S 2015 02 26

Sacramento’S newS & entertainment weekly

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Volume 26, iSSue 45

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February 26, 2015 | vol. 26, issue 45

12 23

The privilege problem At first I cheered. There was Patricia Arquette at the podium accepting her Best Supporting Actress statue for Boyhood, when she dropped a truth bomb about gender and the wage gap: “It’s our time to have wage equality once and for all and equal rights for women in the United States of America.”

Meryl cheered. J. Lo cheered. I cheered from my couch.

Never mind that Patricia Arquette (and Meryl and J. Lo, too, obviously) makes more money than I ever will.

And never mind (I mean, not really) that a privileged white woman calling for equal pay misses a big point, because women of color typically earn less than their white counterparts.

And never mind (again, not really) that comment singling out mothers.

I was willing to forgive her for not including the whole of womanhood in a moment of excitement.

Until, that is, Arquette stuck a designer shoe-clad foot in her lipsticked mouth.

“It’s time for … all the gay people and all the people of color that we’ve fought for to fight for us now,” Arquette told reporters after.

Oh. No. Championing equal rights for a particular group does not mean calling out other groups of historically oppressed people. And it definitely does not mean excluding them.

Arquette’s comments didn’t just lack deeper thinking, they lacked sensitivity, empathy and insight. They were clueless. They were offensively exclusionary.

Clearly the actress, who has since tried to clarify her remarks, didn’t consider how her comment erased entire communities. That’s the pervasive nature of privilege: Those who hold even a little (hello, Sean Penn) are often not aware of how deeply it informs everything they do and say.

What a shame that Arquette’s poorly chosen words detracted from a bigger, more important message.

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STREETALK OPINION + letters gREENLIgHT SCOREKEEPER BITES NEWS FEATuRE STORy DISH STAgE FILM MuSIC + sound Advice ASK JOEy THE 420 15 MINuTES COVER dEsign BY HAYLEY dOsHAY COVER pHOtO BY wEs dAVis

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“I don’t think it should be allowed because doctors and patients should focus on getting help.�

Asked at the University Union at Sacramento State:

Should California pass right-to-die legislation?

Lucia Biundo

Anissa Padilla

Dulce Rios

engineering student

student

Here in California, we should have this choice to end our life if we really feel it is best for ourselves and loved ones. ... If you’ve gone though the pain and are still suffering to the point that you don’t have a chance, why not end it?

Kailyn Bates

nursing student

I don’t think it should be allowed because doctors and patients should focus on getting help instead of encouraging that.

I understand if people had cancer ... that they would wouldn’t go through any more pain, but at the same time people won’t know if they will make it out if they decide to die.

Erick Kitagawa

after-school coordinator

If [patients] only had four months to live and didn’t want their family to see them suffer, I could see why.

The girl in Oregon had the prescription at her bedside, and once her and her family felt ready, she did it. So really, the patient and family have a lot of control over it.

We aren’t in those patients’ shoes. We don’t know.

What we want for ourselves and our lives is our choice.

The only thing I hesitate about this would be if someone misused this or didn’t offer all the options to someone first, but as long as there are rules and restrictions to it, with professionals and therapists guiding patients, then it is OK.

LIKE

biology student

In America, you should be having the freedom of doing whatever you want, but coming from the morals of the medical field, I know their mission is to prolong life and survival of humanity.

So I know, because of this clash, it will become very complicated. It really will depend on people’s individual circumstances.

I believe I am for it. If it is at that point in their health, why put them through the pain and suffering? ... By approving it, it is not like we are making decisions for anyone. We are just giving them the ability to have options as they navigate through this difficult point.

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Late last month, in an article in the New Yorker, historian Jill Lepore wrote that, thanks to technology, we may already be living in a missing era. What she was referring to is the ease with which electronic information—whether that is webpages, data or even old tweets—can be, at least mostly, erased.

This article came to mind upon hearing that the city of Sacramento is finding it problematic to store emails that may be relevant to both current policies and historical context.

On the one hand, we have elecAllowing the digital tronic hard drives that can be carried in the space a smartphone takes up, output of our yet store nearly as much information public servants to as the famed Library of Alexandria.

On the other, we have a fast-paced, disappear into the forward-looking culture that doesn’t ether is bad. think seriously about archiving.

But perhaps most concerning, we have a situation in which those who wish to distract us from the public business can do so simply by pressing the delete key.

Allowing the digital output of our public servants to disappear into the ether is bad for transparency, public Read Cosmo Garvin’s access and journalistic or law-enforcement investigations. column on the city’s There is simply no excuse for failure to archive electronic big email mistake at communications, particularly when the public need only http://tinyurl.com/ look at big-box-store ads to know how cheaply that storage SactoEmail. Read the can be acquired.

New Yorker’s piece on erasing history here: What’s more, we know how invaluable all documents www.newyorker.com/ are to historians. It’s not just a matter of preserving magazine/2015/01/26/ evidence; it is even more importantly a matter of preserving cobweb. our past.

Archive the city’s emails. It’s the right thing to do. Ί

Israel and UC Davis

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We are thoroughly disheartened by the level of rhetoric surrounding the discussion at UC Davis about divesting from some Israeli businesses. A student senate resolution passed recently asking the University of California to divest from Israeli military action. This, students say, is a way of exerting pressure on Israel to change its policies toward the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

That this discussion of a serious international and humanitarian issue would result in anti-Semitic acts, as well as Islamophobic responses, is disappointing.

We are faced with some unpleasant realities. The first is that anti-Semitism, often referred to as “the longest hatred,� is far from a thing of the past. The next unpleasant reality is that, in our current culture, criticism of Israel and its policies is all too often conflated with anti-Semitism.

It is quite possible—in fact, among thoughtful people, very likely—to believe that Israel, a democracy, must be safe from attack and at the same time believe that Israeli policy concerning the separation, containment and treatment of Palestinians is a violation of democratic ideals.

This is exactly the same sort of thinking that allows us to love our own country while still condemning its institutional racism and ongoing military fiascoes.

Criticizing Israel does not make us anti-Semites. It is up to those of us who are capable of making this sort of distinction to take the lead in discussions about the situation between Israel and the Palestinians, and to make clear that anti-Semitism will not be tolerated.

UC Davis is precisely the place where students should be both encouraged and guided toward this sort of maturity.

It is up to the rest of us to lead by example. Ί

R E P U SLOW RATES. R E P SU

Kings-sized swindle Re “Bond age” by Nick Miller (SN&R News, February 19): Let me see if I got this right: Nick Miller tells us that letter of we could save $150 million on arena-bond-related debt the week service if only we line up like good citizens to swallow a loss of $200 million in the fraudulent transfer of city assets (to pay “the whales” back for spending too much on the Kings franchise). What a deal!

Bill Reany

S a c ra m e nt o

No perfect cop Re “How to build a perfect cop” by Raheem F. Hosseini (SN&R Feature Story, February 19): Nice idea, but unfortunately “a perfect cop” is an oxymoron; especially as all of the nation’s cops become more and more concerned with national security and less and less with preventing crime. Force is not the answer and never will be.

Peace and love, Rio Weimar

Truth is only bond Re “Bond age” by Nick Miller (SN&R News, February 19): Yes, the suit against the city seeking to prove City Hall pulled the wool over our eyes on the arena deal may increase the cost of paying off the bonds. However, to suggest it should be dropped, as is implied in this article, is to suggest it is better to save money than do the

right thing. (I know Nick Miller did not come right out and say that, but it is implied.)

In the long run, the taxpayers are better served by knowing all the truth than by remaining in the dark as some deal makers would prefer.

Mike Savino Sacramento

.

E C I V R E S L U POWERF

Rafik’s legacy Re “Merci, Rafik Rabehi” by Nick Miller (SN&R Editor’s Note, February 19): Thank you for this tribute to a true gem. I only wish Rafik were here to read it! He touched so many lives and was a people connector.

Many friendships have been created thanks to Rafik’s gift for creating celebrations and gathering the coolest people around. His legacy will live on with many.

Amy Gleason Sacramento

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Meanwhile, venture away from The Downtown/ Capitol areas over by B and Ahern streets and take a good whiff at the odors of death wafting from the storm drains.

Email your letters to sactoletters@ newsreview.com.

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NImBy Award Contest Sacramento News & Review is seeking entries for the first-ever Not In My Back Yard awards contest—the NIMBYs!

Some cynics might say Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY) lawsuits, often based

But so what? We believe the time has come not to disparage

on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA),

NIMBY suits as self-serving, time-wasting, frivolous complaints,

have distorted the Legislature’s original intent and

but to celebrate these creative and bold legal assertions,

manipulated our legal system and planning and zoning

courageously brought forward under tenuous environmental

process. Those same cynics might even suggest NIMBY

pretense, without fear or much foundation, simply to stop a

lawsuits have created delays in worthy projects and driven up construction costs in California, negatively impacting many praiseworthy projects, such as lowincome housing and mental health facilities.

worthwhile project dead in its tracks.

It’s time to honor the heroes of NIMBY litigation. Think we’re joking? Think this might be some satirical send-up? How would you ever get such an idea?

THE AWARDS: To honor our NIMBY warriors, we need help from SN&R readers. Who do you think best embodies the “Let’s sue ‘em!” spirit of Not In My Back Yard litigation? Please include a case number (or better yet, bring the whole file!) to validate your entries in the following four special categories: 1. Big Switcheroo: Here’s where the nominee files an environmental lawsuit to win some unrelated concession, which—get this—has absolutely no connection with the environment! Extra points will be awarded for the speed with which the lawsuit is dropped once concession is granted.

2. Lifetime Achievement: This honor will go to the individual who has made a very good living by filing numerous NIMBY lawsuits, all of which coincidentally disappear after a financial agreement has been reached (without anyone admitting any responsibility for anything).

3. Sticky Sandcastle: Here’s an award for the plaintiff who makes an unfathomable legal argument that’s inevitably washed away by the tides of justice, but not before it’s gummed up a project for a year or two and devoured many thousands of dollars in legal fees.

4. Intended Consequence: This award goes to an individual who, amazingly enough, used the NIMBY process to accomplish something that really was in the public interest.

HOW TO NOMINATE: Complete nomination instructions can be found at www.newsreview.com/nimby . The deadline for nominations is Thursday, March 19 at 5 p.m.

WINNERS: The winners will be announced in the April 23 issue of SN&R in an eight-page special publication. It will include short stories about the winning lawsuits, information on the economic impact of NIMBY lawsuits and suggestions for possible reforms. This is a project of the Custom Publications division of the News & Review. The goal is to bring positive attention to the impact of NIMBY lawsuits.

DISCLAIMER: For what it’s worth, we at the News & Review and/or the sponsors of the contest are not and would never imply, suggest, or even hint that NIMBY heroes are doing anything illegal or immoral. The contest’s goal is to demonstrate the opposite—to celebrate wonders of legislative intent and creative environmental litigation in the Golden State.

SpoNSorEd CoNTENT froM THE CuSToM puBLICATIoNS dIvISIoN of NEWS & rEvIEWW

8

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SN&R | 02.26.15

Pharmaceutical company  pirates hold Californians hostage 

BEFORE

 

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  NEWS

 

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  F E AT U R E

STORY

YOU’RE WELCOME, NATURE.

Californians have a long history of being exploited by corporate pirates. Enron during the energy crisis, the banks during the recent housing crisis and now the pharmaceutical companies are taking advantage of us during our health-care crisis.

The Big Pharma pirate of pirates is Gilead Sciences Inc., based in Foster City, Calif. But if you are not one of the 3.2 million Americans suffering from hepatitis C, you might not have heard of Gilead’s wonder drug sofosbuvir (brand name Sovaldi), which cures around 90 percent of hepatitis C patients in 12 to 24 weeks, with few side effects. l

by Jeff VonKaene There are an estimated 130 million to 150 million people worldwide with hepatitis C, a bloodborne j ef f v@ne wsreview.c om illness that can lurk undetected for decades. It causes liver scarring and liver cancer. More than 350,000 people die from hepatitis C-related liver disease each year, according to the World Health Organization.

While patients taking Sovaldi may have few side effects, that cannot be said for those who are paying for this drug.

While Sovaldi costs only about $130-$250 to manufacture, Gilead is charging Americans around $84,000 for a 12-week supply. The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review estimates that the cost for treating all Californians suffering from hepatitis C with Sovaldi would be $18 billion in a single year. This may be a wonder drug, but it is not The cost for treating affordable.

Perhaps Gilead spent all Californians so much time and money suffering from researching and developing this wonder drug that they deserve hepatitis C with a fair return on their investSovaldi would be ment? Well, no. Gilead did not create the drug. Another $18 billion in a company, Pharmasset, develSovaldi. single year. opedAfter Pharmasset conducted successful clinical trials for treating hepatitis C in 2011, their stock price soared, tripling in value. Then in November 2011, Gilead bought them for $11 billion, 89 percent higher than the stock price.

To learn more Why did Gilead pay such a premium for Pharmasset? about the Perhaps they wanted the right to jack up the price of the high costs of wonder drug. Pharmasset had planned to charge only prescription drugs and who pays, $36,000 for a course of the drug. But Gilead saw the huge and how you can profit potential. And, as any good pirate knows, one should help fight the Big not have the same ransom price for each captive. Certain Pharma corporate captives are worth more. pirates, go to So while Gilead charges Americans $84,000, they The Campaign for Sustainable charge the Germans $66,000 and the English $57,000.

Rx Pricing, And they charge the Egyptians only $900 for a supply at www.csrxp.org. of the drug. While this ransom pricing has been good for Gilead stockholders, who have seen their stock rise from $20 in October 2011 to $102 last week, it has not been so good for the millions of people who are waiting to be cured of hepatitis C. Only a small percentage of the Jeff vonKaenel world’s population who would benefit from the drug can is the president, now afford to pay for it.

CEO and Ransom pricing instead of reasonable pricing means that majority owner of the News & Review many people will die needlessly. And millions will suffer. newspapers in We should say “no� to the Big Pharma pirates and empower Sacramento, our government to regulate the pharmaceutical companies Chico and Reno. so that we can get similar prices and access to drug treatment that people in other countries do. Ί

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  9

SCORE KEEPER Sacramento’s winners and losers—with arbitrary points

Big league ew

Pizza, pizza … uh

A new bill would ban chewing tobacco at all Major League Baseball games in California. Bay Area Democrat Tony Thurmond says he presented the bill in honor of Tony Gwynn, the San Diego Padres all-star who died of salivary gland cancer last year.

Pizza-makers Little Caesars launched a new bacon-wrappedcrust pizza this past Monday. One of SN&R’s writers cruised over to the Del Paso Boulevard location to buy one—but they’d already run out of bacon. Before noon.

Not sure whether you blame the chicken or the egg—or the people eating all that bacon!

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‘I can see Russia, dude’

SN&R

The final frontier, Alaska, legalized marijuana this past week. Scorekeeper approves—and would just love to hit that shatter with Sarah Palin.

+ 50 High on the hill

Plastic referendum

Two congressmen introduced two different bills that would legalize marijuana nationwide last week. Both bills will likely go up in smoke and never see President Barack Obama’s desk. Nevertheless, Scorekeeper salutes the token effort.

Plastic-bag manufacturers have

+ 420 10 | SN&R | 02.26.15

gathered enough signatures to challenge California’s bag ban, which was scheduled to begin on July 1.

Now, voters will weigh in on the issue in November 2016. According to the Los Angeles Times, plasticbag manufacturers will make approximately $145 million by pushing back the ban date.

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Ethics reform and streetcars roll on The effort to bring political reform to City Hall is gaining momentum. Clunie Community Center was packed last Thursday as Eye on Sacramento and the League of Women Voters held the first of several public meetings to air ideas for a new ethics code, political-ethics commission, electionredistricting commission and other reforms.

Some other ideas that came up included vin ar G giving the public greater access to police o Sm

by Co records, bringing greater transparency cosmog@ newsrev iew.c om to city labor negotiations and ending the Sacramento City Council’s use of “ad hoc” committees, which meet in secret and don’t comply with public-records laws.

Several members of the public also expressed concern about the city’s recent decision to delete thousands of city emails sometime this spring (see last week’s Bites column, “Garbage excuse for trashing records,” at http://tinyurl.com/ SactoEmail). City Councilman Jeff Harris said he would raise the city’s email-deletion policy for discussion at a future city council meeting.

Reporter Joe Rubin also got big applause for his work exposing problems with the city’s expensive water-meter-installation plan (read that story at http://tinyurl.com/NRWaterMeter). That reporting was based in part on the kinds of older emails the city now wants to trash.

Many speakers supported the idea of an ethics commission with enforcement power, which most large California cities have, but Sacramento lacks.

However, panelist Peter Scheer with the California First Amendment Coalition warned that ethics commissions sometimes are used as weapons in political disputes. And Kim Nalder, with the project for an informed electorate at The League of Women Voters and Eye on Sacramento State, said greater government transSacramento have parency is great, but many citizens don’t know scheduled several what local government does or how it works. community meetings Our own mayor, Kevin Johnson, may be a good to gather public input on potential ethics example of this. Last Saturday, he told an audireforms at City Hall. ence gathered at a city budget workshop (accordAll meetings start at ing to prolific civic tweeter Thomas Dodson) that 6:30 p.m. The dates “When I ran, I didn’t know the mayor wasn’t in are: February 26 at Artisan Building charge of the school budget.”

(1901 Del Paso Blvd.); There’s a lot to think about there. Frankly, March 12 at South Bites doesn’t believe it’s true. K.J. had been in Natomas Library the charter-school business for a long time at (2901 Truxel Rd.); March 25 at Robbie the point he ran for mayor. And if there’s one Waters Pocketthing that Johnson knows, it’s where the money Greenhaven Library comes from.

(7335 Gloria Dr.); But point made. If a rich and powerful dude April 8 at North like Johnson didn’t know how Sacramento local Natomas Library (4660 Via Ingoglia); government works, what chance do the rest of and April 23 at us have?

Belle Cooledge Library (5600 South Land Park Dr.).

BEFORE

Sacramento’s streetcar project is rolling forward, following an advisory vote by downtown property owners last week. The Sacramento Bee said downtown property owners in the

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area of the proposed streetcar project voted “overwhelmingly” in favor of taxing themselves a portion of the construction costs for the new line. It was a “resounding vote of confidence.”

Actually, the vote was 282 property owners in favor, to 239 against. The vote was weighted, so that the votes of big property owners like CIM and the arena developers group counted more. The weighted vote was 66 percent in favor. But only reporting that number obscures the fact that downtown property owners were pretty evenly split on the tax.

And 51 percent of those who received ballots didn’t bother to vote.

A big part of the argument in favor of streetcars is the enormous economic benefit the project is supposed to bring downtown, in the form of increased business and property values.

Those estimates appear to rely on studies of the effects that streetcars have had in neighborhoods like Portland, Seattle and Tampa, Fla.

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The problem is that the circumstances in those cities were radically different than the circumstances in Sacramento. In each case, those cities introduced streetcars as part of a major makeover of former industrial areas. In Sacramento, streetcars are being added to a built-up downtown core that’s been a lab for one redevelopment experiment or another for more than 50 years. And much of the streetcar route is replacing an existing light-rail service that has been in place for nearly 30 years.

Doesn’t mean there’s no economic benefit.

Bites would love to sit down with the experts behind the reports and ask a few questions about the assumptions they are making. But they won’t do it. For about a month now, officials at the Sacramento Area Council of Governments have largely blown off Bites’ questions. Their paid consultant, Strategic Economics, in Berkeley, won’t return calls, either.

In the past, Mike McKeever and his team of planners and analysts at SACOG could be relied on to give the public solid information about the impacts of development and transportation projects. Here, SACOG seems more interested in cheerleading the project than answering important questions.

It’s too bad. There will be another vote on the streetcar tax in May, among registered voters living in the project area. This vote will count.

But before that happens, the public deserves more transparency about the costs and benefits of this project. Ω

STORY

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Hip-hop under fire Will shooting outside downtown club send Sacramento’s rap community back underground?

Panic swallowed a downtown music venue late Friday night, as a crowd exited a hip-hop show to the crackling throng of gunfire. by At least four people were injured following Nipsey Raheem Hussle’s performance at Ace of Spades, including a male F. Hosseini victim who suffered multiple gunshot wounds and another person who was grazed by gunfire, Sacramento Police r a h ee mh@ newsr evie w.c om Department officials reported. All four victims were expected to recover.

In an eerie coincidence, the shooting occurred six years to the day after similar violence nearly crippled Sacramento’s hip-hop scene.

On February 20, 2009, rapper and promoter Hondo Green was shot after he interrupted his performance at Silk II nightclub to break up a fight between female patrons.

Green’s leg was amputated and the Rancho Cordova club was closed as a result.

That sparked an era in which rappers were virtually blackballed from performing locally, says one veteran.

“After that, it was insanely hard to get hip-hop shows in Sacramento,” recalled Task1ne. “I’m hoping it doesn’t go back to that. I don’t think it will.”

But it might.

Ace of Spades co-owner Bret Bair says the club is already being pressured to schedule fewer rap acts, and has already postponed or canceled two shows. “There’s probably going to be less hip-how shows,” he said. “And it’s a bummer, because people in Sacramento love their hip-hop.”

Councilman Steve Hansen attended a police department roll call Saturday evening. He said discussions were occurring between venue operators and police officials. “There’s sort of this ‘how to do it right’” conversation happening, he said. “It’s definitely on all our radars.”

Hansen said the city wouldn’t “myopically” crack down on a single music genre, instead weighing police intelligence, a venue’s track record and other factors before etching out its strategy for providing entertainment and protection.

He pointed to Saturday’s sixth annual Naughty Gras Read a longer version of this story at as an example. The event drew 4,000 revelers to the www.newsreview.com/ Sacramento Convention Center, but ended without incident sacramento. because an adequate police presence kept exiting crowds from loitering.

Police were in heavier attendance outside of Ace of Spades that night, when Task1ne opened for Bone ThugsN-Harmony. The all-ages show drew families and was incident-free.

Bair noted that security was stiff and officers were present at the time of Friday’s shooting. “It obviously didn’t deter the violence,” he said.

The city’s entertainment permit program manager, Tina Lee-Vogt, deemed it too early to comment on her office’s response. “This is a venue that hasn’t had a history of problems, so we’re going to review all of the facts,” she said.

Though he was required to arrive for his Ace of Spades gig hours earlier than usual and submit to a particularly thorough pat-down, Task1ne defended the venue. “It seemed to me like [Ace of Spades] did their job,” he said.

“The incident happened outside.” Ω

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No longer pint-sized Sacramento breweries continue rapid growth, but remain cautious Every few months, it seems a new brewery opens its doors in or near Sacramento. Clearly, the local by beer market is piping hot. Yet caution lingers Alastair Bland among the region’s brewers, even seven years after an economic hiccup that saw a halfdozen Sacto-area breweries close their doors.

Although drinkers in Sacramento are buzzing on beer, most local beer companies are toeing the waters cautiously and growing slowly.

But not Ryan Graham. Co-founder and head brewer of Track 7 Brewing Co., Graham has plans to get big. He and his business partner Geoff Scott have opened a second brewing facility in Natomas that will turn the faucet on production up to almost 10,000 barrels of beer in the coming year, up from 2,600 in 2014.

Moreover, the new tank space will provide the infrastructure needed to increase production for nearly another decade.

Graham is confident in the thirst of Sacramento’s beer drinkers, who have a particular preference for IPAs, to buy and drink everything Track 7 brews.

In fact, demand outweighs supply, and there is almost no choice from a business perspective but to answer back by building the brewery’s production capacity, he says. Now, with Sacramento’s beer market mostly saturated with Track 7 beer, Graham is strategizing on how to conquer markets farther afield.

“It’s going to be tough to make the next jump,” he said. “At the regional scale, we’ll need to convince someone in Oregon or New Hampshire that they should buy our beer and not some locally made beer.”

Ken Anthony, founder of Device Brewing Co. in Sacramento, is also enjoying a boom in business. He has increased his production by threefold since opening in April 2013, and another addition will double the volume again

by March. He predicts he will brew 1,100 barrels of beer in 2015.

Yet Anthony considers his a relatively conservative approach to running his business.

He and his wife are answering slowly to the pull of the market rather than trying to push forward. Anthony notes that some brewers have, in the past, opened large starting facilities with the hope that they’ll quickly create a fan base to pay off the investment. Some succeed.

Some have failed.

“I see that like putting the cart before the horse,” he said. “I’d rather have the problem of

Scenes from this past Saturday’s grand opening at Track 7 Brewing Co.’s new 9,000 square foot Natomas facility. Owners Ryan Graham and Geoff Scott pictured (top left frame, left to right).

constantly running out of beer than brewing so much you can’t sell it. Every time we’ve [ramped production up to the next level], we did it because we had to.”

No one seems quite sure what happened between 2007 and 2010. The national beer industry was booming. But here in Sacramento, Elk Grove Brewing, Beermann’s, Brew It Up!, Odonata Beer Company and both locations of Sacramento Brewing Co. shut their doors and vanished.

The industry rebounded under the direction of a new crop of young brewers, who for the most part seem to agree that staying small—or at least growing conservatively— will serve as a sort of safety net in case hard times come again.

Mike Mraz, owner of Mraz Brewing Co. in El Dorado Hills, says he is funding the growth of his operation with money from the cash register, not from the bank. “That means I have no debt,” he said. “I could literally pull back and not sell a single drop of beer outside the taproom and not suffer. Growing organically keeps you safe.” Mraz has recently added new storage space for his barrel-aging program, known for its sour beer.

But prudence isn’t the only element holding breweries back. They must also consider the availability of hops, which is a constant restraint on beer production.

PHOTOs BY micHael miller

BEATS

Ticketed poverty Russell Bartholow says he was arrested or cited hundreds of times during the 15 years he lived under a bridge in Oak Park.

“It was like a game,” he said, claiming that police often issued pre-written citations for everything from soliciting alms to selling flowers without a permit.

Accounts like these prompted researchers at Berkeley Law’s Policy Advocacy Clinic to analyze municipal codes in 58 California cities for anti-homeless laws and discretionary enforcement. The report was compiled on behalf of the Western Regional Advocacy Project, and released last week.

California cities average more anti-homeless laws than cities in other states, the report states. Sacramento alone has 11 distinct municipal codes criminalizing activities associated with homelessness. Anti-camping policing represents 69 percent of total municipal code enforcement.

Anti-camping citations from Sacramento County park rangers working within city limits rose by almost 2,400 percent from 2010 to 2012. That’s not a typo.

According to WRAP, 97 percent of homeless Sacramentans report being harassed by police for sleeping in public, with 63 percent having been arrested at some point.

In short, researchers say, people are being penalized for their housing status rather than behavior. “These people are the same as me,” said Lindsay Walter, a contributing researcher. “At the end of the day, they’re human.”

Oregon and Colorado have introduced separate homeless bills of rights. Researchers and activists are looking for similar support here. With 22 percent of the nation’s homeless population, California is “dragging its feet” with regard to protections for the homeless community, Walter said. (Brooke Purves)

Meter redo Following last fall’s SN&R investigation of the city’s costly water-meter-installation program, Sacramento plans to complete the project five years earlier, and for at least

Mraz says the American hop supply is just barely enough to feed the beer industry. Growers generally respond to demand when deciding how many acres to plant, rather than growing a surplus, which cuts the prices they’ll ultimately receive, Mraz said. A brewer who isn’t carefully watching his books runs the risk of over-investing in tank space without the hops to make enough beer to pay back the loans.

But even between hops and economics, there seems to be nothing standing in the way of Knee Deep Brewing Co. in Auburn. Andrew Moore, the company’s general sales manager, said barrel production is ballooning.

Last year’s output of 6,200 barrels will jump to 13,000 this year, and he says Knee Deep’s hop contract gives room for the brewery to double in size every year. That means the company could be making 100,000 barrels in three years.

(For comparison, Russian River Brewing Company does less than 15,000 barrels a year, and Sierra Nevada does nearly a million.)

Knee Deep beer is sold in 10 states already, and distribution is soon going to hit eight new ones. The beer is sold all BEFORE

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around Western Europe, in Beijing and in Shanghai, while distributors in Latin America are showing interest, Moore says.

The sixth annual Sacramento Beer Week is this week and promises to be as big as the event series has ever been.

Indeed, the buzz over craft beer is growing into a roar.

Knee Deep beer is sold in 10 states already, and distribution is soon going to hit eight new ones. The beer is sold all around Western Europe, in Beijing and in Shanghai.

But John Zervas, the publisher of local Hops to Table magazine, points out that hype and excitement don’t necessarily mean great beer is flowing. Zervas says he has several favorite breweries in the area. But Sacramento, in his opinion, has

F E AT U R E

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a ways to go to reach levels of beer-savvy maturity seen in brew-centric places like San Diego, Portland and San Francisco.

He thinks many brewers are still inexperienced, a trait that can sometimes be tasted in their beer by educated consumers. The market is thriving in part, he says, because of consumers too green to identify subpar beer—but that equation, he warns, will not last forever.

“If the market doesn’t step up and make better beer, people will start going to other places to drink beer, and the market will crash again,” he said.

But others are more confident. Graham at Track 7 says the biggest problem he sees in the local beer market is a surplus of beer. “It used to be easy [to buy beer in a grocery store],” he says. “You had two or three choices.” Now there may be hundreds.

Anthony at Device points out that about half the people who enter his brewery are first-timers.

“But that doesn’t mean that people are only coming into my brewery once,” he said. “It means we’re getting busier and busier.” Ω

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$65.3 million less than the original price tag.

City council was set to hear staff recommendation this Thursday to speed up its water-meter project. Originally, the city planned to spend $315 million to install more than 100,000 meters and fix 175 miles of water mains. The new proposed cost for the project, which began in 2005, is $249 million—plus interest payments, of course.

Sacramento will be 93 percent metered in three years and completely metered by 2020, according to the new plan.

Uncertainties remain, however. The Department of Utilities wrote that it will “reduce the number of water meters to be installed in sidewalks by installing meters adjacent to the sidewalk where feasible.” But the report contains no numbers, and says that Sacramento will spend an extra $42 million putting meters in sidewalks, even though other cities subject to California’s meter mandate, like Fresno, have done their installs without digging up any concrete. (Nick Miller)

Civic aggravation A new cadre of residents is turning Sacramento City Council meetings into interactive theater. Their calls for fewer cops and more homeless services reflect a campaign of persistence and pestering.

Members of the Community Dinner Project, a group of volunteers that serves organic meals to the needy in violation of local permitting requirements, and Occupy Sacramento are among the roughly half-dozen attendees making repeat appearances at the podium.

Not to be outdone, Mac Worthy, the godfather of council attendees, spoke four times at the February 10 meeting. (Raheem F. Hosseini)

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BEER ISSUE

B

photos by Lisa Baetz

VS.

THE WORLD At The Kitchen,

one of Sacramento’s premier dining spots for sometimes extravagant food and wine pairings, there is a special cellar. It belongs to Josh Nelson, who runs the place.

Nelson is a wine guy.

“That’s where I keep special beers,” Nelson said. “That’s my personal stuff.”

At Pangaea Bier Cafe in Curtis Park, one of the pioneers in Sacramento for exploring the booming, shifting, ever-morphing supernova of craft beer, owner Rob Archie had to upgrade his list. His wine list.

For California-based Wine Warehouse—one of the largest distributors in the country and a company known, as its name

16 | SN&R | 02.26.15

Brew is changing what people drink and impacting how Sacramento restaurants do business.

Where will it go next? says, first for wine—business is strong. One reason: They’re a go-to distributor in this region for, you guessed it, beer.

At Hook & Ladder Manufacturing Co. in Midtown, a restaurant/bar/hotspot that’s been at the forefront of cool in Sacramento since it opened in 2012, owner Kimio Bazett says they get streams of people asking for every kind of craft beer. And what sells most? Wine.

And at the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in Sacramento this January, the largest wine industry trade show in North America, experts spent an awful lot of time talking about beer.

What is going on here? Are cats marrying dogs? Is rain falling up? Has the world of food, drink and nightlife gone into the bizarro universe? Well yes, at least on the last one.

As Sacramento sprints into its sixth annual Beer Week, craft beer has exploded across the beverage scene in America, and

at an even brighter intensity in California and Sacramento. Craft beer is as Big Bang hot as any alcoholic beverage in decades.

But craft beer is something else, too. It’s genuinely interesting and, you know, good. Craft beers come in a vast range of styles now, and so many pack in enough nuance and depth that people can spend hours dissecting flavors and textures and brewing techniques the way they might with beer’s friend and rival, wine.

And craft beer’s growth and continuing attraction to consumers has sent concussive waves across the worlds of restaurants, bars, markets, wineries, eating, drinking and just hanging out.

Its impact, however, may be even more forceful on the culture than on the market. That’s not to say craft beer isn’t selling

by ri ck ku s h m an

well or growing insanely, but as a share of the market it’s still small—about 8 percent of all U.S. beer sales in volume and about 14 percent of the dollars spent on beer.

On the other hand, as a share of the communal, going-out-toeat-and-drink psyche, craft beer is enormous.

How b e e r changed the game Besides creating a market for the marginally useful skill of punning with the word “hop,” craft beer transformed the guy-orderingbeer-with-dinner from a lunkhead to an in-the-know foodie.

And in some places, it’s made wine seem like your grandparents’ drink, or something for snooty places like France (though, actually, research company Euromonitor International says craft-beer sales are up in France, too).

But some ripples from the boom of craft beer in recent years are not as obvious, and in some cases they’re almost counterintuitive.

Craft beer may be as good for the wine industry as it is a challenge. It may be as demanding for restaurants and bars as it is a draw. One of its great attractions—the local, hands-on, authenticity of many craft beers—may also keep many breweries from growing.

Here’s a short list of current and potential impacts: • Sales of inexpensive wine (under $7) and of mass-market beers like Budweiser and Miller are down. Craft beer’s rise isn’t the only reason, but it’s a major one.

“Craft beer has taken much of wine’s pizzazz, especially among younger consumers,” said Jon Fredrikson of wine industry analysts Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates. He spoke at a press

At Nugget Markets, Hank Beal says that at first it seemed like beer was taking over.

“Now wine, beer and spirits are all strong. …

Craft beer has only helped us.”

conference at the Unified wine trade show. “Beer used to have none of the enticing charisma wine had, but that’s flipped at some levels.”

• Restaurants like The Waterboy, Ella Dining Room & Bar and Mulvaney’s B&L, and retailers like Nugget Markets and Corti Brothers say craft beer is an add-on, not something cutting into wine sales.

“At all of our houses, wine outsells beer tremendously,” said Nelson, who’s a principal in the Selland Group that includes Ella, The Kitchen and Selland’s MarketCafe. “If I had to guess, I’d say by 8-to-1. I was worried it would hurt the check average, but at The Kitchen we’re just selling more beer along with wine.”

“Initially,” said Hank Beal, who oversees adult beverages for Nugget Markets, “it looked like beer was taking over, but that’s leveled out. Now wine, beer and spirits are all strong. Maybe people are feeling better about the BEFORE

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economy, but craft beer has only helped us.”

• The growth of craft beer means stores need more space, restaurants and bars need more taps, and servers need more training.

“We’ve added new refrigerated space,” Beal said. “In one store, we have a whole new cold box.

And customers are so much more inquisitive now. Beer used to be just pointing out what they’re looking for, now, our guys on the floor have to be completely knowledgeable.”

“We’re definitely doing more training of our staff,” said Bazett, Hook & Ladder owner. “There weren’t tasting notes for Miller High Life.”

• There’s a seemingly unlimited thirst for anything new in craft beer.

But everyone in the industry— everyone—thinks that will cool down. Not soon, but eventually, and people will settle on styles and breweries.

“So many people come in asking, ‘What’s new? What’s new?’” said Rick Mindermann, the store director of Corti Brothers. “At some point, there won’t be enough people to support unlimited growth.

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“Beer could Be the gateway drug to wine.”

Josh Nelson owner, The Selland Group

It’s not slowing anytime soon, but Darrell [Corti], in his wisdom, is holding his breath, because eventually people will just buy their favorites and some breweries are going to crash.”

• Most craft breweries have limits on how large they can grow, because the pipeline—the distribution system and retailers—only has so much room.

“A brand has to have a certain production level to make sense for a distributor,” said Dan Hagan, a beer specialist for Wine Warehouse.

“You don’t want a distributor to take on a beer and run it out of stock. That’s horrible for a brewery.

They’ll lose shelf space and they’ll never get it back.

“Guys like Hank only have so much space to put new beers. Craft is a developing market, but it won’t always be one,” Hagan said.

• It seems most wine people like the craft-beer enthusiasm. They believe the more that people pay attention to what they drink, whatever it is, the better for everyone in the beverage business.

“People are thinking about what’s in the glass,” said Jonathan Klonecke, an independent Sacramento wine broker who deals with many major Northern California restaurants. “They’re talking about hops and grass and citrus. They’re accepting new flavors, and that’ll lead them to wine. Not instead of beer, but in addition to it.”

“Young people are exploring,” said Paul Wagner, who runs Balzac Communications and Marketing in Napa, one of the wine industry’s top

marketing firms. “We already see craft-beer drinkers coming to wine because it’s another thing to try.”

• Part of craft beer’s attraction is an authenticity—the cliché of the moment in food and beverage but still one that applies—of the people behind it. Many craft breweries really are small, local and earnest.

However, it might be a bubbleburster when the Buds and Millers buy more of them, the way Bud’s parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev bought 10 Barrel Brewing in Oregon.

There are more, but first, two stories about how things are changing.

Ella on K Street in downtown Sacramento is considered one of the region’s class acts, and they have a focus on craft cocktails, and even more on wine. Ella opened in 2007 and within a year stopped carrying beer in bottles.

General manager Joe Vaccaro and Nelson were talking about

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continued from page 17 Ella Dining Room & Bar is all about wine and cocktails.

But owner Josh Nelson says he and staff recently added craft beers to the menu.

beer a few weeks ago. “We decided we need to add some bottles back,” Nelson said. “We need some nice 22s [22-ounce bottles, also called bombers] to broaden our selection. People are asking.”

Pangaea has been a go-to beer spot almost since it opened in 2008, and these days has 30 beers on tap and another 320 in bottles. By mid-2013, something was happening. People liked the beer so much, they started hanging around all night.

“They wanted better food,” owner Archie said. “We’d grown from a beer hall to a beer hall and restaurant.”

Just before Beer Week last year, he hired chef Robb “Rossi” Venditti, a man with serious kitchen chops. “Then, I had to get a legitimate wine list,” Archie said. “Sometimes our customers come for dinner and the wine. My wife sometime wants wine.” Now, about 10 percent of Pangaea’s sales are wine.

For a larger view, look at nationwide sales (The beer stats are from the Brewers Association, which represents small and mid-size brewers nationwide; for more details, see the accompanying chart.): • In 2013, the latest year with sales available, overall U.S. beer sales dropped 1.9 percent from the year before. Most of the loss was in mass-market beers. On the other hand, craft-beer sales were up 17.2 percent.

• By comparison, total wine sales in the United States rose 1 percent in 2014, according to Gomberg,

paths that craft beer, and craft beer drinkers, might be headed down.

B e e r ’ s next frontier A huge factor was, and still is, the apparent ease at getting started with beer. For one, getting the bottles open is a snap. And no one has to learn grape varietals and countries and three European names for one American wine.

No one seemed required to pick out cherries or berries or something named cassis (it’s a blackcurrant liqueur and an acquired taste at best; some wine people love saying it). For a majority of beer drinkers, there just seemed to be light, dark and IPAs, with a few shades in between.

Once you get into craft beer, of course, you find out there are layers and tones and flavors and uncountable intensities of hops. But you’re already into beer by then, and it doesn’t seem so complicated.

Just as much, the cost of exploring is much lower than with wine or cocktails.

“People are way more likely to explore beers than wines,” Bazett said. “Part of it is the money commitment.

If you don’t love it, you didn’t spend $12 for a glass. And people aren’t afraid they’ll be wrong about a beer, they just want to keep trying new ones.”

That desire to explore is a huge driving force in craft beer’s growth, and that gets back to the changing culinary scene.

For decades with food and wine, mainstream consumers were searching for favorites, a wine they’d love and stick with, a restaurant they could go to over and over.

That is still true for many folks. But many others, especially younger diners and drinkers, get their joy from new discoveries—in food, in drink, in life.

“It’s part of the iPod shuffle world,” said Wagner, the marketing pro. “People are used to exploring the world at an extremely broad spectrum.

Information is more diversified, music is more diversified, coffee is more diversified. My generation grew up drinking Miller or Bud, chard or cab. My kids don’t have any constraints. They’re always looking for something different.”

Jan-Erik Paino is an owner of local brewery Ruhstaller. He likens craft-beer drinkers at the moment to “happy children exploring the big, wide world.” To explain that, he starts with his parents.

“My dad’s generation drank red, white or rosé,” Paino said. “Then they learned there was more. They went to wineries, joined wine clubs, visited wine regions. They discovered parts of California, then France and Italy.

Pretty soon, if a restaurant didn’t have a good wine list, they wouldn’t go.”

That discovery is happening now with beer, but the difference is that craft brewers added some things that had been missing from the Bud and Coors—intensity, diversity and, here’s a good one, flavor.

“People who’d been drinking Coors their whole lives tasted hops and went, ‘Wow, that’s good, I want more,’” Paino said. “Right now, consumers are like a joyful child trying everything. Beer drinkers finally have choices and they can’t get enough.”

But that discovery stage causes some difficulties for the people selling beer. It is not easy staying current, constantly offering something new, rotating beers on tap and keeping new, intriguing bombers in stock. That’s a

“ W e’re definitely doing more training of our staff. there Weren’t tasting notes for miller high life.”

Kimio Bazett owner, Hook & Ladder Manufacturing Co., on how craft beer changed his restaurant

Fredrikson & Associates, though wines costing under $7 were down 2.4 percent. Wines $7 and up grew 6 percent, and wines costing $10-plus had double-digit growth.

• In 2013, craft beer sold 15.3 million barrels (a barrel is 31 gallons). That’s 7.8 percent of all U.S. beer’s 196.2 million barrels.

(Budweiser alone sold 16 million barrels.) The value of craft-beer sales in 2013 was $14.3 billion. The entire U.S. beer industry had $100 billion in sales.

One more relevant number: A Gallup survey in 2013 of Americans who drink alcohol found a pretty equal amount preferred beer (36 percent) and wine (35 percent). In 2014, Gallup said 41 percent preferred beer and 31 percent preferred wine. (About 23 percent preferred spirits.)

So what does all that mean? Back to the original point. Craft beer is hot. And how it got that way says a few things about both the evolving American culinary scene and about what it used to be. It also shows the

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Events

SATURDAY FEB 28TH 5-8 SAN DIEGO BREWERY NIGHT! $4 PINTS OF BALLAST POINT, CORONADO, GREEN FLASH, STONE

THURSDAY MAR 5TH 5-8

CENTRAL CALI BREWERY NIGHT! DUST BOWL, FIRESTONE, TAP IT, SLO, KERN BREWERY CO & MORE ★ PEOPLES CHOICE AWARD FOR FAVORITE IPA

FRIDAY MAR 6TH 5-8

HUMBOLDT BREWERY NIGHT EEL RIVER, LOST COAST, MAD RIVER, NORTH COAST & SIX RIVERSBREWERY ★ FAVORITE PORTER AWARD

SATURDAY MAR 7TH 1-4

BREWERY OLYYMPICS & IPA FEST! AUBURN ALEHOUSE, BERRYESSA, LOOMIS BASIN HERETIC, OUT OF BOUNDS, KNEE DEEP, TRACK 7 & MORE

40 ON 40 AIRSTREAM DINER FOOD TRUCK DERVING GRUB! 4007 Taylor Road • Loomis, CA {EXIT I-80 TO SIERRA COLLEGE}

916-652-4007 • countryclubsaloon.com

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continued from page 19 The beer selection at Corti Brothers in East Sacramento has grown in a big way in recent years, but owner Darrell Corti is holding his breath. “Eventually people will buy their favorites and some breweries are going to crash,” says store director Rick Mindermann.

The crafT-beer ThirsT won’T end, buT There is only so much growTh in any markeT. if an exploding sTar is The meTaphor of The momenT, The ineviTable pull of graviTy on ThaT sTar is waiTing in The fuTure.

whole new layer of work, time and expense, not to mention risk.

“We get lots of people who look for something new every time they come in,” said Rick Mahan, owner of The Waterboy in Midtown and OneSpeed Pizza in East Sacramento.

“We’ve got six taps, which doesn’t seem like enough anymore, and down at OneSpeed we have to change constantly. We have space considerations that keep us from going crazy, but we don’t want to disappoint anyone.”

Even supermarkets like Nugget have a constant juggling act, and despite carrying about 600 different beers, sometimes they can guess wrong or miss something.

“It’s a moving target to stay on top of what’s hot,” said Beal, the Nugget adult-beverage boss. “People count on us to have everything they’re looking for. A couple times, we thought something was hot and got stuck with it.

[Nugget beer buyer] Michael Taylor has a big job. He really has to hustle.”

And in Taylor’s hustle and Mahan’s limits are clues to when the craft expansion might slow. The craftbeer thirst won’t end, but there is only so much growth in any market. If an exploding star is the metaphor of the moment, the inevitable pull of gravity on that star is waiting in the future.

“If there’s a beer out there, people want to try it,” said Corti Brothers’ Mindermann. “But that’s a two-edged sword. You can bring it in and you can sell it, but it has to sell more than once. We have a lot of room for beer, but there are limits on everyone.”

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new beers will slow eventually for a handful of reasons, and most have do with the business of selling beer.

“For the retailer, it’s so much work and logistics rotating kegs and tracking sales,” Hagan said. “If you’re a restaurant or bar, you might have five distributors in a week say, ‘You have to take this now or it will be gone,’ and if you take them, you’re backed up in the cooler and can’t handle the guys who come in next week.

“Because of the price, beer is a volume game. Retailers and distributors will focus on their best sellers.”

That’s on top of the sheer limits of distributors to get beer to retailers and of retailers to clear shelf space.

Just as much, Hagan and others believe the exploration—the “happy child” phase as Paino called it—will eventually give way to people settling on favorite styles and flavors, especially since the differences between new beers will become smaller and smaller as the market gets more saturated.

“Some brewers think wherever they go, consumers will follow,” Paino said. “That’s sort of true now, because we’re in that phase. But the music will stop eventually. We need to be aware of that, or we’ll drive over the cliff.”

But Paino is the first to say his mixed metaphor could be years away.

And the thing is, the free-wheeling,

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push-the-envelope beer-making that may eventually overtax the market is also one of craft beer’s biggest draws.

It’s exciting, and inventive, and, maybe most of all, connects to that notion of authenticity, of real people making beer they love just because they love it.

“We all look for that unique experience,” said Pangaea’s Archie.

“None of us wants to be a clone. To just stand in line to get the same thing, there’s no story to that. People want some kind of understanding of what they’re involved in. They want to know that there’s a soul behind what they’re buying.

“If you have a favorite brewery, it’s like having a favorite artist or singer. You know their style, you follow along to see what they’re going to do.”

But what happens a brewery starts to lose its cool-indie-brewer cachet?

“That’s why you keep seeing new items from Sierra Nevada, which was one of the original crafts,” Hagan said.

“It’s harder and harder to sell that green label [for its once monstrously popular pale ale], so they have things like Hop Hunter.”

One possible future for craft beer might be a series of small and midsized regional brewers, and that rare company that finds a way to get big without appearing to. | A R T S & C U L T U R E

“We may end up with a lot of beer pubs, and beer will be different everywhere,” Paino said. “The distribution chain is a mess, and the market will settle down eventually. Growing large will get hard.”

Paino’s point is echoed by a company called Guestmetrics, which tracks sales in more than 10,000 bars and restaurants in the country.

Guestmetrics said craft-beer sales growth for the first four weeks of 2015 was 0.9 percent, down from 1.9 percent for the same period in 2014.

That could be a blip, or a slowdown.

But Guestmetrics said that, considering the continual increase in the number of new craft beers, it raises “issues about the sustainability of this growth.”

As the market settles, whenever that may be, there’s a sense among wine folk that many craft beer drinkers will spread their taste buds “My guess? Beer could be the gateway drug to wine,” Nelson said.

“Eventually beer and wine drinkers will be the same people,” Beal said. “A lot already are. Anytime you get people asking questions, thinking about flavors, really enjoying what they’re drinking, they’re going to try something they hadn’t before, and realize that’s interesting, too. That’ll be good for all our businesses.”

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craft beer culture fits the Sacramento zeitgeist of paying attention to what we eat and drink and caring about where things come from—a.k.a., a farm-to-fork attitude. That’s one reason a new California Craft Beer Summit will have its first convention in Sacramento in September. There’s also a healthy dose here of rooting for the underdog—the indie brewer, the small hop farmer, the person with, as Paino called it, beer dreams.

One of the people in the forefront of Sacramento’s farm-to-fork embrace, restaurateur Patrick Mulvaney, said the interest in exploring craft beer is a natural piece of Sacramento’s regional DNA. “That’s what we do here,” Mulvaney said. “We talk about what we eat and drink and who’s growing it or making it. That drives that artisanal, smaller focus.

“I was in Phoenix a couple weeks ago and I was thinking, ‘Where’re the farms? Where’s the good beer?’

Looking at a wine list in Arizona is time warpy. There’s nothing unique.

We’re a little different from the rest of the world here. We still like finding something undiscovered.”

And that gets back to Beer Week.

Just ask Dan Hagan. He’s spent the past two months trying to stay on top of what is a natural, common and impossible request.

“All my retailers want a rare beer,” Hagan said. “They want something no one’s seen before. I keep telling them, if I’m carrying something no one’s seen, I’m not doing my job very well.” Ω

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BEER WEEK SPECIAL AT 3 FIRES LOUNGE

1501 L STREET | SACRAMENTO, CA 916.443.0500 | www.3FIRESLOUNGE.com 22

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B

DARTBOARD! by jonathan mendick

Can't decide what Beer Week events to attend?

Throw darts at this page! (Or, check out www.sacbeerweek.com for a more complete, updated list of official events—it's probably a safer option, too.)

9

10 iMpelruiapul lipoaco co The

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ide ild r er’s w st is a mustk l a w ourFe our and s t for fans of s estone

Fir even er from attend id Walk mpany will v a D . g Co beer tl sough Brewin Walker ver a specia event, li e e h d t d ff han ick o the eg to k e over y, after k ours will tak turda a s S 6 .

1 .m n the :30 p afe, ree, 12 Bier C taps. F at Pangaea d; , r 7 a h v c r le Ma Bou . ranklin iercafe.com 2743 F ngaeab a .p w ww

8

norcal Vs. socal

pits neighbor ag ainst neighbor. Der Bie rgarten will serve NorC al brews and Golden Bear will s erve SoCal brews. Six- to eig ht-ounce pours will be ava ilable for $2.50 and $3 for this 10-hour event. Free, noo n to 10 p.m.

Saturday, March 7, at Der Biergarte n and the Golden Bear, 2332 K Street and 2326 K Street; w ww.beer gardensacrame nto.com and www.goldenbear 916.com.

1

2

, a bunc local breweries , and er Week brews Sacramento Be ugget , N ck ha a S zz Pi bites by Mary’s et ick . T se ou k H Market and Tan $45 at al admission is options: Gener l-you al ith s w me the door and co e gets s (a $10 upgrad can-drink brew re’s a he d t an s), ht lig you extra IPA f $10-$55; driver ticket. $10 designated ry 26, at ua br Fe y, da 5:30 p.m. Thurs m, mobile Museu California Auto to et; www.calau 2200 Front Stre r-week. ee -b ac t/s en museum.org/ev

is Lowbrau’s vers ion of a rare beer night. Does the term “hors e blanket” mean a nything to you o ther than an equine wi th a fuzzy sheet on it? Yes? Then yo u’re probably b eer nerdy enough for this event. Free,

5 p.m. Tuesday, M arch 3, at Lowbrau, 1050 20t h Street; www.lowbrausa cramento.com.

he o t k t s Bac ight kick n

’80s l Horne’s ek of

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ers ento Brew the sacraM han 30 e t or s m ha

showcase h of exclusive

7 iF You know, You know

tition cat ers to hop lovers with

double an d triple IPAs on tap and

showcased in a blind tasting com petition. A ttendees are the judg es—becaus e, who doesn’t lik e judging?

Free, 11:30 a.m. S aturday, M arch 7, at Boneshaker Public Hou se 2168 Sunse t Boulevard , , Sui in Rocklin; ( 916) 259-233 te 104 7; www.bones hakerpub.c om.

e d we amu off S ’s packe r Week n e r e e

v Ta nto B he bar’s ame l Sacr (check t list). It’l ts ull its even e for a f f t u it d o webs usic an d some n m ll have he ’80s, a . Free, a t rs from hool bee uary 27, r c n, old-s iday, Feb ’s Taver e r day F uel Horn t in m e at Sa tter Stre -8207; u 93 719 S ; (916) 2 es.com. m n Folso /samhor :/ http

capitol Be er

Fest’s got more than 100 breweries, m than 300 cra ore ft brews, liv e music by Daze on the G reen, free bike valet and food from Bac on Mania, Nor th Border Taco and Slig htly Skewed . P roceeds go to the Run nin’ for Rhett Youth Fitness Prog ram. What y ou get: A $45 general-adm ission ticket gets you a tasting glass a nd tokenless tasting, and there’s also a $10 de signated driver ticket . $10-$45; 2 p .m . Sunday, March 8, on C apitol Mall be tween Third and Sev enth streets;

www.capitolb eerfest.com .

B

third Your local Brewer 4 night

is quite representative of what Final Gravity’s all about. It’s a good time to hang out, talk to 13 local brewmakers, drink local beer and probably learn something. Free, 5 p.m. Saturday, February 28, at Final Gravity, 9205 Sierra College Boulevard, Suite 100 in Roseville; www.finalgravitybeer.com.

annual At the third

pital citY hoMe Brew ca 5 coMpetition

you k gives e Shac ewers h t

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r t kFes local b shac e to meet 11 sa Brewing, c es ), a chan like Berry ewing s raz Br sic place g and M nd live mu (from in w e bs od a 7 Br Track re will be fo , the Bar Ta on s he amigo $35-$40, no plus t w h c he S ale. ck, from t io Orangev 997; he Sha ad 1, at t (916) 457-5 h and R c r a ; d , M r y a a v d le n Su Bou .com. olsom 5201 F stsacshack a .e w w w

at , eight teams th me brew clubs represent local ho o he opportunity t face off to win t red at the 21st have a beer featu ery in San Amendment Brew 0 a.m. Sunday, Francisco. Free, 1

ol Beer and Tap March 1, at Capit aks Boulevard; Room, 2222 Fair O m. w.capitolbeer.co (916) 922-1745; ww

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by

Janelle Bitker, Alastair Bland, Becky Grunewald and Nick Miller photos by

wes davis

(Yes, there are surelY another 50. or 100. Go easY on us. We’re trYinG to celebrate beer Week here!)

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MIkE HUtSon

Sudwerk Brewery head Brewer Oh, the exciting things going down at the newlook Sudwerk Brewery in Davis. Since Hutson and Co. took over, they’ve launched a special “dock” hangout in the back for its most devoted brew customers. They are making all kinds of fun sour and barrel-aged experimental brews, plus the usual tasty pilsner and such. 2001 Second Street in Davis, (530) 758-8700, www.sudwerk.com.

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tOrstarts with the brewer. does it? Maybe it starts with the person deliver-

ing the malt and hops? Whatever. There’s also the servers, distributors, lobbyists, bar owners, writers, buyers and judges. Coming up with a list of 50 people who matter in the Sacramento beer scene is probably a bad idea: There are just too many faces out there.

Easily 150, or more. And, of course, if someone’s left off this list, it’s a bummer. But that doesn’t mean anything (and they’ll probably be on the list next year, so there you go).

This year’s beer issue is about celebrating the people who make local brew exciting, inspiring.

Thanks for getting us all a little buzzed—and more!

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Visit these breweries & pubs at your own pace

SAT

FEB 28TH & SAT

MARCH 7TH

TIMES: 12PM TO 8PM COST: $30 PER PERSON

Departure Location: Sacramento Convention Center 1400 J street Sacramento 95814 RSVP online at www.sactrips.com or call 916.443.8741

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w w w. n e w s r e v i e w. c o m

Your Hops

Gift certificates to local merchants for up to 50% off

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KylE and amy RUthnIcK

Final Gravity owners Roseville likes beer, too. But for many years, craft was not part of the suburb’s equation. At least until Kyle and Amy Ruthnick opened Final Gravity, just off Sierra College Boulevard, a few years back. Now, they get top-notch drafts and bottles on the regular. Plus fun, thoughtful events, such as a cupcake and beer pairing on Tuesday, March 3, with treats like Oskar Blues Death

By Coconut porter and coconut cream cupcakes. 9205 Sierra College Boulevard, No. 100, in Roseville; (916) 782-1166; www.finalgravity beer.com.

Annie Johnson, brewer and educator: Johnson earned a fermenter full of local ink for winning the nation’s largest home-brewing competition a couple years back. But she deserves to be on this list for teaching and educating at Brew Ferment Distill and elsewhere, and just being an A-level ambassador for local beer. @BuffaloBrewing on Twitter.

Vince Sterne, Two Rivers Cider Co. owner: As local beer enthusiast Dan Scott wrote in an email, “Cider counts, too!” And there’s no bigger name in local cider than Sterne, whose passion for Sacto and the local food-drink scene goes back decades. Go for that blackberry cider at Golden Bear, and stay for a second—or third—because who ever got hungover from too much cider? www.tworiverscider.com.

Gary Sleppy, The Shack owner: When it comes to

craft beer in the city, Sleppy was the pioneer.

He started pouring craft at his Shack in East Sacramento a few years before Pangaea or anyone else. 5201 Folsom Boulevard, (916) 457-5997, www.eastsacshack.com.

Peter Hoey, brewer: Hoey now works for BSG,

who provides brew ingredients to beer-makers worldwide. But he’s often called a “godfather” of local brewing. Not sure how he feels about that—but we can feel good that Hoey is out there spreading the gospel of brew. www.bsgcraftbrewing.com.

Chris Miller, Berryessa Brewing Company brewmaster: It’s not yet four years old, but

Berryessa already seems like an institution. Not

only is the brewery taproom on the outskirts of Winters becoming ever more of a legendary magnet for cyclists and Bay Area daytrippers, Berryessa brews are also now a mainstay of taps around Sacramento and the Bay Area.

Berryessa still self-distributes in Northern California and has about 200 accounts total, with about a quarter of those in Sacramento. The top sellers are the House IPA, Whippersnapper (mild ale), Common Sense (California common) and Double Tap (double IPA). Other standouts include Freshie, a fruity wet-hopped beer available only during harvest season, and Propaganda Pils, a crisply hoppy, grassy pilsner.

Berryessa hasn’t made many inroads anywhere else in California or out-of-state, mostly due to a shortage of beer. Miller, reached while fishing, said that hopefully all that will change soon. “We’re going through an expansion. We just had the electrical done on the new tanks this week. We did 1,800 barrels last year and with the new tanks that will double our capacity,” he said. Plans to do a first canning run of Common Sense are also imminent, pending label approval. 27260 Highway 128 in Winters, (530) 795-3526, www.berryessabrewingco.com.

Jeremy Warren, Knee Deep Brewing Co. brewmaster:

Warren is the dice-rolling Knee Deep brewer who expanded boldly and early in this latest craft-beer boom—and it’s paying off. You can find his beers in Auburn and on the East Coast.

Citra and Hoptologists are big winners at Bay Area brew competitions. The guy is knee-deep in smart moves. 13395 New Airport Road in Auburn, (530) 797-4677, www.kneedeep brewing.com.

Ryan Graham and Geoff Scott, Track 7 Brewing Co. owners: This past weekend, Graham and Scott

spoke at the grand opening of Track’s new and expansive Natomas facility. Local politicians were in tow, and lines extended out the front door. This is what big-time beer growth looks like in Sacto. Congrats! www.track7 brewing.com.

Bill Wood, Auburn Alehouse brewer: Wood was the

lead and only brewer at Elk Grove Brewing for a baker’s dozen years before moving on to Auburn, where he teams up with Brian Ford in what is possibly the most badass brewing duo in the region. 289 Washington Street in Auburn, (530) 885-2537, www.auburnalehouse.com.

Colby Pettenger, Hot City Pizza owner: Pettenger’s

not-so-secret-any-more East Sacramento pizza spot still has a few under-the-radar goodies on the horizon. Spoiler: This year’s Sour Fest, which will be happening very soon. 5642 J Street, (916) 731-8888, www.hotcity-pizza.com.

Erik Schmid, The Brewmeister owner: Want to make the leap to brewing your own beer? That’s when The Brewmeister and its three regional locations enter your life. (And you thought you spent a lot of coin at the local beer bar.) Go for it! www.shopbrewmeister.com.

Gold Country Brewers Association: For more than 30 years, GCBA has been uniting homebrewers in the region. Keep an eye out for their annual competition, Celebrewtion—or maybe enter it? www.goldcountrybrewers.org.

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Beer Week events Friday February 27th Beer Week Kick Off Party! • 6pm-2am

Sunday March 1St Lazy Beer Afternoon • 1pm-4pm

Celebrate the Kick-off of Sacramento Beer Week @ The Hilltop Tavern. We will be featuring exciting new specialty beer selections from a range of local breweries. Also take a peek at the line up for all of Hilltop’s Beer week activities. Taco Azteca Food Truck 6pm-10pm!

Come chill with us and sip on some of North Coast Brewery’s finest beers. We will be playing kick back tunes all day! Brother T is back! Enjoy a pint of beer and keep the glass!

Saturday February 28th Cider Night! • 5pm-9pm Come and taste a variety of local and specialty ciders featuring Two Rivers from Sacramento, CA, Ace Cider from Sebastopol, CA and Common Cider from Auburn, CA using Apple Hill regional fruit. Glassware available for a limited time.

Monday March 2nd Prohibition Party • 5pm-7pm Celebrate the repeal of Prohibition with a night of “Bootlegging” Featuring Speakeasy Ales and Lagers. Recieve a free glass if you wear your boots! Glassware available for a limited time.

tueSday March 3rd Nor Cal VS. So Cal • 5-7pm The Ultimate Battle of the Beers. Anchor Brewing and Anderson Valley representing the North and Ballast Point and St. Archer representing the South. Too many delicious beers from all four breweries to list. Glasses and goodies from every brewery. Who will be crowned the Beer Champions? Don’t Forget to place your vote for Norcal or Socal.

If you love beer this night is a must do.

thurSday March 5th & Friday March 6th 6pm-2am • Green Flash Invades Hilltop Tavern One Of California’s most loved Breweries joins us for a two night tap takeover featuring West coast IPA, Citra Session Pale Ale, East Village Pilsner, Soul Style and MORE! The Squeeze Inn Food truck will also be serving up delicious treats on Thursday From 5pm-8pm. Taco Azteca food truck on Friday!

Saturday March 7th 6pm-11pm • 80’s Party!

Celebrate the breweries founded in the 80’s. Featuring Boulder, Sierra Nevada, Lost Coast, and North Coast.

Dress up in your most radical 80’s gear and bring your dancing shoes. We will be rocking 80’s hits all night long.

Plus Squeeze Inn Food Truck from 2pm-7pm.

Sunday March 8th Noon-2am Hilltop Tavern’s 6th Annual Beer Week Ping Pong Tournament @ Noon. Come in and sign up early. Space

is limited to 16 players. $10 entry fee. Beer Blowout specials all day and night. Happy Beer Week!

WedneSday March 4th Lost Coast Pint Night • 5pm-7pm Lost Coast is the producer of some of the best microbrews in America. Come try some of their tastiest concoctions and keep the glass after you are done! Cluck N’ Chuck food truck at 4:45pm.

Flip Cup Tournament • 7pm Bring your skills. Tournament starts @7pm. 8 teams of 4, $40 per team entry fee. Come in and sign up early to guarantee your spot.

HILLTOP TAVERN

48 TH & FOLSOM BLVD | SACRAMENTO, CA 28

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Dan Scott, beer enthusiast and Sacramento Beer Week founder: Are

you attending any tastings during Sacramento Beer Week? Then take a hot tip from former Beer Week director Dan Scott and don’t come in looking for the highestalcohol beer being served. “It’s very common for people, usually neophytes, to come in and ask for the strongest beer we have,” says Scott, who helped launch the first Beer Week in 2010 and ran the show each year until 2014. “It’s definitely an eye-roller for the staff.” He points out that highgravity beers are “not a priority for brewers” in most cases. “And it’s not the goal of a beer festival to get people sloshed,” he says.

So, instead of seeking strength, seek novelty—like Scott’s favorite emerging style: beer aged in wine barrels. Scott has sampled many a booze-barrel beer, and the winebarrel beer is an extension of the same evolutionary trajectory but with subtler, more elusive flavors.

Scott says he can identify the type of wine that was aged in an oak barrel by the taste of the beer that was later aged in the same oak barrel. Impressive. Chardonnay, he says, is an easy one to nail, while distinguishing between reds is a more nuanced challenge.

Mike Mraz, Mraz Brewing Company owner: Be excited about Mraz’s

barrel-aging and sour-beer program. He just expanded into a 3,000 foot space, which he’s probably filling with barrels as you read this. Added bonus: His hopped beers are pretty tops, too, as evidenced by his first-place double-IPA win in the latest Hops to Table issue. 2222 Francisco Drive, No. 510, in El Dorado Hills; (916) 934-0744; www.mrazbrewingcompany.com.

Scott Cramlet, Rubicon Brewing Co. brewer: Cramlet is a familiar face

for Midtown beer fans. He’s been at the helm at Rubicon for more than two decades and is respected

Rick SelleRS

Owl Club Owner

in the local beer community as a so-called founding father.

2004 Capitol Avenue, (916) 448-7032, www.rubicon brewing.com.

Dylan Mauro, Samuel Horne’s Tavern owner: A former distributor, Mauro

opened up Sam Horne’s a few years back and now runs one of the best brew spots in the region. Sam Horne’s niche is American craft beer, exclusively, which is poured at the proper temperature and served in a relaxing, chill spot. Oh, and the grub is pretty solid, too.

719 Sutter Street in Folsom, (916) 293-8207, www.samhornes.com.

Keenan Gorgis, Curtis Park Market owner: Gorgis took a not-much-

to-look-at convenience store just off the grid and transformed it into a major beer destination for craft-craving Land Park and Curtis Park dads. Secret’s out. 2703 24th Street, (916) 456-6488.

David Morrow, DBI Beverage: Morrow

is master of all things brew at DBI, one of the region’s top beer distributors. The former Sudwerks guy is known around town as an encyclopedia of sud smarts. Feel

30 | SN&R | 02.26.15

luck if you get to brew down with Morrow and he drops some knowledge on you. www.dbi beverage.com.

Todd Fancher, Corti Brothers beer buyer: He tastes 10 new beers a

week, browses brewery websites by night, makes phone calls to brewers by day, visits their pubs for draft tastings, and never—not for a moment—removes his finger from the throbbing pulse of the craft beer industry. Fancher is the beer buyer for Corti Brothers in East Sacramento, a job that keeps him at all hours in the fast lane of the beer industry.

His duty is not just to buy beers, but also to buy the best beers—and to buy them before other retailers do, if possible.

Fancher must sniff out emerging trends before they go mainstream and locate interesting people helping to shape the industry. “It’s a full-time job, 24-seven,” he says.

The shop’s collection consists of about 600 bottles now, he says, and with the brewing industry growing in size and complexity, his job gets more difficult—but better—with each new day and each new beer.

So, what is Fancher excited about in the beer world? Barrel aging, he says. And where does he see the industry going?

“That’s hard to know,” he says.

“The opportunities are endless.

There’s no end. Brewers are like artists painting, and they can do anything they want.” 5810 Folsom Boulevard, (916) 736-3800, www.cortibrothers.com.

Gary Saccani, Saccani Distributing Company owner: Stone, Oskar

Blues, Lagunitas—if you enjoy beer from these breweries, then you have Saccani to thank, as his company brings it into town. www.saccanidist.com.

Longstanding brew-scene staple Sellers, formerly of Draft Magazine and Samuel Horne’s Tavern, just opened his own bar in old town Roseville.

He kept the Owl Club name—but the brew is a helluva lot better. Make the journey. 109 Church Street in Roseville, (916) 782-5222, www.owlclubroseville.om.

Glynn Phillips, Rubicon Brewing Co. owner: Phillips is a major

Sacramento Beer Week player and was one of the reasons the event came to be in the first place.

2004 Capitol Avenue, (916) 448-7032, www.rubicon brewing.com.

Taylor Ramos, the Davis Beer Shoppe owner: A shop that only sells beer,

and nothing else. That was the original vision for the Davis Beer Shoppe, Taylor Ramos’ cozy bar

and bottle haven in downtown Davis.

Back in 2011, the concept seemed unusual, challenging. But that perception didn’t last. Lines soon formed down the block; tables impossible to snag on a weekend night.

Many Davis beer enthusiasts argue that Ramos ushered in the latest wave of craft beer energy in town. Nowhere else could you find rotating taps of rare and specialty brews, more than 600 bottles for sale and daily curated

Ken HotcHKiss and Patti aguirre

Capitol Beer and tap room owners

Capital Beer and Tap Room is proof that the recession wasn’t all bad.

Owner Ken Hotchkiss was a successful contractor, and says he would probably still be doing that now if those naughty bankers hadn’t intervened. He and co-owner Patti Aguirre, who had recently sold her hardware store, hatched plan B on the patio at the Rubicon, and in 2012 they opened their doors.

“Since neither of us had prior experience in the beer industry, we learned everything on the job.

I have a huge passion for beer and Patti is very organized, so it’s a good combination,” Hotchkiss says.

Cap Tap’s beer list is “definitely American craft beer-centric,” he explained, with 20 rotating taps mostly dedicated to West Coast beers. The bottle shop is decidedly more global and stocks hardto-find and classic beers at fair prices. The growth of the bottle shop has surpassed that of the bar, and it’s quickly become a brew destination for the Arden-Arcade area. The taproom website tracks the current tap list and new arrivals in the shop—a must in the current beer climate where a few hours can mean missing out on Instagram gold.

As for personal tastes: Hotchkiss favors IPA and sour styles; Aguirre stouts, porters and Belgians.

Different beer tastes, different business styles—one solid business. 2222 Fair Oaks Boulevard, (916) 922-1745, www.capitolbeer.com.

tasting flights—all ridiculously reasonably priced. Trying was encouraged, and education inevitable.

When the Shoppe’s success became clear—and that Davis had a serious thirst for great brew—other businesses upped their beer game, too. Hooray for better beer everywhere.

And that’s what it’s all about for Ramos—a beer lover who just wants to spread the beer gospel. 211 G Street, (530) 756-5212, www.facebook.com/ TheDavisBeerShoppe.

Tom Dalldorf, Celebrator editor and publisher: They call this

Nevada City-based beer mag a “Brewspaper.” We call it 27 years of legit brew news and knowledge. www.celebrator.com.

Jason Mussetter, Mussetter Distributing owner: Someone’s got

to get the beer from the brewer to the bar. Enter Mussetter: They distribute everything from Auburn Alehouse to Maui Brewing and are locally owned. www.mussetterdistributing.com.

David Teckam, homebrewer and beer judge: Want to be a certified

beer judge? Teckam is one of the local gatekeepers. He can educate you on everything from attenuation to basic styles and

show you to the Beer Judge Certification Program light.

Good luck on the test! www.beerjudgeschool.com.

Bike Dog Brewing Company team:

Bike Dog Brewing Company is firmly at the forefront of the burgeoning West Sacramento renaissance, and it’s a partnership between four people (Sage Smith, A.J. Tendick, Raef Porter and head brewer Pete Atwood) instrumental in shaping the taste of Bike Dog’s easily quaffable beers.

Atwood started homebrewing 20 years ago, right out of college, shelved the passion for years and then got back into it seriously eight years ago. He and his partners, who all work at the same day job, hatched “this crazy scheme and here we are.”

And where they are is at a quintupled brewing capacity in their one-and-a-half years in business. Now, they’re about to do their first bottling run. They are starting with their Sand Dog IPA and their popular milk stout, a move for which Atwood says he is “super excited.” They plan to do a bottle release during Beer Week, as well as a stout tap takeover with wild flavors such as habanero and raspberry tamarind.

They are taking their Beer Week show on the road for a tap takeover (and rounds of sprint bowling) at West Capitol

Bowl, and to Public House Theater in Tahoe Park. Atwood, a neighborhood denizen, is a big supporter of this new repertory movie house, which regularly taps Bike Dog beers. He deems the Public House Theater “up and coming”—a term that also characterizes Bike Dog to a T. 2534 Industrial Boulevard, No. 110, in West Sacramento; (916) 572-0788; www.bikedog brewing.com.

Tom Karvonen, Oak Park Brewing co-founder: Neighbors patiently

waited for Oak Park Brewing to open. Now, they’ve got a brew-down spot in their own backyard—and with a nice patio, to boot. Finger Karvonen for bringing brew to the south side; he’s the co-founder, and he also makes the stuff, too. 3514 Broadway, (916) 660-2723, www.opbrewco.com.

Mike Costello, Yolo Brewing Company owner: The beer news

in West Sacramento this past year was that Costello, former Brew It Up! founder, opened Yolo. You can visit the taproom, or already find bottles at spots like nearby Roco’s bottle shop.

1520 Terminal Street in West Sacramento, (916) 379-7585, www.yolobrew.com.

Anders Kindall, University of Beer Sacramento beer buyer: Let’s

give a shout-out to the young

“Beer issue” BEFORE

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generation in local beer, including Kindall. He may be in his 20s, but he’s got pull, as he’s in charge of the 100 draft handles and bottle program at Uni of Beer. With extraordinary buying power comes big-time responsibility; in Kindall we trust.

1510 16th Street, (916) 996-4844, www.theuob.com.

Jan-Erik Paino, Ruhstaller Beer owner: Located next to his

car keys, Jan-Erik Paino’s bottle opener key chain reads “Ruhstaller’s Brewery.”

And underneath, “Best Beer Brewed.”

“That’s pretty ballsy,” Paino says.

Confused? The key chain wasn’t designed for Paino’s four-year-old brewery Ruhstaller Beer. Rather, it belonged to Captain Frank Ruhstaller’s 1881 brewery, from which Paino got his brewery’s name. And the name of his red ale, 1881.

Paino’s basement taproom attempts to explain Frank Ruhstaller’s story, the source of inspiration for Paino’s Sacramento-grown ethos. Down the taproom’s stairs and to the left sits Legacy Lane, with old photos and cool artifacts—an original Gilt Edge beer can, an ornate beer tray—most of which were donated by the still-living Ruhstaller family.

Remarkably, Paino never studied history or brewing. At

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continued from page 31 Princeton, it was architecture. At UC Davis, it was business. But after graduating in 2009, he became roped into a real-estate project that involved researching historic Sacramento buildings, including the 1989 Ruhstaller Building at J and Ninth streets. After devouring Ed Carroll’s thesis on old Sacramento breweries, Paino proposed a brewery that paid homage to Frank Ruhstaller, arguably Sacramento’s king of beer.

“I think in that era Ruhstaller lived in, we weren’t trying to be anyone else,” Paino said. “We were just trying to be the best Sacramento we could be.”

Unlike, perhaps, recently. But to Paino, Sacramento is finally embracing itself as an agricultural town, a beer town.

“We’re no longer saying, ‘Let’s be Denver, Portland or Austin,’” he said. “Instead, let’s let those guys talk about us.” 630 K Street, (916) 447-1881, www.ruhstallerbeer.com.

Alexis Johnson

LowBrau server

Let’s not forget the hundreds of Sacramentans who serve beer every day, which includes

Dave Gull, New Helvetia Brewing Co. owner: Gull is also a big player in

Sacramento Beer Week this year, when he’s not geeking out on Sacto beer history or organizing top-level beer collaborations with the likes of Ginger Elizabeth and the big-four independent coffee roasters in the 916. Keep it up! 1730 Broadway, (916) 469-9889, www.newhelvetia brew.com.

Ken Anthony, Device Brewing Co. owner and head brewer: This young

community brewery keeps on growing and improving thanks to Anthony, who works with other brewers (Track 7) and bottle shops (Capitol Beer and Tap Room) on collaboration beers, too. Oh, and bottles of his Integral IPA will be hitting shelves this week for the first time! 8166 14th Avenue, www.devicebrewing.com.

Rob Archie, Pangaea Bier Cafe owner:

For Rob Archie, owner of Pangaea Bier Cafe, brew has evolved like music. Decades ago, beer was simple and one-dimensional.

Mainstream lagers from giant breweries flowed forward predictably, like the squarely structured works of classical German composers.

Today, beer has evolved into a far more complex, dynamic and innovative culture—and to Archie, it’s like the diverse world of hip-hop.

“Between Mos Def, Ice Cube, Eminem—there’s going to be at least one thing everyone likes,” he says. Archie, a Woodland native, has enjoyed beer since college (well, actually, a few years before, he concedes). But it wasn’t until he went to San Diego State that he

Charles W. Bamforth, professor of malting and brewing sciences at UC Davis: They call professor Bamforth

the “Pope of Foam.” Enough said. http://foodscience.ucdavis.edu/ people/faculty/bamforth.html.

Tom McCormick, California Craft Brewer’s Association executive director: What’s CCBA, you ask?

In brief: McCormick advocates on behalf of California breweries like Russian River and Firestone Walker. Bonus: CCBA is putting on the inaugural Craft Beer Summit and Brewer’s Showcase this September. www.california craftbeer.com.

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Johnson (pictured, front): Rated one of the top waitresses in the city by The Sacramento Bee, she’s equal parts passion for beer, studiousness and

visited the Karl Strauss brewpub and discovered that beer could be more than nondescript lager. His mind thus opened, he found further enlightenment during travels in Europe. He opened his bar in 2008, with five beers on tap. Today, he offers 30 on draft, plus 350 bottles. Every style is represented.

Hopheads will find their fix here, and stout fans—but Archie’s soft spot is for sours. He fell in love with the style in Belgium, where he learned of the power of native airborne yeasts and spontaneous fermentation. Craft brewers of America have grabbed onto the sour culture in the past ten years.

But Archie is quick to point out that craft beer isn’t a trend. “We’re just discovering things that were always around,” he says. 2743 Franklin Boulevard, (916) 454-4942, www.pangaeabiercafe.com.

Brian Ford, Auburn Alehouse brewmaster: Ford, who’s been brew-

ing for more than three decades— including stints at Beermann’s, Old Nevada Brewing and Rubicon—is the guy responsible for the topnotch brew up in Auburn at one of the region’s best brew pubs. Look for the ZZ Hop triple-IPA this time

energy to share. You definitely want to chat brews with her on the LowBrau patio sometime.

1050 20th Street, (916) 706-2636, www.lowbrausacramento.com.

of year; we hear it will be on cask at Owl Club sometime soon.

289 Washington Street in Auburn, (530) 885-2537, www.auburnale house.com.

John Zervas, Hops to Table publisher:

Zervas’ penchant for nerding out on beer lead to the launch of Hops to Table a couple years back. The fulltime union rep can be a bulldog at times (no comment), but ultimately he’s all about geeking out on brew and celebrating the scene. www.hopstotable.com.

Blair Anthony Robertson, Sacramento Bee beer columnist: “BAR,” as they

call him, makes this list because when he writes about a brewery in his The Beer Run column, it has an impact. www.sacbee.com.

Darrell Amerine, Northern California Brewers Guild executive director: If

you’re reading this and enjoying Sacramento Beer Week, then Amerine is one of the guys to blame. He took the reigns of the 11-day “week” this past fall and was instrumental in organizing the good times you are likely experiencing at this precise moment.

That is, if you’re brewing down

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MAtteo seArgenti

LowBrau Beer Buyer The former Pangaea beer buyer (pictured right, against the bar) now runs the taps at one of Midtown’s busiest bars. Go for the Beer Nerd menu, stay for the exciting rotating drafts. Oh, and his Beer Week lineup is not to be messed with (hint: mole and coconut Victory at Sea). 1050 20th Street, (916) 706-2636, www.low brausacramento.com. while reading some SN&R, which we highly advise. Cheers! www.northerncalbrewers.com. Ω

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to u s e th

DAT E N I G H T e

p ro m o c o d e ! Yo u ’l l s ave a n a d d it io n a l 2 0 % o ff yo u r e n ti re p u rc h a s e . valid until fe bruary 28th .

Sn&R ReadeRS Save up to 50% off at theSe local ShopS and ReStauRantS 3 Fires: $25.00 for $12.50 Adamo’s: $25.00 for $12.50 Alley Katz: $20.00 for $10.00 Amador Vintners: $50.00 for $25.00: Baguettes Deli: $15.00 for $7.50 Blue Lamp: $20.00 for $10.00 Brookside Restaurant & Bar: $25.00 for $12.50 Cupcake Craving: $10.00 for $5.00 Capitol Bowl: $25.00 for $16.25 Cali Slice: $25.00 for $12.50 Squeeze Inn – Midtown: $10.00 for $7.00: Fivestar: $25.00 for $12.50 Graciano’s Chicago Deep Dish Pizza & Speakeasy: $25.00 for $12.50 Green Thumb Deli: $20.00 for $10.00 Iceland Skating Rink: $25.00 for $8.75

NXNW Vapor: $20.00 for $10.00 Residence Inn – Downtown at Capital Park: $500.00 for $175.00 Sacramento Pipeworks: $100.00 for $60.00 Vallejo’s: $20.00 for $9.00 La Terraza – Old Sacramento: $20.00 for $8.00 Baker’s Donuts: $10.00 for $5.00 El Papagayo Mexican Restaurant: $20.00 for $10.00 Vampire Penguin: $10.00 for $5.00 Nautilus Tea Company: $10.00 for $2.50 SN&R SAMMIES Tickets @ Ace of Spades: $10.00 for $2.50 The Sandwich Spot: $15.00 for $9.75 Wahoo’s Fish Taco: $20.00 for $10.00

and MoRe... check out our website to get great deals on concerts at ace of Spades, Goldfield trading post and harlow’s.

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KILL THE KEG NIGHT: COME KILL THE KEGS LEFT OVER FOR A DISCOUNTED PRICE.

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NO SERVICE FEES!

IllustratIons by brIan breneMan

Snob life cAsA lusA’s ZiMBro, sAcrAMento nAturAl Foods co-op I’m a snob. I read the tasting notes on the cheeses at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op! They’re consistently thoughtful, informative, passionate. The cheesemonger, who I do not know, pushes shoppers in new directions. Consider a recent recommendation for Casa Lusa’s Zimbro ($23.99 per pound), a Portuguese raw sheep’s milk and thistle rennet cheese. The thistle rennet makes the cheese gently bitter. Cheesemonger’s notes say you can let this one sit out on the counter, like in Europe, “for optimum creamy, pudding-like spreadability.” Instructions heeded; end result is gently sour, creamy, ivory-colored cheese with a delicate citrus finish. If you’re pairing with beer, a rustic saison (preferably barrel-aged); with wine, perhaps a young red. 1900 Alhambra Boulevard, www.sacfoodcoop.com.

—nick Miller

Sock it to me the usuAl, lowBrAu

IllustratIon by Mark stIvers

Pre-Flite lands anew

By JAnelle Bitker

Pre-Flite 2.0: The 42-year-old Pre-Flite Lounge was beloved for its unpretentious atmosphere, cheap drinks, historical value and truly bizarre decorative elements. The bar inside K Street Mall’s parking garage—its name comes from the days travelers would enjoy a beverage while waiting for the airport shuttle— closed in April in anticipation of arena construction.

But Pre-Flite lives on, and the second iteration held its soft opening last Wednesday at 1011 10th Street, a basement spot that was once an old bank vault. Find the entrance in graffitied Jazz Alley between J and K streets—there’s no sign to help you.

BEFORE

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JAnelleB@newsreview.coM

Owner Jason Yee brought over a bunch of artifacts from the old Pre-Flite, including the stewardess mannequin, odd lamp affixed with origami cranes, posters, signs and, best of all, the former entrance doors.

You know, the ones that state happy hour is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and everything costs 65 cents.

The new space definitely feels less musty, but stays true to that no-frills, tucked-away, somewhat janky vibe— dim lights, one long bar, tall cans of Pabst for $2.50 and a neon jukebox.

Yee isn’t sure what he’ll do for the grand opening celebration yet, but in the meantime, find Pre-Flite open daily starting at 4 p.m.

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Temple 5.0: Temple Coffee continues to expand. Last week, the Sacramento Business Journal reported that Temple will open at 2200 K Street in what was once a jewelry store. It’ll be Temple’s third location on the grid, and excluding patio space, it’ll also be its largest.

Temple also has a cafe on Fair Oaks Boulevard.

Across the Causeway, Temple recently began hiring for its downtown Davis spot (239 G Street). According to a Craigslist ad, Temple plans to open in mid-summer, to work out kinks before students fill up town again.

—gArrett Mccord

Stalk of the town AspArAgus While the rest of the country is suffering cabin fever and snow-verload, it’s already spring here in balmy California. And spring in the Sacramento Delta means asparagus! These funny, prehistoric-looking shoots sprout straight out of the ground, growing several inches a day as the weather warms. You’ll find almost exclusively green spears, although purple varieties may be on offer at certain farmers markets. Save steaming and stir-frying for large asparagus and simply grill or pan sear thin stalks to heat them through. Asparagus requires little other than salt, butter or flavorful olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon.

Classy Hippie 3.0: Leo Hickman’s Classy Hippie Cafe, originally in his holistic health center, then in the Midtown Collective on P Street, will soon move into the Grange Performing Arts Center (3823 V Street) in Oak Park.

Apart from the precious name, the cafe offered a wide selection of carefully brewed loose-leaf teas, often selected by Hickman based on the customer’s feelings. Hippie, ya dig?

Despite living inside the Grange, Classy Hippie—hopefully open by March 1—will operate as a standalone cafe with about 20 seats for tea-fueled relaxation. Ω | A R T S & C U L T U R E

I’m definitely a whiskey sort of guy. I’m also an apricot sort of guy. Not to mention a vanilla bean kind of guy.

So I’m all for LowBrau’s new cocktail The Usual, which comprises a throaty George Dickle whiskey, apricot liqueur, cinnamon syrup and a floral vanilla bitters. It’s sweet, though the waitress playfully described it as “charmed,” and further advised us to let it sit a sec and let the ice do its thing. She was right, as on the first sip the sugar socks you in the mouth hard before the flavors of the liquor and fruit begin to resonate. But, five minutes later, perfection.

Strong, floral and a little bit heavenly. 1050 20th Street, (916) 706-2636, www.lowbrausacramento.com.

—Ann MArtin rolke |

AFTER

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Visit newsreView.com/sacramento/dining/more to search sn&r’s dining directory to find local restaurants by name or by type of food.

10

GLORIOUS DAYS Of

by Garrett Mccord

Drian’s, inside the Round Corner

BEER THU • FEB

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fri • FEB

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WINNER BASED ON SALES AND CUSTOMER VOTES

02

Winner of the Weekend

tue • mar

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the decades 05 Celebrate FEATURING BREWERIES STARTED IN THE 80'S, 90'S AND EARLY 00'S COME DRESSED IN YOUR FAVORITE DECADE.

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Belly up to the bar Corner’s restaurant space in July 2014 when the last owner bailed.

Since then, word of Drian’s food has quickly spread and it’s not surprising to find 2333 s street, (916) 667-5933, the city’s best chefs there pounding tequila www.facebook.com/pages/drians-insideand lumpia. the-round-corner/309311335911553 And let’s talk about that lumpia. Lumpia, if you haven’t had them, are fried egg rolls.

Dinner for one: $7 - $10 Good for: bar food Drian’s are expertly executed: the exteriors Notable dishes: lumpia, chicken wings are crisp and hot, each rolled tightly to ensure there are no soggy pockets of oil. (Perez informed us that his lumpia are all rolled by his aunt, and have become so popular at the bar he was able to buy her a plane ticket back Dorothea Puente haunts the place, or so Chef to the Philippines last year. Twice.) The cigarDrian Perez tells us. To chase her off he says thick pork lumpia are salty and savory, while he once ripped off his shirt, screamed at her to the veggie ones are filled with crisp cabbage, “bring it,” before finishing up the dishes and carrot and the unusual but welcome addition closing up shop. of bell pepper.

So went our surprisingly deep and Potato nachos are a bit misleading. sometimes hilarious conversation about life, They’re actually loaded fries and not wedges death, and food at our table before Perez of potato as noted on the menu, which was ended his break and sauntered back to the disappointing. Smothered in black beans, kitchen, pausing to shake hands and earnestly hot sauce, sour cream and cheese catch up with friends and patrons alike, sauce, it’s the epitome of to whip up some of the most lardgreasy bar food. tastic, PBR-soakingly good tacos A plate of pork tacos Drian’s I have ever had. made a welcome appearSo it goes at Drian’s, makes the ance. Crispy fried shells inside the Round Corner; a packed with lardy tiny restaurant found inside best chicken shredded pork wouldn’t the Round Corner bar on S so much break a diet but wings in Street. If you haven’t been atomize it into a fine mist. to Round Corner, you should.

Sacramento.

If you appreciate It’s the dive-iest, grungiest, dining at In-and-Out, a people-being-dropped-off-frommost-polarizing fast food County-in-shoes-with-no-laces restaurant if there ever was one, bar you’ve ever experienced. It’s you will love the burgers, but don’t seen a fight or two, sure, but for the most expect anything too impressive. part the place is welcoming and rocks out When it comes to chicken wings I’m willwith a bangin’ music selection. (On our ing state that Drian’s makes the best wings in visits, the sound system belted tunes from Sacramento. Period. The meat is searing hot Billie Holiday, Prince, Color Me Badd and underneath the salty skin so precisely fried it Destiny’s Child.) shatters under the teeth like freshly made pork During our meal we met any number cracklins. Every bone was sucked clean and of awesome characters, like Miguel from there were no survivors.

Venzuela; 68 years old and still able to do Wait times are, admittedly, atrocious. Do the splits in front of his 101-year-old, packnot go there with the expectation that you will and-a-half-a-day mother. Or Charles and his be out quickly. Drian’s is a one-man operation creepy-ass headband who racked up game so grab a beer, bring a friend and maybe play after game of pool. some pool while you wait for your food.

This is a place where a pitcher of beer The thing is, Drian’s doesn’t try to be costs $7, and a Tanqueray and soda will cost anything it’s not. It’s unapologetic bar food you $3.50. served in a funky dive made by a humble and But Perez is the pull. A man from the awesome guy who takes the time to get to Philippines who used to be the chef for the know every customer and love the food Sacramento Kings under both the Ranadive he makes. Ω and Maloof eras, he took over the Round

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Red, red meat The Discovery Museum Science & Space Center’s second annual Huntsmen’s Dinner takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, February 27, at Sacramento Horsemen’s Association Historic Saddle Oaks Clubhouse (3200 Longview Drive). What do horses and outer space have to do with this dinner?

Thankfully, pretty much nothing—other than the fact that the $125 dinner benefits the Discovery Museum, which inspires kids to explore science. And yes, there are some large mammals on the menu, prepared by Matt Woolston of SupperClub: wild venison and elk—plus smaller animals like salmon, wild duck and abalone. Since it coincides with the timing of beer week, Hoppy Brewing Company will be on hand to offer optional beer flights to pair with the meal. Also, there will be wine, live entertainment and an auction. Leave the hunting equipment at home, and wearing a camouflage tuxedo is highly not recommended—unless you’re a Duck Dynasty fan. Visit www.the discovery.org/Events-Activities/huntsmensdinner.html for the full details.

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by Shoka In the photo, she’s naked. And she—actress Helena Bonham Carter—is embracing a 59-pound tuna to raise awareness of the species’ near extinction. Their nudity has gotten plenty of double takes, but they’re not in water, so that means her fishy buddy is dead? What isn’t a dead animal but also warrants a double take in the grocery store is Vegan Toona

by Sophie’s Kitchen of Sebastopol, Calif. It doesn’t have that pungent flavor that elementary-school lunch nightmares are made of, but the

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pea-protein faux tuna plus Vegenaise for a “Toona” sandwich is better than supporting the tunafishing industry, which is obliterating these animals due to human demand for sushi. However, Certified Master Chef James Corwell has been working on a solution to keep sushi alive with his Tomato Sushi. Ingredients: no mercury, no extinction, tomatoes—and some flavoring. That is sexy sushi. Find it at Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco or www.tomatosushi.com.

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China Buffet

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Serious lampooning

America's Greatest Big Band Show

Italian Opera

“A meticulously researched recreation g Era� of the Swing —Peter Donnelly, Australia

California Stage Theater Company celebrates its 24th season with the professional debut of a very clever and highly amusing lampoon of Italian by Patti Roberts operas which highlights prima donnas, villas, amore, tradimento and omicidio. Italian Opera is a musical farce where every note is pitch perfect: the play, the performances, the production, the tone, the tempo, the humor and the arias.

Local playwright Leslie Lewinter-Suskind wrote Italian Opera as a graduate student in the late 1990s, and it received an Excellence in Playwriting award in a competition at the University of Oklahoma. However, it’s a mystery why this imaginative parody hasn’t been previously professionally produced.

5

Thursday, March 12

2 pm Matinee & 7:30 pm

1301 L St St, S Sacramento t 916-808-5181 tickets.com & sacramentoconventioncenter.com

Judging by this press photo, there’s clearly some exaggerated body language in this musical farce.

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 |   SN&R   |   02.26.15

4In the Heights Alive with the sights and sounds of the barrio, In the Heights is all rhythm and heart. The energetic and extremely talented cast in director Carly Giroux’s Green Valley Theatre Company production more than does justice to the 2008 Tony Award-winner for Best Musical. The fourweekend run already is sold out (but a waiting list exists; so head to the website to sign up).

The plot, a sanitized and sentimental soap opera of a tale, chronicles three days in the lives of the mostly Dominican and Puerto Rican residents of Washington Heights, a working class Manhattan neighborhood. The narrator and riff-rapping guide is Usnavi (Elio Gutierrez), who runs the corner bodega where he seems to serve cafĂŠ con leche by the gallons. His younger cousin Sonny (the loose-limbed and likable Casey Camacho, a real find in the cast) mostly sort-of helps him keep an eye on the neighborhood.

Themes of family, friendship, love and acceptance, striving for the American Dream and winning the lottery are explored through such songs as the rousing, opening title tune; the haunting “Inutil (Useless),� sung

by Joseph Ramos; “Breathe,� performed by Mariana Seda; and “Paciencia y Fe (Patience and Faith),� sung by Helen Ventura. A strong ensemble of dancers powers through high-energy hip-hop, salsa and other LatinAmerican dances. A bright brass band led by Peter Kagstrom provides the music for choreographer Jacob Montoya’s fancy footwork.

PHOTO by TeRRy bRIndISI

COMMUNITY CENTER THEATER

The beautiful costumes are spot on, and the handsome set ingeniously transforms into two beautiful Italian villas. The result: easily one of the most entertaining and creative shows in recent memory. Ί

Italian Opera; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday; $15-$20.

California Stage Theatre at the R25 Arts Center, 1721 25th Street; (916) 451-5822; www.calstage.org.

Through March 22.

Italian Opera is a witty, loving and respectful mockery of the quintessential Italian opera—the exaggerated characters and plotlines, the unexplained breaking out in song, the inexplicable addressing of the audience, the melodramatic antics of cheating lovers and the playful sidekick servant with a knowing wink and shrewd asides. The story of two well-to-do couples and a wisecracking maid is presented as an operetta with numerous ingenious references to famous, classical operas—though appreciated even by those with a passing familiarity of the musical art form.

Director Ray Tatar gathers together a talented five-member cast that hits all the right notes, both dramatically and musically, while accompanied by pianist Jane Fanucci.

Bringing ace acting and vocal chops are Michael RJ Campbell as the charming and philandering Nemorino; Katherine Cooper as desperate and conniving housewife Lucrezia; Naomi Wilson as the beautiful, barren Vestalina; Jonathan Blum as the clueless and inattentive Mario; and the most hilarious Janet Motenko as the mocking, muchmaligned maid Zerbinetta who provides sarcastic asides and exaggerated explanations to the audience.

—Jim Carnes

In the Heights; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 7 p.m. Sunday; $18.

Green Valley Theatre Company, 3823 V Street; (916) 736-2664; www.greenvalleytheatre.com. Through March 15.

THINK 5

5 Songs

Local comedian and storyteller extraordinaire Jack Gallagher presents his sixth one-man show, this time tapping into his love of music as a muse to memories.

Gallagher lets the audience pick four out of nine preselected songs that are triggers to tales about his childhood, fatherhood and his lifelong comedic career.

Stories range from sweet and melancholic to funny and revealing. T 6:30pm; W 2pm &

6:30 pm; Th, F 8pm; Sa 5pm & 9pm; Su 2pm. Through 3/1. $23-$35.

B Street Theatre, 2711 B St.; (916) 443-5300; www.bstreet theatre.org. P.R.

4

A Flea in Her Ear

A Flea in Her Ear is a quintessential French farce, so don’t expect the plot to make any sense, the characters to be believable or the dialogue to ring true. Rather, just give yourself in to the silliness.

That’s what the Woodland Opera House does with good results: presenting the slapstick comedy with a cast of local favorites who bring their A-game with hokey humor, sly mugging, silly antics, slamming doors, double

FREE.

takes and even running amok through the audience. For most of the ride, it’s a hoot and a holler, complete with fun haute couture costumes and a clever Parisian parlor and hotel set.

F 7:30pm, Sa 2pm. Through 3/8. $7-$25. Woodland Opera House, 340 Second St. in Woodland; (530) 666-9617; www.woodland operahouse.org. P.R.

1 FOUL

2 FAIR

5

In the Red and Brown Water

Celebration Arts stages a top-notch production of Tarell Alvin McCraney’s melding of the contemporary African American experience with the pantheon of Yoruba gods. Jenabah Karoma is luminous as Oya, a young athlete whose plans are derailed by her sick mother. Then, she’s torn by thea love of the volatile Shango (Tory Scroggins) and the stable and hard-working Ogun (Tariq Elsiddig). Th, F, Sa 8pm; Su 2 pm. Through 3/14. $8-$15.

Celebration Arts, 4469 D St.; (916) 455-2787; www.celebration arts.net. K.M.

3 GOOD

4 WELL-DONE

5 SUBLIME–DON’T MISS

Short reviews by Kel Munger and Patti Roberts.

PhOTO cOURTESy OF hARRIS cENTER FOR ThE ARTS

2ND ANNUAL Cassandra Wilson will perform a host of Billie Holiday tunes for jazz and pop fans alike.

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Celebrating Billie Holiday Paying tribute to the late, great Billie Holiday, one of the greatest vocalists to have ever graced a stage, is no easy feat. However, if any woman were up to the task, it would be Cassandra Wilson. For the better part of three decades, she has earned the respect of many jazz aficionados as well as gaining legions of adoring fans. On this particular night, she pays homage to Holiday in a set that should please fans of both artists. Lady Day was a revered jazz and pop singer who could make awkward phrasing feel comfortable and even the most complex sound simple by her own derision. Although Wilson’s repertoire proves she can handle any genre she so desires, the match of Holiday’s music and her voice couldn’t be more apropos.

If you’re looking for a night to remember the ’50s, you can do no better than this. Coming Forth By Day: A Celebration of Billie Holiday; 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 2; $12-$45. Harris Center for the Arts, 10 College Parkway in Folsom; www.cassandra wilson.com.

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39

Sacramento Vedanta Reading Group

Con heir

Every Friday 7:00 - 8:30 pm · Free admission

Focus

Sacramento Yoga Center @ Sierra 2 Community Center, Room 6 2791 24th Street, Sacramento The whole world is your own.

— Sri Sarada Devi Parking in back For more information please see www.SacVRG.org

Will Smith plays an expert grifter in Glenn Ficarra and John Requa’s con-man rom-com Focus, but in some ways it seems as though he has always by Daniel Barnes been playing a con artist. Smith has never been an actor of particular depth, but he is an expert button pusher, a maestro at selling himself and his films, and most of his characters reflect the self-confident bravado he projects to the public.

And yet his overreliance on charm and tics and shallow tentpole blockbusters has only appeared to conceal the more interesting aspects of his personality and talent. He has become a beloved figure without ever really letting us in.

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Apparently, the act has worn thin. Smith had a string of holiday weekend hits in the 1990s and early 2000s, as well as a couple of thankyou-for-playing Oscar nominations for Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness, but his last five films have been a steady march towards irrelevance: Hancock, Seven Pounds, Men in Black 3, After Earth (where he plays a character named Cypher Raige; I mention this only because it’s hilarious), and Winter’s Tale. If that’s not bad enough, there has been serious talk of a Bad Boys 3. After all of that dreck, a little adult sophistication looks pretty good on Smith.

Focus lets Smith rehab his image by playing the familiar part of the smooth-talking, streetwise charmer, but the con game genre also offers him an opportunity to investigate and penetrate the facade of celebrity.

Unfortunately, Ficarra and Requa are all about facades, and Focus is a film that exists entirely on its enticing surfaces. In the moment, it’s an entertaining enough hustle, but scratch the paint and a lot of formulaic chintz starts to show. All of the cinematic “glamour”—the lounge-pop soundtrack and the subdued sky bar lighting and the Out of Sight jump cuts—look as phony as a three-dollar bill, just osmosis of style from dozens of better films. For a while, it is fun letting the film seduce you, but the script

is more crass than clever, and the line between deliberate misdirects and lousy writing has never been blurrier. The whole film unravels the second you step away.

Smith doesn’t get his transcendent film role here, but he still gives a solid star turn as Nicky, the latest in a long family line of legendary con artists. As the film opens, Nicky is leading a gang of small-time pickpockets who are preparing to descend upon the crowds at “the big game” in New Orleans. Focus did not get NFL licensing rights, so they were unable to use NFL mascots or logos or even the term Super Bowl, which leads to a lot of confusing branding—as far as I could tell, the Miami Rhinos were winning Bud Light Bowl XVII. While drinking in a swanky New York hotel bar, Nicky is lured upstairs by the neophyte con artist Jess, played well by Margot Robbie (very quickly becoming Hollywood’s go-to blond Cool Girl, a good sport cast-able in roles slightly too skimpy and demeaning for a bigger name actress). Of course, the seasoned Nicky figures out her bunny-slope con game immediately, and although Jess is eager to learn the tricks of the trade, he brushes her off and leaves for New Orleans. She follows him, proves her pickpocket skills enough to gain entry into his gang of thieves, and they begin a globe-hopping, who’s-playing-who whirlwind romance.

In the moment, Focus is an entertaining enough hustle, but scratch the paint and a lot of formulaic chintz starts to show.

To go into further story detail would be cruel—we’re never fully invested in the Nicky-Jess relationship, so the sleight-of-hand plot twists are all the film has going for it. I’ll leave the implications of the third-act reveal to the less spoiler-averse critics, but suffice it to say that no one’s going to accuse this film of promoting a feminist agenda. Sloppy writing and halfhearted shock humor never help—the explanation of every impossibly intricate con job is met with retroactive incredulity when we realize that all previous behavior has been rendered nonsensical. When the film ends, don’t be surprised if you’re searching your pockets, feeling as though you’ve been conned. Ω

by daniel barnes & JiM lane

4

“No, you’re the DUFF.”

Black or White

A well-to-do, high-powered attorney (Kevin Costner), driven to alcoholic grief by the death of his wife, must try to pull himself together to fight for custody of his mixed-race granddaughter (Jillian Estell) against the girl’s African-American grandmother (Octavia Spencer). Writer-director Mike Binder, who drew one of Costner’s best performances in The Upside of Anger, does it again here, and for good measure, he does the same for Spencer. Binder plays with our expectations, setting up clichés of race and class, then undercutting them with surprises. The movie gives us adversaries but no real villains; even the little girl’s wastrel, crackhead father (Andre Holland) is allowed a full measure of complex humanity. Anthony Mackie also shines as Spencer’s lawyer brother, who presses her case in court. J.L.

2

leviathan BiRDMAN STARTS FRI., 2/27

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WED/THUR: 12:45, 3:00, 5:15, 7:30, 9:50PM • FRI-TUES: 11:05AM, 1:10, 3:25, 5:35, 7:50, 9:50PM • NO MON 11:05AM NO TUES 11:05AM, 5:35PM

IMITATION two days, GAME one night - Joe Morgenstern WALL STREET JOURNAL

WED/THUR: 12:00, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20, 9:45PM FRI, SUN: 11:00AM, 9:45PM SAT, MON, TUES: 9:45PM

ENDS THUR., 2/26 WED/THUR: 12:10, 5:00PM

3

Looking for legal advice?

The DUFF

That’s “Designated Ugly Fat Friend”—and while our heroine Bianca (Mae Whitman) is neither ugly nor fat, she still serves to make her best friends (Skyler Samuels, Bianca A. Santos) look better. So she reluctantly enlists the neighbor boy she can barely stand (Robbie Amell) to coach her out of her DUFF-hood. Josh A. Cagan’s script has some cornball gimmicks and it cuts the sex in Kody Keplinger’s novel to preserve a PG-13 rating. But it also (with a big help from Whitman, finally ready for her close-up) softens the edges of Keplinger’s snotty, full-of-herself Bianca. As in any romantic comedy, star chemistry is essential, and this movie’s got it: Whitman and Amell have an easy rapport that probably makes Cagan’s dialogue sound snappier than it is and smooths Ari Sandel’s sometimes jittery direction. J.L.

with a plot by Samuel L. Jackson’s lisping evil genius to wipe out the human race. It’s juvenile, but there are enough exploding heads to hold your attention. D.B.

3

McFarland, USA

A high-school athletic coach (Kevin Costner) loses job after job because of his short fuse, eventually landing in McFarland, Calif., where he hatches a plan to build a crosscountry track team from the farmworker kids at his new school. Based on the true story of Coach Jim White but heavily fictionalized (that business about the short fuse, for example), the movie bears a more-than-passing resemblance to Spare Parts, which came out earlier this year, with running taking the place of robotics but with the same result: Hispanic kids take on privileged teams from tonier, better-funded schools and win the gold (in McFarland’s case, year after year). Clichés are rife in Chris Cleveland, Bettina Gilois and Grant Thompson’s script, but director Niki Caro keeps them under control and draws strong performances all around. J.L.

A Russian immigrant in Chicago (Mila Kunis) learns that she is the genetic reincarnation of a long-dead alien matriarch, and she becomes a pawn in a power struggle among her “children” (Eddie Redmayne, Douglas Booth, Tuppence Middleton). Written and directed by Andy and Lana Wachowski, this delirious sci-fi epic is instant camp, careening in and out of sheer gibberish, as gaudy and flamboyant as a drag-queen fashion show in a Martian whorehouse. Memo to Wachowskis: If you must load your script with bizarre names and concepts, don’t let your actors mumble and whisper, and don’t drown them out with music and explosions. Performances range from decent (Kunis and Channing Tatum as her protector) to wretched (Redmayne is so lousy he deserves to forfeit his Oscar nomination for The Theory of Everything). J.L.

4

A Most Violent Year

Considering that the film is fairly humorless, the funniest aspect of A Most Violent Year might be that killer title. Yes, the film takes place in 1981 NYC, a pre-Giuliani time of astronomic crime rates, but the title tees up expectations of intensity and catharsis that writer-director J.C. Chandor has no intention of swinging at. Cinematically speaking, Chandor keeps a tight strike zone, and the measured, confident, almost chilly tone that permeates the film is largely responsible for the cold shoulder it received throughout the awards season. A Most Violent Year shares some stylistic and narrative DNA with Scorsese’s Goodfellas, but Chandor’s film inherited little of that 1990 classic’s energetic, eager-to-please temperament. Goodfellas is about a man who “always wanted to be a gangster,” while the mostly righteous A Most Violent Year is about a man who wants to walk, talk and dress like a gangster, without actually being a gangster. D.B.

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Much as he did with Kickass and X-Men: First Class, writer-director Matthew Vaughn attempts to cram his gleefully sociopathic sensibility into the shape of a genre blockbuster in the entertaining mixed bag Kingsman: The Secret Service. The result is a highly watchable and often disturbingly tonedeaf spy spoof, a film that is deliriously overthe-top and yet not quite fun. At least Colin Firth has some fun sending up his own British upper-crustiness as Harry Hart, a.k.a Galahad, a loyal and extremely well-kempt superspy in a top-secret organization of wealthy tailors (don’t ask). When the time comes to bring a new member on to the team, Harry recruits troubled teen Eggsy (likeable newcomer Taron Egerton) into the competition, which coincides

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FOR ADVANCE TICKETS PLEASE VISIT FANDANGO.COM

Jupiter Ascending

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“PACKED WITH SIGNIFICANCE.”

OSCAR WINNER! BEST ACTRESS “ENGROSSING.” - Lou Lumenick, NEW YORK POST

Hot Tub Time Machine 2

BEFORE

WED/THUR: 2:20, 7:10, 9:35PM FRI-SUN: 11:10AM, 1:40, 4:25, 7:05, 9:40PM MON/TUES: 1:40, 4:25, 9:40PM

FRI-TUES: 1:20, 4:10, 7:00PM NO SAT 1:20PM

Two of the stars of the 2010 movie (Rob Corddry and Craig Robinson; John Cusack wisely dropped out) plunge back into that time-traveling spa (with Clark Duke, back as Corddry’s dorky son) to thwart an attempted murder, but they wind up in the future instead of the past. The first movie was a stupid mess but a guilty pleasure; this one is stupider, messier and no pleasure at all. Director Steve Pink’s direction and Josh Heald’s script are, against all odds, even more slovenly than they were the first time, tailored to appeal to sniggering 11-year-old boys (who, because of the nonstop profanity, nudity and sex, can’t get in to see the movie) and entirely laughless. The first movie was fun but instantly forgettable; the idea that we’ve spent five years wondering what happens next is downright insulting. J.L.

3

®

- Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

The E.L. James bestseller Fifty Shades of Grey is famous for bringing BDSM sex into the trash-novel mainstream, but this adaptation from director Sam Taylor-Johnson (Nowhere Boy) is just a sleek and dull piece of lifestyle porn. Taylor-Johnson seems far more interested in fetishizing sports cars and tailored suits than whips and chains, and the vanilla sex scenes quickly become monotonous and familiar, offering the same oblique, candlelit tracking shots of undulating body parts that we’ve been getting for decades.

This isn’t the next Basic Instinct; it’s the next Sliver. Dakota Johnson stars as virginal lipbiter Anastasia Steele, and Jamie Dornan plays the mysterious Christian Grey, a Seattle tech billionaire who entices Anastasia to become his sexual submissive. Both actors are trapped by the rigid banality of their characters, and they fail to manufacture any chemistry—without that heat, this is just a story about a contract negotiation. D.B.

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There are countless similarities between Segrey Bodrov’s inept fantasy Seventh Son and last year’s massive dud RIPD, only here star Jeff Bridges is given the flavorless Ben Barnes for an apprentice instead of the wise-cracking Ryan Reynolds. Seventh Son runs a relatively lean 102 minutes, and it feels as though generous chunks of plot and character development have been stripped away in favor of nonstop CGI action and peril. The film is basically a rich man’s Uwe Boll version of Dungeons & Dragons—a lot of tacky visuals,

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world-building mumbo-jumbo and gooey CGI creatures encased in a narrative vacuum. It has the scale of a nine-figure studio blockbuster, but not the look. Seventh Son screened for critics at the Esquire IMAX, and while some films play better on the big screen, this one demands to be seen on the smallest screen possible. An iPhone would be too large. D.B.

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Nickelodeon TV’s dorky hero (voiced by Tom Kenny) ventures onto dry land (and into something vaguely resembling our universe) in search of a stolen sandwich recipe, the loss of which has brought ruin and devastation to his hometown of Bikini Bottom. The script by Glenn Berger and Jonathan Aibel (the guys behind Kung Fu Panda), from a story by director Paul Tibbitt and series creator Stephen Hillenberg, is wacky cubed, with a nonstop stampede of gags as frantic as those in the Rio and Madagascar franchises—only much, much funnier.

Tibbitt and his crew cleverly blend ink-andpaint animation, CGI and live action, and the result is great fun, slyly calculated to convulse the kiddies and keep their parents alternately chuckling and laughing out loud. Antonio Banderas adds to the fun as the pirate villain. J.L.

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A distinguished Columbia University linguistics professor (Julianne Moore) finds herself suddenly forgetting simple words, getting lost on her own campus and suffering other baffling lapses. At the age of 50, she is developing early-onset Alzheimer’s—worse yet, it’s hereditary, and she may have passed it on to her adult children (Kate Bosworth, Hunter Parrish, Kristen Stewart). Writer-directors Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland (adapting Lisa Genova’s novel) avoid the weepy melodrama of disease-of-the-week TV movies in favor of low-key naturalism, anchored

by Moore’s subtle, textured performance and strong support from her screen family (including Alec Baldwin as her loving but flawed husband). It’s a quietly harrowing portrait of a family losing the woman they know—and a woman losing herself. J.L.

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Membership required. Member RYO of Nevada Assoc. Inc./a Chumash Owl Clan Native American Group

Moreover, he added, the band only tours three months a year to keep itself grounded in its members’ family lives.

“Everything is good these days. Our focus is on each other’s health and friendship first and that makes the ups and downs much easier,” Scheidt said. “Our goal was and is to tour when we want and make the best music possible.”

For the uninitiated, Yob play a heavier brand of music that’s steeped in slow, sludgy tempos, obnoxiously heavy riffs, and oftrepeating, droning lines.

Over the years, the band has released multiple records on several different labels; Scheidt says that was always their plan.

“We had some good times on Metal Blade Records, but we have had a better experience on the smaller Profound Lore and Neurot labels,” Scheidt said.

“Metal Blade came to us and we turned ’em down the first time and then [label head] Brian Slagel went out of his way to get us on board.”

The pairing, he added, didn’t turn out well.

“We ended up feeling like the bargain bin of his label. When we change labels now it’s just because we like change and don’t want to bind ourselves to four-album deals,” Scheidt said.

Whatever the label, the band’s enjoying bigger audiences lately—in 2014 the group joined Pallbearer for a U.K. tour, for which they were able to easily fill 500-700 capacity venues.

The band’s consistently drawing larger numbers in the United States as well.

PHoto bY JaMeS RexRoad

RECYCLE

The act of making a living but also bucking musical trends has, until lately, proven to be a struggle for one of doom metal’s great, relatively newer bands, Yob. by Eddie Jorgensen When the group formed in 1996, its members were all the about the music—not mainstream success—and that ethos carries on to this day.

THIS PAPER.

YOU’RE WELCOME, EARTH.

“My metal sound is this big.”

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Catch Yob on Wednesday, March 4, at the Press Club, 2030 P Street. Will Haven and Church are also on the bill. Cover is $15. More info at www.facebook.com/ quantumyob.

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The hideaway Bar & Grill 2565 Franklin Blvd • 916.455.1331

42 | SN&R | 02.26.15

Years later, the band’s steadfast desire to play a darker style long relegated to more obscure groups has finally gained popularity. While bands like Black Sabbath, Pentagram, St. Vitus and Cathedral all played a vital role in the scene many years ago, those bands also eventually changed to meet more commercial appeal.

“For a band that does our style of music, there is a gross perception that we’re bigger than we are. We’re still a very DIY and punk band by nature,” explained singer-guitarist Mike Scheidt during a recent phone interview. “We’re in a position to make smart choices that are better for the long term when it comes to touring and releasing records.”

Scheidt’s Eugene-based trio, which is rounded out by a rhythm section comprising Aaron Rieseberg on bass and Travis Foster on drums, is now touring again with a new record under its belt. Clearing The Path To Ascend was released on Neurot Recordings in September 2014. Its release has helped the band gain an even bigger fan base, Scheidt said.

“The response has been overwhelming. …

We’ve seen many year-end lists with our name on it and heard lots of good words,” said Scheidt.

Fans who waited for Yob’s latest album, a four-song full-length with songs clocking in between 11 and 19 minutes, should note that the three-year hiatus was intentional.

“We’re not in the business of putting out music. There are lots of bands who suffer from putting out too many records,” Scheidt said.

“ There are lots of bands who suffer from putting out too many records.”

Mike Scheidt singer-guitarist, Yob “We do well in quite a few places. … We’re not suffering like we did on previous tours and touring is much better for us now,” he said.

Ultimately, he said, the album-touring schedule—commercial success or not—is about doing what they want, all while striking the ideal life/ work dynamic.

“We have a knee-jerk reaction against the norm and want to have a balance of real family life and the band,” said Scheidt, who handles the band’s business and management. “I have three kids and I don’t want to do this if it feels like punching a time clock.” Ω

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yet clever lyrics. What can fans expect from Lion Heart? Xochitl calls it her “most thought-out, professional, best work yet.” No big stylistic departures here, but she is singing deeper these days.

“I figured out I’m Amy Winehouse, not Taylor Swift,” she said.

Castro, meanwhile, is newer to the scene, having relocated here from the Bay Area last year. He agreed that his songwriting has improved, matured, but sticks to that familiar acoustic pop style. Live, he’ll utilize loops as well as collaborations with Xochitl and a couple of hip-hop artists. For her set, Xochitl will front a full band—a rarity.

Two-for-one: Expect Shine Cafe to sell out on Saturday, February 28, over double the excitement over a double album release show.

Singer-songwriters Xochitl and Andrew Castro will both celebrate the releases of their second EPs, titled Lion Heart and Inside/Out, respectively.

The pair met last summer at an open-mic at the now-shuttered Marilyn’s on K. Soon, they started hopping from open-mic to open-mic together—sometimes hitting ones in Folsom, Elk Grove and downtown Sacramento all in one night.

“It was nice to find a partner in crime,” Xochitl said.

Xochitl quickly gathered fans in Sacramento for her light, entertaining BEFORE

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—Janelle Bitker

jan el l eb @ne w s re v i e w . c o m

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Remembering Witch Room: At the end of 2014, music lovers at the mini-festival Sac Go Home Fest said farewell to Witch Room with two full days of eclectic local music and general bittersweetness.

Drew Walker, the venue’s old sound guy and organizer of the event, doesn’t want the memory of that amazing energy and those rad tunes to fade anytime soon. He’s been quietly editing together a compilation of live recordings from the weekend, which he will release for free online Wednesday, March 4. Side note, it’s also his birthday.

Anyway, I listened to a few premixed tracks, and they sound pretty special. Besides, when was the last time we had a compilation of emerging Sacramento artists?

Especially recorded live, at one memorable event?

“I picked what I felt were the strongest performances and songs,” Walker said.

Walker enlisted the help of three people to master different tracks, depending on specialty. There will be 18 altogether—Instagon’s jam set wasn’t recorded, and Separate Spines declined to be part of the compilation due to the band’s upcoming album release.

Walker chose a few covers, including Dog Party doing Ty Segall, Musical Charis doing Johnny Cash and Nick Reinhart/Carson McWhirter Duo doing T. Rex. Other artists on the comp include Appetite, Christopher Fairman, Cove, Dad?, Doofy Doo, Honyock, the Kelps, Lite Brite, Pacific Gas and Electric Warriors, Pets, Pregnant, Proper Subjects, Removed, Silver Spoons, So Much Light and Squidz.

Keep your eyes on Walker’s blog, www.doofydoo.tumblr.com.

w w w. n e w s r e v i e w. c o m

Wildly cute: Sacramento is home to some serious Wild Child devotees.

Admirers at Harlow’s Restaurant & Nightclub last Tuesday knew all the words, recorded many of the songs and all around gushed over Austin’s latest and greatest indie act.

Truly. The Austin Chronicle dubbed Wild Child “Best Indie Hipster Band” at both the 2013 and 2014 South by Southwest music festivals, an event and a city flourishing with excellent indie hipster bands.

Part of the hype owes to singerviolinist Kelsey Wilson’s voice—it’s a rich tone suitable for jazz ballads— mixed with her delightful exuberance.

When she harmonizes with the folkier singer-ukulele player Alexander Beggins, they channel Alex Ebert and Jade Castrinos of the early Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros days—without the 12-piece backing band. But much more darling.

Wild Child is officially made up of six members, but on this particular night an extra worked the brass lines.

They played indie folk pop, yes, but also some rootsy sounds, some quiet waltzes, some gypsy jazz-esque interludes. Those interludes in particular are where the band shines most—they make for a unique, old-timey blend of violin, ukulele, cello, keys, trumpet and drums. Songs off the band’s 2013 album The Runaround, like the title track, “Crazy Bird” and “Living Tree,” were upbeat, playful crowd-pleasers.

Other times, Wilson and Beggins stripped things down. While sweet, these moments didn’t feel quite so special. Same with Wild Child’s more simple country tunes, like “Cocaine Hurricane” off the debut full-length Pillow Talk, though they were plenty charming.

“It’s so weird you know any of this stuff,” Wilson screamed in delight.

Yep, darling.

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26THURS

26THURS

27FRI

27FRI

Tom Rigney & Flambeau

Terror Pigeon!

Hollow Point Stumblers

Young Artist Competition All-Stars

Crocker Art Museum, 7 p.m., $12-$20 With a permanent grin, fiery Zydeco violinist Tom Rigney packs a performing pizazz that makes every night seem like a party in ZYDECO Louisiana’s French Quarter.

Add the nimble-fingered Flambeau players—who’ve worked with the likes of Clifton Chenier, Queen Ida and Charles Brown—and you have a Mardi Gras celebration. In this case, however, it’s a party to accompany the Crocker’s current exhibition, which depicts the art of Paris circa 1900 and runs through April 26. With an affinity for the Sacramento area, Rigney was declared Emperor of the 2011 Sacramento Jazz Festival, and the group is touring in support of Swamp Fever–Live at Three Stages, recorded in Folsom. 216 O Street, www.rigomania.com.

—Alan Sheckter

Third Space Art Collective, 8:30 p.m., $5 Once known as Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt!, the Nashville-based weirdo dance collective is known for being composed of absurd, sweaty, party people. With a debut album actually called I love you! I love you! I love you and I’m in love with you! Have an awesome day! Have the best day of your life, it’s slightly surprising the group nabs praise from the New York Times, Nylon and other legitimate publications. Granted, Terror Pigeon!’s recent work feels more polished, coherent and self-aware, with soulful beats, INDIE synth and heartwarming lyrics.

For a glorious, ecstatic taste, check out “Girl!” off LIVE IT UP BEFORE YOU DIE IT UP! 946 Olive Drive in Davis, http://terrorpigeon.us.

—Janelle Bitker

Shine, 8 p.m., $5 Until recently, Juan Kuffner was a well-known, eccentric character around New Orleans. His group Zydepunks was an eclectic hodgepodge of punk rock, Balkan, Latin, country and soul, not unlike Gogol Bordello. They even got a writeup in Rolling INDIE/DANCE Stone magazine.

Then a couple years ago, Kuffner relocated to Sacramento and put Zydepunks on hiatus. Sacramento now gets the privilege of seeing his new project, the Hollow Point Stumblers. It’s a big group with members coming from our jazz, Celtic and indie scenes. The group mixes a lot of styles into a big mess of drunken dance music—but not so much punk. 1400 E Street, www.facebook.com/hollowpointstumblers.

—Aaron Carnes

Mondavi Center, 8 p.m., $47 The Mondavi Center’s Young Artists Competition brings back Tianpeng Yu and other YAC favorites to kick off the 2015 Young Artists Competition Finals Weekend.

The weekend continues Saturday night with CLASSICAL six cellists, ages 18 to 22, competing in the Founders Division, and 10 younger musicians, ages 12 to 17 years, in the Young Artists Division—open only to California musicians (pianist Roger Xia from Davis is the lone regional representative in this division). Wrapping up the weekend is Sunday’s Winners Concert, hosted by Lara Downes, founder and artistic director of the competition. 9399 Old Davis Road in Davis, www.mondaviarts.org/youngartists.

—Trina L. Drotar

Per formances By: B e l ly g u n n e r Cen tu ry Got Ba rs C hris Ga rd n er Ba n d Cove Elem ent Brass Ban d J a m e s C av e r n J o s e p h I n Th e W e l l Ky l e Row l a n d Ba n d L ite B r ite M a ssiv e D el ic io u s M usical Charis S h o uj o K itte n Stev ie N a d er Th e W e s t w a r d s World Hood

44 | SN&R | 02.26.15

SACRAMENTO AREA MUSIC AWARDS

T H U R S DAY, M A RC H 26 DOORS/6:30 SHOW/7:00

ACE OF SPADES 1417 R Street Sacramento, Ca 95811

T I C K E T S : $10/Do o r $ 5/Ad va n c e Advance tickets available at snrsweetdeals.newsreview.com and aceofspadessac.com

27FRI

01SUN

01SUN

04WED

Lyrics Born

In Flames

Mali Music

Jesi Naomi

Miner’s Foundry, 8:30 p.m., $25

Ace of Spades, 6:30 p.m., $29.50

UC Davis alum Lyrics Born (real name Tsutomu “Tom” Shimura) hung around the school’s KDVS radio station at the same time as Blackalicious, DJ Shadow and Lateef the Truthspeaker (with whom he’d form the duo Latyrx). The crew founded Solesides Records in the early ’90s which morphed into Quannum Projects in 1999.

Lyrics Born, who once dubbed himself Asia Born, has a unique sound. Check out singles like “Callin Out,” and “Do That There” for an unlikely blend of crazy-fast rhymes blended HIP-HOP/FUNK with laid-back funk grooves.

It all makes for what jazz buffs might call “relaxed intensity,” but it certainly works in hip-hop, too. 325 Spring Street in Nevada City, www.lyricsborn.com.

Harlow’s Restaurant & Nightclub, 9 p.m., $25-$30

The Gothenburg Sound was practically invented when In Flames released its second record, The Jester Race, back in 1996. Not METAL only was it singer Anders Fridén’s first appearance on record, it was the beginning of his longtime partnership with drummer Björn Gelotte, who later turned to guitar and become one of the band’s driving forces. After many years on the Nuclear Blast label and a stint on Century Media records, the band released its latest record, Siren Charms, on Sony Music Entertainment. The band still features much of its classic lineup and plays fan favorites from earlier albums. Also on the bill are All That Remains and Wovenwar.

1417 R Street, www.inflames.com.

—Eddie Jorgensen

Fans of inspirational music take note: Kortney Jamaal Pollard (a.k.a. Mali Music) will make an appearance this weekend in support of the Grammy nominated (Best Urban Contemporary Album) Mali Is.... If you’re a fan of smooth, soulful and rich vocals, look no further. While most folks already know his smash single, “Beautiful,” the album’s strongest cuts are the wonderful, harmony-driven “Walking Shoes” R&B and the stunning album closer, “I Believe.” While his record peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 chart back in June of 2014, Pollard is still making the rounds on the touring circuit to help spread the gospel of well-crafted R&B. Lakeisha “KP” Pollard opens. 2708 J Street, www.malimusicofficial.com.

—Jonathan Mendick

Sacramento State University Union, noon, no cover Local singer-songwriter Jesi Naomi cites Herbie Hancock as a big influence because of his positive energy, and Billy Holliday, who of course, is known for giving a voice to her deep pain and hurt. If this seems contradicSOUL tory, Naomi clarifies: She likes that middle ground in her own music—not too happy, not too sad, but influences from both ends of the spectrum. It’s the struggle to stay optimistic in the face of life’s problems that she wants to express.

And she does it with a keen understanding of soul, blues and jazz—on the piano and guitar. Naomi’s friend Jenny Clower, from Tennessee, opens the show. 6000 J Street, https://soundcloud.com/jesi-naomi.

—Eddie Jorgensen

FRIDAY MARCH

THURSDAY | FEB. 26

THURSDAY | MAR. 5

FRIDAY | FEB. 27

FRIDAY | MAR. 6

SATURDAY | FEB. 28

SATURDAY | MAR. 7

SAC BEER WEEK KICK OFF! LAGUNITAS PINT NIGHT FEATURING 2 DRAFTS 5-8PM RUBICON BREWING COMPANY PINT NIGHT FEATURING 2 DRAFTS. OSKAR BLUES BREWING BEER & WING PAIRINGS 5-8PM

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502 29TH ST (Corner of 29th & E) • SACRAMENTO, CA (916) 446–3624 • www.PineCoveTavern.com

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LOVELY DAY FOR A GUINNESS FOOD PAIRINGS & MORE

SAINT ARCHER BREWING COMPANY PINT NIGHT FEATURING 2 DRAFTS & GRAND TETON BREWING COMPANY PINT NIGHT 5-8PM “LOCALS ONLY” FEATURING LOCAL BREWS $6 FLIGHTS NOON-8PM

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February 27 » New Glory February 28 » Mad River March 03 » Pabst March 05 » Track 7 March 07 » Angry Orchard • American Moonshine

BEFORE

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WEDNESDAY | MAR. 4

HERETIC BREWING COMPANY FEATURING 3 BEERS ON DRAFT FROM 2-6PM

27 BEERS ON TAP FACEBOOK.COM/BAR101ROSEVILLE | WWW.101ROSEVILLE.COM | |

AFTER

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NIGHTBEAT

THURSDAY 2/26

FRIDAY 2/27

2003 K St., (916) 448-8790

Tipsy Thursdays, Top 40 deejay dancing, 9pm, call for cover

Fabulous and Gay Fridays, 9pm, call for cover

BAR 101

Karaoke Night, 7:30pm, no cover

BLUE LAMP

ONE-EYED REILLY, JD, ADAM; 8pm, $5

BADLANDS List your event!

Post your free online listing (up to 15 months early), and our editors will consider your submission for the printed calendar as well. Print listings are also free, but subject to space limitations. Online, you can include a full description of your event, a photo, and a link to your website. Go to www.newsreview.com/calendar and start posting events. Deadline for print listings is 10 days prior to the issue in which you wish the listing to appear.

101 Main St., Roseville; (916) 774-0505 1400 Alhambra, (916) 455-3400

THE CHICK P’S, WHISKY ALLEY; 9:30pm, WE JUST MET, 9:30pm, no cover no cover

DYLAN CRAWFORD, 2pm, no cover

Trivia Night, 6:30pm M, no cover; Open-mic night, 7:30pm W, no cover

THE INSTITUATION, DUPLX, THE QUART OF BLOOD TECHNIQUE; 6pm, $5

EYES OF MARA, METANOIA, OPIATE; 8pm, $5

Acoustic open mic, 8pm M; MANIFESTIV, UNTAMED CREATURES; 8pm W

LIL AJ, WIZDOM, DANNY BARBOSA, AUTUMN NICOLE COSTA; 7pm, $15-$20

CENTER FOR THE ARTS

JEFFERSON STARSHIP, 8pm, $37-$42

2nd annual Animal Film Festival, 10am-9:30pm, $25

COUNTRY CLUB SALOON

CLUSTERPHUNK, 9pm-1am, no cover

BOURBON STREET WEST, 9pm-1am, no cover

SLANDER, 9pm, call for cover

ROMEO REYES, 9pm, call for cover

314 W. Main St., Grass Valley; (530) 274-8384 4007 Taylor Rd., Loomis; (916) 652-4007

DISTRICT 30

1016 K St., (916) 737-5770 1022 K St., (916) 737-5999

COSMIC GATE, 10pm, call for cover

Hey local bands!

Hip-hop and Top 40 Deejay dancing, 9pm, $5-$10

Hip-hop and Top 40 Deejay dancing, 9pm, $5-$10

MONONYMOUS, THE UNCOVERED; 9pm, $5

ONE BUTTON SUIT, PANMIXIA, THE F STREET STOMPERS; 9pm, $5

DJ Adrian G, 10pm, no cover

ADHD, 10pm, no cover

THE GOLDEN BEAR

DJ Crook One, 10pm, no cover

DJ Rated R, 10pm, no cover

GOLDFIELD TRADING POST

DAVE RUSSELL BAND, 9pm, no cover

BUCK FORD, 9pm, no cover

HALFTIME BAR & GRILL

ESSEX, 9pm-midnight, $5

REBEL YELL, 9pm-midnight, $5

Kamikaze Karaoke, 9pm-2am, no cover

FOX & GOOSE

1001 R St., (916) 443-8825

G STREET WUNDERBAR 228 G St., Davis; (530) 756-9227

Rock On Live Band Karaoke, 10pm, no cover

2326 K St., (916) 441-2252 1603 J St., (916) 476-5076

5681 Lonetree Blvd., Rocklin; (916) 626-6366

HARLOW’S

2708 J St., (916) 441-4693

HARLEY WHITE JR., ZYAH BELLE & THE THE PURPLE ONES, 10pm, $15 FUNKSHUN, LUKE TAILOR; 10pm, $10-$15

THE HIDEAWAY BAR & GRILL

Trash Rock Thursdays, 9pm, no cover

2565 Franklin Blvd., (916) 455-1331

LUNA’S CAFÉ & JUICE BAR 1414 16th St., (916) 441-3931

The Intergalactic Nemesis Live-Action Graphic Novel, 7:30pm, $10-$25

MIDNIGHT PLAYERS, 9:30pm, $10

3443 Laguna Blvd., Ste. 150, Elk Grove; (916) 226-2900 2000 K St., (916) 448-7798

BUFFALO SUNN, NEW BEAT FUND; 7pm W, $10

MISTER ROGERS’ CARDIGAN EXPRESS, 9pm, no cover

DOUBLE NICKEL SMOKEHOUSE FACES

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 3/2-3/4 Mad Mondays, 9pm M, call for cover

V-NASTY, 7pm, $15

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SUNDAY 3/1 Sin Sunday, 8pm, call for cover

THE BOARDWALK

DIVE BAR

Want to be a hot show?

Mail photos to Calendar Editor, SN&R, 1124 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95815 or email it to sactocalendar@ newsreview.com. Be sure to include date, time, location and cost of upcoming shows.

SATURDAY 2/28 Saturday Boom, 9pm, call for cover

Joe Montoya’s Poetry Unplugged, 8pm, $2

Community Dinner Project benefit concert, 7pm, call for cover

NICHOLAS DAVID, 7pm, $15-$18; PETTY THEFT, 10pm, $15

DAVID HOUSTON & STRING THEORY, 8pm, $6

Kamikaze Karaoke, 9pm M; Latin night, 9pm Tu, $5; DJ Alazzawi, 9pm W, $3

Dragalicious, 9pm, $5

Open-mic, 7:30pm M; Pub Quiz, 7pm Tu; Northern Soul and Cornhole, 8pm W

MALI MUSIC, KP POLLARD; 9pm, $25-$30

DAVID COOK, DYLAN GARDNER; 8pm M, $25-$30

Metal Mass Brunch, noon, no cover; Sunday Sinema, 8pm, no cover

Broadway Beat, 9pm M; Cactus Pete, free jukebox, 8pm Tu; Twisted Trivia, 8pm W Nebraska Mondays, 7:30pm M; Open-mic comedy, 8pm Tu; Comedy night, 8pm W, $5

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46

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02.26.15

THURSDAY 2/26

FRIDAY 2/27

SATURDAY 2/28

SUNDAY 3/1

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 3/2-3/4

That Thing on Friday, EDM, 10pm, $5

Gothic, industrial, EBM, ’80s, synthpop dancing, 9pm-2am, $3-$5

Goth, darkwave, industrial, electronic deejay dancing, 9pm-3am, call for cover

Swing lessons $6, 7:30pm Tu; Salsa lessons w/ Nicole Lazo, 7:30pm W, $5

CIAO CINETTA, INSTAGON; 8:30pm, $5

PATRICK NEHODA, SOJOURNER ZINK, SALT WIZARD, SPANGLER; 8:30pm, $5

RICK AND RAK, MOLLYMAWKS; 8:30pm, $5

Jazz session, 8pm M, no cover

1901 10th St., (916) 442-3504

You Front the Band Live Karaoke, 9pm, no cover

CHRISTIAN DEWILD BAND, BRADEN SCOTT BAND, 4 TEL; 9pm, $5

CHERRY, POCKET JONES; 9pm, $5

HEATH WILLIAMSON, 5pm M; Karaoke, 9pm Tu; Open-mic, 9pm W, no cover

ON THE Y

Karaoke, 9pm, no cover

CHOP SHOPPE, 9pm, $7

Karaoke, 9pm, no cover

THE PALMS PLAYHOUSE

SLAID CLEAVES, 8pm, $20

MIDTOWN BARFLY

1119 21st St., (916) 549-2779

NAKED LOUNGE DOWNTOWN 1111 H St., (916) 443-1927

OLD IRONSIDES

670 Fulton Ave., (916) 487-3731 13 Main St., Winters; (530) 795-1825

Karaoke, 9pm Tu, no cover

ARANN HARRIS AND THE FARM BAND, 8pm, $15

THE PARK ULTRA LOUNGE

DJ Mr. Best, DJ Eddie Edul, 10pm, call for cover

PISTOL PETE’S

JON EMERY AND THE DRY COUNTRY DRINKERS, KENNY REGO; 9pm, $5

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Open-mic comedy, 9pm, no cover

Karaoke, 9pm, no cover

PJ’S ROADHOUSE

House Fashion Showcase, 7:15pm, call for cover Karaoke, 9pm Tu, W, no cover

MASSIVE DELICIOUS, GIGANTIS, PATRICK WALSH; 8pm, $7

REBEL PUNK, 9pm, $5

SWEET REVENGE, 10pm, call for cover

CHRIS GARDNER, 10pm, call for cover

THE FRANK HANNON BAND, 10pm, call for cover

PATRICK CONTRERAS, 3pm, call for cover

TWO PEACE, 8pm W, call for cover

THE PRESS CLUB

2030 P St., (916) 444-7914

Music Box w/ Missy Mark, 9pm, no cover

Top 40 w/ DJ Rue, 9pm, $5

Top 40 w/ DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9pm, $5

ULTRA VIOLENT RAYS, DJ Missy Mark; 5pm, $5; Sunday Night Soul, 9pm, $5

KILL DEVIL, 8pm M, $7; THE SIMPLE PLEASURE, 8pm Tu; YOB, WILL HAVEN; 8pm W

SHADY LADY SALOON

HOT CITY, 9pm, no cover

VINTAGE VANDALS, 9pm, no cover

GOLDEN CADILLACS, 9pm, no cover

ALEX JENKINS, 9pm, no cover

BILL MYLAR, 5:30pm; FORNEVER, DREAM IN RED, DEDVOLT, 8pm, $5

FATHER HOWL, SAN KAZAKGASCAR, DRIVE-THRU MYSTICS; 8:30pm, $8

Country dancing, 7:30pm, no cover; $5 after 8pm

Country dancing, 7:30pm, no cover; $5 after 8pm

Country dance party, 8pm, no cover

Comedy open-mic, 8pm M; Bluebird Lounge open-mic, 5pm Tu, no cover

MISS LONELY HEARTS, THE NICKEL SLOTS; 9pm, $10

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Acoustic open-mic, 5:30pm W, no cover

5461 Mother Lode, Placerville; (530) 626-0336

POWERHOUSE PUB

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X TRIO, 5pm, no cover; PETER PETTY BAND, 9pm, $6

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BIG STICKY MESS, GROOVE SESSION; 9pm, $8

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HOLLOW POINT STUMBLERS, BOMBA FRIED RICE; 8pm, $5

IN FLAMES, 6:30pm, $29.50

ANDREW CASTRO, XOCHITL, MEGHAN BONE, RUBY JAYE FRADKIN; 8pm

Open jazz jam w/ Jason Galbraith & Friends, 8pm Tu; Open-mic, 7:30pm W

Xochitl with Andrew Castro, Meghan Bone and Ruby Jaye Fradkin 8pm Saturday, call for cover.

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RESTAURANT •• BAR BAR CLUB •• RESTAURANT COMEDY COMEDY CLUB

VOTED BEST COMEDY CLUB BY THE SACRAMENTO NEWS & REVIEW!

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|

FEATURE STORY

|

A RT S & C U LT U R E

|

COMING SOON

3/7 Foreverland (MJ Tribute) 3/8 Fashawn 3/10 Hollow Wood KP POLLARD 3/11 DJ Premier / Royce Da 5’9 3/12 Country Battle of Bands 3/13 The DustBowl Revival (early) 3/13 Drop Dead Red (CD Release) 3/14 Cheryl Wheeler 3/2 7PM $25ADV 3/14 ZuhG (CD Release) DAVID COOK 3/15 Branches DYLAN GARDNER 3/15 Hurray For The Riff Raff 3/16 Trash Talk / Ratking 3/17 Kool Keith 3/18 Kyle Kinane (from Comedy Central) 3/5 7PM $35ADV 3/19 Moon Hooch, Scott Pemberton 3/21 Felipe Esparza THE OUTLAWS, 3/22 HoneyHoney BLACKHAWK 3/24 !!! (Chk Chk Chk) 3/26 Tyrone Wells 3/27 Ewan Dobson 3/6 8PM $18ADV 3/27 Mustache Harbor ZEPPARELLA ALL FEMALE LED ZEPPELIN TRIBUTE 3/28 Stillwood Sages 3/28 Doey Rock 3/29 Metalachi 3/30 Pete Rock / Slum Village 4/2 Johnny A SN&R AFTER | 02.26.15 | | 47

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All advertising is subject to the newspaper’s Standards of Acceptance. Further, the News & Review specifically reserves the right to edit, decline or properly classify any ad. Errors will be rectified by re-publication upon notification. The N&R is not responsible for error after the first publication. The N&R assumes no financial liability for errors or omission of copy. In any event, liability shall not exceed the cost of the space occupied by such an error or omission. The advertiser and not the newspaper assumes full responsibility for the truthful content of their advertising message.

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SN&R || 02.26.15 02.26.15

$30 - 30 MIN | $40 - 60 MIN | $60 - 90 MIN

School of hard knocks I met the guy I thought I would marry during freshman year. Our love was amazing until he freaked out.

He said he needed to figure out who he is. We broke up and I saw him on Instagram with a girl. I lost it. I could hardly breathe or get out of bed. I nearly failed all of my classes. I finally got myself together and started sophomore year feeling good. Then

by Joey ga my ex-boyfriend messaged rcia me saying he wanted to talk.

We got back together. None of a s k j o e y @ne w s re v i e w . c o m my friends were cool about it because of everything I went through before. I told them Joey he was different. But he freaked is training high school out again about being exclusive students to teach and dumped me. I dropped out of summer school college and moved home. What in Belize. went wrong?

Between concepts of right and wrong, there is a middle ground called reality. Let’s bind our feet to that holy ground. Here’s how: Destroy your beliefs about romance and the happily-ever-after story.

The idea that your boyfriend was your future husband burdened your dating relationship. Every challenge, disagreement or annoyance was saturated with fear about how that difficulty might cause the loss of your anticipated marriage.

You invested too much of yourself in your boyfriend and your dreams of marriage, and not enough in caring for yourself.

That’s infatuation, not love.

Got a problem?

Write, email or leave a message for Joey at the News & Review.

Give your name, telephone number (for verification purposes only) and question—all correspondence will be kept strictly confidential.

Write Joey, 1124 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95815; call (916) 498-1234, ext. 3206; or email askjoey@ newsreview.com.

Couples need to work out their problems without fear of losing a future together. In other words, trust is essential. We must maintain self-trust, while also trusting in our partner’s ability to act selflessly in our best interests. Love lives in that paradox.

It appears that you invested too much of yourself in your boyfriend and your dreams of marriage, and not enough in caring for yourself.

That’s infatuation, not love. You might also have been obsessed with getting married. Why? Some people believe that marriage is a symbol of acceptance, a sign of being desirable and needed, even blessed by God.

Others see marriage more simply: it’s a lifestyle choice. And there are people who consider marriage an institution that has outlived its usefulness. If you need the vision of marriage to prove something about yourself, you are not entering marriage to be with the one you love. You are expecting marriage to initiate changes in you. Here’s a reality check: Marriage is not magic.

You must do the work of interior transformation yourself. Having a partner in this process makes it easier for some, and much harder for others.

One last thing: Try not to judge your ex-boyfriend’s pattern of diving in, then leaping out of an exclusive relationship with you.

Focusing on him directs your life energy into the past. That’s painful.

Instead, determine why you didn’t let go of him. Push yourself to understand why you released your college education and took to your bed. But please don’t judge your heartbreak. Grief is natural when a relationship ends. Your work now is to connect to your internal world (thoughts, feelings, intuition, instinct) and external world (other people, environment, nature) in equal measure. Reality heals all wounds.

When I was younger I wouldn’t show emotion at all, no matter how I felt.

After a while, I started cutting. Six years of therapy and now, I can be real. But when is the right time to talk about my past? I had one bad first date where we talked about everything in our past. Afterward she sent a text saying our issues were a “dangerous mix” and she wouldn’t see me. Advice?

Tell a date about your history when you realize it launched you into becoming the fabulous woman you are now. Tell your story after you are strong enough to handle someone’s rejection of you based on your past. But never tell your story if you are trying to solicit sympathy or avoid personal responsibility. Ω

Meditation of the Week “Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby,” wrote Langston Hughes. Do you know how to be truly loved?

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Daytripping I’m looking to experience Cali and would like your opinion on the finest this state has to offer. Any recommended strains or places to visit?

—B Rockk I am glad you asked. With springtime on the way, now is the perfect time to start planning daytrips through the cannabis countryside. You will need a letter of recommendation from a California doctor. Technically, you don’t have to be a California resident to get a BEALUM letter of recommendation, but some clubs will not

by NGAIO let you inside if you don’t live in Cali.

And now, letter in hand, let’s work our way around Northern California. The problem is, there are so a s k420 @ ne wsreview.c om many good clubs it’s hard just to pick a few favorites. In the Bay Area, I like Green Door, SPARC and Bernal Heights Wellness in San Francisco, Magnolia Wellness and Harborside Health Center in Oakland, and in Berkeley, CBCB and Berkeley Patients Care Collective are top-notch. Heading east on I-80, you may want to make a quick stop at 7 Stars Holistic Healing Center in Richmond, not just for the cannabis, but also because they are located in a shopping center full of Asian restaurants. I recommend some Red Congolese to go with your pork buns.

If you are going to I recommend some swing through Vallejo, I Red Congolese to go suggest you hurry because the dispensaries are all in with your pork buns. danger of being shut down despite the jobs and taxes they create for the city. Closing all the clubs in Vallejo would be a shame, since there is a vast medical marijuana desert between Vallejo and Sacramento. Everyone should call the Vallejo City Council and tell them (politely) to get their shit together. However, if the clubs are still open when you get there, check out 101 North and California Herbal Relief Center.

Up here in Sacramento, all of the dispensaries have been smashing it lately. I am hesitant to pick favorites, because my inbox is going to explode with all kinds of “why didn’t you mention us?” messages, but here goes: I especially like A Therapeutic Alternative, Northstar Holistic Collective, 12 Hour Care, All About Wellness, Horizon Collective and Cloud 9. Two Rivers Wellness is also a good spot.

As to particular strains, I like any good outdoor.

Northern California has always been known for growing Ngaio Bealum the best outdoor weed. We are like the Napa Valley of is a Sacramento cannabis. Some dispensaries will refer to outdoor pot comedian, activist as “SunGrown.” I guess it’s all branding these days. and marijuana expert.

The thing is, it doesn’t matter what you call it. A good Email him questions outdoor strain generally tastes better than a plant grown at ask420@ newsreview.com. indoors. It’s all about the terroir, as the French say. Plus, outdoor is usually more affordable. You may also want to look for some regional strains, like Three Kings from Humboldt, or Ken’s Granddaddy Purple or BOG’s Sour Bubble.

Just hitting all the clubs in Sacramento and the Bay Area should be enough for a fun-filled weekend. If you want to talk about the farmers market in Clear Lake or visiting a farm in the Emerald Triangle, write me another email. Ω

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arely two months old, 2015 already looks to prove an interesting year for medical marijuana in California.

California needs a statewide, comprehensive set of laws and regulations for the medical cannabis industry — but will we get one any time soon? It may not be wise to hold your breath.

There are currently two bills on the Assembly docket: Reggie JonesSawyer (D-Los Angeles) introduced Assembly Bill 26, a carbon copy of former Assemblyman Tom Ammiano’s Assembly Bill 1894, which failed to pass last year. And AB 26 would most likely have to be heavily amended to stand a chance of passing in 2015. A placeholder bill, Assembly Bill 34 by Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Oakland), hasn’t been written yet, but Bonta wants to secure space on the calendar for debate.

The task of regulating the medical cannabis industry is formidable, but not insurmountable. The California legislature has had nearly 20 years to come up with workable regulations — Proposition 215

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Has Medical Marijuana iMproved Your life?

Capital Cannabis Guide is looking for stories of people whose lives have been positively impacted by the use of medical marijuana.

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by JOnathan Mendick

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Lately

your life reminds me of the action film Speed, starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves. In that story, a criminal has rigged a passenger bus to explode if its speed drops below 50 miles per hour.

In your story, you seem to be acting as if you, too, will self-destruct if you stop moving at a frantic pace. I’m here to tell you that nothing bad will happen if you slow down. Just the opposite, in fact. As you clear your schedule of its excessive things-to-do, as you leisurely explore the wonders of doing nothing in particular, I bet you will experience a soothing flood of healing pleasure.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): One of

the most dazzling moves a ballet dancer can do is the fouetté en tournant. The term is French for “whipped turning.”

As she executes a 360-degree turn, the dancer spins around on the tip of one foot. Meanwhile, her other foot thrusts outward and then bends in, bringing her toes to touch the knee of her supporting leg. Can you imagine a dancer doing this 32 consecutive times? That’s what the best do. It takes extensive practice and requires a high degree of concentration and discipline. Paradoxically, it expresses breathtaking freedom and exuberance.

You may not be a prima ballerina, Taurus, but in your own field there must be an equivalent to the fouetté en tournant.

Now is an excellent time for you to take a vow and make plans to master that skill.

What will you need to do?

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): If you’re

a martial artist and you want to inject extra energy into an aggressive move, you might utter a percussive shout that sounds like “eee-yah!” or “hyaah!” or “aiyah!” The Japanese term for this sound is kiai. The sonic boost is most effective if it originates deep in your diaphragm rather than from your throat. Even if you’re not a martial artist, Gemini, I suggest that in the coming weeks you have fun trying out this boisterous style of yelling. It may help you summon the extra power and confidence you’ll need to successfully wrestle with all the interesting challenges ahead of you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The prolific

and popular French novelist Aurore Dupin was better known by her pseudonym George Sand. Few 19th-century women matched her rowdy behavior. She wore men’s clothes, smoked cigars, was a staunch feminist and frequented social venues where only men were normally allowed. Yet she was also a doting mother to her two children, and loved to garden, make jam and do needlework. Among her numerous lovers were the writers Alfred de Musset, Jules Sandeau and Prosper Mérimée, as well as composer Frederic Chopin and actress Marie Dorval. Her preferred work schedule was midnight to 6 a.m., and she often slept until 3 p.m.

“What a brave man she was,” said Russian author Ivan Turgenev, “and what a good woman.” Her astrological sign? The same as you and me. She’s feisty proof that not all of us Crabs are conventional fuddyduddies. In the coming weeks, she’s our inspirational role model.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): It seems you’ve

slipped into a time warp. Is that bad? I don’t think so. Your adventures there may twist and tweak a warped part of your psyche in such a way that it gets healed.

At the very least, I bet your visit to the time warp will reverse the effects of an old folly and correct a problem caused by your past sins. (By the way, when I use the word “sin,” I mean “being lax about following your dreams.”) There’s only one potential problem that could come out of all this: Some people in your life could misinterpret what’s happening. To prevent that, communicate crisply every step of the way.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In English

and French versions of the word game Scrabble, the letter z is worth ten points.

In Italian, it’s eight points. But in the Polish variant of Scrabble, you score just one point by using z. That letter is rarely used in the other three languages, but is common in Polish. Keep this general principle in mind as you assess the value of the things you have to offer. You will be able to make more headway and have

BEFORE

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bRezsny

greater impact in situations where your particular beauty and power and skills are in short supply.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “Learn all

you can from the mistakes of others.

You won’t have time to make them all your yourself.” So said Alfred Sheinwold in his book about the card game known as bridge. I think this is excellent advice for the game of life, as well. And it should be extra pertinent for you in the coming weeks, because people in your vicinity will be making gaffes and wrong turns that are useful for you to study. In the future, you’ll be wise to avoid perpetrating similar messes yourself.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Love her

but leave her wild,” advised a graffiti artist who published his thoughts on a wall next to the mirror in a public restroom I visited. Another guerrilla philosopher had added a comment below: “That’s a nice sentiment, but how can anyone retain wildness in a society that puts so many demands on us in exchange for money to live?” Since I happened to have a felt-tip pen with me, I scrawled a response to the question posed in the second comment: “Be in nature every day. Move your body a lot. Remember and work with your dreams. Be playful. Have good sex. Infuse any little thing you do with a creative twist. Hang out with animals. Eat with your fingers. Sing regularly.” And that’s also my message for you, Scorpio, during this phase when it’s so crucial for you to nurture your wildness.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

“Don’t worry, even if things get heavy, we’ll all float on.” So sings Modest Mouse’s vocalist Isaac Brock on the band’s song “Float On.” I recommend you try that approach yourself, Sagittarius. Things will no doubt get heavy in the coming days. But if you float on, the heaviness will be a good, rich, soulful heaviness. It’ll be a purifying heaviness that purges any glib or shallow influences that are in your vicinity. It’ll be a healing heaviness that gives you just the kind of graceful gravitas you will need.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

“What I look for in a friend is someone who’s different from me,” says sciencefiction novelist Samuel Delany. “The more different the person is, the more I’ll learn from him. The more he’ll come up with surprising takes on ideas and things and situations.” What about you, Capricorn?

What are the qualities in a friend that help you thrive? Now is a perfect time to take an inventory. I sense that although there are potential new allies wandering in your vicinity, they will actually become part of your life only if you adjust and update your attitudes about the influences you value most.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): At

the turn of the 19th century, Russian laborers constructed thousands of miles of railroad tracks from the western part of the country eastward to Siberia. The hardest part of the job was blasting tunnels through the mountains that were in the way. I reckon you’re at a comparable point in your work, Aquarius. It’s time to smash gaping holes through obstacles.

Don’t scrimp or apologize. Clear the way for the future.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The British

rock band the Animals released their gritty, growly song “The House of the Rising Sun” in 1964. It reached the top of the pop music charts in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Australia, and was a hit with critics.

Rolling Stone magazine ultimately ranked it as the 122nd greatest song of all time.

And yet it took the Animals just 15 minutes to record. They did it in one take. That’s the kind of beginner’s luck and spontaneous flow I foresee you having in the coming weeks, Pisces. What’s the best way for you to channel all that soulful mojo?

You can call Rob Brezsny for your Expanded Weekly Horoscope: (900) 950-7700. $1.99 per minute. Must be 18+. Touchtone phone required. Customer service (612) 373-9785.

And don’t forget to check out Rob’s website at www.realastrology.com.

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F E AT U R E

PHOTO BY LISA BAETZ

by ROb

For the week of February 26, 2015

STORY

Writing against wrongs Suzanne Brooks’ resume is pretty varied. She’s worked as a police officer in Philadelphia and an affirmative action officer at Penn State University and the University of Nevada, Reno.

She was the director of the MultiCultural Center at Sacramento State and she co-founded the International Association for Women of Color Day. The common thread? A “commitment to justice and equality,” says Brooks.

In the writer’s 2011 partially autobiographical book, The Constructive Extermination of Women of Color, she writes about personal and historical discrimination. Next month, she’s putting together the 2015 annual Sacramento Community Women of Color Day/Diversity Event, which features a roundtable discussion on racism, sexism and discrimination.

It’s nearing the end of Black History Month, the shortest month of the year. People have noticed this and drawn certain conclusions ...

I thought that Black History Month was brought about through the efforts of black scholars, so I don’t think they picked it because it was the shortest month. Though there have been other people who have tried to present it that way and suggested it, I don’t think that’s what happened.

Anyway, I think that’s irrelevant.

Racism isn’t only about color, and racism is an imperfect term. It’s really a broad term about how people are singled out based on some characteristic which may be physical, which may be cultural, which may be a belief system. But in some way, people are perceived as part of a group, and as that group, they are discriminated against, or murdered, beaten up, demeaned in some way, kept out of employment, housing or so forth.

What was the inspiration behind The Constructive Extermination of Women of Color?

This is actually mostly my unpublished dissertation. But the long-term inspiration came from a book that I cite in there: Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. That book haunted me. Always, through all the work I have done related to women of color, I have always thought about that. We needed a book like that, something that really looks at “What does an individual go through in that circumstance?”

That book, when I think about it, it’s still disturbing. Because Ellison’s “Battle Royal” is Ferguson—or the guy that sold a couple cigarettes and they choked him to death. I feel that women of color are in that battle, too.

The reality: I think we have to change with the times. What has changed is DNA research. There’s no more than about a 7 percent gene difference in any two people on |

A RT S & C U LT U R E

the planet, because we’re the same species.

You know, a dog is still a dog no matter what breed it is, and people are not as different as those dogs are. I’m really moving to that direction in this conversation about race— with resistance from all sides.

What is the structure of the book?

It comes from two places, mainly. One is 18 articles I wrote for the online magazine The Black Commentator [www.black commentator.com]. And some of those were drawn from other writings, too. And my unfinished dissertation.

Most people don’t get the title—most academics and intelligentsia, they say: What do you mean “constructive extermination?” And that’s actually a legal term.

It’s like when your boss wants to get rid of you and doesn’t have an excuse, and so they do everything to make you miserable until you quit. That’s what I see happening to women of color. Women of color don’t want to face racism and sexism. Nobody wants to face that. But it’s there.

Who are some women of color you admire?

There’s not just a few, there are so many that have been inspirational to me. Lucille Clifton is a writer that I had a chance to meet. She went to school with Roberta Flack, and knew James Baldwin. He helped her get her writing start.

I like to meet a lot of women who other people don’t know, who stick in there and do stuff. There’s a women who’s a director of a foster family agency here and is a friend of mine: Dr. Shelly Goldsby of Fred Jefferson Memorial Homes. There’s a lawyer here |

AFTER

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helping women through law. That takes real determination and sacrifice. They’re not rare is the thing. That’s what I’m trying to say.

Working on anything else?

I’m working on a book called Stained With Our Blood that is going to ratchet this up a little bit. Because what I’m thinking is that there are consequences to what has happened to women of color.

What solutions are there to marginalization?

People can take a stand. Why can’t they do something? If people just do one thing in their lifetimes—times millions of people—it’d be millions of actions. They can talk to their neighbors, watch for crime in their neighborhood, watch for bullying.

They can also hire people if they’re in a position to hire people—hire people who are worth doing the job, don’t hire incompetent people because they happen to be the right gender or what you see as the right race.

Do something to get to know somebody else. Go to all these festivals and stuff we have here. If you go to Festival De La Familia, how many people from other groups are there, other than just Latinos? How many people go to the Buddhist Church of Sacramento’s Spring Food Festival?

Read a book. I have a list on my website: www.womenworldculture.com.Ω The 2015 annual Sacramento Community Women of Color Day/Diversity Event; free, 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, at the Sacramento Public Library, Southgate Branch, 6132 66th Avenue. RSVP to (916) 483-9804 or iawocday@aol.com. Brooks’ book can be purchased at www.womenofcolorday.com.

02.26.15

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