Quick News Updates from Sacramento’s Arts, Entertainment and Restaurant Scenes

Local reggae/rock band Riotmaker is set to release their new EP Between Love and Light this Saturday, Feb. 15 at PowerHouse Pub (614 Sutter St., Ste. D, Folsom) alongside fellow locals Arden Park Roots. The EP features guest spots from Tyler Campbell of Arden Park Roots and Bles Bundy from Shakedown. If you can’t make the release show, which kicks off at 9 p.m. and is 21-plus, the new EP will be available on all major digital distribution outlets on Feb. 15, along with Riotmaker’s entire catalogue. Look up Riotmakermusic.com for more.

The highly anticipated new restaurant from chef Michael Thiemann and crew, Jim’s Good Food is now open at 1420 16th St. #300, in the space formerly occupied by Coconut’s Fish Cafe. Thiemann and crew are best known for opening the vegetarian restaurant Mother (which is now closed) and Empress Tavern (which is still kicking out amazing food). According to the new restaurant’s Facebook page, Jim’s is “a new breed of American diner. A casual comfortable place serving delicious food, done with care, without the fuss.” Check out their menu and hours online at Jims.restaurant.

Organizers of Sacramento Beer Week have announced events will run from April 24–May 3 this year, with the opening event on Friday, April 24 once again being the wildly popular Sac Mac + Brew Review, where local restaurants and brewers team up to offer mac and cheese pairings where both judges and attendees vote for their favorites. Keep an eye on Sacbeerweek.com for more developments.

The Midtown building that houses beloved local bar and venue The Press Club (2030 P St.) has new owners. Bret Bair and his wife Karen Hampson Bair bought the building (which also has apartments on the third floor and office space on the second) for $2 million in early January, according to an article in the Sacramento Business Journal. Bret has helped open and run other local venues like Ace of Spades and Holy Diver, and Karen has previous music venue experience in England, most recently leaving her job in San Francisco with Indiegogo. I can’t say for sure, but I have a gut feeling they don’t plan on changing too much right away. They’ve got a lot of love for and history with The Press Club (they’ve told me so much during a recent conversation), so if anything I could see them putting some TLC into the place, but only time will tell. Keep up with Press happenings at Facebook.com/thepressclub.

The Wienery, a longtime hot dog eatery in East Sacramento located at 715 56th St., has closed and will be replaced by a vegan cafe called Pure Soul Plant Based Eats. They’ll offer comfort food classics re-mixed like chicken-free fried chicken sandwiches, cheeseless mac and cheese, burgers using Beyond Meat patties, as well as other healthy options like veggie-filled Buddha bowls. No opening date announced as of press time, so keep an eye out on Puresoulpbcafe.com or on their socials for more on that.

Sacramento Roller Derby returns with their opening bout for the 2020 season on Saturday, Feb. 29 at The Rink (2900 Bradshaw Road). It’s a doubleheader! Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and general admission tickets are $15 for adults, $8 for kids 8–12, and free for 7 and under. Look up Sacramentorollerderby.com for more on what to expect.

International hip-hop sensation and highly loveable foodie television show host Action Bronson just announced he’ll be touring through Sacramento on Wednesday, April 1, when his Great Bambino Tour will stop at Ace of Spades (1417 R St.). I’d suggest snagging tickets to this one right away as it will likely sell out. They’re on sale for $35 a piece now through Aceofspadessac.com or at the venue’s box office (call (916) 930-0220 or check their website for hours). I wonder where Action will eat when he’s in town? Will he cruise a few blocks down to Beast + Bounty (1701 R St.) to peep the dope portrait of himself hanging on the wall by local artist John Horton? Here’s to hoping he does.

**This piece first appeared in print on page #8 of issue #311 (Feb. 12 – 26, 2020)**