Saturday, July 19, 2008
Words by Nicole Martinez
Photos courtesy of Vince Horiuchi

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

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

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

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

Sacramento Designers Look to Remove Small City Stigma

Words by Michaela Pommells
Photo above by Nick Avey

If you haven’t been a part of it, you may not know Sacramento’s fashion scene is as alive as it is. It reaches far beyond the chic boutiques on the Midtown grid. A dynamic class of needle and thread craftsmen make up a strong community of local designers. Yet, while they wipe sweat from their brow in the name of fashion, they can sometimes be overshadowed by the stigma of working in a smaller city.

The truth is Sacramento is home to artistic talent defined by relentless creativity and eccentricity. Here to relinquish the unaware from what some may perceive as local fashion doldrums are three capital city designers. Here are their insights on the local fashion scene and how they plan to breathe life into it.

Trisha Rhomberg is part of the local fashion scene’s legacy and future. Originally from St. Louis, she has developed strong roots in Sacramento. A self-taught seamstress, she began creating and selling her garments out of recycled materials while a studio art student at Sac State. In 2003 her clothing line, Pretty Trashy, was birthed in a downtown garage. She began selling Pretty Trashy at Olipom, a Midtown boutique owned by Olivia Coelho. Five years later, Rhomberg co-owns popular vintage boutique “Bows and Arrows” with Coelho and sells Pretty Trashy in over a dozen stores across the country and one in London.

She describes the current conditions as “Slowly rumbling…small tremors before the quake. Lots of talent [with] little things happening.” You’ll find no disillusionment in her voice as she describes what needs to happen to stimulate the local crowds.

“We need bigger venues to get involved, enough talent to fill a theater, enough support to fill the seats,” Rhomberg says. “Shows need more respectable stages. We have to reach out to the people who may not seem to know or care what’s going on in the little Sac fashion world and take a chance. You have to go after what you want. I’ll go get them. I’m going to find a bigger prettier stage to display our works of art.”

Incorporating a plethora of local artists to infuse their talents in the streets of Sacramento looks to be Rhomberg’s mission. She has linked with other local artists such as Lacadia Olson of Cuffs Urban Apparel and Deeda Salon, among others. She’s participated in innumerable local fashion shows with more in the works. She’s a likely candidate to lead the budding fashion scene in Sacramento.

Benzo Couture Photo by Jeremy Scott

To help further the crusade is Mercedes Ben, owner and designer of Benzo Couture. She officially began her fashion career two years ago. An apparel design student at Sac State, her ambition stretches far beyond the city limits.

Ben’s short presence on the local front doesn’t come with little experience. She’s lived in a handful of major cities before coming to Sacramento. She speaks of her time spent in New York, Los Angeles and Denver as the force behind many of her creations. The relationships she has formed through her travels allow her to display her art to many audiences. She will be showing her work with Betsy Johnson in an upcoming show in Denver.

Ben has seen a lot of change since hitting town. She watches with a close eye as more local designers emerge, striking interest with local boutiques and residents. She sees fashion events getting more crowded and respected. Ben’s sentiments are not unlike Rhomberg’s. Ben believes local designers can form a more unified front.

“I believe people love seeing the shows but there is still a lot of work that Sacramento and our small design community has to do to ever get it to the level of much larger cities,” Ben says.

Benzo has her sights set high. Her enthusiasm is seen in her efforts to expand as an international brand with results benefiting Sacramento.

“I will always show in Sacramento, but in order to put Sacramento on the fashion map, the rest of the world has to be exposed to the talent that is here,” she says.

Designer Jesus Medrano Photo by Andrea Telles

Whenever an industry is in need of change, hope often lies in its youth — not youth represented by a numerical digit but instead the kind that’s refreshing, unpretentious and optimistic. That is precisely what you will find in Jesus Medrano. He sees so much potential in Sacramento’s future he refuses the notion that it’s at all dull.

“I see Sac as the next L.A. or San Francisco,” he claims. “Soon designers from out of town will want to come here. All it needs is everyone to believe in it. It can be achieved we just have to change a few things. And I feel it’s happening already.”

Born in Mexico, Medrano comes to Sacramento from Los Angeles. His love for fashion was developed as a youngster by watching his trendsetting sister. He equates much of the slow-moving fashion scene to a lack of designers appreciating its art form. He wants local designers to get the communities feet wet with innovative shows and practical designs.

“Let’s not scare everyone with crazy fashions, let’s give them stylish wearable garments,” Medrano explains. “I think some Sacramento designers are pushing people’s interest away with things that they might not understand yet. I feel that if we want Sacramento to become addicted to fabulous fashions we have to give it to them in small doses.” Medrano realizes a hunger for fashion around town and has every intention of harvesting his fashion career in Sacramento.

Sacramento’s fashion scene undoubtedly has a steady pulse. Yet, so much talent lurks in the city’s streets waiting to be uncovered. An alliance between artists, local business owners and community members appears vital. These designers each have the potential to be Sacramento’s white knights. Those of us waiting for everyone else to get on board will have to put our faith in their hands.

2416 K St.
SACRAMENTO, CA

As I’ve mentioned before in this column, I’m a huge fan of taco trucks, and that same love extends to small “authentic”-feeling joints that sell forearm-sized burritos for $5.50. I don’t know if it’s a case of conditioning, because in college a trip to the taco truck also usually meant stocking up on blunts (which, after gutted and burned, generally makes the food that much better). That said, I generally ride with any truck, red-eyed or sober. I’m so attuned to all the fixings of a super burrito, the excess of every ingredient on a nacho plate and $1.25 tacos that when it comes to any sort of upper echelon Mexican food spot, I never quite enjoy myself. It sounds crazy I know, but it’s like the cheap joints don’t have the setting to entice you so instead they have to earn your adoration with the food alone.

My girlfriend and I headed out to Tres Hermanas for lunch the other day. Located on 2416 K St., Tres Hermanas is a decent sized restaurant with a nice patio, two inside dining areas and a full bar. We arrived at 12:30 and waited in line for while, which attests to the restaurant’s popularity. After settling for a seat at the bar, we were served some freshly made tortilla chips, which is always the first test of a Mexican restaurant. First off, if they charge you for chips, FUCK ‘EM. Complimentary chips should be mandatory, and if it’s obvious that the chips didn’t come in a 10 lbs. bag from Costco, all signs are pointing to quality food. Tres Hermanas passed this test. Scanning the menu, I noticed that there wasn’t anything under $8. I know this sounds like a total cheapskate thing to say, and while there is some truth to that, my only defense is that I’m spoiled by cheap Mexican goodness. In my head I kept thinking, “Well at (insert name here) I could get the same thing for half the price.”

I calmed down and decided on a carnitas burrito, which later proved to be a great choice. My only surprise came when I asked the waiter what came in the burrito, and after foreshadowing my response with a look of surprise he replied, “Well there is some pico de gallo.” I’m telling you, I’m spoiled by slabs of avocado, cilantro, onion, lettuce, tomato and whatever else you can stuff in a burrito, and an empty burrito sounds kind of boring.

When the food arrived, that wasn’t too far off from the truth. I will say that the carnitas was excellent. It was lean, tender and full of flavor. I could have eaten a full plate of it, but it made me wonder why once you wrap something in a burrito it becomes a burrito. It was literally just carnitas in a tortilla, with a little bit of pico thrown in for flavor (they could have easily topped a regular plate of carnitas with the same outcome). The whole thing got devoured, but for $9.50 I expected a lot more. Of course the “burrito” was served with rice that I could have done without and a bowl of black beans that made up for the sub-par rice. I ate everything, so again unlike the cheaper joints, I didn’t have a second meal to take home and enjoy later on, and trust me I budget meals like that. My girlfriend got the vegetarian burrito, which consisted of a bunch of grilled vegetables. She said it tasted good but wished it had the regular burrito fixings of avocado, sour cream, anything that resembled the traditional Californian burrito.

In the end, the food was good, but I felt like I could get more for half the price at the spot down the street. In the case of Tres Hermanas, I think you go there for the full dining experience, so if you’re taking friends or date, it’s a good place, but for the casual lunch burrito, it’s not the spot.

They don’t even know what they’re doing, and they’re loving it! I had the opportunity to have a chat with Jake Desrochers aka Jake D. of Lonely Kings and former Papa Roach drummer Dave Buckner aka d.Black to find out what’s going on with their new collaboration Last Angels.

At the time of our interview, the band’s identity was being developing “hour by hour.” The project is so new that the members aren’t even sure how long they’ve been working on it. “I don’t know. Has it been five minutes?” d.Black joked at Jake D.

It’s a two-man band, man! One man a current guitarist and vocalist of Grass Valley punk rockers The Lonely Kings, hairstylist and father of two. And the other the former drummer of a multi-platinum commercial rock band Papa Roach, celebrity gossip victim and newfound passionate producer.

Though Jake D. and d.Black are just now trying out their musical chemistry, they have known each for more than a decade. In 1997, The Lonely Kings starting playing shows with Papa Roach. They played 10 to 15 shows together before Papa Roach reached large commercial success. Starting in the early months of this year, Jake D. would trick d.Black into playing acoustic and improv shows with him at various locations in town.

“It was all a big sneak attack to try and play music with Dave,” Jake D. admitted.

Last Angels was born out of a Tuesday night jam session at a Sacramento studio that d.Black co-owns with the rest of Papa Roach. Explained logically, the beauty of their musical meshing has a lot to do with experience and respect.
“He’s been on the top, and I’ve been trying to get there,” Jake D. explained. “So we’re right in the middle.”

I guess it’s not a bad musical match if your band mate describes you as the “Dr. Dre of the operation.” Having a “sensibility” as a musician and a director, d.Black is real on the production end of the Last Angels project. In addition to his work behind the drums, he is even writing lyrics and singing backup. Jake D. humbly acknowledged that his talents as a musician are “real natural” and organic and that he’s “doneskiez” with his personal musical scope. But with the production and beats of d.Black, Jake D. seems to have taken his “real natural” talents and put them to some good use giving d.Black something clean to work with.

The guys of Last Angels did a recording test a few weeks ago. They just wrapped up recording of a three song EP last Tuesday. Although the guys can’t quite pinpoint Last Angels’ sound, I can since I had a premiere listen. It’s definitely rock: The vocals are on the harder side, but can be soft at times. But the music is also somewhat experimental with a bit of a European discotheque quality as a result of synthesizers.

Future plans? Who knows. Jake D. and d.Black have no clue what’s next for Last Angels. Tour? Who knows. As d.Black put it, “the uncertainty is what’s so cool.” For sure, the guys have plans to record another three to four song EP before compiling all their songs onto a new album. You can expect an album release show at The Distillery on Aug. 9 where you can get your very own copy of Last Angels’ self-titled debut independent release.

Last Angels digs whatever it is that it is doing. Jake D. and d.Black are stoked that their homie-ship and musical collaboration is “real,” intentionally “super underground” and “stream of consciousness”-easy.

Like true musicians, the members of Last Angels can’t live without their art.

“It’s the first time I’ve been really and truly inspired in a long time. It feels real,” d.Black said.

Jake D. added, “If there’s a stage, I’ll fuckin’ play it. That’s what I do. I got to be busy with music or I’ll go nuts. I’d feel like a normal person [without music] and that sucks.”

These guys could set up shop anywhere to nurture their new project, but chooses to do so here.

Sacramento “definitely has a culture”¦.in and the downtown area,” as d.Black puts it, has become a part of who these guys are.

Last Angels just loves playing music, no matter what it ends up sounding like. They also love living in Sacramento. Lookout locals, because these guys are looking to make you “feel something rather than hear something.”

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

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

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

1309 21st Street | Sacramento, California

I never use this phrase, and I mean it in the most endearing and honorary sense, but Pieces Pizza is that crack! In terms of pizza by the slice restaurants, I will go on record as saying that Pieces is quite possibly the best pizza I have ever devoured. It’s the most expensive, but the heartiest and freshest slice you’ll find.

Located on 1309 21st St., across from Washington Mutual, Pieces is a little tricky to spot if you don’t know it exists. An illegible neon sign hangs in the window, but it is best recognized by the many patrons who dine in the restaurant’s outside seating. The atmosphere inside is equally modest, with home-style tables and chairs, a mural and a dizzying amount of flyers for upcoming local shows. One thing that immediately struck me about the joint prior to indulging in my first slice was the music they had playing. On my first visit they were playing Organized Konfusions’ Stress: The Extinction Agenda (I pay very close attention to these things and never forget such trivial moments), and have continually proven their fine taste in music with my every visit. Eating in at Pieces is almost like hanging out in your living room, and while some might scoff at that, I happen to enjoy the low key comfort and casual vibe of the restaurant.

Upon entering, there are always at least three different pizzas to choose your slice from. Pesto and pepperoni are the mainstay slices, and combinations, Hawaiian or vegetarian are also frequently ready. On occasion, you can find more unusual slices like a sun-dried tomato and blue cheese crumble, or maybe a chicken and bacon and slice. If you don’t find something you like, they will make to order, but be prepared to hang out for a minute. One of the restaurant’s defining traits is they use only fresh ingredients. The vegetables are still full of life and taste, and the meats are always juicy and full of flavor. They serve light on the sauce (which I like) and lay on a thick layer of cheese (again, which I thoroughly enjoy). As mentioned, a slice is a little expensive (running from $4 to $6), but they are huge and fitting for an entire meal. A regular slice is often too big to fit entirely on a plate. I’m telling you, one slice is a meal, and while I’ve seen the brave try to take on two slices they inevitably fall short.

Their portions and fresh ingredients are all worthy of praise, but what makes Pieces that crack is the crust. I don’t know what they do to it, (I suspect a lot of butter) but it is fucking incredible. If you’re there with me, I will give you uncomfortable glares until you offer me your crust; it’s that good. I swear it’s in the crust that lays that secret to all my cravings. It’s not overly thick or fluffy, but again just right (due to the hand-tossing no doubt) with the ends rolled into tunnels of buttery and cheesy awesomeness. It’s crispy and never soggy, and also makes for a sturdy handle if you’re eating with the taco fold method. They need to make bread sticks of the crust, and if they do, I hope they name it after me, because there is no way a mans life can be immortalized with more honor than having a doughy stick of carbs named after him.

If the above-mentioned facts weren’t enough, Pieces is open late into the night and come 2 a.m. is often full of like-minded drunkards looking to consume a sponge for all the liquor. They also serve beer (I believe four different kinds including Stella), but don’t go in at 1:45 with the intention of furthering your night of drinking as all alcoholic beverages are collected as soon as the clock strikes 2″¦trust me, I made the mistake last night and watched four full pints whisked away to who knows where. Also worth noting, their tip jar is a pitcher full of water, which I was told is to deter theft. Ingenious!

So yeah, I jock Pieces pretty tough. The food is great, they’re open late and the staff is always real cool. I ate twice there last night so pardon me while I lace up my running shoes.

Ex-Sacramento rock band Bridges has a new name and a new EP

As wildfires burn throughout California, carpeting the skyline with smoke, Seattle rock band By Sunlight (formally known as Bridges) are in the middle of a two week long west coast tour that will bring them to The Blue Lamp in downtown Sacramento on Saturday July 12. It’s only a few days into their trip and Mike Sparks Jr. (vocals/guitar) has already made a trip to the emergency room thus leading to a cancellation of one show. Don’t worry though, he says he is OK, “I got some medication and it makes me feel like a crazy person so we’re good to go.”

With a new name and a new self-titled EP available online and at shows, By Sunlight is looking forward to a bright future. Submerge recently spoke with Sparks before playing a show in southern California.

So I read you guys recently changed your name from Bridges to By Sunlight. What’s up with that? Was it a tough decision?
It was definitely a tough decision I know that none of us really wanted to do it. Unfortunately as boring as it is there’s a band called The Bridges that put out a record on Interscope recently and it was kind of one of those things where we just felt like if we wanted to take ourselves seriously we would have to at least kind of watch that and keep that in mind. We didn’t want to get hit with some crazy lawsuit in like six months, you know?

Yeah you always hear crazy stories about shit like that happening. Bands get pissed if someone has their same name.
For sure, if you go to their Myspace page, it’s pretty funny. The Bridges are like some kind of alt-country girl band or something. They’re like the Spice Girls of alt-country or something [laughs]. We just didn’t want to fuck with it.

How do you think fans and friends are going to react? What has been the overall vibe of everyone’s reaction?
I’d say it’s kind of all over the board. To be honest with you we got a pretty fair amount of negative feedback.

Really?
Yeah and this is something that we have kind of discussed: change is kind of hard. You develop a relationship with a band, and then they do something that you aren’t immediately behind so of course you’re going to be like, “Man what are they doing?”

We put a lot of thought into it and I think that this record that we’re coming out with is probably the best thing that we’ve done. Jack [Clemans, bass] said it like, “You either have to grow with us or not.” It’s just a band name; you know what I mean?

Yeah I want to talk about the new record. Does it have a title?
It’s going to just be self-titled. We mulled around a couple ideas but I felt like it was cooler to just not title it.

Is it considered an EP or is it a full length? How many tracks does it consist of?
Yeah I don’t know actually that’s another logistical question we have been mulling over. It’s six songs, but it’s forty minutes. If it’s a length issue I think I would definitely call it an LP but if it’s a track number issue than it’s definitely an EP. I don’t know, we’re describing it as an EP. We went in with that intent and it kind of turned into something more than we anticipated.

When and where will it be available?
Yeah, we’re doing something kind of new. We’re not pressing CDs, we might press some, like 100 or something. Or maybe we’ll press some vinyl; I would much rather do that.

We’re doing this thing where you get this little card at our show for $5 and it’s about the size of an ID. On the back of it is a little code and a Web site. You go to the Web site and enter in the code and you can download all the songs in like three different formats. You can look at all the lyrics and see all the credits and all that kind of stuff.

It’s a very innovative approach. What was the inspiration for that?
There’s a band in Sacramento called Bright Light Fever that we used to work with all the time. We’ve been friends with them for a really long time. They called and said, “Hey I think this is what we’re going to do. We want you guys to jump on board and the two of us can try it and see if it works.”

That’s where the business is going. Everything is digital right now, you know?
Absolutely, I can’t see any reason not to. Especially if you factor in gas prices and pressing fucking 1,000 CDs is like $1,500 or $2,000. It’s not a little bit of cash, you know? So this way the cards will be cheaper, it just makes more sense. Maybe it will help get the music out there on a different level.

I want to talk about your move up to Seattle. How do you like it up there and how is it compared to midtown Sacramento?
That’s a good question. I think all of those counter culture heavy pockets in any city are kind of similar. I really like Seattle man. It could be something as simple as the fact it’s a lot less hot [laughs].
It’s a really music oriented city. I feel like if Sacramento had a little bit more of a chance it would be like Seattle because there is such a core in Sacramento of kids. That tight knit sense of community that there is in Sacramento is unbelievable and I haven’t really found it that particular way anywhere else. If there was something close, I think Seattle is very similar to that. Obviously though the Seattle music scene is a Leviathan man, it’s a pretty serious machine.

Were you well received up there? Was it an easy transition?
Yes and no. It was easy just because I think we were so focused on it and accepting all that change at once that it just felt really good. We’ve met some cool bands that we really like and we’ve made friends. But it feels like there is this big shell you have to crack into. There are people who have been up there in that town for 10, 15 years, you know? It’s hard. You can’t just like come in and get it. In that respect, it’s a little tough. I would say half the shows we’ve played were really, really good and half the shows we’ve played no one was there. It’s like starting over.

I read you tour blog yesterday and it seems like things got a little rough for you a few days ago? What happened and are you fully recovered?
I’m doing OK, I’m better. We took that drive down from Portland to Chico and I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything like that in my life. It was like 100 degrees and I’m sure you know that California is like on fire. It’s ridiculous. It was like being inside of a smoke filled oven for nine hours. So we played in Chico, and it was a great show. I love Chico. We drove from Chico to Sac that night, and I was just laying down and I started feeling really severe abdominal pressure. It got really bad to the point where I was panicking a little bit. It felt like I had appendicitis basically. So I went to the emergency room the next day.

Is your set on this tour consisting mostly of new material? Can people expect to hear old stuff as well?
We are basically playing the new EP in a different order. What we’ve done for the last couple years is we just play our set seamlessly without stopping. We have been playing those old songs for so long, like for instance “Consciously Cornering,” we must have played that song every show for like two and a half years. It’s just a rebirth; it’s something new. It’s a new EP and a new band name.

You were in the band Mister Metaphor, and now Bridges for the last couple years. Do you view By Sunlight as a third entity? Is it enough of a new direction/progression to be considered a new band for you?
I definitely don’t consider it a new band. It’s just a new labeling of the band. It’s just for logistical reasons. Trust me man, saying goodbye to the name Bridges has been really hard. Not like emotional-pow-wows-every-night hard, but it sucks. But, you know you have to at least try to think of it positively. I like the new name.

So what’s next for By Sunlight?
I’d like to make it through this tour without dying first, that’s a good goal. I think we’re going to go out for two weeks every couple months for the next six months to a year and in the interim start writing new stuff. This new EP has showed us exactly what the four of us are capable of doing as a band and we’re just gonna keep doing it!

Stay up to date on By Sunlight visit Bysunlight.com

The Neon Mind of Vagas Hawk

Animal instinct, electronic fury and a plethora of neon—Vagas Hawk is no stranger to color. She may be a stranger to most, however, being that her two art shows (at newcomer Thunderhorse Vintage and Old Soul at the Weatherstone) on June 14 were her very first. Sixteen pieces of neon splattered canvas, humanistic portrayals of wolves and elephants and lengthy titles make up her first series, entitled Electric City. Inspired by her deep passion for ambient electronic music and love of animals, Electric City is a portal into nature’s futuristic realm.

Vagas Hawk (named after her grandfather) seems to have always been drawn to both electronic music and animals, citing her experiences with her mother and also her time while in high school as the pinnacles to her introduction to nature and music.

“My mother introduced me to nature by taking long walks with me,” Hawk says. “I think she helped develop my attention to nature because we would take walks and solely focus on the animals around us.”

At the age of 6, Hawk’s first sketches were of 10 horses because, as Hawk recalls, “I would watch my mother draw in this journal she had. She drew a lot of different things, mostly nature themed, so I know that her art was a huge influence on me back then.”

She continued drawing into her high school years, when she enrolled in Sacramento High School’s VAPAC art classes. Primarily focusing on portraits of friends, she remembers, “I was not really experimenting with color at all back then. I used mostly pens and pencils in black and white. I was still trying to feel comfortable with myself and with drawing.”

It was in high school where she discovered electronic music, a variable that would help Hawk find her comfort in creating.

“I had just found Portishead when I entered high school and I was listening to other types of electronic music as well, and I felt that that type of music really helped me find emotions that were real,” Hawk says. “I was able to put on my headphones and draw.”

After several years of traveling all over California, feeling “deprived of any cultural or art bond” from her previous residences (which included South Lake Tahoe, Chico and a brief stint in Pismo Beach), she decided to move back to Sacramento. She has been here for less than five months. In that time, Hawk has started creating art that most resembles her upbringing: chaotic urban mazes of color and depth. Her art harkens back to the ’80s, a time when neon windbreakers and New Kids on the Block were heralded. Hawk is a spray paint addict, adorning all her canvas works heavily with neon greens, oranges, pinks and blues, but her art is not what you’d expect from a spray can; it’s surprisingly precise, clean and even mathematical. Each piece is created “within a three-step process,” Hawk says.

“I use spray paint for the first step. I then use paint pens and acrylic for the last two steps.”

Electric City is intense, bold, and creative. It is fun, abrasive and a little crazy. It is work that represents her desire to create electronic music on canvas. Accordingly, Hawk admits that her art can be “a bit much at times. It normally is all over the place because I am influenced by so many different outlets. I love electronic music but I also love hip-hop. I love urban styles and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”

The Sandwich Spot

18th and Q Sacramento, CA

When it comes to going out for sandwiches, I’m always a little leery. So many times I’ve gone to a deli and left feeling like I could have assembled a better sandwich at home and saved a couple bucks in the process. Really though, there isn’t much skill in sandwich making. Sure there are methods to constructing a sandwich that should at the very least be taken into consideration, but the key to a good sandwich is the ingredients. For this reason, commercial joints will always just be eh, and the small independently run spots will reign supreme.

On an unusually painful hung-over Monday, Bocephus and I took the journey over to The Sandwich Spot on the corner of 18th and Q. I don’t know how many times I’ve driven past this corner without noticing it, but I’m hating myself for it now. Built into what appears to be a normal house, The Sandwich Spot offers up a decent sized dining area, as well as nicely shaded patio and sidewalk seating. Open from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monday thru Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday, the lunch hours are obviously hectic with lines that reach the sidewalk, so plan accordingly. Oh yeah, they deliver if you’re ordering more than five sandwiches, so if you’re feeling lazy and exceptionally hungry call 492-2613.

An abundance of options always complicates things (ultimately for the better), and after browsing through their 18 “signature sandwiches,” and then trying to choose from their four bread types and six cheeses, a couple minutes had passed. I finally settled with The Dosky (which oddly isn’t on their takeout menu), which consisted of warm turkey and prosciutto, provolone and avocado on the crunch roll. Goddamn it was a great sandwich! The bread was perfect, the lettuce and tomato were fresh and tasty, and while the secret sauce made things a little messier, it enhanced the flavors with its oily garlic goodness. I wouldn’t have thought prosciutto and turkey would have tasted so good together, but the simple taste of the turkey paired well with the salty prosciutto, and then add in some provolone and The Dosky earned its place as one of the best sandwiches I’ve tasted.

The homie Bocephus, a seasoned vet of The Sandwich Spot, opted for The Sac Bee which included marinated chunks of chicken, bacon, and avocado. His praise of the sandwich was demonstrated in an empty basket without a crumb to spare. It looked good enough to question my choice, but I imagine that to be the same with every sandwich.

As mentioned, it’s the ingredients that make the sandwich, and The Sandwich Spot seems to understand this. The bread alone was reason to celebrate: The crunch roll had a nice crisp to the crust to get the crunch feel but wasn’t chewy or hard to eat. Healthy portions of all their sandwich accessories made it a hearty and balanced meal (in my skewed version of the food pyramid). Not to mention, their prices are great ($6.99 for a sandwich that will hold you down all day). There’s no reason not to go back to The Sandwich Spot again, and again, and again.

By Corey Bloom