Memoirs From A White Van
Moments with Phil Labonte from All That Remains
 Photo: Jennifer Smith |
May 19th wasn’t specifically a great day for a show, and the Boardwalk in Orangevale is not necessarily a great place to see a show. The Boardwalk is known for bringing the most national acts of any local smaller venue in the greater Sacramento area, and can it be tough on some real metal heads that don’t want to drive way out of the way to Orangevale, which sits about 30 minutes in the wrong direction of Sacramento? Yes. The service isn’t all that great, and usually you get stuck watching some wannabe hardcore yuppie snob kid trying to do hardcore dancing (which more or less looks like some dumb young kid rollerblading and whaling his arms about in one spot for a few moments).
I must also admit that before heading out this particular show, I was never really all that big of an All That Remains fan, most reasons being that the lead singer Phil is the original lead singer of Shadows Fall (and anyone that understands my love for Shadows Fall understands my statements), and for some unknown reasoning even to myself, I could never get myself to listen to All That Remains. The first two albums the band released were, to me, mediocre at best and had no relative hint of any satisfactory metal, it just seemed like it was the same old regurgitated ‘Boston Metal-Core’ sound. But after giving the new album a listen, I realized that finally there was some kind of substantial listening material here and I was a bit taken back.
The night was fairly uneventful on this Saturday in May; it was a steamy hot day and turned out to be a steamy hot night as well. I was excited to see Light This City, which was opening up the show right before All That Remains, so my blood was at a nice cool boiling point while I waited for all of Phil’s interviews and sound checks to end. When everything cooled off around Phil, I was able to sit down with him in an extremely hot white tour van that seemed to be smelling of some kind of odor that probably will never release itself from the confines of that van (but hey, when you’ve been on tour a few weeks, and you’re an east coast band, I guess there’s a good reason for some of the smells.)
Phil looked a bit tired, and didn’t look too enthused to move on with the interview, so I was able to keep it semi short for him since he had a long night ahead of him:
 Photo: SarahJane |
FRINGE:: The tour just started about a month ago in Philly, and coming from there I know the shows have a tendency to get a bit out of hand, how was that first show and the crowd response?
PHIL: All the shows with ‘Bullet’ (Bullet for my Valentine) have been just ridiculous, to be honest, all the shows since we left have been awesome….. we did a show in Long Island that was just out of hand, then we had some van troubles, had to drop the tranny, so we missed a couple shows, but as soon as we got back, ya know, same thing, kid’s were going completely ape shit. I think the only time we haven’t had an ATR chant before we went on (with Bullet mind you), I think was only last night. I don’t want to come off saying that it’s our show or anything like that, but it definitely felt like it’s Bullet’s show, and people are pumped that were there too. We’re really excited, the crowd’s have been amazingly responsive and pretty much kid’s annihilate each other every night.
FRINGE:: I noticed that a lot of bands from the Massachusetts area that really started the whole Metal-Core genre are starting to progress their music…
 Photo: SarahJane |
PHIL: Yeah, it’s definitely something we’ve paid attention to, we don’t want to be one of those band’s that just gets stuck in a sound, or stuck as this kind of band. We’re a metal band. When you go and you tag on any kind of sur-name or whatever, when you tag on those extra things your pigeon holing yourself, or being pigeon holed into a very very narrow opinion of what that music is. And if you ask one person what a metal-core band is, you’re going to get a different thing than when you ask another person. The other interview they called us a melodic death metal band, and we’re not any of those things. I mean, we have some parts that are heaviesh break down parts, but we’re not one of those bands that’s just banging on the E string. You look at a band like Pantera they had heaviesh kind of breakdown parts, Metallica had heaviesh kind of break down parts, you wouldn’t call those bands metal-core because of when they came out. People can call us whatever they want to call us, but really we’re just a metal band.
FRINGE:: More for my curiosity, I’ve been a huge Shadows Fall fan for years, I love Somber Eyes, I loved your vocals, honestly what I noticed about the new ATR album is that your vocals reach like that on the new album. If you don’t mind me asking, is there any bad blood?
PHIL: (Stuttering a bit) For the most part, we don’t cross paths very much, a few shows with them and stuff, but they’ve really kind of become the band that you know. They’ve got their own thing going on, we’ve got our thing going on, whatever. We still hang out when we can, if Jon and Matt are around, we still go to the Hangar and grab some chicken wings and beer.
FRINGE:: Top 5 favorite albums that are out right now?
PHIL: “Right now? F**K….the new Justin Timberlake’s awesome. I like the new Amy Whinehouse record, I’ve been listening to that a lot. I’m not going to say any metal, I haven’t listened to any new metal records, when the new Shad came out, I listened to a bunch of that stuff, the new Killswitch, Unearth, Lamb of God. I don’t look for new bands anymore, there’s just so much stuff that just sounds the same. I don’t search out metal, I’m really impressed with the Daughtry record, Daughtry’s a great singer….
FRINGE:: I saw you guys are playing Whacken Open Air this year, that’s huge exposure, especially in Europe, anybody in particular you’re looking to see?
PHIL: No, I don’t even know who else is playing.
Random Phil comment: You know, we’re three dudes and a chick in a van, nothing really interesting’s been happening, trying to hang out, it’s just not working out, Christ, we got a seven hour drive, we gotta drive for 2-1/2 hours tonight, and then we’re gonna get up tomorrow morning at like 9 that way we can drive another five hours…
FRINGE:: Well at least you’re playing The Fillmore tomorrow night, so that’s only about an hour and a half drive.
PHIL: Yeah, they’ll be some partying a little bit, tomorrow’s the last show, and we’re gonna be staying in S.F. cause we got the next day off. Should be good times, but the more crazy things get, the less likely you are to talk about them in an interview…
After departing ways with Phil and sitting through a ruckus crowd for Light This City, Phil and the rest of the guys took the stage to an audience that was dying for a good mosh pit. The crowd got a good pit, and the band got a great response from everyone, including myself. So I have to be honest and say that I was impressed with their presence, but still left me wanting something bit more.
But for any ATR fan out there, and for fans of metal that have never heard this band, you should be quite pleased with the sound.
It’s Roller Derby Time, Folks!
 Photo: SarahJane |
Tension in the dressing room of the Sacred City Derby Girls was high before the Saturday, June 30th bout as our home team prepared to go face to face with the nationally ranked Rat City Rollergirls.
Sacred City Derby Girls who roll with the motto “for the skaters by the skaters” were formed in the latter part of 2006. The girls are dead set on developing themselves and the team for competition within the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association. With names like Dez-Asstris, Dara-Devil and Hazmat you may need to take another look at these die hard athletes. The team’s plight is to help their fellow skaters, their community and to play derby like there lived depended on it. Don’t forget along with all of that, these girls practice a minimum of three times a week, hold down jobs and for some manage a family to. Sacred City has also taken an active roll in supporting both community and local business through volunteer work and promotions during bouts; if you happen to see a Derby sponsored car wash this summer please stop and make a donation, it is well worth it.
Haling from Seattle, Washington, the Rat City Roller girls are currently the top ranked team in the western half of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association. Rat City recently acquired this title with a surprise victory against the undefeated reigning national champion, The Texecutioners from Austin, Texas. The victory qualified Rat City to compete for the national title in September.
 Sacred City Derby Girls before the June 30th bout against Rat City. Photo: SarahJane |
Speaking with Candy Crusher (Sacred City team Jammer and Marketing Director) regarding the teams upcoming bout this-evening with the Rat City Roller Girls she said, “We are excited to be playing the team, it is just one more step forward in national play”.
The bout against Rat City tonight will prove the Sacramento team has the stamina and ability to stand up to the current national champions; this will defiantly earn the team some serious bragging rights.
The sold-out Saturday night crowd was treated to hard hitting modern-day derby played by true athletes. Jaws and fists were clinched as they hit the track full stride, the cheers of the excited crowd were deafening. Roller Girls attending the event from as far out as the East coast could be heard screaming out advice over the roaring crowd. The determination of Sacred City to prove their abilities could be felt throughout the rink, and the fans loved it! Sacred City’s own Lady Storm thrilled fans entering as the third jammer and quickly racking up the first few points of the game while Hazmat and Daddy’s Girl showed us some serious blocking strategy. By the end of the first, Rat City was quick to come back and secure a lead.
 Sacred City Derby Girls before the June 30th bout against Rat City. Photo: SarahJane |
Second and third period proved to be just a strategic and fast paced with lead Jammers calling off the bout as soon as their teams started to get ahead. The focus of tonight’s game was defiantly strategy, but don’t get me wrong there were still several hard hits from Sacramento and lots of spills into court side fans.
Rat City dominated with more than a 50 point lead and Sacred City played the hardest I have seen them play yet. Not a single girl showed any sign of stopping, they continued playing with sensational determination until the horn blew signaling the end of the third period. “Good, hard, strong game play and the strategy was well executed, said Alma Bitches (# 702 of the Sin City Rollergirls), as the game came to an extraordinary end. The final scores were 112 (Rat City) to 67 (Sacred City).
For information about your local Sacred City Derby Girls please go to myspace.com/sacredcityderbygirls.
Growing Pains With Sage Francis
 Photo: Glenn Fuentes |
While growing up in Rhode Island, Sage Francis never really let his parents know how much he yearned for hip hop music. He secretly recorded his flows on tape, only letting his folks in on his love a few times, including a trip to a Run DMC, EPMD and Public Enemy concert and a mother’s day rap he gave to his mom as a present.
It wasn’t because he was embarrassed, but rather he didn’t want them to use his love of the budding music as leverage for punishment.
Take away T.V.; no problem. Ground him from going out skateboarding; no big deal since he lived at the end of a dirt road with no friends around. But don’t touch his “Raisin’ Hell” album. “I kept it really private. They knew my passion for hip hop, I couldn’t hide that,” Francis said.
“That wasn’t for my parents. I didn’t want them to use hip hop against me. I kept it all to myself.”
“I’m a writer first and foremost. A lot of those cats aren’t so good at writing. That’s why they get stuck when it comes to making a song.”
Well, Francis is a long way from Providence now, and his parents well-aware of skills. Currently locked into a U.S. tour fresh off the May release of his second Epitaph album “Human the Death Dance,” Francis talked with Fringe before his second consecutive show at the Fillmore Theatre in San Francisco. This night, he was dressed in black Dickies pants and shirt accented by a brown Kangol over his shaved balding head, just above his graying beard. With his stocky frame and common looks, he looks part cab driver, part pizza delivery guy plucked from the streets of New York City. So much so, the bevy of fans wearing his shirts and beanies walk right passed the underground icon during the interview just outside the venue.
 Photo: Glenn Fuentes |
A few hours later, the same kids were rushing the stage to get hand slaps and nods from the former freestyle champion and poet. Francis wasn’t always just an emcee. He started out writing rhymes and eventually started entering freestyle competitions. It wasn’t long until he held titles from Scribble Jam and Super Bowl battle and started burning his music and hawking bootlegs in the North-East. It was there he encountered the “midgets” he refers to on his latest album. While many could flow, few could transcend to writing or cutting an album “I’m a writer first and foremost. A lot of those cats aren’t so good at writing. That’s why they get stuck when it comes to making a song,” he said. “I would have been just another flavor of the month without any follow through. I never relied on cheesy punch lines. I never relied on trends to get over. I was waiting. I was hungry.”
That hunger and skill carried over to his albums. Topics from relationships to politics anchor much of his recordings.
Anger, desperation and knowledge are offered as answers to America’s questions about infidelity, terrorism and Hurricane Katrinal. Francis said his albums are a release for his emotions. “I’m a pretty passionate dude,” he said. “I subdue a lot of that. I don’t walk around telling everyone my life story. I save it for when I sit down to write. It’s it own little world I like to be a part of.”
Sage Francis will be performing at “Rock The Bells” in San Francisco on August 18.
5 Bands To Know … According to Fringe: July 2007
1. WHISKEY REBELS - whiskyrebels.com
A true punk rock band puts anarchy and alcohol in their name! This group of street-punk hell-raisers have been tearing it up since 2000. A mixture of Oi and some hardcore with pure anthemic vocals, they’re definitely one of the area’s best Punk groups. They’ve currently got a full roster of shows for the Summer, all over the world. Get off yer butt and get to one of their fine live music experiences.
2. MONSTER SQUAD - monstersquadpunks.net
If you haven’t heard of this Vacaville punk outfit, then crawl out from under your rock and get to some freaking punk shows! The Squad delivers their rugged style of hardcore street punk with a jagged punch. The quintet is never lacking shows on their calendar which has earned them a reputation as one of the hardest working punk bands in the area. They’ve toured with bands like The Casualties, the Unseen, Subhumans and many more. As one, no scratch that, THE BEST punk band to come out of our own little Vacaville, they’ve steadily held the torch with no ounce of competition.
3. DCOI! - myspace.com/dcoi
Hailing from Davis, the bands name is an abbreviation for Deadly City Oi. They formed in 2003 and released their debut full length “Deadly Nights” on Slambo Rat records last year. Another hard working punk-band, they’re playing a bunch of local shows in July and heading out through the Southwest this Summer.
4. MURDER PRACTICE - myspace.com/murderpractice
Coming out of Concord, this hardcore band got picked up by Westcoast Worldwide Records and released their self titled debut CD. They deliver ten ass-kicking songs on that disc that have break downs like Dying Fetus and vocals reminiscent of DRI. Quite a big spectrum of punk is covered by this five-piece.
5. ONE IN THE CHAMBER - myspace.com/oaklandsoneinthechamber
Pulling from the BAY, this Oakland four-piece is a bare bones metal/punk group. Sounding like a mixture between the Melvins and early ’90s thrashy punk, they have a decently produced four songs available to listen to on their Myspace page. Apparently they’ve been together since 2003 with line-up changes here and there. They don’t seem to have any upcoming shows, but should be a good act to catch live.
Ahead Of The Game: National Product
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Bands often begin their careers with a deep love for their music and a strong commitment to their fans. While many bands lose sight of those principles, National Product will hold true. National Product insists on being involved in every step of the process and do all they can to stay connected to their fans. The band manages this with a very simple doctrine; treat everyone like family.
While on the way to National Product’s June 15th show at Blake’s in Berekley, Ca., I was invited to grab bite to eat with the band and hang out until show time. Front man, Danny Casler, greeted me like an old friend. Casler explained that what keeps them so connected to their fans is the entire band takes a very active part in all aspects of their music from selling merch to approving art. They want to make sure that everything gets done their way. Casler says that it took the band so long to get signed because they did not want to be flash in the pan artists.
They wanted to find a label that would allow them to remain true to their vision. All six have different influences and it shows in their music. Credit for the successful collaboration of those influences is given to the fact that they have all been playing together for so long.
The original four members grew up together on the island of Oahu and the remaining two were added after making the move to Southern California in 2001. They all said they miss Hawaii, but I guess you can only tour so far on an island.
I spent the rest of the time in the bands tour van hanging out with Danny Casler and drummer Robby Caveney. I was quickly corrected when I accused them of living the rock star life. They humbly claim they are just living the life of guys fortunate enough to play rock music for a living. Their whole life revolves around their music. To them being on the road is their vacation because it’s less business and more music.
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The sense of family is a driving force for Casler and Caveney both. Casler explained that even though their first studio album isn’t due to be released until August 10th they already have fans who drive and even fly for hours to see the guys play. At Blake’s it was strictly twenty-somethings to mid thirties but Casler tells me that the norm is teen-aged to middleaged. Young fans bring parents along to shows who often offer to share their homes with the guys while they’re on the road. Casler claims, “It’s kinds like we have a family reunion everywhere we go on tour.”
National Product’s music has a way pulling you into the moment making their show a personal experience.
This has been a major contributing factor in their success. It has inspired an incredible fan following without plaguing them with the hubris which strikes so many bands on their way up.
What’s Up With Death & Revenge
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ZOMBIES!! BLOOD!! GUTS!! DEATH!! REVENGE!! AAHH!!
In hearing the name of the Sacramento band Death and Revenge, it might bring to mind a few of those choice words. However, don’t take it the wrong way. The members of the band are not devil worshippers, nor do they sacrifice anything on stage. What they do is: show up, rock, then usually head home, satisfied. I asked Death and Revenge a few questions to get to know the band a little bit… here’s what they had to say:
FRINGE: In the world of three-word band names, I have always wondered if the initials came first or the name, so with you guys, what came first, DNR or Death and Revenge?
DNR: Death and Revenge came first. Well… FIRST we were called Ewe in the Black Shirt, as a kind of play on words for all the little scene kids who are so compelled to wear black mostly to fit in with the out crowd. Since we just thought it was kind of funny that this new group of kids was emerging that felt they needed to fit in with the kids who didn’t fit in, and thereby kind of creating a different version of the same thing they were against, hence the ewe/sheep reference. The real rebels are the individuals and the phrase somewhat reflected that. And, we thought it’d be funny to say hey EWE! But anyway, we decided that Ewe in the Black Shirt was kind of more of a pun or inside joke than a good band name, so we just chose the name of one of our favorite songs that had many meanings itself, not realizing that it would give a really mean first impression. Cause we’re nice guys! So yeah we’re still Death and Revenge but DNR rolls off the tongue a little easier and it allows Shaun to tell people that our name is “Dragons Never Retreat”. Dork.
FRINGE: Since you have been a band, what show experience sticks out in your mind the most?
DNR: Grass Valley, the first time we played there at the center for the arts. Those kids were crazier than anybody on warped tour, and they didn’t even know who we were! Just really open minded kids that happened to LOVE us. By the second show we played there, the auditorium was packed and we got the whole floor to do a brave heart, which, if you’ve never seen it, is a sight to behold!
FRINGE: How would you describe your music to an 80-year-old lady?
DNR: “We’re called DNR… Oh, what does it mean? Ah, it means lots of things! Like…uh… dogs n’ rabbits! …Okay, okay, its death and revenge… No we don’t worship the devil! Well, I kind of like him, but we sing nice sometimes! Oh god, I think she just had a heart attack! Medic!”
FRINGE: Name 5 things that the band couldn’t exist without, not including any musical instruments or band members?
DNR: Macbooks, duct tape, drum keys, toilet paper, and Mexican food.
FRINGE: If you could play a show with any other band (together/ broken up/alive or dead) and any venue in the world, what would it be and why?
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DNR: If Woodstock ever stood for what it’s supposed to anymore,then Woodstock. Otherwise, I want to play Monsters of Rock at Donnington with Metallica. I guess its called Download now. It would be the ultimate accomplishment, just because there one of those huge influences on my playing (Dusty) personally, as well as millions of legions of little metal heads around the world. Those guys are pioneers, plain and simple. I would’ve said Black Sabbath just because they’ve been such a huge influence on me for many more years than Metallica, but I think we’d fit better with Metallica, style wise by comparison. I just don’t think any band today is worthy of opening for Black Sabbath, including us. NOBODY is as brutally heavy or dark as them, because no other metal band gets it. They listen to Sabbath and hear how heavy it is, and then go to their practice and try to play as fast as they can and wonder why they cant touch Sabbath’s heaviness, and it just cracks me up. Its just part of that whole “recreating something that’s already been done and wondering why it’s like a bland version of the original” that I always go on about a lot. But now I’m off topic so I’ll stop!
FRINGE: If the band broke up what would you want the headstone for the band to say?
DNR: “Don’t step on our grave or we will grab you” …either that or “That’s all, folks” There you have it. Check out DNR playing live at The Underground in Roseville on July 27th with Victim Effect.
For more information on DNR, visit their MySpace and shoot them a message at www.myspace.com/deathandrevenge.
July 2007
LOSING MY RELIGION
A virtual shootout inside a British cathedral led Sony to apologize to the Church of England. The culprit is “Resistance: Fall of Man,” the PlayStation 3 best-seller that finds Earthlings fighting aliens in the U.K. At one point the action spills into a building that resembles Manchester Cathedral in northwest England.
The cathedral’s dean, the Very Rev. Rogers Govender, called the game “highly irresponsible.” Prime Minister Tony Blair said companies like Sony should focus on their wider social responsibilities.
After a weeklong ruckus, Sony finally sent a letter of apology to Govender - even though the company said it disagreed with the notion “that there is any connection between contemporary issues of 21st-century Manchester and a work of science fiction in which a fictitious 1950s Britain is under attack by aliens.”
SKINS GAME
Nintendo’s bubble doesn’t appear likely to burst anytime soon. According to May sales figures from The NPD Group, the company’s DS and Wii machines continue to lead the hardware race, while “Pokemon Diamond” (for the DS) and “Mario Party 8″ (for the Wii) were the month’s best-selling games.
One of the not-so-secret secrets of Nintendo’s revival has been its effort to appeal to people who don’t normally play video games - like, well, women.
A new title from Konami called “Dream Skincare” is aimed squarely at that audience. The “beauty navigation software” asks questions about such matters as body temperature, exposure to sunlight and hours of sleep, then responds with dietary advice and skin-care tips.
“Dream Skincare” goes on sale in Japan in October, but Konami hasn’t announced any plans to import it to the U.S.
TAKE THAT
Take-Two Interactive, the “Grand Theft Auto” publisher had recently undergone a shareholder coup that ended with the ousters of most of the company’s board of directors, including its chief executive. Two months later, there’s still some upheaval going on, with Take-Two announcing plans to restructure its 2K Games division. The anticipated layoffs at 2K shouldn’t affect the label’s two major 2007 releases, “BioShock” and “The Darkness,” or the 2K Sports line of NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball games.
There were a few more interesting tidbits in the Take-Two report, particular for fans of “GTA” developer Rockstar Games. One was an indication that Rockstar’s forthcoming “L.A. Noire,” a 1940s crime drama, will be exclusive to the PlayStation 3. The other is a 2008 listing for “Grand Theft Auto IV -Episodic Content” for the Xbox 360. A Take-Two representative confirmed that the bonus material would only be appearing on Xbox Live, which could put a damper on PS3 sales of “GTA IV” when it comes out this October. Reportedly, Microsoft is paying big bucks ($50 million) for the privilege.
Promise You Won’t Get Mad?
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The phone rings. I glance at the caller ID and notice it’s my wife calling, so I happily answer. The first words I hear are, “Promise you won’t get mad?” followed by a tingle in my gut.
Help me out here. Is there a correct answer to that question? Obviously she must have done something I wouldn’t like, right? Usually it means something like, “I just spent a ton of money that we don’t have.” Should I get mad? Starting a conversation with that phrase is never a good idea. There are many other conversation- starter no-nos as well. Nobody likes to answer the phone and hear, “We need to talk.” That one NEVER leads in to anything good. Usually it means, “I’m dumping your sorry butt.” (Not that that ever happened to me.) By the time “the talk” occurs, the talker’s mind is most likely made up, so there really is no point in talking at all.
“Don’t take this the wrong way.” This statement confuses me. It means, “I’m going to tell you something I don’t like about you.” So, of course, there is only one way to take it, and I guess that would be the wrong way. The phone rings. It’s my wife again. I answer. The first words I hear are a cheerful, “I love you.” My response is, “What did you do?” I laugh. Of course I’ve done the same thing, usually after finding something on Amazon that I just had to have right away. This is similar to a man bringing his significant other flowers for no reason.
Another great line is, “It’s not you, it’s me.”
Usually the person that says this is looking for a way to dump you without letting you know that you are a loser, and not having to explain that they are going to get together with the person they’ve been sleeping with for the last three weeks behind your back. This is similar to, “I just don’t want to be in a relationship right now.” This really means, “I just don’t want to be in a relationship with YOU right now. I have a better offer from somebody else.” And yes, there IS somebody else. Do not be fooled. What idiot would dump somebody just to be alone?
“You are a wonderful person.” This would normally be followed by the ever-popular, “BUT.” Don’t try saying something nice right before ramming the dagger into the heart and twisting it. That just makes it hurt more. And we will remember that pain forever.
For example, a girl I was once dating many years ago suddenly started being a bit strange on the phone whenever I called her. I decided to listen to my heart instead of my gut. I sent a dozen roses and a giant heart-shaped balloon to her dorm room up at Chico State. It was expensive. She called me later that afternoon and dumped me. That wasn’t quite the reaction I was hoping for. Of course I got the “you are a wonderful person,” and “it’s not you, it’s me,” nonsense. I just happened to know that the flowers made the guy she was seeing behind my back a little bit uncomfortable.
I have since learned to always listen to my gut. It doesn’t lie, even though my brain tries to protect me. The heart has the best intentions, but the gut always knows what’s going on. When it gives you that yucky twisty feeling, it means that you are getting hosed in some way. The gut can tell you when your heart is going to break way ahead of time so you can prepare for it.
My parents told me, “that which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Hmmm…if that were true, I would be one strong son-of-a-gun by now. I may not be that strong, but I have learned to grow from my misfortunes. I can look back at my misfortunes and laugh. It’s not truly a genuine laugh though, it’s more of the “I can’t believe that happened,” type of laugh. Or it’s the fake laugh I give when I tell somebody that I forgave a girl for cheating on me…three times! Somebody needed to slap me or something.
I guess time does heal all wounds, but all wounds leave scars. I may be older and wiser, but I’m still not usually in a great hurry to buy flowers.
Can We Save The Sacramento Scene?
Believe it or not, Sacramento once had a thriving local music scene. I remember hearing Oleander on the radio, long before they were a signed act. I remember going to the clubs, squeezing my way through the crowds trying to get a clear view of the stage. I remember a local unsigned band selling out the Crest Theater. I remember seeing Universal Groove grace the cover of the Ticket section of the Sacramento Bee.
Ah, but the glory days have since vanished, or so it seems. Yes, even though the major media has abandoned unsigned artists, the bands play on. Even though the support of the local population has waned, the bands play on. Is it possible to bring the glory days back? In order for that to happen, it is important to find out what happened to them in the first place.
Kevin Graft, a local music photographer, observed, “the loyalty to the local bands just doesn’t exist anymore.”
Economically, it may look simple. The supply is greater than the demand. There are hundreds of local acts in the area churning out quality recordings, but is the demand there? No, not really, but why? Is it because we, as people, have grown to accept the music that corporate radio shoves down our throat day after day? Not too long ago I heard the same Offspring song on two different radio stations…at the SAME TIME! If we continue to just take what is given to us, our local scene doesn’t have a prayer. Perhaps one of the reasons bands continuously play to unpacked clubs is because they don’t know that there are alternatives. But even if they knew the scene existed, would they go?
These days, there are very few reasons to leave the house. Jason Fralish, the singer of the local metal band Brand X Savior once told me, “People don’t want to leave their homes anymore. You can get pretty much any type of entertainment online.” Yes, the wonders of technology have made us all lazy. Seriously, how many people out there don’t use Netflix to get their movie rentals? How many people don’t buy their music from Amazon or iTunes? We’ve all seen what the internet did to local record stores. Is the live music scene next?
The internet has given millions of artists the ability to distribute their music to the masses with the click of a button. Most bands have a MySpace page, making it simple to spread the word. Is that enough though? Tomas Duel, a local music fan, explained, “I think it comes down to marketing. Bands rely too much on the old methods instead of embracing newer avenues of distribution.”
Again, we can go back to supply and demand.
There are millions of bands online, perhaps too many. How do you choose which ones to listen to, or which ones to go see live? When there is too much to choose from, it is hard to find something truly special. Any given band might have over a thousand friends on MySpace, but it’s likely that perhaps only five of them will actually go see them perform live.
The music is out there, and people are listening to it, but the clubs just aren’t filled the way they used to be. Yes, there are some bands that can bring out the masses, but let’s face it, the clubs aren’t full every night.
Mike Andrews, an occasional club-goer, pointed out that most of the local music shows take place in bars. “Sometimes the bar scene gets old,” he explained, “it would be nice to see more places for all ages vs. the bar setting.” He also pointed out that it would be nice for some shows to start earlier in the evening. Sometimes waiting until after midnight for your favorite local band to take the stage is just too much. We have, after all, grown lazy, right? Besides, we have to get home to check our MySpace.
Still, I have seen more people packed in at karaoke bars than I’ve seen at the live music establishments. So people still do hit the town, they just aren’t flocking to see live bands like they once did. Let’s change that!
Bands - give us a reason to leave the house. Apparently music is not enough. Promise us a great time. Most important, BRING IT! Media - give local bands the coverage they deserve. Spread the word, dang it, there is a lot of talent out here that you are ignoring.
The rest of you - thumb through these pages and you will find a live music calendar. Don’t ignore it. Choose a show and go to it. You might just have a great time and discover the next big thing before anybody else does!
Anything But Rejected
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Being a huge All-American Rejects fan, and having gone to 2 of their other concerts, I expected this one to go extremely well. But May 11th, at the Dixon May Fair was the best All-American Rejects concert I’ve been to. The night opened up with the starting act Socratic, a rock band from New Jersey. I enjoyed their show, but I anxiously waited for the moment that The All-American Rejects would come on.
After Socratic was over, and the long wait of the guitar techs and sound check was over. I finally heard the intro to “Can’t Take It”, a song from their second album, “Move Along”. Since I’ve been to their concerts before, I knew that the wait was over, and by heard screams come from the rest of the audience, they knew it was time too. As drummer, Chris Gaylor; lead vocals and bassist, Tyson Ritter; lead guitar and backing vocals, Nick Wheeler; and rhythm guitar and backing vocals, Mike Kennerty; walked out, the crowd went insane. As the opening guitar riffs of “Dirty Little Secret” came through the speakers everyone stood up and started singing the words along with the song.
Then they played “Top of the World” which is from “Move Along”. Afterwards, Tyson mentioned that he had eaten a ton of churros, and warned the crowd to stay away. Then they played “Your Star”, “Stab My Back”, and “Dance Inside”. Just after “Dance Inside”, Tyson invited the crowd down to the front of the stage. Everybody, including me, swarmed down and moved in as close as possible, as Tyson was telling everybody to “snuggle in”.
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Then The All-American Rejects played a song that isn’t on any of their albums, “Eyelash Wishes”. Not many faces in the crowd recognized the song, but everyone loved it. But as soon as the opening organ melody from their very first hit “Swing Swing” came on, everybody screamed. That song is a classic.
Next were “Night Dive”, and “My Paper Heart”. Tyson took a break and talked about his moustache and how he had looked like “a 14 year old boy that hasn’t shaved”. Tyson also decided that the people in the far back or the “cheap seats” as he called them, should get to enjoy the show as much as those in the front. So he took his wireless mic and bass and played for them. When he came back to the stage, The All-American Rejects played “I’m Waiting” and “It Ends Tonight”. Tyson finally said “this is our last song for the night”, and then played “The Last Song”.
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After they left the stage, the crowd had chanted “one more song” for about 3 minutes straight. I noticed they hadn’t played their hit single “Move Along”, so I knew they had to come back. As Chris came back on stage and played the opening drum cadence for “Move Along”, everyone went ballistic. Tyson sung to the crowd in the front and played his bass while laying down on the stage. After the song was over the crowd stayed by the edge of the stage hoping to bring home a souvenir such as a set list or some guitar picks. I actually got 2 of Nick Wheeler’s guitar picks. To sum it up, it was an amazing concert.
Kailey is a 14 year old student that attends Vanden High School in Fairfield. She likes to go to concerts and hang out with friends. She also loves taking pictures, listening to music, and playing her guitar.
