This summer is already shaping up to be a great one in Sacramento, and to kick things off, the month of June is stacked with rad events, outdoor concerts, night markets and block parties galore. Besides all the other great stuff featured throughout this issue, we wanted to be sure to highlight these 10 fun events happening this month around Sacramento to help jump start your kick-ass summer.
Local indie mainstays Sun Valley Gun Club are throwing an album release party at the Red Museum (212 15th St.) on Friday, June 8, celebrating the release of their third album, the water, the stars. Also on the bill is Bastards of Young and Ani Maul. This will be a banger, folks. All ages, 8 p.m., $8.
The popular THIS Midtown Second Saturday block party series returns June 9 with live music from Viceroy, Pink Skies, DJ Greg J and others. The party goes down on 20th Street between K and J streets from 4:30 to 11 p.m. and features local artists, vendors, beer garden, cocktails and tons of fun. Visit Facebook.com/this916 for more. Free, all ages welcome.
UPcyclePOP’s upcoming Fathers Summer event is a market and art lab happening at 7300 Folsom Blvd. on Saturday, June 9, where you can watch artists upcycle discarded items into works of art, fashion, furniture and other creative inventions. Sip on a drink, check out the live music jam, and pick up a unique Father’s Day gift. Noon to 6 p.m., no cover, family friendly event. Upcyclepop.com for more info.
June is pride month! Celebrate the LGBTQ community at the massive Sacramento Pride Parade March and Festival on Sunday, June 10. The free, all-ages parade march kicks off at 11 a.m. at 3rd and N street, and ends at 10th and N street. The festival is $10 (kids 10-and-under are free) and takes place on Capitol Mall between 3rd and 7th streets from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit Sacramentopride.org for more.
Keeping with the pride theme, don’t miss the next installment of the always awesome ArtMix series at Crocker Art Museum (216 O St.) on Thursday, June 14 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Pride the Musical is the theme, and the 21-and-over event will feature performances from Britney Spares and Friends, Underground Theatre Company, Green Valley Theatre Company, DJ Lady Char, Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus and many others. Free for Crocker members, or just $10 otherwise. Crockerart.org for tickets.
The inaugural Front Street Brewfest is Saturday, June 16 from noon to 5 p.m. and all proceeds benefit Friends of Front Street Animal Shelter. Expect 30-plus breweries, unlimited beer tastings, SactoMoFo food trucks, live entertainment and games, all in a block party environment. The fest takes place at 2127 Front St. Visit Frontstreetbrewfest.com for more info and to purchase tickets, which are $40, or $10 for non-drinkers.
Check out some high-energy, hard-hitting roller derby action at the Sacramento Roller Derby’s upcoming Double Header on Saturday, June 16 at The Rink (2900 Bradshaw Road). Doors open at 6 p.m., snag tickets in advance through Brownpapertickets.com.
Capital Public Radio is throwing a cool Tiny Desk Sacramento concert in the CapRadio Garden (7055 Folsom Blvd.) on Saturday, June 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring performances from some of the station’s music guru Nick Brunner’s favorite regional Tiny Desk contest entries, like Lillian Frances from Davis, Stop Motion Poetry from Modesto, and Bobby Waller from Sacramento. Free event! Facebook.com/capradio for more.
Hometown heroes Dance Gavin Dance return to rock the Concerts in the Park stage on Friday, June 22 at Cesar Chavez Plaza (9th and J streets). Also performing is Nerv, VERNO and DJs from Emo Night Sacramento. CIP is always free, and always a good time. Runs from 5 to 9 p.m. Hit up Godowntownsac.com or Facebook.com/cipsacramento for more.
Check out the first-ever Our Street Night Market on Saturday, June 23 on R Street between 11th and 12th streets. This open-air party runs from 7 p.m. until late night (1 a.m.) and will feature a ton of vendors, street food, a beer garden, two bars, arcade games, a silent disco, salsa dancing and more. Free event, all ages welcome.
**This piece first appeared in print on page 8 of issue #267 (June 4 – 18, 2018)**
Chuck Ragan’s gravelly voice sounds like the open road.
The former lead singer for post-hardcore standard-bearers Hot Water Music turned folk rock troubadour has forged a loyal following by pounding the pavement and plying his earnest and emotionally stirring song craft in clubs and venues worldwide. He’s so in tune with the highways and byways of America and beyond that he even compiled a collection of his and various other touring musicians’ anecdotes and travel stories in The Road Most Traveled in 2012. However, for his latest album, Till Midnight (released in March 2014), Ragan took a break from his hectic touring life and immersed himself in familiar surroundings.
Till Midnight was recorded in Los Angeles, produced by Blind Melon’s Christopher Thorn, and was tested live prior to recording during a European tour, but the project really started coming together in Ragan’s home in Grass Valley, California. After releasing the aforementioned book, reuniting with Hot Water Music, working on his own solo stuff and embarking on the Revival tour, a collaborative acoustic event, Ragan was in need of a break.
“My problem is I have a lot of ideas,” he says with a laugh. “It always looks better on paper, you know what I mean? Once the calendar starts showing up, and you start committing to things and then when real life comes into play, the next thing you know you’re gone most of the time. It makes it harder for loved ones at home, for sure.”
Luckily for Ragan, where he calls home is a “beautiful” and “healing place.”
“You don’t have to go very far to be completely submerged in the outdoors,” he says. “That’s a big part of my life, being on the river fly-fishing. I take a lot of field walks with my dogs as well. We hunt and we fish, but there’s so much more to it than just harvesting game and eating food that we find. We find the peace and tranquility the outdoors have to offer. That’s what it’s all about for me, and I had a lot of time to do that.”
It was a reflective time for Ragan, but also a time to just kick back and enjoy life at a slower pace. It was out of this headspace that the songs on Till Midnight were born. It’s an uplifting collection of catchy, yet still raw and rocking songs stamped with Ragan’s indelible vocals.
“I was spending a lot of quality time with my wife and my dogs,” he says. “We were still working, but I wasn’t on the road, which was really nice to get grounded again.”
It was so nice Ragan even invited his backing band, The Camaraderie, and other collaborators to his home for pre-production. He says their days would usually start with fishing before moving into the studio, then they’d cook and sit around the fire and talk.
“We did a lot of work on the songs, but I wasn’t worried about the songs,” he says. “I knew that once we got into the studio, it would just come together. The structures were pretty much there, and those guys were so pro that everything fell into place. To me, it was more about finding that bond, just coming together.”
Ragan is closing out 2014 on the road with The Camaraderie, and will play a series of solo shows (including a stop at Sacramento’s Goldfield Trading Post) in early 2015. He’ll also be heading back into the studio, this time to record music for The Flame in the Flood, a video game developed by some of the creative minds behind Rock Band, Halo and BioShock. We opened the following interview discussing this forthcoming soundtrack.
I wanted to start off by talking about The Flame in the Flood. I checked out the trailer for this video game, and I was riveted by it. How did you get involved with this project?
Scott Sinclair has been an old friend for years. He did the majority of the artwork for the Hot Water Music releases, and he’s a part of The Molasses Flood [game developers]. Scott, along with a lot of the other folks involved, thought that my music…would be fitting for their project. They came to me and showed me some of their work and what they were shooting for, and I just fell in love with the idea and the concept. And then we just started collaborating, trading ideas and finding out what they were looking for and what they wanted to hear—just getting the overall vibe of the message they wanted to convey with this project. I started writing and sending them tunes, and they loved them.
I’m thrilled to be working on something like this. It’s exhilarating for me… I really enjoy…when people bring forth their ideas and want me more or less to translate them into music, it’s always a challenging but really exciting process to be a part of.
I’d imagine it would be a lot different than writing for an album. What did you have to go on to write the songs? Did you have clips from the game?
They sent me some clips. I asked them to send me anything they could to help me find some inspiration and find the right path. They sent me everything from clips to a breakdown of the game and the sequences and some of the experiences that the character in the game would encounter. They sent me word clouds, all kinds of stuff. It was pretty clear to me right off the bat that a lot of the points they wanted me to touch upon in the music was stuff I already write about, so that’s where we both found a strong connection.
What did you find most inspiring about the game? The title song you wrote that’s featured in the trailer is beautiful.
Thank you. Simply just the will to survive, no matter what. This is a game where a young girl and her dog are navigating through a broken world and running into situations where she gets sick, gets lost or has to build a fire, or has to find food. When all odds are against her, she has to find the will to survive. That’s where I found a lot of the inspiration.
You worked with Paige Anderson and the Fearless Kin on “The Flame in the Flood.” They’re an up-and-coming band out of Grass Valley…
Yeah, I’m thrilled with them. I love that family so much. I found them when we first moved to the area. My wife and I…were walking through the county fair and we came across this tiny little stage with hay bales out, and we looked over and saw this family. And they were young… Daisy I think was 5 years old, and Paige was 13 at the time. They were just dressed to the nines. We were like, man, I don’t know what’s about to happen here, but it looked like it was going to be good. We just sat down and fell in love with that family. We laughed, we cried. It was so cool and moving.
Ever since then, I’ve followed and supported them. I helped Paige write her first song and just did what I could to show them what I know, and what I thought they should be doing. They’re not kids anymore, but all they want to do is live and breathe music. They just put out a record called Foxes in June that I helped them out with a little bit. It’s pretty awesome to see what they’re doing and where they’re going with their music and how they believe in it.
When you started out in music, did you have someone who played a similar role for you, like someone who showed you the ropes or gave you advice?
For sure. I had a guy who showed me how to play simple chords when I was 12 years old…28 years ago [laughs]. He also told me I could do whatever I wanted to do. My grandfather was probably my biggest inspiration in those days. My father wanted me to follow sports. I was good at it, and that’s what he wanted. I loved skateboarding and everything, but he wanted me to stick with the games. When I wanted to start playing music, that was the last thing [my parents] wanted me to do. My grandfather, I’ll never forget it, I was playing a song for him. I could barely even play. Bless his heart, he was being patient listening to me fumble through a song, and he said, “Son, you love playing that thing?” I said, “yeah, granddad,” and he said, “Well then you’re a damn fool if you ever put it down, and don’t let anyone ever tell you any different—even if it’s your parents.” That just blew my mind. At that age, we always rebelled against our parents, but for some reason when granddad said something, you listened. That was a turning point in my life.
You have a solo show coming up in the New Year at Goldfield Trading Post in Sacramento. Do you arrange your set list a lot differently when you’re performing solo?
A lot of the times, I don’t even make a set list. People are always so kind to request songs, and if I can play them, I’ll play them. I play music for myself, but I’m playing shows for the folks who want to see them. I’ll be playing some new stuff and stuff from The Flame in the Flood as well as a lot of stuff off of Till Midnight, which sounds a lot different than when I’m playing alone as opposed to a full band.
See Chuck Ragan play solo at Goldfield Trading Post (1630 J Street, Sacramento) on Jan. 10, 2015. Tickets for the 9 p.m., 21-and-over show are $20 and can be purchased through Goldfieldtradingpost.com.
When someone like Jay Leno calls you “the future of comedy,” you know you’re doing something right. Los Angeles-based writer, actor and comedian Cameron Esposito has received so much praise over the last year or so that we’re starting to wonder if maybe she paid off all the press. Either way, it’s pretty rad that someone whose latest album (titled Same Sex Symbol, released in fall of 2014) debuted at #1 on the iTunes comedy charts and was also named the Best of 2014 comedy album by The AV Club, Consequence of Sound, The Laugh Button and Paste Magazine, is making her way to little ‘ol Sacramento for one night only on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015. Esposito will perform two intimate shows at Sacramento Comedy Spot, located at 1050 20th Street, Suite 130 (at the MARRS Building). Tickets are a steal at just $20, the early show is at 8 p.m. and the late show starts at 10 p.m. Come see why Esposito has been invited to appear on shows like Late Late with Craig Ferguson, @midnight, Last Call with Carson Daly and many others. Hit up Saccomedyspot.com for more info and to buy tickets ahead of time (which is strongly encouraged, as these shows will likely sell out!). For more on the comedian herself, visit Cameronesposito.com
The Power of the Laugh
Ben Gleib has an almost exhaustive list of accomplishments. In the past 15 years or so, he has worked tirelessly as a stand-up comedian, actor, political commentator for NPR and CNN (to name a few), and most recently, the host of television game show, Idiotest. You may have also seen him as a recurring guest on the Chelsea Lately show. This stuff is all magnificent and rad as hell, but it also pales to the fact that he voiced Marshall the Sloth in Ice Age: Continental Drift in 2012. I assume he made BFFs with Queen Latifah and Drake, who also voiced characters in the flick. It’s also kind of funny that Gleib’s genuine talking voice is exactly like Marshall the Sloth’s. In fact, I’m pretty sure he is actually a cartoon.
Gleib has been considered one of the most versatile and intelligent comedians of his time, and is well sought-after for his take on politics and everyday life. He writes material with a quirky style that manages to be hilarious and evoking; which is difficult when it comes to total buzzkill subjects like the state of our government. Esquire even went so far as to call him one of six comedians who will be the next big thing, and an important figure in a new era of “alt-comedians.”
His wildly popular podcast, Last Week on Earth, served as his own makeshift talk show before he landed the hosting gig on Idiotest. Both of these endeavors are stepping stones toward his ultimate goal of following in the footsteps of Carson and Letterman to become a late-night talk show host. He is well on his way, having managed to regularly share a platform with diverse comedians from Chelsea Handler to CNN’s Don Lemon and forming close relationships with many heavy-hitters in his industry.
I had the opportunity to chat with Gleib about his past and future in the comedy world and his headlining stint in Sacramento, Oct. 22–25, 2015, at Punch Line.
Your list of accomplishments made me feel like a lazy person. How did you get there?
So slowly. It took a lot of time to build up my resume in this business. You have to keep focused and never doubt yourself, and eventually, all of these things start to pile up. I remember like it was yesterday, being 23 years old and freshly graduating from college, and writing and pitching shows that were being declined all the time.
I worked on one particular show for three whole years of college, and when I graduated I decided to write a pilot and pitch it to TV networks. No one wanted it and I had to pick up my pieces and move on. Eventually, the National Lampoon Network picked it up and it lasted three seasons.
Things continued on from there. The next year, I was cast in my first movie, Bar Starz. Then, a few years later, I was asked to be on Chelsea Lately, where I stood for a solid seven years. Then, I was cast to voice Marshall the Sloth for Ice Age: Continental Drift. Things just came one after another and I never really stopped moving or looking for opportunities.
It’s hard to talk to you right now and not imagine a cartoon sloth holding the receiver on the other end. Anyways, how is your game show going?
When the Chelsea Lately show ended, my show Idiotest aired. We have already done over 105 episodes since. It’s insane how things really came together. I’ve always wanted to host my own show, and it supports my ultimate goal of wanting to become a late-night talk show host. Man, I could not be happier. I have my own show and it’s amazing. The whole show is about making people look stupid and laughing at them; it’s my specialty. I eventually want to get into hosting a late-night talk show, so this isn’t a bad step.
How was working on Chelsea Lately? Is Chelsea Handler as “I do me” as she seems?
She’s exactly how you would imagine. She’s very outspoken and whacky on and off set. She’s a fantastic woman and working with her was great. You always had to be on your toes around her. She talks shit like crazy! She is a woman who challenges things and lives how she wants.
You are often asked to guest star on NPR and CNN to discuss politics. Who are you endorsing for the next president?
Actually, I am really undecided at this point. They all look really interesting. Bernie Sanders is extremely intriguing. I’m just legitimately trying to see what everyone is about. Definitely not voting for Trump, though.
Why not?! Who wouldn’t vote for a racist celebrity weirdo?
That guy is absolutely nuts! He’s not one to run for politics.
You just wrote an interesting op-ed about Donald Trump for Huffington Post…
Yeah, for some sick reason a lot of people misinterpreted it and thought I was endorsing him, when in fact I was at the complete opposite of that spectrum. I really said something along the lines of, “electing Trump would surely lead to WW3.” I said he was very interesting and the way that he talks about politics is very interesting because its unvarnished and brings a lot of criticism. When he does debate after debate and interview after interview by saying he’s confident in dealing with Syria and Russia because, “Well, I have such a good relationship with them. They’re gonna love me,” it’s not really such a great plan, because it shows that he really just gets along with the worst of everyone.
How important is it to bring comedy into things that aren’t so lighthearted, such as the filthy world of politics?
One of the best ways to attack truth and power is through jokes. If you’re going to speak the truth, you better make it funny or else they will kill you.
I think people love to laugh, and they can take honest truth more when they are laughing. It’s just a good way to point out things. Everything is just a little more effective when there is laughter involved.
Interesting. So how does your mind twist serious issues into being comedic and still provoking?
I’m quite pro-marijuana, for sure.
Is this your official pro-weed endorsement?
I will publicly endorse that. In fact, the basis for a segment on a web series I did was a fictional movie theater in Colorado that served weed, it was called “Trinidope.” It was fictional … at the time. Six months after I filmed that, Colorado opened up a weed theater.
How’s your creative process?
My process is definitely pretty scattered and varied. I keep a notebook and am always writing down every thought I have that might lead to a skit. I mostly have great ideas in the middle of great conversations, a date or even in the middle of sex. I like to just pause and write it down.
What? That sounds horrible and rude. That’s not a good creative process!
No, all you have to do is keep the lower half of your body moving. You can still grab your phone and jot down some notes. It’s multitasking.
I guess you can use the, “You’re my inspiration” line … I guess.
Yeah, “You’re my muse, baby!” It does sound pretty bad to think of funny things during that time, doesn’t it? Doesn’t seem like the time to be the butt of a joke. Inspiration comes when it comes.
Ready for Sac?
I want people to come out and see the show! I promise to not talk about politics very much at all, just ready to share my weird observations about the world with your city. Also, ready to grub on this farm-to-fork food I hear about.
Catch Ben Gleib live Oct. 22–25, 2015, at the Punch Line Comedy Club, located at 2100 Arden Way, Sacramento. Gleib will perform a total of six shows, all 18-and-over. Tickets range from $15 to $20 and are available online at Punchlinesac.com or by calling (916) 925-5500.
Like supporting local artists? Enjoy lining the pockets of normal people like yourself instead of multinational corporations? If so, make the trek to the R Street Corridor and bring the family for a night to remember. For those who’ve never owned anything by any of the vendors in attendance, chances are you will end up making a purchase after touching and holding one of the many artists’ crafts. Just some of the small independent “companies” include Brown Pigeon, Graphic Anthology, Chelseafish Ceramics, Northern Needle Co., Tusk + Cardinal, Revival Vintage Co., Scumugs, Little Saint Soap Co., Rae + Bay Designs, Ingot and Aradia Glass Craft. For the beer enthusiast, Makers Mart has you covered with offerings by New Belgium, Oak Park Brewing and even Berryessa. Let your kids enjoy themselves in the Kids Zone and trade places with your partner while one peruses the artist’s tables and the other babysits. After that, you can watch and listen to some great sets by Pets, Pregnant, Gentleman Surfer, James Cavern, Lunaverse featuring Zoey B and So Much Light. Forget cleaning the house or doing any mundane chores and leave all that crap for Sunday. You’ll thank us later for the tip. Type Walpublicmarket.com/event/rstreetblockparty into your browser for more info.
The Sacramento Comedy Foundation, a local nonprofit organization, will be hosting the fifth annual Sacramento Comedy Festival and they’ve now expanded to a whopping nine different venues. The party kicks off on Oct. 2, 2015, and lasts until Oct. 10 and takes place at regular hot spots like Punch Line Comedy Club, Laughs Unlimited Comedy Club and the Sacramento Comedy Spot. But also the festival includes some non-traditional venues such as the Starlite Lounge, Ooley Theater, Luna’s Café and more. Expect some spirited sets by Myq Kaplan of Last Comic Standing, Mo Mandel from truTV’s Barmageddon, and Rick Overton (actor/writer Emmy Award-winning comedian). There will also be a special Lavender Lights—Gay and Proud show on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at Punch Line Sacramento featuring the hilarious Ronn Vigh (Last Comic Standing). Those who love improv will be delighted that Bay Area group 5 Play will perform two shows in two venues over the first weekend as well. If that weren’t enough, there’s even a Stand-Up Comedy Competition, which will have 60 comedians competing for a generous $2000 purse. Come for one show or buy a festival pass. You won’t be disappointed either way. Check out Saccomedyfest.ticketfly.com to get the lowdown.
If you appreciate jazz and all it’s complexities, or you have an adventurous ear, you’ll want to check out tenor saxophonist Kamasi Washington’s upcoming performance at Harlow’s. Washington’s latest album, The Epic, came out on the fiercely independent (and mostly electronic) Brainfeeder record label and has already been making waves across the country. Not only can Washington wield a tenor saxophone like nobody’s business, he has already drawn lofty comparisons to such greats as Albert Ayler and even John Coltrane. His latest record peaked at No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard Jazz Albums and has garnered the kind of buzz many jazz musicians would kill for. If “Change of the Guard” doesn’t take you on a journey through time and space, perhaps you may want to get your ears checked. Other equally compelling numbers include the lovely and slower-paced “Isabelle” and the appropriately named “The Rhythm Changes,” which will make many saxophonists and musicians hang up their instruments in utter defeat. Don’t blow it and get out to this show. You will thank us later. For advance tickets visit Harlows.com and for more info, including some mind-blowing music, check out Kamasiwashington.com
You don’t need to love cartoons or any bastardization thereof to thoroughly enjoy yourself at Spike and Mike’s Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation. Thankfully, the new ownership at the Crest Theatre have retained many relationships with previous clients so Sacramentans can experience one-of-a-kind soirees like this one. If you’ve never been to a Sick and Twisted, do not consume any 420 edibles beforehand, as many of the short pieces demand your utmost attention. For the uninitiated, this festival helped kick start the careers of Mike Judge into hyper-drive by including the hilarious Beavis and Butthead series before it became a worldwide phenomenon. If you’re easily offended by anything Spike and Mike have ever created, do steer clear of the show. For the open-minded who have a hearty appetite for things that make you both squeamish and full of laughter, this is the place to be. Tickets are only $15 per day. Come see some of the most gut-wrenching, nauseating and classless pieces you never thought you’d see on a big screen. No outside food or drink allowed so bring some extra cash for some sweets and popcorn to support the venue. For more info on Spike and Mike visit Spikeandmike.com and for specific show times visit Crestsacramento.com
Yukon Soul
Out of all the old soul records that I used to dig deep into crates for back in my early college years, Canadian soul singer Melody Stewart had one that I’ve always kept in mind. It’s the second B-side track on her 1980 album Action Satisfaction, a song called “I Must Say Goodbye.”
It’s a fantastic cut that I recommend readers go listen to whenever possible, but that’s really beside the point. More importantly, Stewart had put me on to other great Canadian soul music that I never would have known existed if I hadn’t stumbled onto that glorious gem all those years ago. The bottom line: Canada had soul, baby. Plenty of it, too. And, to my delight, I was glad to discover that after 35 years, it’s still got some flowing today, perhaps most notably through Vancouver DJ and producer Pat Lok.
Lok is just the latest proof that traditional soul music is now ubiquitous, having transcended its original genre and now occupying an array of different styles for all listeners to enjoy, including EDM. He has grown to become a household name in both Canada and across the globe in the international house music scene. After catching a couple major breaks in 2012—his Cashmere Cat remix was used to open Washington State’s Sasquatch! Music Festival and he was the winner of DFA’s remix competition for his spin on The Rapture’s “How Deep is Your Love,” alongside producer and fellow DJ Cyclist—Lok has been slowly building his self-described Yukon Soul brand of groovy remixes and dance-friendly, deep house originals.
So far this year, Lok has released yet another one of his original tracks—only the seventh over the course of three years—called “All in My Head,” featuring vocalist Desirée Dawson, as well as a handful of new remixes for popular songs like Boxed In’s “Mystery,” Anthony and Cleopatra’s “Take Me” and the Knocks’ “Classic.”
Submerge was recently able to catch Lok over Skype to talk about his distinct style of soul house music, his recent touring schedule (including his upcoming visit to Sacramento’s THIS Midtown block party in September) and how he tries to stay in touch with his local Vancouver scene.
I was listening to your stuff and it definitely has that traditional house sound to it. But it also has a lot of soul and funk undertones to it, too. Where do those influences come from?
Hopefully if someone likes house music, they’ll get down with my stuff. Because I love all that classic house, just from the origins. And I love nerding out on all the history and all that stuff, which really came from disco and which came from soul before that. So yeah, I guess I’d say I make dance music that has a lot of classic house influences and a lot of R&B soul samples. And if not samples, then just similar structures and chords and things like that. I grew up listening to the Fugees. And I got into sort of backpack hip-hop—like Primo and Tribe and De La Soul and all that stuff. So learning about all those samples and then finding out that they were using house music as well was sort of an easy jump. I think I like a lot of those influences, and hopefully they come through in my music. But then at the same time, I never set out to make sort of just super retro stuff. There’s a lot of great music coming out right now, so I’m constantly finding new music.
Do you see yourself putting out more originals regularly over time? Or do you plan to keep the same pace you have going now, where your original works are spread out and dropped every so often in between remixes?
Well, I’ve actually got a few originals that I’m really excited to share with everyone right now starting this fall, really—like over the next month or so. So yeah, I’ve been working on that, focusing on that a lot more this year, and working with different vocalists and collaborations with artists. And that’s also been a really interesting process, because not everyone works in the same way, or sometimes people aren’t in the same city or something. So I’ve got my eye more towards that. Not that I’m going to stop doing remixes or anything. But yeah, hopefully you’ll definitely expect to see more original stuff from me.
OK, so here’s a random geographical question. Since you’re from Vancouver, and since that city is so close to Seattle and Washington State, do you ever feel more ties to the States than you do Canada?
I wouldn’t quite go that far … But one thing that I would say ties into this a little bit is this West Coast thing. People will say, “Oh, you don’t sound Canadian.” But I think it’s a fairly neutral accent for most Canadians, until you get into the interior. But more than anything, it’s like a vibe. People [on the West Coast] are pretty friendly. I don’t know if it’s the warm weather or what, but a lot of the producers I identify with are from the West Coast. So there might be something there. I mean, maybe more so than feeling American. Maybe it’s a West Coast solidarity.
So 2015’s been pretty busy for you. You’ve put out a handful of new remixes as well as an original called “All In My Head.” And I guess you’re touring now, too, right?
Yeah, I just got back. I played in San Francisco and D.C. S.F. was sold out and Washington D.C. was my second time playing there. And yeah, I also did L.A. So it’s been a good summer.
Obviously you’ve been touring internationally this year. Where else have you been going besides Canada and the States?
I’ve done a bunch of gigs in Mexico. Mexico’s interesting because they do have different markets there. They have their own sort of “what’s hot” in dance music, so it’s always interesting to see. I also played in Colombia last year. I think twice I was in Bogota and Medellin. And that was a lot of fun, and super eye-opening.
How are the international crowds different than what you might come across in Canada or the States?
Well, it’s definitely—not less predictable—but I definitely do have to think about [my set] a little bit more or consider where I might be playing … Even mixing styles. Like in South America, I think DJs maybe play tracks for six, seven, eight minutes. And in North America, it’s like boom boom boom boom boom boom. That’s just been the style over the last decade or more. So once you remember that or recognize that, you’re like, “Okay. I can’t just come in and play ten tracks in 20 minutes. I’m just going to lose everyone, it’ll be weird.” They don’t even use the air horn button as much down there. But yeah, the tempo’s different. And maybe it’s because the party culture is different, obviously, in different countries. Like in [Barcelona’s] Razzmatazz, I played 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. And in Bogota, the club closed at 7 a.m. So they know they’re going to get there. There’s no rush.
So I know your show here at THIS Midtown is coming in about a month. What are you looking forward to at that event?
I know that Sacramento has a lot of sort of dance acts that go through, or at least for that block party I’ve heard some good things. I was playing with a Parisian artist named Cherokee, and he had played it earlier this summer. I don’t actually know too much, other than it’s a block party, which sounds really cool. And it seems like it’s pretty regular throughout the summer. Is that correct?
Yup. Starts in July and goes all the way through September on every second Saturday.
Yeah, that sounds rad. I mean, I just did this block party up here in Vancouver. So that sounds like a perfect kind of setting to have a really diverse crowd. But yeah, I’m really looking forward to it. I haven’t spent a lot of time there—I think I went to Sacramento when I was little. And I haven’t really been back. But again, it might be that West Coast thing. So I have an idea of what people might be into, and I guess we’ll see if my assumptions check out.
I know you’ve kind of started your own monthly block party there recently called White Noise Vancouver. Sounds like a real local musical get-together type of thing. And Sacramento actually has a real strong local connection here too. We’re all about it, actually. So can you talk about what supporting your local scene means to you personally?
I think it just goes back to community. And when you have a lot of creatives — it doesn’t matter if you’re a producer, a vocalist or a musician or just people that are sort of trying to express their voice through their creative talents—I think it’s easy to find an affinity with each other because it’s taking of a lot of risks. If you’re just trying to bite whatever’s hot or follow trends, that’ll become quite evident to everyone else really quickly. So it’s interesting that you ask about that. Because there are new producers popping up on my radar, whether on Soundcloud or just locally, all the time. It’ll be like, “Oh, this is some kid in high school here.” And it’s like, “Well, that’s awesome that that’s happening right now.” And the fact that we can sort of find out about that and help support that is pretty important. Because, I mean, it hasn’t always been as open. You go back to like ‘80s and ‘90s and in a classic studio, you needed to have all these tens of thousands of dollars for equipment and studio time and all that other stuff. Whereas now, you can literally just have some wiz in his room. I mean, these are some of my friends. They just sit in front of their laptop up to 12 hours and they’re like, “OK, here’s the finished product.” And you’re like, “Wow. This is incredible.” So who wouldn’t want to support that?
Pat Lok will close out this year’s THIS Midtown series on Sept. 12, 2015, along with Colour Vision, Joseph in the Well and CrookOne. This is a free show that will take place on 20th Street between J and K streets in Sacramento. Start time is 4 p.m. For more info, go to Facebook.com/thismidtown.
There’s truly no end to the amount of amazing events held at Sacramento’s most beloved museum and this special installment is certainly no exception to the rule. Fans of Comic-Con and simply anyone who enjoys reading deliriously entertaining stories should come out en masse to this special Thursday night gathering. Even though it’s wholly and most probably possible that many of the attendees will be wearing outlandish costumes, you’re not expected to dress up (although it is encouraged and appreciated). Of course, the night would not be complete without a costume contest where everyone is a winner and anyone participating is more than likely someone you want/need to meet. Come meet some of the most talented local comic creators at this year’s Crocker-Con event, dance to the sounds of Sleeprockers on the ones and twos, and try and beat some of the best Yu-Gi-Oh players in a tournament that you’ll most certainly lose handily. If you are still into board games and enjoy the occasional comic-based podcast, you really shouldn’t be anywhere else this night. Food specials for all from 5 to 6 p.m. and $5 drink specials throughout the event. Aren’t you lucky? Indulge your senses at Crockerartmuseum.org
