Positively Pauly

Scene: It’s 1990 or 1991. You are a pop-culture sponge, spending long hours in front of the television set, beginning to notice the opposite sex, starting to cultivate your own sense of individuality. You are listening to bitchin’ music. You are amazed and annoyed, elated and embarrassed by everything you see, hear, smell, touch or taste. Then you see him—some curly-haired punk-Steven Tyler making strange carnal noises with his mouth, calling you “Buuu … ddy” and calling himself a weasel, courting throngs of tanned-skinned revelers for MTV’s Spring Break. A year later he stars in a film about guiding a thawed-out caveman through the Encino school system with a guy who later grows up to play Samwise Gamgee.

You have found your ultimate god-figure, and you’re not even a teenager yet. AND SCENE.

Pardon the indulgence of regurgitating what is mainly my personal experience with relation to the now-legendary comedian Pauly Shore. That my introduction to Shore was hardly unique, in a relative sense, is important when thinking about who Shore is now, who you are now, who Shore thinks he is now and how most people feel about him now. This is an exercise in the metaphysical world of Pauly Shore and Those He Has Influenced, and there are not nearly enough words assigned to tackle the whole boiling mass.

As unfortunate as it is, the ebb and flow of show business can be unforgiving to some people, and there are two camps you’ll find with regard to the phenomenon of Pauly Shore: those who aren’t assholes and appreciate entertainers in all their shapes and seasons, stars burning brightly or dully; and who that aren’t assholes, but just think Shore was never very funny to begin with.

There are probably other camps, too. Most notably those for whom the ephemera of Shore’s salad days ought to have just been bottled up in a time capsule and appreciated for what they were: the product of a comedian raised by comedians who was destined to be something big, no matter what it was.

This is all to comment on the fact that Pauly Shore is coming to town to do stand-up. Lots of nostalgia acts—regardless of the stigma such a tag may connote—have to deal with questions like Shore doubtlessly does all the time. They’re tough questions to ask. Remember when you did Son-In-Law? Remember when you did In the Army Now? Hey, by the way, working on anything new?

Luckily Shore is a bit of a workaholic, and has enjoyed much more exposure in recent years thanks to the explosion of comedy podcasts who line up to have him as a guest. After all, Shore’s mother owned and operated Los Angeles’ famous Comedy Store for decades, including during stand-up comedy’s heyday in the early to mid-‘80s. Shore’s father used to open up for Elvis Presley. Pauly himself was mentored by the late, great Sam Kinison. There’s a rich history here that is widely known and is great foddler for audio trips down memory lane.

In 2005, Shore produced and starred in the mockumentary Pauly Shore Is Dead, riffing on the idea of what mainstream America must have surely thought was the case stemming from Shore’s absence from the spotlight in the new millennium. An entirely more riveting, non-mocking documentary emerged in 2014 titled Pauly Shore Stands Alone followed Shore on a Midwest tour of comedy clubs. This acclaimed doc vacillated between Shore’s raucous stage shows, run-ins with Weasel worshippers and Shore struggling with the long-distance care of his ailing mother (Mitzi Shore has suffered from Parkinson’s for years) while her longtime home was being sold.

Most recently, Shore started a podcast, and has an impressive list of guests for shows available via his website.

“When you interview people, it’s never about you and that’s kind of what I like,” explains Shore by phone from L.A. “My whole career it’s always been about me. It’s nice to take it off of me and put it on someone else. For me, challenging that muscle in my brain to stop talking about myself … I like that. It was something different.”

It’s an iffy kind of conversation Shore and I have, hence all the windbaggery above. There are talks of new projects in the works, but they are stunted.

“I don’t wanna tell you what projects I’m working on because I don’t like to talk about them until they’re finished and coming out, ya know?” explains Shore straight away.

When pressed, Shore opens up about his love for comedy, its place in his life and the reason he doesn’t have kids.

“My first love is my comedy and my work. That’s where my heart is and that’s probably the reason I don’t have a family,” says Shore. “I’m super selfish and super into my thing. You only have so much time in the day to create projects and to do stuff. So that’s where my heart is, but of course, I lose out on a lot of love, and children and all that stuff. But I have other things I get to do. I just don’t know if that’s ever in the cards for me. It’s never too late, obviously, to have a family. But my family is my stuff.”

Of that “stuff” currently in the works is the editing of the videos that Shore shot in conjunction with the podcasts he recorded featuring guests like Garry Shandling, Nick Kroll, Gallagher, Chris Kattan and many more.

“A lot of the people I interview, I’m really interested in them, and I think it comes across that way,” explains Shore. “I’d have to say the videos will be kind of groundbreaking. No one has ever done them like this before. I spent a lot of time and money on making them look good to tell the stories of these different people. I’m pretty stoked about that.”

On the stand-up side of things, Shore keeps within tight orbit of the smaller market cities and venues, of the suburbanites who may be more forgiving of his relatively limited range for joke-telling. Which is not to say that Shore is unfunny, or that his ability to entertain people has somehow faded away; in fact, his stand-up tours regularly sell out in smaller venues.

Still, you’d be hard-pressed to find any of Shore’s jokes to be all that funny. Sure, they’re abrasive, or offensive, or perhaps provocative enough to elicit nervous laughter from the sober and riotous I’ll-laugh-at-anything snorts from the four-drink minimum set. The truth is that Shore’s shows mainly consist of exhuming his ’90s shtick, while throwing in hackneyed bits that don’t go a long way to convince detractors that Shore’s strengths are in telling actual jokes.

Or maybe the joke’s on us. Maybe we’re the assholes.

“I love self-deprecating humor, I love playing the victim,” explains Shore. “I wouldn’t say that’s my whole act. I’d have to say [my early success] is the elephant that’s in the room that I address and then I move on from it.

“Comedy is one of those things that you don’t choose it; it chooses you. So I grew up around it, but it’s in my system, ya know? So coming to Sacramento, it’s not like I’m so excited to hop on a plane and do all that stuff, but I know at the end of the line there’s an audience there. I’m able to feel that love and give back.”

Shore explains that it’s the positive energy he gets from people in public every day, in the audience at his shows, or anywhere he goes that he counts as the most rewarding aspects of his career to now. After all, he is Stoney Brown. He is Crawl. He is Totally Pauly. He is the Wea … sel. And to Shore, myself, and a huge cult fan base, that’s just fine.

“You can’t bite the hand that feeds you,” admits Shore. “All of that stuff is kind of what made me. It was so big and it was so massive that you can’t get away from it. There’s no getting away from it; it’s just there and you just kind of deal with it and flow with it. I’d rather be known than unknown. There are a lot of people who work really hard to come up with something and they never do and they go away. I was able to, at the time in my 20s, make a mark for better or for worse. It was what it was. The timing hit with MTV and all the films and it had a really good run. To this day, 20 years later, I still have that same audience that has grown with me. I’m pretty lucky, I’d have to say.”

Catch Pauly Shore’s stand-up comedy show Dec. 11, 2015, at The Boardwalk in Orangevale with special guests Billy Galloway, Danny Luna and Stephen Tierney. The show starts at 8 p.m and tickets are $20 in advance ($25 the day of the show). Buy tickets and find more info at Theboardwalkpresents.com.

Open Letter

For as busy as his 2014 was, you’d think Richmond, California-based rapper Iamsu (stylized IamSu!) would be content to kick back and enjoy a little downtime. That’s most certainly not the case.

In fact, when Submerge spoke to the young, rising hip-hop star, he was gearing up for a flight halfway around the world to Australia to play his first-ever string of dates in the Land Down Under, hitting five cities.

“I’m really excited,” he said as we began our phone conversation. “I heard they love hip-hop over there.”

This year, Iamsu’s travels have taken him coast to coast and around the globe, with even a stop in Paris along the way.

“Man, it was amazing when I went to Paris,” Iamsu said of his Oct. 3, 2015 performance at the Be Street Festival. “It was a great experience. I can’t wait to go back. There was a lot of energy. They just appreciate rap music, hip-hop, in a different way. It was really cool.”

Iamsu’s recent bout of globetrotting has been in support of his most recent release, and his first studio album, Sincerely Yours, released in May 2014. The album features 15 seamlessly woven together tracks that are refreshingly sparse, with a laidback feel that’s perfectly suited to Iamsu’s Cali-cool cadence. It also boasts guest appearances from Wiz Khalifa, 2 Chainz and Bay Area stalwarts E-40 and Too $hort. Rolling Stone ranked the album among its “40 Best Rap Albums of 2014.”

Though Sincerely Yours was technically his debut, Iamsu has been releasing mixtapes at a torrid rate since 2010. Beginning with Su! the Right Thing, he has put forth nine mixtapes, including 2015’s Eyes on Me, which is available for digital download. Among those releases were Kilt and Kilt II, which will lend their name to Iamsu’s forthcoming sophomore studio album, Kilt 3, which he said should be ready “early next year.”

“The album, as far as music goes, is complete. I’m just in the process of … gathering all my media content, which is something I’m doing different,” Iamsu said of the anticipated release. “With the last album, I didn’t have all my videos done before I released it. I was doing stuff after the release date … I just wanted to get all my stuff done and give everything to the people all at one time.”

He said that continuing the Kilt series was meant to recapture some of the feelings he had earlier in his still young music career.

“It’s definitely an evolution from those two. It’s me revisiting that feeling that I had,” Iamsu said. “When I recorded those first two mixtapes, the mindset on the music, just on determination, was so high. That’s what I’m giving people on this Kilt 3 is just a lot energy. It’s more so about feeling my presence.”

Upon returning from Australia, Iamsu will hit the familiar roads of California, including a stop in Sacramento. In the meantime, you can learn more about this burgeoning Bay Area rap star in the following interview.

You’ve done a lot of touring this year. Are you looking forward to winding down a little bit or do you enjoy being out there on the road?
I’m definitely not looking forward to winding down [laughs]. I might go crazy …

Before you released your first proper studio album, you released a bunch of mixtapes since 2010. Are you one of those people who are constantly writing and working on ideas?
Absolutely. Every time I get a chance to get in a studio and work on ideas, I do. This is just my passion. Hopefully I can get in a studio in Australia and catch that vibe.

Have you been in contact with any artists or producers in Australia that you’d like to collaborate with?
Some people had hit us up about if we were looking for a studio, so I’m going to see if I can get in that studio.

Do you have material you’re working on, stuff that you’ve written, that you’re looking to record?
Nah, I’m more of an in-the-moment type of writer. Sometimes I’ll write stuff on my phone—just the beats or whatever—and record it later, but I’m more so in the moment.

You’d released a bunch of mixtapes before 2014, but Sincerely Yours was dubbed your debut album. How was recording that different from your experiences making mixtapes?
It wasn’t too different. I had a lot of freedom with that album. I did something more alternative with that project, because I was really trying to showcase my artistic capabilities, so that was really cool … It was a great time. It allowed me to do a lot of different things.

One of the things that struck me about Sincerely Yours, even through the intro and interludes, was how the tracks seemed to flow together so well. It felt like listening to one long song with a bunch of different movements. Was that something you really wanted to work on when you were putting it together? You’d said you were looking to make an artistic statement.
Definitely. I’ve got to give a lot of the credit to some of my boys who helped me put the album together Kuya Beats, P-Lo and Chief. They helped me put that album together, because I was on the road. I had an overall concept, but they were the ones who helped me put it together.

What was the overall concept you had for Sincerely Yours?
It was an open letter to my fans. I wanted to make it like an audio book—just free-form thoughts and me just communicating openly to my fans, because I was in an interesting headspace at the time. I really had to express that. I feel like I got that all off my chest.

I was really digging the title track. The lyrics seemed very open and honest. Could you talk a little bit about how that song came together?
That was just where my head was at at that exact moment. When I listen back to it, it puts a smile on my face, just because I see how much I’ve grown up since then … To be honest, I was afraid of success. I wasn’t afraid of failure, because I don’t believe I’ve come all this way to fail. I was afraid of all the things to come, like traveling overseas and going on TV, you know what I’m saying? Because all this stuff is destined, and I wasn’t really sure if I was prepared for it at the time.

Do you think you’re more prepared now?
Definitely, and that just comes from maturity. There are a lot of things that happened over the past year that have made me grow up, you know what I’m saying? My grandmother passed this year, my uncle passed this year, and that was really hard. That really made me face reality, you know?

You’ve gotten a lot of attention from some major media outlets like Rolling Stone and even the New York Times. Did that help contribute to your fear of success? You hear a lot of cautionary tales of people approaching stardom and they can’t handle it. Was that where you were coming from?
It was definitely both. A lot of cautionary tales. It just comes from maturity, man, I had to realize I’m not scared. I had to use that fear to propel myself and not hold myself back.

The Bay Area has such a rich hip-hop history with guys like E-40 and Too $hort, and you’ve gotten to work with both of them. Did they impart any wisdom on to you as far as having a long career in music and helping you mature as an artist and just as a professional?
Oh definitely. I had a few talks with E-40, and he gave me a lot of knowledge as far as taking my time with music, and Too $hort as well. They’ve had probably the longest running rap careers, so I’m in good company.

Do you feel any responsibility, being from the Bay, to carry that banner, so to speak, of being the new generation?
I’m just walking my own path, and I want to represent the Bay Area, period. I hope to take it as far as they took it. So yeah, I want to carry that torch.

Catch Iamsu live at Ace of Spades in Sacramento on Dec. 4, 2015. Show Banga and Anjali World will also perform. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased through Aceofspadessac.com.

If You Like It, Go Deeper

It’s hard to know where to even start when it comes to Drew Walker.

When I first met Walker, he was an outgoing stoner (he’s proven it’s possible!) who would play guitar from the porch of his former Flop Haus digs on H Street and mercilessly push you to support local music and have fun doing it. From there, I remember always seeing him sitting behind a drumset with a handful of local bands or involved in the production of a local show in one way or another. Other times, he would be walking around the city for hours, posting fliers for shows, snapping film photos and stopping at what seemed like every other house to catch up with friends.

A few years have passed, and lots of things in this town have changed. However, it is comforting to see Walker as one who remains consistently motivated when it comes to his craft and his commitment to the Sacramento music scene. And just as when I first met him, Walker still has that seemingly never-ending desire to create.

Fresh off tour with his band, Gentleman Surfer, Walker has rolled out his current labor of love through his solo project, DoofyDoo. This current endeavor is a collection of 15 EPs of edited live recordings that pay homage to every city he has toured in over the past year. He has called this collection of recordings, “The Tourist: The West Coast In Audio”, which he describes as an album, “Spanning both Western borders, part beats, part guitars, part anthropological adventure, a collection of tracks from, for, and about 17 different cities and towns between Tijuana and Vancouver.” He says that the album was made, “Using tapes, samples, fx and found instruments. Each track on the album represents a unique unrepeatable experience in the city it was recorded in including Sacramento, Davis, San Francisco, Reno, Oakland, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Mexicali, Tijuana, Long Beach, Portland, Olympia, Seattle, Anacortes, Eugene, Port Townsend and Vancouver.”

The Tourist is a long, freaky musical trip. There is song after song of looping soundbites and melodic story lines that almost play like subliminal messages. Drew did hours of research on each place he visited, and collected sound snippets from different sources, using them as grounds for improvising in live performances. He then recorded and edited the raw performances and turned them into albums. This process continued over the course of a year, blossoming into a glimpse of the hyper world of Drew’s brain.

“My desire to go on tour, meet new people, and travel really left me with the idea that I wanted to know the people and places on a more personal level,” says Walker. “I would go up on stage with a semi-planned idea of what I would be performing, but it was all with the idea that it would all organically unfold onstage.” In other words, he would reach out to his surroundings for creative motivation.

Each song is accompanied by writings and pictures. “I like to capture the snapshot of an experience,” says Walker, “Every song incorporates a different experience.”

Every EP was recorded in a different venue in a different place and with a completely different audience, and there are even instances where Drew has used the equipment of other acts. “Sometimes I’ll ask other bands playing the same gig if I can use their instruments. It’s what gives it that nice tweak or something different. So a lot of the songs even use entirely different equipment.” All factors have helped create something aesthetically different every single time. In the end, a total of 18 varying live shows were edited to create The Tourist.

“This work definitely takes a third eye to take in,” says Drew, “In fact, I hope some people are high when they first listen.” He gave me permission to oust his reefer influences, saying, “One of those songs is titled ‘4/20/2015’ and was recorded in San Francisco at this crazy bar that was also a performance venue and laundromat. That was crazy, but also one of my favorites.”

Walker sees this project as a huge artistic piece that couples many concepts that go beyond the musical. Every song has photographs, writings and art he has personally created specifically for each album and its tracks.

“It is a huge piece of performance art in my eyes,” he says, “Essentially the collaging of images from my life on tour. Its takes on a personal and unique form with each performance.”

The tracks take the listener on a sonically animated roller coaster ride, with little to no actual singing. Most vocals are limited to sound snippets and people talking about stuff like racism, parking tickets, Sac history and Birkenstocks. A lot of these sounds are rhythmically repeated and paired with Walker’s live drumming and other instrumentals. One notable thing about Walker’s style, is that he has managed to master the art of being spontaneous and free. It genuinely feels like his unedited subconscious unapologetically seeps through in every song. It is wacky and weird and sometimes dizzying, but it is never boring or trying to imitate anything else. The Tourist feels personal and authentic without any pretentious connotations.

On Dec. 6, 2015 The Tourist will officially be released in its entirety at the renewed Blackbird Kitchen + Beer Gallery. In fact, the recently renovated (re-re-renovated?) venue is opening its digs early just for Walker’s show. Since the community raised over $800 through Indiegogo to help make Drew’s touring project possible, Blackbird is hosting a dinner as a thanks for everyone before the show.

This reception will be something entirely new for Walker and his music. Rather than being planned and rehearsed, Walker hopes to follow suit with The Tourist, and let things unfold organically. There will be a gallery reception, with a music video premier that he is really excited about. “The music video is made to go with the Sac song,” he says, “It’s going to be 12 awesome minutes directed by my friend Gabe, aka Tiger’s Blood.” A live performance will follow, that will surely be wildly improvised; something that will be utilized to make another improvised album that was based on his previous improvised albums.

When asked about his motivation for this work, Walker says, “If you like it, go deeper. It’s an experience that involves all of these people and all of this information and it’s all part of it here. It’s not about just music, but it is verging on fine art/outsider art. Essentially, my show will be about sharing, celebrating and then moving on to something else.”

Grab your copy of DoofyDoo’s The Tourist Dec. 6, 2015, at Blackbird Kitchen + Beer Gallery at 1015 9th Street in Sacramento. The all-ages show will include a live performance, video premiere and gallery reception and is free with purchase of the album. For more info, go to Facebook.com/doofydoojams

He must have had a helluva time playing in Sacramento at this year’s TBD Fest, because Cut Copy’s bassist Ben Browning is already making a return trip to the City of Trees on Thanksgiving Eve (Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015) where he’ll DJ a set at Dive Bar. The event, dubbed “Roulé,” is free to attend with a Facebook RSVP (just search for “Cut Copy’s Ben Browning @ Roulé” and you should find the event page). This special night of pre-turkey-belly dancing will also feature sets by local DJs and hosts Sam I Jam, Adam J and Shaun Slaughter. Hit up Benbrowning.com.au or Soundcloud.com/benbrowning to check out some of the dude’s tasty jams, and don’t miss the rare opportunity to check out some international talent right here in Sacramento for the low, low price of free. Dive Bar is located at 1016 K Street. For more information visit them online at Divebarsacramento.com or call (916) 737-5999.

If you enjoy the great outdoors and environmental issues matter to you, and especially if you love epic cinematography, you’ll definitely want to check out the Sacramento Wild and Scenic Film Festival on Tour on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015, at 24th Street Theatre at the Sierra 2 Community Center (2791 24th Street). The festival program “is specially designed to address issues that are relevant to our local community, and will feature short films that look at themes of water conservation, sustainable development and energy, food and local agriculture, wildlife protection, environmental activism, and outdoor recreation,” writes Ecosacramento.net. Twelve total films will be shown varying in length from 2 minutes to 38 minutes. There will also be raffle prizes as well as photography and artwork up for silent auction, in case you want to pick up a special gift for the outdoorsy type on your holiday shopping list. Tickets are just $15 for general admission and will be available at the door in limited quantities, or you can grab some ahead of time online at Sacwildandscenic.brownpapertickets.com. Doors open at 6 p.m., films begin screening at 6:30 p.m.

Still looking for something to do on Halloween? Just focus on getting your costume ready ‘cause we’ve got you covered with these 14 killer parties throughout the Sacramento region featuring live bands and DJs!

Don’t worry, The Nibblers won’t bite too hard, but they will bring the funky and soulful goodness that the local seven-piece powerhouse is known for to The Torch Club! 9 p.m., $10 with costume, $12 without. 21-and-over.

You’d think they’d be in some sort of post-fest hibernation right now but nope, the folks behind TBD Fest are throwing a Halloween rager. “Bleepy Hollow” will feature Com Truise {pictured}, Slow Magic, and local DJs Shaun Slaughter and Adam Jay. 18-and-over, tickets are $35 in advance. Facebook.com/tbdfest for details.

Blue Lamp and Abstract Entertainment are teaming up for a rockin’ Halloween with the legendary Tav Falco’s Panther Burns featuring Mike Watt and Toby Dammit. Tickets start at just $12.50, 21-and-over, doors open at 8 p.m.

Former Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland will bring his new band The Wildabouts to The Boardwalk on Halloween night! $30 in advance, $130 for a meet-and-greet with the man himself! All-ages, 7 p.m. doors.

Requiem’s “Things That Go Bump In the Night” at Midtown BarFly will satisfy your needs in the following departments: deep bass, much dancing, crazy costumes, epic light show. San Francisco’s Ardalan and Portland’s Dallas Cotton {pictured} headline with support from Young Aundee, DJ Whores and many others. $20 (21-and-over) or $30 (18-and-over) at the door.

The Hideaway will host a rock ‘n’ roll extravaganza featuring an Andrew WK cover set by members of Bastards of Young and City of Vain! Trash Rock DJs, costume contests, horror movies on the tiki patio and more! Just $5, 8 p.m., 21-and-over.

Two shows, one night! That’s how Harlow’s rolls! Seattle’s Noah Gundersen {pictured} plays the early all-ages show at 7 p.m., with tickets being just $10 in advance, $12 at the door. New York’s Matt Pond PA headlines the 21-and-over late show at 10 p.m., tickets are $13 ahead of time, $15 at the door.

Australian metalcore band Parkway Drive is currently on a North American rampage and will tear down Ace of Spades on Halloween night! All-ages, 6:30 p.m. doors, $25 in advance.

Well over a dozen local bands will descend upon Old Ironsides for their annual Dead Rockstars Show! Hear cover tunes from, well, you guessed it, dead rockstars! $5, 21-and-over, 8 p.m.

The Park Ultra Lounge will host SKAM Artist DJ Crooked {pictured} with an early set from Sacramento’s own DJ Peeti V. A whopping $1,000 is up for grabs in a costume contest! 9:30 p.m., tickets start at $15, 21-plus.

Two great local punk/rock bands, Garble and The Rollin’ Blackouts, will play a costume party at Fox and Goose. 9 p.m., $5 at the door, 21-and-over.

Starlite Lounge wants you to celebrate darkness and horror with them as they host two awesome bands, Children of the Grave (a “zombie tribute” to Black Sabbath) {pictured} and Archangel (a badass Misfits tribute group). 9 p.m., 21-plus.

Country Club Lanes will house Lite Brite Productions’ 9th Annual Beetlejuice Party with 35 DJs, five dance areas, free bowling, zombie laser tag, video games, two bars, an outdoor movie theater and more! 8 p.m.–4 a.m., $40, all-ages welcome, costume required.

The night before Halloween (Friday, Oct. 30) the Sacramento Convention Center gets invaded by KSFM 102.5’s Gravedigger’s Ball featuring a DJ set by Lil Jon, live performances from Natalie La Rose and Charlie Puth, a $5,000 costume contest and more. 21-plus, $35 in advance.

Tired of seeing posts of your Facebook “friends” completing whole marathons before you’ve even woken up? Wondering the best way to get in on the action and hide your identity? The Nightmare 5K Run is the ticket. If you’re really good at disguising yourself, they won’t know you’re there until you pass their stupid asses wearing a Ronald McDonald outfit. This year’s run will be held in five different locations: San Jose, the East Bay, Napa Valley, Monterey and obviously Sacramento (we’re a local paper, remember?). Whether you choose to dress up as Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Kim Kardashian or a seriously erect Lamar Odom makes no difference. Donations will be given directly to the Red Cross along with a smaller portion going to Lake County Wildfire victims. The fabled run of death begins on Halloween night with registration starting at 6 p.m. at the Placer County Fairgrounds in Roseville followed by a pre-party where participants can get doused in fake blood and party like Lon Chaney. Even if you haven’t run in years or done anything but watch Netflix the past year, this is one event sure to put a smile on everyone’s face. Kids 5 and under are free. Come get physical at Nightmarerun5k.com

There and Back Again

In the new video for the song “Test Yourself” off Sea of Bees’ latest musical effort, Build a Boat to the Sun—a 10-song voyage through the band’s singer-songwriter Julie Ann Baenziger reconnection with music after a brief hiatus—Baenziger and her musical cohort Amber Padgett channel their inner Girl Scouts and commune with nature in a playful romp with the snails and butterflies that inhabit a wooded glen nestled against the craggy cliffs lining a frothy, churning sea.

The video, shot by Padgett and fellow local creative Jyoti Alexander along the breezy trails and parks in Stinson Beach, channels that feeling of wide-eyed innocence that permeates much of the Bees’ musical catalogue and marks Baenziger’s return—not only to the 916 but to creating new music.

Coming off the heels of a successful musical residency at the Ace Hotel in New York, Baenziger is diving back into her Sacramento roots, heralded by a return to the stage in a homecoming of sorts with shows lined up this month at the Warehouse Artist Lofts and Sophia’s Thai Kitchen in the continuation of the musical journey that began as a teenager.

“When I was younger, about 15 or 16, that’s when I realized I could create things,” she explains. “I was existing to create things, I liked to draw a lot, but I was really introverted.”

It wasn’t until she stumbled across a musical duo at church and became transfixed by the lure of music that she began to emerge from her shell. It was then that her creative yearnings metamorphosed from pictures into harmonies.

“There was a boy and a girl; a sister and a brother, and they were playing guitar and singing,” she explains. “And I was just taken away by them [and thought] I could maybe do something like that. So that was kind of like an invitation. Also I was crushing on the gal a bunch.”

Following that transformative moment, Baenziger spent the remainder of her teenage years secreted away at home, teaching herself how to sing and play the one-stringed bass guitar that one of her brothers had cast away into the dark recesses of the family’s shed. Certainly, the road to tours along the West Coast, shows in the United Kingdom and residencies in some of New York’s top venues—she also played a stint at the Living Room in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn—didn’t come without its frustrations and long, grueling hours of learning how to master the intricacies of the bass.

“I’d pick [it] up in the mornings before I’d go to school and try to tune it. I didn’t know how to tune it so I’d just turn on some music and try I’d to emulate that and try to make the same sound,” she says. “So I was really trying, it took five years of misery—my fingers were callused, I didn’t know how to tune, but then it became just my life.”

If turning heartbreak and adversity into musical gold was a commodity, then Baenziger has cornered the market on making melodious magic from the treasure trove of instruments she continues to master as a self-taught musician. Now in her sixth year of fronting the Bees—a sometimes one-woman act that moonlights as a duo or full-fledged band—the songstress says that her music’s evolution isn’t an act of premeditation, but is rather a reflection of her experiences.

Sea of Bees’ first album, Songs for the Ravens, what Baenziger calls an explosion of delving into the pent-up emotions of feeling limited and restrained, was a way for the artist to discover the joys of the self. The second album, Orangefarben, was a much more personal piece of work and a catharsis of sorts. The album follows a time of turmoil, during which Baenziger came out, went on her first tour to promote her debut offering and ended a relationship with her first girlfriend.

“The second record was more of the experience of a break up. It was just very direct and in the place where I was at I was limited—I couldn’t explore, my feelings were walled up,” she admits.

With the release of Build a Boat to the Sun, which she recorded under the guidance of her longtime manager John Baccigaluppi at his new recording studio, General Produce in Sacramento and Panoramic Studios in Stinson Beach, she says she’s learning how to explore again, where there are no restraints—both in her life and in the way she approaches her music.

“It’s crazy, now I feel like I’m back. Not back to the beginning, but back to this place of like no limits, which is nice,” she says. “There’s no emotional limits, there’s nothing that can stop what I want to try, whether it be some Afro beat, or just anything, I can do Indian chants, it’s limitless, so it’s very refreshing to see what happens.”

As the songbird prepares to bring Sea of Bee’s back to the home stage, it’s clear that the “Test Yourself” video is truly a reflection of her eagerness to delve back into the waters of creating harmonies that convey her desire to wash away the limitations of her former selves. With every “la la la,” her voice soars with the confidence of her enthusiasm to create. But, for now, she’s looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and revisiting older tunes that she is ready to tap into again—and don’t be surprised if she throws in a few surprises too. She isn’t ashamed to admit an affinity for the musical stylings of pop royalty Katy Perry.

“Amber and I were talking about the upcoming shows. We’re going to keep it really lo-fi for the Sacto show, that’s going to be a super fun show, though,” Baenziger explains. “I think we want to do more of the older songs because I’ve strayed away from them for so long. I have to get to that place where I just enjoy playing them. Sometimes you’ve got to go back and revisit them and just kind of connect again and enjoy the process.”

As for the Davis show, Baenziger says that’s when she’ll pull the big guns out and employ the talents of a full band. Her excitement resonates throughout the coffeehouse where she reflectively sips on her caffeinated beverage of choice—a steaming cup of coffee.

“We’re going to have some good friends play with us,” she says. “Be expecting a big fat hug of music. Be prepared to be embraced by the sound.”

With just a few shows planned, Baenziger says that with the fall equinox she too is looking forward to a fresh start musically and personally. She calls it a rebirth of sorts and reconnecting with old friends has been a large part of her inspiration as she embarks on new musical exploits.

She is currently working on her fourth album, which she hopes to wrap up in December and release in the spring of 2016 and is embracing the feeling of her current mantra of casting away any limitations, of being limitless and finding happiness back among her friends and fellow musicians.

“You’ve got to feel good. I don’t want to feel shitty anymore, I’m so tired of it,” she says. “Everybody deserves to feel good and I’m excited for the future of things. I have been actually excited about making music. No limits that’s my thing.”

Give Julie Ann a warm welcome home at two upcoming shows: The first at Sophia’s Thai Kitchen in Davis on Oct. 22 (tickets are $8 in advance and the show starts at 9:30 p.m.), and the second is a special rooftop show at the WAL (1108 R Street in Sacramento) on Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. with Sunmonks and Jacob Golden.

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.