Fringe Magazine

Metro Sunday

With an acoustic indie flair, Metro Sunday is an eccletic combination of musical genres; mixing pop and punk with the jingles and jangles of the old west. Colorful off-timing drum patterns and soft spoken ballads blend together to tell a story. Metro Sunday’s music, from the whimsical “At Dawn He Rides” to the heartfelt [...]

Cobra Skulls

If you’re a NorCal punk you should know about the Cobra Skulls, or my dog is more punk than you. They are a true DIY workhorse. Hailing from Reno the band formed in 2005 by Devin Peralta (bass, vocals), Charlie Parker (guitar) and Chad Cleveland (drums). According to WIKIPEDIA, Devin Peralta is half Argentinian [...]

The Hybrid Creeps

“The Hybrid Creeps,” a.k.a THC, are a rare form of “Punk”- a-billy. With Josh (drums) and Trevor (guitar).Ken (vocals) andt Nick (bass). After a few practices the four of them knew they had a different sound then anybody else in Sacramento. After a couple months, they played their first show together at Pistol Pete’s in [...]

Social Syn

This four piece from Sacramento has the “it” that will probably take them far. The vocalist Rob has an amazing range with breathy melodic harmonies and punch through sing-screams similar to Incubus, but with a Sacramento sound embedded in. They have a very professional video on their myspace page at myspace.com/socialsyn. They released [...]

Allinaday

Allinaday consists of four members, Dave Ortiz on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Anthony Serrato on bass guitar and vocals, Andrew Williams on lead guitar and Joel Case on drums. The band formed in early 2007 and have built up a rocking alternative sound . They have been getting played on 98 rock’s local licks [...]

Albatross Kneck

The band is expected to release its third EP, "The Canary's Dead," in November

Embrace The End

Spending the past year in a hectic whirlwind, Sacramento's passionate hardcore golden boys, Embrace The End, have instead embraced their talents.

Fate Under Fire

Success is providence and spreading like wildfire for the local rock alternative foursome known as Fate Under Fire

Batty Belfry Proves That Roller Derby is Not Fake

We now have genuine proof that the girls are playing for real

Turning Up the Sizzle With the Sizzling Sirens

As I walked in to the Upstairs, the first thing I wondered was what the bananas were for. There they were, hanging from their hook, sitting on a table with a cake and a spray can of whipped cream. Well, it was supposed to be a burlesque show, after all, so you never know what [...]

The Fabulous Miss Wendy

Deep in the heart of fabulous Hollywood, California, lives a girl so draped in fabulousness that she just had to incorporate the fabulous adjective into her fabulous name. I’m talking about the Fabulous Miss Wendy, folks, and she’ll be coming to share some of her fabulousness with you on December 6 at the Fire Escape [...]

Sing It Loud & Forever: The Sickest Kids Rock The Empire

I acquired a guest list spot for the Sassyback Tour show at Empire on October 28 with Cobra Starship, Forever The Sickest Kids, Hit The Lights and Sing it Loud. Since I was there, I figured I could put my time to good use and write about it. I was most impressed with the opening [...]

FFG: Eight Years and Counting

I tend to focus on change when I look at bands. I look at change as the door to progress in the music world. FFG has been through a lot of changes, but after talking to Jarret, one of the founding members the other day, I realize he still has not lost sight of the [...]

Election Issues and Local Opinions

Amid a seesawing stock market, convenient gas price plunges, and the same-sex marriage back in the public eye, our state and nation is voting on one of the most important presidential elections in recent decades. Fringe set out to hear what its readers think about the candidates and state propositions at hand. Scott Lamonti, a Sacramento [...]

Tubes Primer, Part 2

Last time around I briefly went over some preamp tube basics regarding configurations and what the numbers on a tube mean. Just to refresh your memory, on a consumer numbered tube (basically what you would have in most amplifiers), the first numbers represent the heater or filament voltage. The next two letters represent the model [...]

The Sound of Sleep

A fairly new group, The Sound of Sleep has been performing locally for the past seven months.

November 2008

IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW ALREADY • Deftones bass player Chi Cheng is still in a coma in a San Jose, hospital following a car crash in nearby Santa Clara on Monday (November 3). The auto accident occurred as he and his sister (who was driving) were leaving their older brother’s memorial service. Further details were not [...]

Something Wal-Mart This Way Comes

Something WAL-MART this way comes.

October 2008

This feature is just a little spot for local scene news.

Dismal Lapse

Formerlyy Bled this catastrophic metal band recently signed with Deepsend records and is embarking on a tour this next month. A brutal threepiece consisting of Chris Barnum on drums and vocals, Evan Gravitt on guitars and Jason Brehm on bass. They released a cd entitled the Nameless Faceless in March which is still available online and [...]

Nothing Left

Nothing Left was first formed in 2003 by Neal Engelhaupt (guitars/vocals) and Bryan Christensen (lead vocals). The band has gone through it’s fair share of changes before settling on it’s current lineup which includes AdamMontez (lead guitar), Blake Hayden (drums) and Tony Soler (bass). In 2005, they released their first full-length album entitled *Burn the [...]

My Monster

Take one hot Asian chick with a Gibson, add a quirky and eccentric singer/songwriter, sprinkle in a self-proclaimed freak, and just a dash of frazzled beats, and you have My Monster. With an eclectic blend of 80’s and 90’s rock styling and a sound often compared to The Pixies and Stone Temple Pilots, this San Jose [...]

Fate Under Fire

With a polished radio friendly alternative sound this band has just opened the doors to the scene and intend to barge right in. Fate Under Fire is a four piece consisting of Dave’s soaring vocals and rhythmic guitar strums met up with Rob’s heavy hitting drum beats, Chris who added his melodic guitar lines to [...]

Backbone

Their story goes back to 2004 when singer, guitar player, and songwriter, Jorge Palacios, moved from his hometown, a little city on the East coast of Spain, to California’s Central Valley. His passion for music is driven by American rock bands like Metallica and Social Distortion. For 3 years Jorge struggled on his quest to [...]

Breaking Him In

Eli and I were both laying face up on the front lawn as we rummaged through the thought-trough containing the blueprint for the evening to come: my 21st birthday pre-party.

Musical Charis

At first glance upon Musical Charis, you might ask if I misspelled the band name, but no, it is charis.

Terror Strikes!

I recently encountered a group of ghouls in a bowling alley, and barely escaped with my life.

The Phoenix Rises, Then Falls, Then…?

The past two years have been very special for death metal fans, as they had been treated to the rebirth of the genre's creators, Possessed.

The Broken Poet: The Shawn Johnson of Rock and Roll?

They too have had a rough start, but definitely score a gold in the balance department.

Halloween Show, 80’s style

Circle Of 5ths Entertainment Group and Club Retro present the third annual "Tribute To The 80's Show" on Saturday, November 1st.featuring the era's greatest songs by some of Sacramento's very best bands.

House of Whorrors

There is a sixth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as 10 football fields and as vacuous as a black hole. It is the middle ground between light and shadow and it lies between the pit of a woman's cleavage and summit of her breasts. This … is Hooters.

Halloween Happenings

Once again the Halloween season is upon us. The air is finally starting to cool down, the night arrives earlier, and the stores are filled with large assortments of gruesome goodness. Can't figure out what to do to unleash your inner ghoul? Here, we'll be devilishly delighted to help you!

Hand-Painted Art and Siya Clothing

A Siya Clothing piece began its life years ago. Shirts, manufactured in an era when larges were modern mediums, eventually made their way to thrift stores from where they were plundered, then painted and sold.

5 things I hate about Halloween

Halloween is my favorite holiday of the entire year. I spend tons on decorations and plan events, and absolutely LOVE the whole idea of getting dressed up and gorging myself on candy. But every year some pretty annoying things get my goat. Here are 5 things I hate about Halloween.

Painfully Beautiful

My attraction to Marilyn Monroe probably started out the same way as it did for millions of women of my generation.

Call Me An F-U-tarian

In this day and age there seems to be more and more emphasis put on concerns about what others may think of us.

September 2008

This feature in Fringe is just a little spot to read up on some local scene news. If you have some news e-mail it to charlie@fringemag.com

Tribe Of Levi

Tribe Of Levi consists of Sacramento residents POOR, NON, MIC JORDAN, and DJ FILTH.

A Borrowed Life

A Borrowed Life honed their aural attack with their debut album 'My Love, The Enemy', in (2006) produced by Joe Johnston (CAKE, Team Sleep, Deftones, and Papa Roach) which sold 2000 units whithin 14 months with limited marketing and distribution.

Coldcokt

Raw beats, raw lyrics and a live show that will have you rushing the bar to acquire a frosty beverage to cool down, that's what happens when you are Coldcokt by this Sacramento trio.

Falling To Pieces

Beginning in 2004, Falling to Pieces hit the Nor-Cal scene strong.

Con Of Man

Emerging from Woodland, three years ago, The Con of Man look, sound and act like a true rock 'n' roll band.

Primer of Tubes, Pt. 1

This month will be the part one of a primer on tubes.

The Girlfriend Factor

Girlfriends and bands mix like oil and water.

Girl In A Coma

Music fans in Sacramento were recently treated to a performance by a special band that is creating a buzz in the industry.

Cavalera Conspiracy

In 1996 Max and Iggor Cavalera, the Brazilian brothers who formed Sepultura, parted ways. Sepultura was one of metal's groundbreaking bands.

Chemo Kid Calls it from Experience

Some artists struggle to come up with an emcee name before settling on a play on words or something creative.

Bipolar: Not just Another Mood Disorder

Normally when the term bipolar comes up in conversation it is usually describing a person with a serious mood disorder that requires medical attention.

A Night with Papercity Skyline

I arrived at Papercity Skyline's practice spot half an hour ahead of schedule, only to greet Alex and Jeremy who had also showed up early and were waiting outside. In the half hour we waited for the rest of the band, Alex introduced me to a beverage called Joose, a 9.9% alcoholic energy drink.

True School Rules: Rock The Bells’ Sequel

Authenticity in hip hop has always been a hot topic: who are the REAL MC's making REAL music and who are the frontin' rappers getting pimped for dough.

From the Business End

From "door pay out burns" to the way certain local media personalities have so much control over which nationals get attention and who don't.

The Stalking Distance: Solid As A Rock

There's a very solid and necessary place in this world for weepy introspective rock, but The Stalking Distance doesn't acknowledge it when they play live.

Sex, Booze, and Rock ‘n Roll

Nashville Pussy Invades Sacramento

Organized Chaos at Sara Jane and Co. this Second Saturday

Fringe's favorite art hot spot in downtown Sacramento is Sara Jane and Co. a quaint but bold boutique.

Princes Today, Kings Tomorrow

It's almost 11 o'clock and I've nothing better to do than to get inside, get out of the heat and out of the smoke that that's wrapping the whole city in an eerie orange light.

Lynus: Get Outside

Lynus is a chilled-out band that has been rocking Sacramento for a long time.

Art. Rock. Indifferent: Der Spazm

I could tell you that Der Spazm sounds a bit like the Pixies, but then you'd walk away thinking that they sound just like the Pixies.

Don’t Blame Me, Blame Betty!

From riot grrrl tribute act to original high-energy rock band, Blame Betty is winning over hearts everywhere they perform.

October Comes Not Soon Enough For This Autumn Sky

Autumn Sky has been serenading the Sacramento area for over two years, but this year is different. Her debut album "All Which Isn't Singing" is due to release in early October, and saying she's ecstatic is an understatement.

The Quest For The Cold One

For years, a question has plagued scientists, philosophers and frat brothers: Where can I find beer and where do they serve the coldest of said beverage?

The Next Generation In A Film Festival

A Christie Digital projector can cost a pretty penny to rent or own. A projector like the Roadie HD + 12k, which plays movies in pristine HD, was a steal for Jaime Gonzalez, president of the Next Gen Film Festival.

Just Friends

I had this vision that, after the break up, we'd both have this huge relief lifted from our lives, with the pressure of a semi-dysfunctional relationship no longer burdening our days.

Midnight Mischief

Recently, I was overwhelmingly excited to have myself a truly unbelievable night...a night that belonged to me... and San Francisco.

Malcolm Bliss

This Sacramento rock group has been floating around the scene for six years now.

Papercity Skyline

In the works since 2005, Papercity Skyline has been somewhat of a whisper in the scene until now.

Traits Of A Killer

Formed earlier this year members include Jaramia Bond founder/ drummer from Pollock Pines, Cody former guitarist from Skribble Bryan, former member of Beating A Dead Horse, and Jeff former bassist of Skribble.

A Band Called Pain

Since 2001, A Band Called Pain has been developing their muscular style and entertaining thousands.

Point 3

Hailing from San Jose, Point 3 was founded in 2001 by front man Mark Heaps.

The 5 Hottest Musicians In Your Scene

Hot is a word that can be defined in many ways, as we all know. We were aiming for all the meanings of hot when we asked Fringe readers to nominate the hottest musicians in our scene.

Build Us Airplanes

There aren't too many things that turn out to be surprising when covering bands in the area. I pretty much have an idea of what kind of music that group plays or if I'm going to enjoy it.

Punchface: Hot In Their Own Way

The Bay Area band, PUNCHFACE, is having quite a good year.

The Coldest Beer in Sac

I think I have been given the coolest writing assignment ever. My editor, Charlie, wanted me to go around Sacramento and drink beer.

July 2008

After one year of not playing shows due to the drummer being diagnosed with Lymphoma, Jade of Days are doing a comeback show on Friday, August 29 at the Britannia Arms in Downtown San Jose.

A Medical Cat–astrophy

At the very beginning of our relationship, we both agreed that neither one of us had any desire to have children.

Again with the Promoters

Back in January I wrote a column about promoters and my frustrations with the few in the scene that aren't doing their jobs as promoters.

Get Trashed: Late Night at the Trash Film Orgy

"When you pass thru this portal, you leave all cares behind," read the sign in the entryway of the Crest, and that night it seemed especially appropriate. It was approaching midnight, and zombies had taken over the stately and historic theatre-in other words, it was opening night for the Trash Film Orgy.

In a Dirty Glass: Learning the Science of Mixology

My search for a paying job has been lurching along for months now, hindered mightily by the fact that I don't like getting up in the morning. Without a forced schedule, my circadian rhythms dictate that I don't fall asleep until 3 a.m., wake around 11:00, and remain catatonic until caffeine hits my bloodstream.

Flying the Heavenly Skies

Has the summer heat got you down? Are you looking for a way to beat the boredom? Nothing exciting to do? Well, guess what? There is a thrilling experience waiting for you just over the mountain!

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.

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.

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.

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Pancake Circus in Sacto

If you and your friend/significant other/brother/sister/mother find yourselves on the outskirts of downtown near Broadway and 21st, don't be scared!

“I’m not getting the sound I want out of this instrument, let’s put in new pickups.”

I probably hear that statement and request more than all the others combined.

Lover Girl

Call me a big, fat love buff, because I fall in love with my girlfriends with the same emotional energy that I fall in love with my boyfriends.

Apocalyptica: Worlds Collide

Way back in the late '80s, Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) explained that you CANNOT play heavy metal on synthesizers.

Breva: Into the Radar

Bands break up. A lot. However, one band with staying power is Breva.

Death Angel Interview with Mark Osegueda

In 2000, the legendary Bay Area thrash band Death Angel took the stage once again at The Pound in San Francisco after a nine-year hiatus...

Pets: Accidental Duo

"Who's playing right now?!?!" I yelled over the music. "Pets!!!" he responds.

For ARAB, Music Defines Life

"I hate being classified," ARAB tells me as we sit in the back patio of Benny's on 21st Street.

Sol Collective: Positive Environment for Creative Kids

Estella Sanchez opened the Sol Collective on Del Paso Boulevard three years ago. It was a place for the arts, for kids to be educated, and where many live all-ages shows were held.

The Photography of Kevin Graft

If you have perused these pages in the past, you have seen some of Kevin Graft's photographs of various rock bands, such as Flogging Molly, Stolen Babies, Kittie, and more. That's not all this artist is capable of, though.

Lite Brite Shining

Several months ago I met up with a few friends at The Upstairs above Country Club Lanes in Sacramento, just to get out of the house.

Hip-Hop’s On The Upswing With The Help Of Soul Cipher

When someone is playing music inside the Java Lounge on Broadway and 16th, it can be somewhat traumatizing for those walking past. The small coffee shop magnifies sound as if it is made of a whole wall of speakers.

Bricka Bracka: The Newest Eclectic Hot Spot in Sacramento

Sick and tired of being sick and tired or just sick and tired of more and more places to hang out in Sacramento being shut down?

Breaking The Habit (of Driving)

The first step is admitting that you have a problem. If repeatedly getting stuck in the center lane of I-80 behind an overturned semi isn't enough to raise your hackles, and you thought Al Gore's movie about global warming was leftist propaganda, I'm willing to bet you've at least noticed a small change in your bank account.