Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Sparks the Rescue, Namesake, Self Proclaimed, Mercedes Ave
The Boardwalk, Orangevale – Saturday, May 19, 2012

Words by Ashley Hassinger Photos by Mike Ibe

From pop-punk to alternative, many types of rock filled the Boardwalk in Orangevale on Saturday.

With four bands lined up to open for Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, the audience got a taste of both local and touring bands from across the States.

First up was local Sacramento band, Mercedes Ave. Recently formed, the band’s vocals were a bit shaky throughout the performance. The vocals of Kris Loewen and backup vocalist and bassist Nick Lunetta, didn’t quite complement each other; while the melodies from the lead guitarist Nathan Furey and the drumming of Jon Medley were decent.

It is evident that the band as a whole had a great love for music, but perhaps with more time with each other, they’ll perfect their sound and blend their vocals and their melodies more seamlessly. As they write in their biography on Facebook, “We aren’t perfect. We still have a long ways to go as a band, as musicians and even as friends.” With their own self-criticism, it won’t be long before their sound is more polished.

Self Proclaimed, a four piece band also from Sacramento comprised of vocalist Ethan Blankensop, lead guitarist Matt Miramontes, bass guitarist Blake Harris and drummer Jeffery Willams, gave the audience a good show.

Full of energy and projecting a good stage presence, Self Proclaimed had the crowd engaged and played high-energy songs. With fast tempo songs in their set like “Half Past Sunday,” full of catchy hooks, they made it easy for new listeners to jump on board with their sound.

Blankensop had a raspy voice, which set the band apart from the previous local talent. They had fun at the end of their set covering Blink-182’s “All The Small Things,” which pumped up the entire crowd.

Up next was the first touring band, Namsake from Atlanta, Ga. Signed to Imagen Records, Namesake was a refined pop-rock band. From the vocals of Will Crafton to harmonies from guitarists Brad Wagner and Troy Harmon, bassist Seth Van Dusen and drummer Kevin Nordeste, it was evident that these guys have been performing for a while.

Their melodies had the entire crowd clapping and bobbing their heads. Conversing with the audience, Crafton spoke to them saying, “I don’t say this very often, but this may be the best crowd of the tour.”

The crowd really took to their sound and their chemistry as a band. Namesake ended with their song “Movement,” a tune about getting through a hard time.

Sparks the Rescue, from Maine, followed Namesake and kept the energy level high. Around for the past three years, Sparks the Rescue showed that with time, harmony and lyrics are perfected and the interaction amongst the band members was solid.

The band changed it up by covering country group Lady Antebellum’s song, “Need You Now.” It was a great cover that gave the song a rock makeover.

Sparks the Rescue was a great band to open up for Florida-based rock band The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Around since 2004, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus has used its time together wisely, perfecting their lyrics and refining their rock sound. With the recent release of the newest album Am I the Enemy, the band played a mix of both old and new material.

Opening up with the song “False Pretense,” Red Jumpsuit started the crowd off with vigor, and did an amazing job keeping the crowd engaged and up dancing on their feet.

Lead vocalist Ronnie Winter slowed down the tempo twice, playing songs “Cat and Mouse” and “Your Guardian Angel” off Red Jumpsuit’s album Don’t You Fake It, acoustically.

With one song left in the set, the audience starting shouting “‘Face Down,’ ‘Face Down,’ ‘Face Down.’” Red Jumpsuit obliged by closing out its set with that song.

All the bands had a great show, and although some could use improvement in lyrics or chemistry on stage, all had their hearts out on the stage, showing their love for live music.

An Eclectic Local Band leaves Its Mark on the Sacramento Music Scene

Words by Ashley Hassinger – Photo by Andre Jones/Eye Connoisseur Photography

With a multi-faceted sound, local band Iconoclast Robot brings something new and fresh to the Sacramento music scene.

Comprised of vocalist Charles Cash (nee Ryan Charles Gammad), Patrick Caden (bass and guitar), Russell Boucher (guitar), Jairus Beacham (drums) and Jamal Siurano (keys, beats and saxophone), Iconoclast Robot blends jazz, hip-hop and rock together to create a fusion all their own.

As I sat down with Cash and Siurano at the Eye Connoisseur Photography Studio in Midtown, I was intrigued to find out the band’s musical background and their undeniable love and talent for music.

Formed in April of last year, Iconoclast Robot came together with inspirations ranging from The Roots to Rage Against the Machine. An unexpected range of musical tastes brings out all the stops for this multi-genre band.

“We don’t all come from the same musical background. I studied jazz in school, Ryan likes hip-hop, Jairus played in church and Patrick used to play in a metal band,” Jamal explained.

Although different in backgrounds, each member was influenced by music at an early age, whether they were part of band or listened to their parent’s music.

“I’ve always had a knack for music. I remember listening to songs as a kid and being curious as to what instruments were being used. I wanted to know everything about the song,” Jamal said.

The special sound that Iconoclast Robot has is complemented with skillful lyrics. Ryan is the main contributor for the lyrics, and since he started writing back in 2008, he has had one main influence.

“Heartbreaks. As corny as that sounds, I’m most inspired when I’m sad,” Cash confided. “And a lot of my raps aren’t normal witty raps–more like storytelling. I look at the world a certain way, and the lyrics portray how I feel about it.”

Just like its sound, Iconoclast Robot’s lyrics aren’t what you would expect–and Cash writes what’s honest.

“It’s not political. It’s not stereotypical. It’s not what you expect,” explained the vocalist. “It’s sort of my unique perspective, which makes it real.”

The band hasn’t been signed to a label yet, which allows for more creativity and enables the band to grow and change as they see fit.

With no major deadlines or outside influences, Iconoclast Robot is able to focus on what they want as a band, not what a label wants them to do. “We are still new and trying to figure out what our sound is going to be like. It’s nice to have the freedom of not having someone else being an influence over us,” Jamal stated.

Along with the ability to be creative, being without a record label allowed the band to form more spontaneously.

“It wasn’t like someone was signed to a label and they were forced to find members. All of us came together in a way that was natural. I think it’s pretty rare for a band to come together with the backgrounds we have and be able to make it work,” Jamal said.

Without a record label, Iconoclast Robot is forced to jump around from place to place in order to record and practice on a weekly basis. Recently the band has had the opportunity to record at Pinnacle College in Rancho Cordova, but the band is open to any space that will allow them to better themselves.

“We don’t have a lot of money and resources right now,” explained Jamal. “So we practice and record wherever we can.”

Iconoclast Robot’s love and dedication for music is shown in their stage presence. It’s obvious in the energy that is seen, that the band loves what they do. For them, making music and performing isn’t work for them, it’s a release of their creativity.

“Music is all about communicating your ideas, like any art form,” Jamal said. “You’ve got an idea and you want to express that without words and music is the way to do that.”

Although they’ve played locally and in the Bay Area, Iconoclast Robot is hoping to go on tour soon.

“A tour is in the works, and I think we know where we’d like to go. Definitely a West Coast tour including California, Nevada and Arizona. Nothing is solid yet though,” said Jamal.

Even though they are busy working on their own music, I was curious to know what kind of music they were currently listening to.

“I’ve been listening to the artist, Gotye who wrote the song ‘Somebody I Used to Know.’ I checked out some of his other stuff, and he is like us,” Jamal said. “He is all over the map stylistically, so many styles and it’s very creative.”

As for Cash, “I’ve been listening to The Black Keys. One of my favorite bands though is City and Colour, an acoustic and emo sound. He has such a real passion in his voice.”

With a tour in the works, an untitled EP released and their debut album set to release in May, Iconoclast Robot has set goals for themselves, hoping to one day make what they love to do a full-time job.

“I think at the end of the day all of us would be happy to comfortably support ourselves playing music and not having to work 9-to-5 jobs,” said Jamal. “Tour, play music and pay the bills. I think we’d be happy.”

With music as their drive and passion, the band is looking to turn heads with their rare and intriguing sound.

“We want to blow their minds,” said Jamal. “I want them to walk away and be like, ‘What was that?’”

Collectively, the band wants their fans to be affected somehow by the music they make, and want them to come back for another show.

Music isn’t a gimmick or moneymaker for these five band members; it’s their passion. “Music is something I’m always going to do, whether I’m in a band or not,” Jamal explained. “It’s always going to be a part of my life, regardless of whether I’m making money.”

Iconoclast Robots have an upcoming performance at Ace of Spades on April 13. Go to http://aceofspadessac.com/ for tickets. For updated information on the album release date and upcoming shows like them on their Facebook page: Facebook.com/iconoclastrobot

Mutemath, Canon Blue
Ace of Spades, Sacramento – Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012

Words by Ashley Hassinger – Photos Mike Ibe

Mutemath returned to Sacramento for a stunning performance with musical guest Canon Blue. With distinctive musical styles, these two bands complemented each other flawlessly. A strong emphasis on an array of instruments and powerful lead vocals illustrated genuine musicianship.

Canon Blue, solo project of Daniel James, opened up the night, playing as a trio on this occasion. With the recent release of Canon Blue’s sophomore album Rumspringa, James spoke to the audience about Amish culture being a heavy influence on the album.

His six-song set lasted 30 minutes. James’s set list was a mixture of old and new tracks, allowing the audience to get a full taste of the rich and funky Canon Blue.

An essential feature you can hear with Canon Blue’s recent music is a string quartet. This element gives Canon Blue a unique quality and James is able to recreate this sound with samplers during his live show. Layering a combination of string instruments and James’ vocals generates a refreshed sound. Canon Blue gives listener’s unpredictable sounds and lyrics and has a euphonic substance.

In addition to the layering, the tracks have a variety of tones varying from light and jazz style to an alternative and fast tempo. Canon Blue’s unorthodox sound is what draws in new listeners.

Canon Blue wrapped up their set with a funky and upbeat jam titled “Chicago.” This track is a perfect example of the sound you’ll hear on Rumspringa: a string quartet introduction ultimately bringing in James’ voice.

Standing in the crowd, I overheard a few audience members mumbling, “Who is this band?” Canon Blue made a substantial impression on both fans and new listeners. Their opening made a great introduction to the headlining Mutemath that was to follow.

Writing and performing for almost a decade, Mutemath have polished and perfected their art of music. With three full-length studio albums including their most recent release in October, Odd Soul, Mutemath had a great deal of material to work with for the show.

For those unfamiliar with the sound of Mutemath, imagine a fusion of funk, jazz and rock. Lead vocalist Paul Meany adds an undertone of soul to complete their colorful and distinguished sound.

Known for their exceptional live performances, Mutemath didn’t delay to impress the crowd with a non-traditional entrance. Drummer Darren King led the band in a drum-line formation from the audience onto the stage, with a string of lights hanging above them.

As they took to the stage, there was no hesitation in energy and excitement from the band members as the first song “Odd Soul,” off their third studio album, started up. Bassist Roy Mitchell-Cardenas and newest member Todd Gummerman on the guitar joined in with King and Meany with an immense amount of liveliness on the stage.

The excitement wasn’t limited to one area with Meany interacting with the crowd, and singing in the middle of the audience for the performance of “Equals.”

A favorable characteristic of Mutemath’s performances is their ability to have quick transitions. There is little downtime between songs, allowing for the audience to get the most out of the show.

Along with their swift changeovers, there was a great light show throughout the performance, which took the concert to the next level.

With high energy and dedication, Mutemath gave an exceptional arrangement of their songs over the years, and their animation was contagious to the crowd. Mutemath is one of the few bands left that performs solely for the joy of their audience.

The songs they performed included “Blood Pressure,” “Spotlight” and “Walking Paranoia,” to name a few. The band played a total of 26 songs, giving the audience a passion-filled show.