‘This Time Was Mine’ With Trevor Phipps

By Fringe Staff

By Josh Pierson

October twelfth was rainy and cold in Sacramento which usually means that a heavy night of metal was to come from somewhere. That somewhere was at the dive club in Orangevale-the Boardwalk, where showing up early was only the openers ‘Suicide Silence’, but even as good as the openers were on this wall to wall packed Boardwalk show, after Darkest Hour ripped out some heavy tunes you could almost feel the crowd pulsating waiting for the band that is quickly becoming a juggernaut in the metal world-Unearth.

Unearth came on that stage like lightning in a bottle and instantly the mosh pit opened up. The wanna-be hardcore kids that had taken over the pit area during Suicide Silence and parts of Darkest Hour were now pushed out or beaten down and every Slayer shirt wearing metal-head came out of the wood work to get it moving. This band has been a driving force in the metal industry over the past few years with album after album getting faster and more aggressive and grabbing some much needed attention from devoted metal heads throughout the world (yes, I said world, not quite just Massachusetts anymore!)

After several drinks, and a little over an hour in the sweaty mosh pit at the Boardwalk I went outside to get some much needed fresh air and as my devoted readers know, I’ve been known to chase down bands and annoy the hell out of them until I finally get what I want, which is what I ended up having to do to get lead vocalist Trevor Phipps to answer some of my questions.

I was lucky enough to stand off to the side for a few moments with Trevor out in the cold rainy air before they took off to head to Portland, with only 20min. to rush through an unscheduled interview with one of my favorite current vocalists I tried to make the best of it, so in the words of Trevor from the new album “In The Eyes of Fire”-’This Time Was Mine’, and God knows I earned it this night.

FRINGE: Your last recording with Eulogy records before switching to Metal Blade was a four song EP-Endless, why only the four songs, why not a full length?

TREVOR: They had in the contract one EP and two full lengths…then we got picked up by Metal Blade instead, our last full length obligation with Eulogy actually came out in ‘05, it was called “Our Days of Eulogy,” and it had two EP’s on it and a full live set, so that was our last full length, so yeah it was just a contract thing.

FRINGE: You did ‘The Chosen’ for the Aqua Teen Hunger Force soundtrack, were you approached about doing the soundtrack or did you approach them seeing as the whole soundtrack is pretty much metal?

TREVOR: Yeah, they approached us, the guys who write for that show are metalheads, they wanted to see if we had any material lined up, and we had some stuff kinda kickin’ around so we put it together and out came ‘The Chosen.

FRINGE: Why do you think bands such as you, Lamb of God, Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage are gaining so much popularity lately rather than in the past?

TREVOR: I think it’s been a steady incline, we all started in the late 90’s and it just built and built and built, we all did our leg work on the road. We built a foundation that’s growing, I don’t think there’s been any kind of giant leap or jump, it’s been building and we’re all in a good place, it’s been great to tour the world, and be semisuccessful I guess.

FRINGE: How much growth and change have you had to overcome over the years to keep the band going?

TREVOR: Yeah, we’ve had dudes leave the band, we’ve had dudes we had to fire, there’s been a lot of trial with this band, but you know, we have a lot of fun, we keep on kickin’ it, and it’s what we want to do. When there’s passion for that then it’ll just keep you going.

FRINGE: The ferociousness never leaves, it seems to be growing every time you guys do an album or every time I see you guys live…

TREVOR: Yeah, we’re just all about having a good time, energy on stage, and just trying to bring the people into it.

FRINGE: What kind of influences have you had vocally and musically in general to keep this going and keep this together?

TREVOR: Growing up I was exposed to classic rock by my father, he has thousands of records so it got me going big time, and as I got older I got into metal-I found Anthrax first, then Metallica, then Megadeth, then Testament and after that Pantera. Then I grew into more the hardcore stuff like Sick of It All, Earth Crisis, and D.O.D and just kind of melded what I listened to. I joined a band when I was 14, it was a band called Rynd, we were terrible. I think my old guitar player made a myspace page, but we were awful, I mean I was only 14 so that’s my disclaimer.

FRINGE: How does it make you feel knowing that Unearth is helping to guide the way-or guide the charge for a lot of new metal, and bringing a lot of classic metal bands out again. It’s like it’s safe again for bands like Exodus, Testament to come back out and have popularity again?

TREVOR: I think it’s good man, these bands that all kind of paved the way. To feel that bands like Testament and Exodus can come back and play to a metal crowd again…for some reason in the mid to late 90’s it wasn’t cool to like metal, I don’t know why but it wasn’t cool to like metal. Those bands kind of disappeared because there’s no career for them. It’s awesome they can come back and play to people again, because it is our right to like metal again, and just keep kickin’ and have fun. I hope all those bands stick around for a while, I hope all of our bands stick around for a while and I don’t think metal will ever die! We’re here, let’s try and have a good time!

FRINGE: You’ve been on a lot of tours the last couple of years, what was the most fun you’ve had on a tour so far?

TREVOR: The most fun? That’s a tough one man because tours are always fun, it’s just what you make of it, you can go out and you can party with your friends and I don’t have a complaint any day, I mean tonight we have a 600 mile drive to the mountains for a show tomorrow in Portland, OR, but besides that it’s a good time, we love it, we party with our friends and play music for people who dig it. So I can’t really say there was one instance that was the most fun, it’s always a good time.

FRINGE: So you guys are from Mass-how do you feel about this whole Belichick controversy?

TREVOR: Yeah, PATRIOTS KICK A**. I think all teams do something like that, I don’t think it’s really impacting the players on the field, and obviously it’s not impacting. Teams always change their signs, I think the players have spoken this year, the Patriots are dominating every game. I think it fired ‘em up and I believe they’re going to go undefeated this year, and after the bullcrap that happened and they don’t want to be called a fake, the team is a dynasty and they’re just gonna shred every team that comes in the way. I like the Eagles too man, I bummed they’re not doing so well but I’m always one cheering for Philly sports they’re kind of like a second Boston to me-the people from Philly have a passion for sports. I wanted it to be Phillies/Sox in the World Series this year, but it didn’t happen!

FRINGE: Do you have any newer albums that are out right now besides yours that are just blowing your mind?

TREVOR: The new August Burns Red record is amazing. That’s like the main record that’s getting’ me right now, and I suggest that if people don’t have the new one, they should go pick it up….that and the new Throwdown are the only two records that I spun.

FRINGE: For anybody that’s never heard of Unearth, what would you say in one sentence to describe yourselves to them?

TREVOR: In your face, high energy pure metal underground crap-that’s what we do, we grew up with hardcore, metal, punk rock, meld together what we like and make our own sound and just put our best foot forward.

Needless to say, Trevor was an excellent guy for taking the time out before their very extended long trip over the mountains north of Sacramento to give me a few words. To anyone that thinks they’ve seen a metal show, you’ve never seen anything until you see Unearth at work and let them blow your mind. Thank you to Trevor, Metal Blade Records, and yes-even the Boardwalk for booking such a rockin’ show.

Through The Eyes Of Amber Gray

By Fringe Staff

By Michael Lee Smith

Ever since Van Gogh took a blade to his left ear, artists have been stereotyped as flakes and incurable fools. Creative- types are often viewed as unfocused. While that may be true for many artists, there are those whose strength is their emphasis on craft.

They learn as they go, “roll with the punches”, are very much in the present, and can act without overanalyzing their work.

These action-oriented creators are masters of their craft, and the tools in their hands become literal extensions of themselves. A hand becomes the paintbrush, or a camera becomes an eye. Photographer Amber Gray is just such an artist. She is exceptionally bright, but has very little use for theories. You may find her, on occasion, in the midst of a heated debate, but for the most part, she is decisive and practical, and not prone to overthinking.

She is a real woman of action, armed to the teeth with ambition and wit, who can pull off complicated shoots without fretting over the details.

I contacted Amber Gray, and the result was one of the most casual and enjoyable interviews I have ever had the pleasure to do.

FRINGE: I read that photographers are true “artisans”. That they’re not just good with cameras, but with tools in general—like machines, gadgets, and even weapons! What drew you to taking pictures, rather than, say, hunting humans with a long-range sniper rifle?

GRAY: I like to keep my human hunting as a hobby.

I have always been a little voyeur, and also real controlling, so photography kind of indulges both of those sensibilities (because I tell people what to do, then watch them do it). Plus, I can’t draw.

FRINGE: Are you interested in making films?

GRAY: I am obsessed with making films! I have always wanted to direct…so much so, that I got a job at fourteen and saved all my pennies to buy my very own (huge and clunky) VHS-video camera. I then coerced friends into making amateur underage gay porn, and skits involving a hermaphrodite who lives on a hillside. It is only recently that I have finally had access to the resources I need to produce film clips properly (a REAL hermaphrodite!). I want to direct commercials (for money) and music videos (for fun). I am working on my show reel now. I have two clips done, and three more in post-production.

FRINGE: So you’ve dabbled in pornography, but would you consider devoting more time to it?

GRAY: Yes….I actually have considered it. The truth is I (maybe because I’m a lady) like everything about the idea except for the squirting. I have thought about making a conceptual porn where every scene is just beautifully lit, and the actors are really beautiful (rather than just “sexy”), and cutting out the whole spewing bit, and then I think…wait a minute…who will want to watch this….it will be like an expensive episode of Guiding Light or something.

FRINGE: You’re originally from California. What’s it like living and working in New York?

GRAY: It’s weird because I have been here for seven years, and I have always sort of missed California, and imagined that I would move back sooner or later. On my last visit I had this epiphany moment where I actually missed New York City. It is somehow exciting, and you feel like anything could happen. I run into Ric Ocasek and Rufus Wainwright (not together) while walking my dog, and there are just so many people here that are the absolute best at what they do, which is inspiring.

FRINGE: Does getting mugged on a daily basis make you stronger or fill you with fear?

GRAY: Getting mugged is lame, but getting raped constantly is worse. I mean, the lines at the rape abortion clinic are so long, and, yeah…it’s a real pain in the ass.

FRINGE: Well, in any case, you’re probably good with guns and wouldn’t hesitate to use them. Aside from that, what else do you have in common with Charles Bronson?

GRAY: My mustache….

FRINGE: Your pictures are incredibly beautiful. They’re bold and colorful and often very theatrical. Who does the costumes and makeup?

GRAY: I work with a creative team which includes a makeup artist, hairstylist, fashion stylist, models, etcetera. I am sort of in the minority of photographers, because I make really specific suggestions to each of the crew, and often draw out storyboards for them to use as reference. I also do my own retouching, so that gives me the ultimate control of the final image.

FRINGE: You’re not only a photographer, but an entrepeneur as well. You run your own business, so, aside from the massive stacks of cash and the mindless devotion of your subordinates, what keeps you going? And how do you define personal success?

GRAY: Well….although Melanie Griffith’s character from “Working Girl” IS my personal hero…I am a sucky business lady. I spend more than I make, and often offer to do things for free if I like the idea or the magazine. Everyone told me that it takes a good ten years to “make it” in photography, and that actually does appear to be the case for a lot of people. I do get discouraged when things are slow, and I see people who are real hacks and copycats getting great assignments. Usually it is then that I get a random email or phone call from someone that says something really kind or offers me an obscene amount of money to take a photo-that truthfully I would have shot for free… and I tear up my Starbucks application and get inspired to carry on. For me success is freedom. In photography and film that entails earning the trust of those you work with, so that they will follow you into the fire. The thing that worries me most, is that America is becoming more and more lazy and unwilling to think, which means that the advertisers and magazines are less willing to take a chance on an unusual concept, and more interested in a simple, easy-to understand message. If you look at European imagery and films there is much less concern for digestibility and simplicity, and the imagery just blows America out of the water.

FRINGE: Looking back, I feel I’ve asked you some pretty stupid questions. What was the worst part of this interview?

GRAY: …Tough call. I missed “Seventh Heaven” for this?

For more on Amber Gray please visit ambergrayphotography.com

Surrealism Meets Old Nintendo

By Fringe Staff

By Shaunna Mulderrig

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Dan Herrera and Ashley Harris; a local artist duo, at their home and studio in Sacramento. They welcomed me into their home just hours before they were set to showcase their work at their first home-based exhibit.

The inside of their home is covered with works of art from other local artists. Their studio, however, is not only where they exhibit their own works but is also where they make almost all of their pieces. Their work is primarily a form of hybrid photography.

It’s certainly not the typical point-and-shoot photography. Their pieces are full of startling imagery and surreal dreamscapes. The work is not only beautifully complex but hauntingly strange.

I was curious to know where they got their inspiration. The couple has a passion for science fiction; they draw much of their inspiration from anything fantastical and outrageous.

They showed me a book of old, surrealism paintings and pointed out the different lightings used therein. Looking at their work, you can see the dramatic effect of the different lightings; both in what is lit and what are left in shadows. Ashley mentioned that, “It is mostly cool, creepy stuff. Some of the newer pieces are alchemist based; people in nature looking for ingredients for the perfect potion.”

You can see that nature is a huge inspiration to them. Every piece seems to have an organic element.

Dan showed me a couple new pieces that work with roots: a woman’s foot growing roots into the ground. In fact, they actually hand make a lot of the props that are featured in the art. One of the most amazing sets they’ve made was a miniature diorama set. A tiny desk and bookshelf complete with miniscule books.

Making miniature sets allows them the freedom to create whatever environment they desire at a tenth of the cost. Dan gets the supplies for the miniature sets at dollhouse supply store. “When I first starting going there for supplies, the older ladies in there were a little freaked out by me; but they eventually got used to me.”

So I had to know, How do they merge the image of the diorama with the image of an actual size model? They start by lighting the miniature set and photographing it.

Then they shoot the model in front of a special effect screen: green or blue screens. Once they have both images in the computer they can begin the process of combining them. They use a process called “chroma-key” which is basically telling the computer to eliminate the background (in this case blue or green). Once they’ve eliminated the background color, they can isolate the figure in the foreground and manipulate that image into whatever background they wish.

“There’s a stigma, that if you do certain things in the computer you can just hit the genius button and the magic will just happen; but it’s not that easy. It definitely makes certain things easier, but it’s still a lot of hard work” Dan explained. They spend hours hand sewing props together, making sketches, taking test shots, and once they have the images there is still all the post-production work to do. Each piece can take up to 20 hours of work. A lot of work and planning is involved. Their pieces are definitely multi-media. Surprisingly, they sell their work at incredibly reasonable prices: a large piece could go for up to $175 and a small piece would sell for as low as $50.

If you’re looking for something a little more fun and carefree, they have some pieces for you as well. A substantial portion of their work is based on characters from old movies, comic books, and Nintendo games. These pieces are done using a paper negative process. They’ve done pieces featuring Captain America, Hulk Hogan, Freddy Kruger, the Terminator, Tetris, and much more. Dan claims a nerdy passion for old-timely video games. “It’s really fun for us to see people around our age come in and recognize the characters and games. It’s a collective memory we all share: the old Nintendo.” These pieces are priced between $20 and $70.

Dan and Ashley have a show coming up on Saturday, December 8th at the Cool Cat Gallery. They will be showing with other artists as part of the Holiday Bonanza Show. The gallery is on 24th and I St. and the show will be from 6-10pm. Other local shows are in the works, so keep your eyes and ears open, and if you get the chance to see their work, don’t pass it up. If you just can’t wait for an exhibit and must own a piece of their art right away (and I wouldn’t blame you for that), you can contact Dan through his myspace page at www.myspace.com/8bitcowboy.

They also offer commercial photography and portrait work. Coming up in 2008, they will be offering workshops to teach others how to use these complex processes. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact them. They are amazing people with a passion for life and everything it holds for them. Their creative minds have spawned an incredible array of art and I know we will be seeing much more of them in the future.

Thick Soup: Delicious And Nutritious

By Fringe Staff

By Shaunna Mulderrig

No, I’m not talking about a fabulous new side-dish. Thick Soup is actually an acoustic trio boasting “honest acoustic music.” They recently headlined a show at Luna’s Cafe; in downtown Sacramento. The show was opened by Jackson Griffith: a solo singer/songwriter; followed by a new band called Mortal Us, who really got the crowd going with their acoustic indie-rock coupled with black hats and jackets reminiscent of the big easy.

When Thick Soup finally took the stage they were ready to jam. Their music is packed with high energy solos and intricate finger work. The concentration it takes to play such complex arrangements is obvious in the sweat beading up on the musicians.

The band consists of Brian DeMassey on guitar and vocals (and occasionally spicing things up with the banjo or dobro), Ian Boyd on guitar and vocals, and Greg Torres on the upright bass. They are based out of Tuolumne, Calaveras, and Sacramento counties.

The band started about four years ago when Brian was asked to play a show at a cafe. He knew Ian from high school and knew of his legendary skills on the guitar. They ended up playing a few shows before they had even come up with a band name. Ian finally coined the name “Thick Soup” right before they were announced at a show.

They worked hard, practiced constantly, and played anywhere they could while steadily building up a very loyal following. Unfortunately their original bass player (who shall remain nameless) was not willing to commit enough time and effort into the band so they eventually parted ways after almost two years. Luckily for everyone, Greg was recruited as the replacement and has been playing with the band ever since.

“Greg is a much better fit for the band. We’re all a little strange and Greg’s personality fits in really well. It’s like we’ve always been playing together,” says Brian.

Each member brings a different flavor to the Thick Soup being served up. Ian brings the blues, Brian introduces the bluegrass element, and Greg throws in the jazz. When asked what bands and musicians have influenced them they mentioned, “basically anything with a shade of blue.

Some specific names (among many others) are Ray Charles, Jerry Garcia, Huddy Ledbetter, Ry Cooder, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Hot Tuna, Leon Russell, and Derek Trucks Band. They sound like nothing you’ve ever heard before.

If they have to categorize their sound they call it “blue-jazz-grass”, or maybe “the jazz-grass-blues.” Their music has so much variation and such a range of influences that anyone can enjoy it. No matter what type of music you’re into, you’ll find something you like in Thick Soup. They play original pieces almost exclusively, with a few obscure covers thrown in for extra flavor. Thick Soup plays at least one show per weekend, sometimes playing as many as three shows in one day. That’s quite a feat considering their average set is about three hours long. They play shows all over California from San Francisco to Bear Valley and everywhere in between.

The music isn’t the only entertainment during a Thick Soup show. Greg frequently stands up on his bass while continuing to play, never missing a beat. If that’s not enough for you, just keep watching. Greg plays his bass while laying it on its side, leaving room for Ian to jump onto the bass while playing a wild solo. While posing for photographs the guys like to joke around and switch instruments, leaving Greg with both the guitars.

In addition to packing the house at their own shows, they have also opened for quite a few bands to rave reviews. In the recent past they’ve opened for The Devil Makes Three, The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit, the Mother Truckers, Cam Penner, Clan Dyken, and Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Bands. Greg and Brian have also played with a band called the Blue Shoes and opened for Rosanne Cash at the Bear Valley Music Festival.

Unfortunately for all of us, they don’t currently have a C.D. available. “We have a few really old recordings but they don’t represent who we are as a band now, so we’re not selling those,” says Ian. They are scheduled to record this month and a C.D. release is anticipated by January 2008. If you’re interested in being added to their mailing list and updated about upcoming shows and the C.D. release party you can contact Thick Soup by email at thick-soup@hotmail.com or on their myspace page at www.myspace.com/thicksoupmusic.

In Reverent Fear Let Go

By Fringe Staff

By Eric Davis

Jarrod, Jeff, Stephen, John. That’s how the boys of Concord’s ‘In Reverent Fear’ outline the bands line up. Not Jarrod on this, or Stephen on that. No cheesy photos of each individual band member with pouty expressions on their faces trying to look sultry while the caption under the pic tells you what member this is and what he plays. No last names. It’s just Jarrod, Jeff, Stephen, and John. This disregard for personal acknowledgement is the product of a band whose lone concern is their music. No need for you to know their full names, or who their dating, or if they prefer boxers or briefs. As long as you get lost in the music somewhere between one song melting into another. So lost in fact you lose count, the job is done.

The first song I ever heard from ‘In Reverent Fear’ was one called ‘The Greatest Love’ off their Stomacher album. It was epic without being overblown.

Ambitious without being corny. An anthem you could hear playing over the ending credits of a grand saga of a movie. I was glad to find out their other songs meet up to this same Herculean standard. Their music is not metal and still manages to hold metal like heft, The fullness of their tracks are allinclusive. You can feel it slowly reaching around you to tap you on the back of the shoulder, much in the same way the dark does. The lyrics are genuine.

Tales relatable to everyone who’s ever had to “let go of it”, or watch it “let go of you”. The mixture of the music and vocals make for something luxuriant. It’s not easy to sound vast without sounding empty. Somehow, In Reverent Fear does just that. Fringe got the chance to speak with Jarrod about the band and what’s next for them.

FRINGE: What’s the bands back story? How long have you been playing together?

JARROD: I was bored reading my thesaurus and burning incense one night. I called my friend to get some dudes pager number (no iphones then), I paged him when he was bowling. When he called me back we started the band. That was about 6 or 7 years ago.

FRINGE: You guys got this unique, big and sturdy, lush rock sound. Is this something you created in the recording process or has it always been a part of the bands sound?

JARROD: Thank you sir. To answer your question; intuition, taste, and work.

FRINGE: I understand you’re working on your third album now. How’s that going? What can we expect?

JARROD: I love and hate the process. Lots of cooks in the kitchen, so to speak. Honestly with seventeen songs I don’t even know what to expect. Until we can all agree about the final track listing, it’s a mess. Ask me that question in a month.

FRINGE: What’s the scene like in your home town of Concord? What other bands should we know about from that area?

JARROD: It’s decent. Lots of ship jumping, but the people are lovely and this city does mean a great deal to us. Some great bands are Now We Are Six, Catholic Comb, Mister Loveless and Michetons.

FRINGE: Lastly, what’s the story behind the name of the band?

JARROD: The dude with the pager came up with it. He’s no longer with us.

Malcontent: An Evolving Machine

By Fringe Staff

By Charlie Hanks

For the last three years the most recent incarnation of Vacaville’s Malcontent has been working hard to help restore the lackluster scene they’re in. Rising out of the ashes of former local bands like Execution Style and EMB they’ve seen the Vacaville scene at it’s peak and now at what seems to be it’s lowest.

Consisting of vocalist Brice Mosher, guitarist Anthony Ferrentino, bassist Alan Roble and drummer Matty Goss; Malcontent is a mixing pot of four different music upbringings striving to create something cohesive yet constantly evolving. They feel their music is forever changing, never perfected, and are always “pushing the dynamics of the band” as Brice Mosher put it. “The bigger the stages, the bigger the crowds, the bigger the shows that’s always more work for us.”

Mosher feels the current scene is full of bands too competitive and clique-ish with the exception of a handful of bands trying to rebuild the scene and better the local music community.

Most bands stick them with the “close liner” position even in out of town venues. “Close liner” as the band calls it, is when the headlining band with the most draw, decides they want to play second or third, leaving the closer with little to no audience if they aren’t from the area.

Mosher feels clubs and promoters could help as well. “Clubs won’t book bands that don’t all sound alike now” Mosher commented. “Back in the day we could just play with whomever, in whatever genre.”

Malcontent isn’t a band that should be bottle-necked into a single genre, “We fit into the genre of a lot of different bands.

We can go play a rock-a-billy show with Jim Rowdy, and then go hit up a metal show or with hip hoppers N2 Deep and still get the same response from the crowd.” Mosher explained. With hundreds of diligently self-promoted local shows to a few battle of the bands their first step towards bettering their scene has in turn built up their loyal die-hard following from Sacramento to the Bay.

With these years of experience the band has become more particular in choosing their shows. “We’ve been getting flack for not taking just any little grunt show, like all these little pizza house shows or battle of the bands. We spent most of last year doing battle of the bands and we learned that most the band battles are ran by someone with a certain band in mind.” Mosher said. Even though they didn’t “win” these battles they got a more worthy trophy in a larger fan base and a stronger networking ability with out-of-town bands.

Ferrentino states “We’ve been getting nothing but love (from the other bands) since those battles. Getting offered shows that turn into more shows…”

Right on the cusp of the Bay and the Sacramento scenes their sound reflects a relative mixture. Holding a Bay area intensity and a Sacto groove.

As a whole, they’ve released four albums. Beautiful Hatred, their newest effort, is set for release this month. Featuring nine songs, they describe this album as “a diverse mix” yet feel it still stays true to the known Malcontent vibe. Yet they wish they could have included more, as they are constantly writing material. With this new effort the band is looking to “Shop it, just to see what kind of response we get” according to Mosher. Not necessarily to get signed, but to get noticed and to see what kind of input they get.

Anticipating a tour sometime after the new year, they’re taking some time off this winter to “perfect” their set and work on the package of the album. They’re working hard even when they’re trying not to. A few shows are on their calendar to test out this new set, so go support them live.

WWW: www.malcocrew.com

Dia de los Muertos

By Fringe Staff

By Angela Rosas

The phrase “day of the dead” conjures up images of killer zombies, thanks to the 1985 classic horror film, Day of the Dead and the rest of The Living Dead series. In these zombie classics, we know and love, the dead walk the earth and spreads an infectious zombie disease by biting the living and eventually taking over the earth! Now, we all know zombies can only be found in the movies, but do we all know about the true Day of the Dead, better known as Dia de los Muertos? Dia de los Muertos is alive and well in Sacramento. The Mexican holiday is a celebration that occurs on November 1 and 2 of every year. Instead of being mourned, on these two days the deceased are honored and celebrated. It is believed that on these days the spirits of ancestors whom have passed return to earth.

Families prepare all year long for this holiday. Colorful sugar skulls are made as treats for both the living and the dead. Marigolds are laid out to help the spirits find their way home. Some even lay out pillows so the spirits can rest after the long journey home. The gifts are laid out on an alter or on the gravesite of the deceased.

The skull is the most recognizable Dia de los Muertos symbol. It represents both life and death, and the celebration of both. 40 Acres Art Gallery in Sacramento hosted a sugar skull workshop. The community was able to make their own sugar skulls while learning about the Mexican culture, for free. The messy tradition is delicious and educational. La Raza Galeria Posada also offered many free workshops to help celebrate the holiday while educating the community about a beautiful tradition. On November 2, St. Mary’s Cemetery was filled with community members of all ethnicities. Some were there to honor their loved ones who have passed; some were there because they were curious in a cultural tradition, and others were there for school assignments. Regardless for their reasons for being there, 150 community members marched through St. Mary’s Cemetery for the annual procession and ceremony.

Marching through the cemetery you could not help but notice the shrines that were built around some gravesites and the families gathered around some sites with blankets and chairs, ready for the long night ahead. Aztec dancers drummed and chanted as incense filled the air. The message at the end of the day was, cherish your life while you have it. Take care of your body, and take care and cherish those you love because you are not guaranteed tomorrow. And for those whom have passed on to the other side, they are not gone. They are in another world, and they should be celebrated and never forgotten.

Although Dia de los Muertos itself has passed, it is not over. Zanzibar sells Dia de los Muertos artwork all year long, most of which are beautifully decorated skulls and skeletons. La Raza Galeria Posada will exhibit Dia de los Muertos artwork during their Second Saturday reception on November 10, as well as a tribute with poems and stories on November 16.

Many people look forward to this day all year long. For some, this is their favorite holiday. And although it is just a few days after Halloween and shares its name with a zombie classic, it is a joyous celebration.

Sacramento Horror Film Festival

By Fringe Staff

A Wrap Up

By Brandon Caylor

If you’re like me and you consider yourself a true fan of horror films, then you probably agree that 95% of the horror flicks Hollywood puts out are garbage. Seriously, lately they are either trying to remake an old classic, poorly, creating movies based on video games, or ripping off talent from overseas. Thank goodness for independent film, and thank goodness for the first annual Sacramento Horror Film Festival.

The three-day event was held at the Colonial Theater in Sacramento, and featured over forty independent horror films and shorts, live music, a few celebrities, and some other assorted fun and games. Tim Meunier, the festival director, stated he wanted to create “a place to escape the world and relax in the world of pretend. Enjoy the films, meet a celebrity, and enjoy a small concert. Mostly enjoy films you don’t find in the mainstream and possibly get a chance to talk to the filmmakers who made them.”

Glancing at the festival guide, I knew I just had to be present for the 6:00 PM “Vomit Show,” a series of films that promised to make us happy attendees use our complimentary barf bags.

The main film in this segment, the feature-length “Neighborhood Watch” was promised by host, The Queen of Trash, to be the most disturbing, disgusting movie out there. While the film did make me grit my teeth and wince just a couple of times, my barf bag remained untouched. I did keep it handy for other films though, just in case.

The film I found myself totally amused by was the innocently titled “Cannibal Flesh Riot,” a happy little short by the one and only Gris Grimley. This little gem was obviously made on a very limited budget (and doesn’t pretend not to have been), but had some of the greatest atmosphere, storyline and dialogue ever. Not only was it fun as all heck, but educational as well. For example, do you know what a ghoul really is? You see, a ghoul is the exact opposite of a zombie. A zombie is a corpse that feeds on the living. A ghoul is a living person that feeds on corpses. Fun stuff, right? I know you’re probably kicking yourself in the shins for missing this. I don’t blame you.

Some of the other intriguing films I unfortunately missed were Night of the Hell Hamsters, yeah, that’s right, a film about possessed hamsters, Zombie Diaries, Methodic, and a host of others that looked interesting. A g a i n , most of these films are low-budget, but that doesn’t matter. You see, we were here to be entertained by some actual creativity… something we don’t see very often.

I met with a few fellow horror fans in attendance at the festival. I noticed one particular gruesomely charming couple, Rosalinda Castro and Adrian Simons, that were present from the beginning ’till the end – the full three days. I asked if the cost of the pass was worth it.

“Yes, definitely,” Rosalinda answered. “I enjoyed the whole experience – the bands, the movies, the guests, especially Tony Todd (Candyman). I like that some of the people that made these movies were actually here.”

And their favorite films?

“My favorite short was ‘The Pool’,” Adrian said. “So far the best movie was ‘Beneath the Surface’. I hope they do this again next year.”

I asked Tim, the director, about the event’s success, and if indeed this will become an annual thing.

“We had over 1,500 people attend this weekend, and the responses I have received have been wonderful. Not many have heard of the films we had scheduled, so the fact that they paid their hard-earned money to support something new is very endearing to me. I want to enhance what worked well, and correct what didn’t, and definitely announce the dates for year number two soon!”

And what would he hope to change? “We only had one film from Sacramento. Borrowing the idea from other festivals, I hope to organize a filmmaker challenge. Perhaps a 5-minute zombie short contest, and encourage Sacramento filmmakers to participate.”

So there’s your challenge. Now go bust out your movie cameras and put your mind to work. I’ll tell you what. I’ll hold on to my barf bag and bring it next year. If your film actually causes me to use it, I’ll buy you a hot dog or something. Deal? Get all the information you need at www.sachorrorfilmfest. com.

Frugal Foodies: Making Dinner With Strangers

By Fringe Staff

By Sheri Broussard

In the back of Heinz Avenue, facing the murky water, of the Berkeley Aquatic Park is an old red brick building number 800. Just past the smeared open glass doors of the entry way are the tattered blocks of a worn black staircase.

The interior is brightened by lemony yellow light and bright red walls. Past the thick bulk of coats, backpacks, jackets and shoes, which line the doorway of studio 14, is a crowded space where the walls are filled with black and white images of people from around the world. A black television suspended by cables hangs in a quiet corner near a bed and people chat, smile and laugh in every other inch of the room. In front of people standing around a waist high wooden and plastic table is a mess of onion peelings, gooey chipotle peppers and rolling green scallions. Orlee Rabin, a guest into the quaint studio, neatly chops green vegetables while, her boyfriend, Dave Shlachter bows his scruffy head of brown waves down to read from a printed recipe sheet.

“These are not your momma’s grilled cheese sandwiches,” he reads with a laugh as he goes to search the wooden kitchen counter behind him, He looks over at another guest, Silvia Sykes, a small middle aged woman with an olive complexion, short brown hair and bright brown eyes, who stands diagonally from Rabin at the back of the table pulling apart layers of sliced onion.

Sykes is a history teacher at Orinda Academy, who found out about making dinner with strangers through an online activities group called Bay Area Link Up. She has been cooking vegetables with the group since January of 2006, but says that tonight is the first time she has prepared a meal with so many younger people.

“You guys probably feel like you are cooking with your mom,” she says with a light chuckle as she finishes separating the red onion rings “I think these are plum tomatoes,” he says.

“Ok, it says to chop them thinly,” she says reading from the directions. The voice of J. Moses Ceaser, host of the evening and tenant of the crowded space, can be heard slightly above scattered discussion of ingredients, clopping sound of chopping and scraping noises of wooden spoons mixing.

Walking around with an eye and a word on every dish being made is Ceaser, a medium built man with short dark brown hair, thick eyebrows and brown eyes. He quickly turns the corner and points to the tomatoes between the cutting boards of Sykes and Shlachter.

“These aren’t your tomatoes you guys,” he says grabbing the bag and disappearing again to return with the larger tomatoes, “These are plum tomatoes.”

Every Tuesday night from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Ceaser opens up his entire home to bay area residents interested in learning how to cook and socialize with complete strangers. Growing up in a Jewish family, Ceaser developed a passion for working with others from different ethnic backgrounds. He experienced the charm of this unique event while taking an extended road trip for six and a half years across North America while perusing his life’s work of photography.

Ceaser first witnessed community over food in Montreal where he was staying with a woman named Vanessa Reid. She ran an organization called Santropol Roulent, which is French for meals-on-wheels. Reid encouraged Ceaser to help her group of volunteers prepare over 100 healthy meals and through this activity Ceaser felt what it was like to meet strangers over a cutting board. He met volunteer, Robin Henderson, who told Ceaser about dinner parties where she would invite strangers over to prepare meals. Henderson coined her group “Cheap Eats.” When Ceaser returned to the bay area he decided to begin his own group, “Frugal Foodies,” featuring vegetarian meals.

“I’ve been a vegetarian for about twenty years and wouldn’t mind converting a few folks over the next sixty years of my life,” Ceaser says with a smile, “This seems like a good way to expose people to the fact that food can be tasty and vegetarian.” Ceaser spends about eight hours a week cleaning, shopping, planning and registering people for the seven dollar event.

As the ring leader in this triathlon of cooking its’ Ceaser’s job to “crack the whip” as guests jokingly say and make sure everyone is participating and getting the dishes prepared on time.

Now that the tomatoes for the extraordinary grilled cheese have been found it is up to Sykes and Shlacter to get the main course cooking. Sykes mixes a bowl of tomato paste and chopped chipotle peppers; she pulls out a spoonful and begins to spread it on freshly cut bread.

“I’m going to start constructing, you can butter the bread,” she says to Shalacter. He nods his head and begins trying to spread the cold butter over the tops of sandwhiches. Rabin is done chopping cucumbers and looks back over the table to Shalacter. “What are you doing baby,” she asks as she watches him press down harder, smashing the sandwich as he tries to spread the butter.

“This butter is cold and hard to spread,” he replies, slightly frustrated.

“I think Moses has a microwave, let’s melt the butter,” she suggests as she reaches over and takes the slippery stick from his bare hands. Rabin and Shalacter are new to frugal foodies and are on a date. Rabin, who loves dinner parties, found an advertisement for the event online and decided it would be a fun way to spend some time with Shalacter who she hasn’t seen in three days. They have been dating ever since their first kiss on a street corner in the Tenderloin four months ago.

“It’s so beautiful here, it is the perfect setting” Rabin remarks arm and arm with Shalacter, “It is very generous of Moses to open up his private space especially because it is a loft.”

Ceaser walks past Rabin and peaks over Shalacter’s shoulder.

“Ok guys I think it’s time to get that grilled cheese on the stove. What’s going on, where’s the butter,” Ceaser asks.

“We had to melt it because it was too hard,” Sykes explains.

“All right,” Ceaser announces, “We need some help here with the grilled cheese if you are not doing anything. We are just about ready to eat,” Ceaser says as the guests begin to crowd around the small table, slice more bread, build more sandwhiches and laugh.

While Ceaser would not call himself a chef, he has been inventing his own recipes since a seventh grade home economic course, where he lost a dollar in a bet with Greg Dale about whether cold water dried faster than hot water. Since this first interest in the mechanics of how food comes together into a meal, Ceaser has made many creations including hundreds of blintzes for his barmitspha with his mom.

“Frugal Foodies gives me the chance to express my creativity, be in the limelight, have a sense of accomplishment,” he says.

Ceaser’s instructions can be heard above the crowd as he moves around quickly holding a dish here and guide a guest to the sink or the table there. A large metal bowl with a salad of red cabbage, onions, carrots and chipotle dressing is placed on the table followed by a steaming bowl of cheesy mashed potatoes; next to the porcelain bowl of potatoes another metal bowl of cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes is set down and followed by plate stacked high with toasted, melted cheesy tomato sandwhiches. Ceaser looks over the table at what his group of sixteen strangers has done together and smiles.

“Great job you guys, let’s eat,” he says with a hand extended towards the table

November 2007

By Fringe Staff

E FOR SOME: The videogame industry deserves some credit for reaching out to fans with the E For All Expo, held last weekend at the Los Angeles Convention Center. And the inaugural event drew 18,000 gamers - not bad for the first time, but less than half the attendance of the fan-created Penny Arcade Expo, which attracted 37,000 people to Seattle in August.

“We are thrilled with the attendance, and we are pleased that we delivered the event we aimed for, which was a celebration that truly was for the entire game community,” said Mary Dolaher, the CEO of IDG World Expo, which mounted the event. And for gamers who got their first chance to play Konami’s “Metal Gear Solid 4″ and Nintendo’s “Super Smash Bros. Brawl,” the trip seemed to be worth it.

Still, IDG needs to get Sony and Microsoft on board if it expects more players to show up. And it needs to rethink its schedule: Next year’s E For All is slated for the last weekend of August, the traditional dates for Penny Arcade Expo.

DRAW PLAY: I thought the PlayStation 2 epic “Okami” was the best game of 2006 - but most of you were too busy chain-sawing aliens in “Gears of War” to take a look at this masterpiece from Capcom’s now-disbanded Clover Studio. Well, here’s your second chance: Capcom is digging up this buried treasure and will be republishing it for the Wii.

“Okami” always felt like a Wii game anyway. Throughout the game you’re required to use a “Celestial Brush” to draw spells or solve puzzles. On the PS2, you had to hold an awkward combination of buttons to use the brush; the Wii, presumably, will let you draw by simply pointing the remote at the screen.

Since the Clover team has separated, the Wii translation is being handled by Ready at Dawn, the studio behind the PSP game “Daxter.” I almost wish I hadn’t played “Okami” already, because it’s sure to be one of the best Wii games of 2008. SPY GAME: Do you have what it takes to be the next 007? Of course, you do; all those hours spent playing “GoldenEye” have to be worth something. And the surveillance arm of British intelligence seems to agree.

GCHQ, which stands for Government Communications Headquarters, is reaching out to potential recruits by advertising in video games. British players of “Splinter Cell: Double Agent,” ”Need for Speed Carbon” and “Enemy Territory: Quake Wars” will discover in-game billboards promoting “Careers in British Intelligence.”

GCHQ said it hoped the campaign would “capture the imagination of people with a particular interest in (information technology).” No guarantees that you’ll be issued a license to kill.

NEW IN STORES: Besides “Ratchet & Clank,” Sony is also bringing collectible card games to the PS3 with “The Eye of Judgment.” … The week’s big Wii title is Capcom’s “Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure.” … The Xbox 360 and PS3 share THQ’s “Conan” (the barbarian, not the talk-show host) and Codemasters’ “Clive Barker’s Jericho.” … Capcom’s wacky lawyer returns to the DS in “Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations.” … Namco’s popular flight sim finally arrives on the 360 in “Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation.” … And the hills are alive with the sounds of “High School Musical: Sing It!” (Disney, PlayStation 2), “Dancing With the Stars” (Activision, Wii, PS2) and “Rhythm ‘n Notes” (Agetec, DS).

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