a few years. If the song’s hot, maybe it’ll catch on. And they did.

Have you gotten any backlash from Drake fans?
No not really. I don’t know if Drake saw them or anything. I say in the clip that I like his music, so it’s not a hateful thing.

You told us about trying to become an actor and writer before trying standup. Was acting or writing your first focus?
I always wanted to do comedy first and foremost, but I wanted to be an actor. I wasn’t getting work as an actor, so I started writing. I thought maybe I could write a good script and maybe do that, create my own opportunity. That didn’t work out. I was like, forget it, I’m going to get on stage because I need people to immediately see what I’m doing. I need some people to recognize what I do. Even if they’re going to boo me, at least people are seeing my work.

Does being on a sit-com or working on a TV show cut into your standup routine at all?
Not too much. I did 430 shows before I got on Whitney, and when I got on Whitney, I was able to do 300 and something. So, it’s a little bit. It kind of makes me obsess about it less, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s all for the standup, dude. All the TV and all the other stuff, whatever helps get people in the seats and have me do shows is the best. I shot my special about a month and half ago in New Orleans, so it doesn’t slow me down too much…

Standup is what I always wanted to do, but I was afraid to do it. It took getting beat up in the business for me to actually be like, alright, I’m going to get on stage. Standup was the first thing I ever wanted to do though.

Was it just the business being rough that got you over that fear or was there another catalyst?
It’s like this, dude. If you’re getting beat up in an alley by three guys and another dude comes along like, “I’m going to beat that guy up too,” you’re like, OK, bring it on. It’s like, what’s one more dude? That’s what I was like when I was like I’ll do standup.

I was looking at your Twitter feed today and I saw that you’ve been posting a lot of videos on Vine, which is really starting to pick up steam, even though it’s not at Instagram level yet.
No, it’s not at Instagram level yet, but it’s a force to be reckoned with. It’s pretty much the only thing I get recognized for now. If I’m walking down the street, people are like, “Oh my God, you’re the guy on Vine!”

The stuff you’re doing on Vine almost seems like guerilla comedy. You find things that happen on the street or wherever and you comment on them. Have you been attracting a lot of followers?
I’ve got one of the most followers on Vine, I think. But I think it’s cool because it’s just purely me. It’s nothing else but what I would do with six seconds. Some people are buying wigs and shit on Vine and trying to make funny videos. I’m just trying to comment and be funny.

Has anyone you’ve commented on ever caught you and taken exception to it?
No one has caught me in the act, but a few people have commented on it later and said, “Hey, that’s me!”

So they’re more honored than anything else?
Yeah, they’re honored. I was Vineing at the mall in Dallas, and the kid left school and came to the mall. This kid came and said, “I saw you Vineing, so I left school and came to the mall,” so I did a Vine with him. It was really funny.

The other thing I’d noticed on your Twitter feed is that your headline reads, “White male. Black comic.” Were black standup comedians your biggest influences in comedy?
I always liked that style, but also it was an inside joke. This other comedian, Erik Griffin, he’s black and he would always say about my act—because I’m all animated and shit—that, “you’re blacker than I am on stage.” It was a joke, but I would say, “Yeah, I’m a white dude, but a black comic.” I put it up as my Twitter headline as a joke and then people started to talk about it on my Twitter feed. I think that’s what I’m going to name my comedy special, White Male, Black Comic.

Chris D’Elia will perform three nights at Punch Line in Sacramento from June 6–8, 2013. To buy tickets, go to Chrisdelia.com and click “Tour.” Follow him on Twitter @chrisdelia.

Post from: Submerge Magazine

Stay thirsty and be sure to come hungry because the seventh annual Raley Field Brewfest not only boasts more than 60 beer venders at this year’s event, it’s also presented by Wing Stop. On Friday, June 7, 2013, starting at 7 p.m. the Raley Field outfield will transform into an all out smorgasbord with vendors laid out in a quarter-mile semi-circle, plus a stage set up near second base. Breweries include everything from Trumer Brauerei to Track 7 Brewing Co., and even featured ciders range from the Ace Cider and Fox Barrel Cider companies. Tickets start at $30 in advance or $35 the day of the event, yet there’s always VIP. For just $50, VIP ballers, or ticket holders, will receive 18 tastings instead of the 10 offered and allowed an hour early entrance. Whatever package fits the budget, visit Raleyfield.com for tickets or simply stop by the box office. Bottoms up.

Post from: Submerge Magazine

The Hangover Part III

Rated R
Words by James Barone

If it only seems like it was just yesterday we were introduced to The Wolfpack (Alan, Stu, Phil and Doug), it’s because it almost was yesterday. The Hangover only just came out in 2009, it’s sequel soon followed two years later and now in 2013, like clockwork, we have the final installment of “The Wolfpack Trilogy,” because nowadays everything is a trilogy. The Hangover Part III features all the characters you know and love (for lack of a better term) and even brings back those you’ve probably forgotten about, but the culmination of this little comedic saga is something far less familiar.

We open in a Thai prison where series trickster, the mischievous Leslie Chow (Ken Jeong) has just escaped. The scene is like something out of a cheesy ‘90s action film.

We then quickly cut to Alan (Zach Galifianakis) drinking a beer as he speeds down the freeway. Attached to his car is a trailer, which is transporting a giraffe (well, a computer generated giraffe). A low overpass beheads the giraffe causing a massive mult-car pileup in its wake. Alan seems miffed, but otherwise unaffected.

The rest of The Hangover Part III follows suit, juxtaposing weirdly dark comedy with elements of action, but it’s not a clean mesh of genres. Alan’s erratic behavior and refusal to take his medication leads his friends and family to call an intervention. The outcome of which is that Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Doug (Justin Bartha) must make a two-day drive across the desert to transport Alan to a facility where he can receive the help he needs. But trouble follows The Wolfpack wherever they go, and along the way they’re abducted by Marshall (John Goodman), who’s involved in all kinds of nebulous criminal activity and is after Mr. Chow for stealing $21 million in gold that Marshall stole from a foreign royal. Marshall believes The Wolfpack is his only hope in finding Mr. Chow, so he holds Doug hostage and forces Stu, Phil and Alan to find the Chinese sociopath. The trail leads The Wolfpack to where else but Las Vegas. Along the way, there is a good deal of action, but the laughs are strangely absent.

The Hangover trilogy doesn’t stick to formula, which usually dictates that the second film in the series is the darkest. The Hangover Part III is quite dark. Though much like the previous two installments, our three heroes must band together to help a colleague, the consequences here are a bit more severe. Doug’s life is on the line whereas in the other films the guys might not have made it to a wedding in time. Marshall is not a man to be trifled with. There’ll be hell to pay if he doesn’t get his hands on Mr. Chow. Even Mr. Chow seems extra dangerous here. He’s not just a goofy villain, but a calculating, malicious force of chaos. At one point,

Marshall goes as far as to equate Mr. Chow to madness itself.

There are laughs, sure. Galifianakis has a great moment in a Las Vegas pawn store with the brilliant Melissa McCarthy, but this is one of the few light scenes in the film. This is a caper with more in common with True Romance than the past two Hangover movies. In one scene, Phil and Alan infiltrate Mr. Chow’s penthouse suite at Caesar’s Palace. Strobe lights flash as the two try to work their way through the room after room of debauchery as Black Sabbath plays ominously behind them (side note: the soundtrack for this movie is definitely worth a listen). It’s a trippy, dizzying and very exciting scene for the senses, but, like, where’s all that lowbrow humor, bro?

That’s the thing that bothers me the most about The Hangover Part III. I’ve seen each film in the series, but until this one, I didn’t realize I was supposed to actually care about these characters. Sure they’re lovable, but they’re all kind of jerks, right? That’s what makes them funny. Toward the film’s climax, Phil says to the rest of the trio, “This all ends tonight,” with such gravitas I couldn’t tell if it was meant to be ironic or not. Weren’t we all hanging out with Mike Tyson, getting face tattoos and taking incriminating photos while we were way too fucked up over the past four years? Suddenly it’s Frodo’s journey into Mordor or something. Dudes, this is way too intense for me. We’ll always be bros and all, but I’m kind of glad it’s time to say goodbye.

Post from: Submerge Magazine

By James Barone {jb@submergemag.com}

Memorial Day has come and gone, which means, unofficially, it’s summer. I love these long, carefree days—not that they’ve been truly carefree for quite some time. Not since I was in grade school or whatever, and summer meant I had two and a half months to fuck off. Still, summer feels carefree. Even if it really isn’t.

I still get really excited about Memorial Day weekend, though. It’s like that first weekend you can really let loose and go wild. Growing up on the East Coast, it was like the first time you could safely ditch your jacket and go out in short sleeves. It was probably the first time you could fire up the barbecue—unlike California where you can pretty much do that shit all year round (no matter what you guys seem to think).

Of course, we have this three-day weekend thanks to the service of our brave men and women in the military. Like many of you, I’ve had friends and family members who’ve made the sacrifice and served this country—through peacetime and war—and it’s wonderful that we dedicate a day to thank them. Sure, I usually spend Memorial Day weekend bombed out of my mind and eating a terminal amount of grilled meat products, but I guess that’s just how I show my gratitude.

I smiled as I saw my Facebook feed light up with people excited about where they were going to go or what they were going to do this past weekend, even though it was a working one here at Submerge. Maybe you made the trip up to the Sasquatch Music Festival, or piled in a car and drove down to somewhere on the coast. Maybe you just stayed home alone and ate your body weight in burgers. No matter what you did, I hope you enjoyed yourself. I know everyone has things they need to do, but they often forget that enjoying themselves is just as important—if not more so.

Still, if someone’s having a good time, there are people out there who want you to be miserable. That’s just the way it is. Maybe it’s because they’re assholes, or maybe they think they’re just being helpful, but they just love to be a bunch of fucking killjoys.

In addition to the wealth of holiday plans I saw dash across my Facebook feed, there were also plenty of posts admonishing those having a good time for supposedly not remembering what Memorial Day is all about, namely those who gave their lives in service of our country.

One meme that crossed my path was a photo of a woman lying facedown on the grave of a fallen soldier. Her face was in her palms. Clearly, the person who’d died was someone she held very dear. It’s definitely a photo that just the sight of will tug at many people’s heartstrings. It tugged at mine, but I’m a fucking sap.

The image speaks for itself, but someone thought it necessary to add a caption. “Memorial Day,” it said in big letters, followed by “In case you thought it was National BBQ Day,” as if it was the punch line of a joke.

I wish to God or Whoever that there was a National Barbecue Day, but I’m sure people would feel the need to pontificate about why we should feel guilty about enjoying that too, somehow. Like how people get pissy about Thanksgiving, because some link it to the stealing of America from American Indians, or how others get their panties in a bunch because we get a day off for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, because they’re fucking idiot racists.

Whatever, dude. It’s a holiday, let’s just enjoy it. I know why we have Memorial Day. I know there are people out there who have made sacrifices that I could never dream of making. They gave their youth, and maybe even their lives, maybe not for me personally, but for an idea that they wanted to keep our country safe. That’s a really noble thing. It’s so noble that it’s difficult for me to fathom it.

I do give thanks to those who have served in the armed forces. I know that when I’m drinking beers or eating hotdogs that there are people out there who have died so I can do it, but if it’s true that they died protecting our freedom (and I think it is), then I guess people are free to party like they just don’t care on Memorial Day weekend. They’re free to hook up with people they’ll never speak to again in shore towns and lakeside cities all over the country. They’re also free to post things on Facebook that make me feel so guilty, I feel the need to write a column about it.

Post from: Submerge Magazine

Raw: Natural Born Artists is an independent artists’ organization that puts on exhibitions in more than 80 locations such as New York City; Austin, Texas; and now, Sacramento. On Friday, June 5, this multi-art showcase, Kaleidoscope, will kick off at District 30 (1022 K Street) at 7 p.m. Leave your jeans and flip-flops at home and instead dress to impress with your best evening cocktail threads. Enjoy everything artsy about Sacramento all under one roof with art, fashion, music, hair demos, photography, performances and more. Kaleidoscope features local artists working in the mediums of their choice, whether it’s hair and makeup or canvas and paint, feast your eyes for only $10 a ticket. DJ Shady Gaga will be spinning the jams throughout the evening and featured artists include Tink, Autumn Brown, Antoine and more. Live music will also be provided by Step Jayne. Visit Rawartists.org/sacramento/kaleidoscope for more information.

-Steph Rodriguez

Post from: Submerge Magazine