Must. Dance.
In my world as a music/show promoter, I am surrounded by musicians. Having been immersed in this world for more than 10 years, I find myself really comfortable in it. When a friend of mine suggested that I throw a dance party, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to jump out of “show mode.” But, for the sake of doing something new, I decided to do it. Until this experience I have had a hard time regarding DJs as musicians. Nevertheless, going into this endeavor, I tried to be as open-minded as possible.
Through this whole ordeal, I learned that the DJ scene is struggling just like the local band scene, and a large amount of them care just as passionately about their art as the musicians do. The DJ scene is Sacramento is huge; it is as big, if not bigger, than the local band scene. I noticed this more and more as I looked at flyers for shows/events at The Beat, Dimple and R5 and found the ratio of show flyers to DJ events was slightly uneven, with more DJ events than local shows. I surprised myself by sympathizing with their situation and their desire to just get out and play.
I really wanted to be able to cover more than just a few DJs with this article, but unfortunately the vast size of the DJ scene makes it almost impossible, as each DJ has their own story about what they are moved to do. For the month of June, I have been directly exposed to the ideas and motivations of three DJs that are a big part of the indie dance scene in Sacramento. The DJs involved were Must.Not.Die, Diamondmonsterrr, and Alice FR. Must.Not.Die were the primary organizers in this dance party venture, mostly because they felt more strongly about bringing upbeat dance to the masses than anyone else I had talked with.
Must.Not.Die is Miguel and Quentin, a duo who have worked their way through the downtown party scene with their breakthrough new sounds, introducing loads of dance kids to the latest and greatest in dance/pop. Miguel says he spends hours each day going through music blogs trying to find stuff worth playing. They aren’t like one of the hundreds of your average Top 40 or techno DJs who will spin whatever is “hot” and idly mix it together. These guys are really dedicated to finding quality vs. crap. They do this for the sake of not wanting to expose people to terrible music. This inherently makes them different.
To get a feel for how the whole thing works, in preparation, I went to a lot of dance parties downtown. On June 7 I got a text message that said “things kick off at 1030. Inviting a few friends is cool. But avoid mass texting and bulletins.” This was a text about a midtown dance party where Must.Not.Die would be DJing. The DJs were set up in the living room and people danced. I mean, they really danced. As I experienced more of these dance festivities, people danced, drank and just generally had a good time. There were the regulars who were at every place I showed up who, I learned, were notorious for their dedication to the cause of the dance and the music, as opposed to those who just showed up randomly. The coolest thing about these dance parties is that girls and guys got together and danced, without fear of some random guy coming up and trying to freak dance you when you’re just trying to have a good time. The majority of the guys have respect, even when drunk! Try saying that about any night at Empire.
The whole dance scene is very interesting. It’s an underground operation but somehow everyone knows about it. Virtually all of the people interested in this kind of dance party have very few outlets to express themselves to the music that they want. There is always Lipstick at Old Ironsides, F–k Fridays at the Townhouse and Take Flight at the Press Club, which are all 21 and over. Now we’ve got the once-a-month Shoot The Lights out at the Upstairs, which is 18 and over. Not having enough places to hang out and dance doesn’t ever seem to be too much of a problem, as somehow, somebody finds a house to throw down at. With only a few hours notice, the DJ shows up, people show up and they dance. You can find pictures of most of these random events at takeovertokyo.com, where Nick Avey documents the havoc with his dark yet vivid color trademark style photography. If you’re interested in dancing in a fun upbeat environment, you can go to must.not.die’s myspace page, and find out where they are DJing next at www.myspace.com/mustnotdie , or www.takeovertokyo.com. Or, take the time to explore on your own and find a DJ with a vibe that you like. I have to warn you though, attitude is important and if you show up and don’t want to dance… don’t show up.
Profile of a Fringe Reader: Natalie Ramirez
Natalie Ramirez has been reading Fringe Magazine since its start. Her first issue was Fringe’s first issue, “but I don’t remember it,” she confesses.
“It’s like SNR but it cuts out all the political crap and gets straight to the arts and music.” Which, in her eyes, is a good and a bad thing… it just depends on the reader. “Now that I’m 24 I kinda want to read that political bulls–t.” But, regardless of her need for a political fix, she’s a Fringe reader and respects what Fringe is doing for the art community. “There are bands (and artists) that don’t get recognized by the larger publications and Fringe is there for them,” she said. Although she would like more diversity in the musical coverage, “maybe I’ll mosh in a mosh-pit today, but tomorrow I’ll want to see the god damned symphony!”
Natalie is a senior at California State University (Sacramento??????), where she studies digital media. She also works at the California Channel, the Lottery, and occasionally caters. “If I wasn’t so broke and didn’t have to work so much I’d have a lot of hobbies,” she said.
Because she is so busy she hardly gets to enjoy the community she reads about in Fringe, but it does offer her a ray of hope. “Fringe makes me feel like I live in a town that can be fun. Everyone says there’s nothing to do in Sacramento, that it’s just a toilet break on your way to the Bay or Reno,” she said. “Because of Fringe I know that one day when I do have free time, there is a scene waiting for me.”
If there is one thing Natalie could say to all of you Fringe readers it would be: “Get informed and vote in 2008!”
Burning Calories With Help From A Stripper Pole
There are few things in this world that can catch my attention in a few seconds, no matter what I’m doing. Among these are a dinner bell, the first pitch of a baseball game and the bright, flashing, neon lights of a gentleman’s club.
That’s why, when I heard there was a new business in Vacaville that taught girls how to work the pole, a phone call was made to owner Lisa Hellmann about getting a tour ASAP.
It’s called I Pole and, to be politically correct (most likely for the last time in this column), it’s technically called a pole dance studio. And much to my chagrin, it wasn’t a place where girls with daddy issues went to perfect the art of working men over for their hard-earned money and then leaving them with nothing but a bulge in their blue jeans.
Oh no, this is a legit business, run by a wife and mother in the community, who uses the art of pole climbing with stiletto heels as a way to get trim and fit. It’s tucked away in the back of a tanning salon that would make the bootleggers of the prohibition era proud.
Walking into the pink studio filled with about seven golden poles, I expected some half-naked girl to come sit down on my lap and tell me how her brother is in jail, her dad has cancer and she needs books for college. But no, she wasn’t there. Nor was the cheesy DJ who was offering a special on a lap dance and a porno movie for 15 bucks.
And in no way am I talking bad about you ladies. You see, unlike the general public, I’m a big fan of girls who can use their natural ability (silicone excluded) to get men to pay them. What other profession can you just head out to a building, shake your hips and come home rich?
And while we’re at it, there isn’t a whole lot of difference between them and some of the girls I see in dance clubs wearing less and shaking more than our princesses of the pole.
So after checking out the digs for a while, Hellmann started explaining the mission of her studio. Her literature explains the activity as “for women who would like to learn to pole dance to get fit, stay in shape, have fun and learn a new confidence-boosting skill.”
If that’s not enough description, the classes also offer intense toning of abs and backsides and can also be used to spice up a relationship. This is true ladies, nothing says happy birthday like a chair, a sexy outfit and Def Leopard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me” playing in the background.
Another great aspect of the place is that it’s not just for girls as skinny as the poles they hang from. Hellmann said she’s had women weighing up to 275 pounds upside down. A bit skeptical of such a feat, I inquired if the poles were structurally sound for such an act. Assuring me they were, Hellmann said she even has had two girls dangling from the pole at once and it held up. She also mentioned that she has taught ladies upwards of 60 years of age, so all you cougars out there shouldn’t feel left out.
The classes are popular, too. She said she teaches about 20 classes a week and they are all full. If that weren’t enough, they host sober parties for the ladies, offer gift certificates, sell and install stripper poles and rent stages with poles and flashing lights.
So, there you have it: Solano County’s only strip-aerobics studio. Anyone interested should inquire soon, before the religious wingnuts set up shop there to protest, as they recently did in front of the lingerie/porn shop here in town. Can’t people just have a good time anymore?
Letters Make Words
Hailing from Mountain View, this poppy-rock group[ was formed by sisters Naomi and Nadia Zep. Letters Make Words is known for their sophisticated and hooky song writing, featuring dueling and harmonizing vocals that will catch you by surprise… and you’ve got yourself a unique combination that is fun, engaging, and easy to listen to. In addition to the sisters, the band also features Justin Stunich on lead guitar and 16 year old Corey Supp-Harte on drums. Reminiscent of early ’90’s Grrl Rock this group makes me wanna rock my Veruca Salt shirt and watch My So Called Life episodes. Definitely “up-and-coming.” Check them out at myspace.com/lettersmakewords
March Into Paris
Kevin McCarty on bass Kris Ayala on drums and guitar players team Randy Medeiros and Eric Davis are lead by vocalist Jennifer Valdez, a brilliant, energetic, and ambitious musician, singer/songwriter. The band has a slew of upcoming local shows. Check their MySpace at myspace.com/marchintoparis.
sons of oswald
Blasting out of Oakland, this four piece metal band has a grand mixture composing their sound. One part hard-core, one part alternative, four parts talent. They carry the contemporary Bay Area thrash sound well. Kenny Mo on Vocals, RonJon Cruz on Bass, both also in the band Omissa are joined by Shannon Corr on Drums and Lund on Guitar. The band has an amazing stage presence and ripping riffs, complemented by Kenny Mo’s sing/scream vocals. They are currently working on a cd. myspace.com/sonsofoswald.
LYNUS
This Sacramento band started in their teens, and now in their twenties have finally released a full length album titled, “Nice Outside”. Their smooth brand of pop/rock is perfect for listening to by the pool on a hot Summer day. They are one of the few bands in Sacramento to be around as long as they have without member changes. Pick up their CD at dimple records or the beat! Check out their MySpace page at: www.myspace.com/lynus.
FFG
Pop punk isn’t dead, and Roseville’s FFG is making sure of it. Jordan, Jarret, Tyler, Derek and Jeff are the current line up of FFG. The core members Jarret and Jordan carrying the band through the last eight years. FFG has stayed true to their poppy punk rock roots, even through member changes. Their latest CD, That’s Life, tells stories of disappointment, heartbreak and even a little good os fashioned spite. The band has shared the stage with radio-punk all-stars Unwritten Law, Die Trying, Five Iron Frenzy, and QuietDrive. Check out their MySpace at: www.myspace.com/ffg
