Submerge Magazine: Issue 306 (December 4 - 18, 2019) by Submerge Magazine

DIVE INTO SACRAMENTO & ITS SURROUNDING AREAS

DECEMBER 4 – 18, 2019

#306

AIDA RODRIGUEZ GRAVE LAKE

THE TEST OF TIME

STRAWBERRY GIRLS

STILL STANDING

SOLOMON’S DELICATESSEN A SACRAMENTO ICON LIVES ON

A CERTAIN GLOW

FREE 4 UPCOMING LOCAL CONCERTS FOR CHARITY • THE CITY OF THEATERS • ARE YOU FASTER THAN SANTA?

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

OPEN

CONVENIENTLY

A WEEK!

SACRAMENTO

IN 7 DAYS LOCATED MIDTOWN 9AM-9PM

1404 28th Street, Sacramento (916)706-0489 GREENSOLUTIONSMIDTOWN.COM CA LICENSE #C10-0000153-LIC

315 N 10TH STREET • SAC EXTENSIVE MENU • WEEKLY DEALS • CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

cannabis dispensary for the A staple

Sacramento community

over a decade!

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK • 9AM-9PM • (916) 389-0083 • TWORIVERS-SAC.COM • CA LICENSE #C10-0000154-LIC SubmergeMag.com

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

1517 21 st Street Sacramento

FRI DECEMBER 6 • 7PM

Holydiversac.com

SAT DECEMBER 7 • 7PM

All Ages & Bar Music Venue

SUN DECEMBER 8 • 6:3OPM

TUE DECEMBER 1O • 6:3OPM

BLUE FICTION STNRKREW • CALI BEAR GANG • K FLOH

THU DECEMBER 12 • 7PM

FRI DECEMBER 13 • 7PM

SAT DECEMBER 14 • 7PM

SUN DECEMBER 15 • 7PM

THU DECEMBER 19 • 6PM

SAT DECEMBER 21 • 7PM

FRI DECEMBER 27 • 7PM

TUE DECEMBER 31 • 7PM• 21+

FRI JANUARY 3 • 7PM

SAT JANUARY 4 • 7PM

SUN JANUARY 5 • 7PM

WED JANUARY 8 • 7PM

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

1517 21 st Street Sacramento Holydiversac.com

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

OPEN DAILY AT 4PM

ng Servi

ht idnig

pm-m eek 4 saw 7 day

TWO PEACE AND B MILLY

SAT JANUARY 11 • 7PM

THU JANUARY 16 • 6:3OPM

FRI JANUARY 17 • 7PM

MON JANUARY 2O • 6PM

coming soon WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

THU JANUARY 23 • 6PM

STRATA

FRI JANUARY 24 • 7PM

SAT JANUARY 25 • 6:3OPM

SUN JANUARY 26 • 6PM

SAT FEBRUARY 1 • 7PM

WED FEBRUARY 5 • 6:3OPM

MON FEBRUARY 1O • 6PM

TUE FEBRUARY 11 • 7PM

WED FEBRUARY 12 • 6:3OPM

LOS STELLARIANS (FEATURING SA MARTINEZ OF 311)

SubmergeMag.com

DECEMBER 23: X-MESS RAPS DECEMBER 2O: sold out SHORTIE / LONG DRIVE HOME JANUARY 12: LOUMUZIK LIVE FEBRUARY 14: ROSS THE BOSS FEBRUARY 16: THE MOVEMENT FEBRUARY 18: IANN DIOR FEBRUARY 26: OLIVIA O’BRIEN FEBRUARY 27: SASAMI FEBRUARY 28: SOCIAL CLUB MISFITS MARCH 6: THE HOLDUP, GRIEVES

MARCH 12: CITY MORGUE MARCH 13: WHILE SHE SLEEPS MARCH 27: BAD OMENS MARCH 29: GORILLA BISCUITS APRIL 9: PRO-PAIN APRIL 17 & 18: LYNCH MOB APRIL 22: POWERGOVE MAY 27: ANTI-FLAG MAY 31: FLOTSAM & JETSAM SEPT 14: AMARANTHE

MUCH•LIGHT, IssueSO 306 December 4 – December 18, 2019 CATBAMBOO AND ROMAN PILOT

2708 J Street SACRAMENTO 916.441.4693 HARLOWS.COM * ALL Friday

LOW! TIX

DEC 6 8PM $35 21+

ANUHEA

6PM $37 all ages

Thursday 7PM $20adv 21+ Friday

6PM $10adv all ages

Saturday

Sunday

DEC 22

4 PM, all ages & 7:30PM, 21+ $23adv

LANCE WOODS, BIG AL

THE DARLING CLEMENTINES

Sunday 6PM $15-20 18+

Monday

DEC 23

BURLESQUE & VARIETY SHOW: GOTHAM GIRLS

Thursday

ONOFF

DEC 19

7PM $10adv 21+

OCCUPY THE TREES, CHROME ROSE

thu DEC 5 6PM | ALL AGES

2708 J Street fri DEC 13 8PM | 21+

ROSELIT BONE

8PM $27.50adv 21+

DEC 27 AND

DEC 28

8PM $31adv 21+

fri DEC 6 10PM | 21+

fri DEC 27 8PM | 21+

TH’ LOSIN STREAKS MIDNITE SNAXX, THE CAVEMEN

JOEL THE BAND

THE RAT PACK CHRISTMAS LOW! SHOW TIX

GHOSTFACE KILLAH

BRU LEI, UNLEARN THE WORLD

MOTHER HIPS

THE COFFIS BROTHERS *DEC 28 ONLY

sun DEC 8 6:30PM | ALL AGES

FRIDAY NIGHT FUNK PARTY

POP ROCKS ACHILLES WHEEL

JAN 4

BLACKALICIOUS:

Friday

STARGAZING: A BOWIE TRIBUTE

JAN 10

5:30PM $12adv all ages

NIA 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

THE ROA BROTHERS BAND, SPACEWALKER, THE HEY-NOWS!, THE TIPSY ORCHESTRINA

COMING SOON

THE SUGAR HIGH BAND

COMEDY BURGER

1.11 1.18 1.18 1.19 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.30 2.01 2.02 2.05 2.10 2.15 2.16 2.18 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 3.01 3.08 3.16 3.17 4.03 4.09 4.20 5.05 6.12

wed DEC 11 5:30PM | ALL AGES

I r i s hp a looz a 2 0 2 0 Mi d g e Ure (early) The o Katz m a n Le i f Volle b e k k YB N Cord a e (sold out) S c a r fa ce w/ L i ve B a nd Wyc le f Je a n The Fre d E a g le s m i th S how The Pu r p le One s (Prince tribute) Ra d i c a l Fa ce Grate f u l S hre d Pi ne g rove Ta coc at Lu nd + g u cc i hi g hwate r s Ma g i c Ci ty H i p p i e s The J i m my Dore S how L i ve And y S ha u f B a d f i s h (S ublime Tribute) Com b o Chi m b i ta & Y L a B a m b a Du s tb ow l Revi va l L a s Cafete ra s Lowe r De ns Er i c Ga le s R . LUM. R Da n De a con S u m m e r S a lt Of Montre a l Mod S u n Poli ç a Mu d honey N i k k a Cos ta

thu DEC 12 7PM | 21+ LOW! TIX

BLUES & BOURBON

GAMMA PEOPLE, THE BAD BARNACLES

GROOVELINE

NGAIO BEALUM

HOSTED BY WENDY WILLIAMS

ROCKIN’ JOHNNY BURGIN

CHARLIE HUNTER & LUCY WOODWARD

sun DEC 15 6:30PM | ALL AGES

mon DEC 16 6:30PM | 21+

wed DEC 18 5:30PM | ALL AGES

thu DEC 19 6:30PM | 21+

fri DEC 20 8PM | 21+

LOW! TIX

THE MIDNIGHT DIP, THE GOLD SOULS

Saturday 9:30PM $25adv 21+

9:30PM $12adv 21+

CHARITTE & MICHEL’LE

DEC 15

CURREN$Y

SMOKE DZA, FENDI P

DEC 21

A NIGHT OF R&B FEAT.

8PM $25adv 21+

JAN 4

5:30PM $20 all ages

Saturday

NIKKI HILL

DEC 14

Saturday

SACRAMENTO BLUES SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP HOLIDAY PARTY FEAT.

6PM $25 all ages

LOW! TIX

9:30PM $26adv 21+

TO LED ZEPPELIN

DEC 13

9PM $25adv 21+

KINDRED THE FAMILY SOUL

DEC 20

DEC 21

IDEATEAM

Tuesday

Friday

ZEPPARELLA THE ALL-FEMALE TRIBUTE

DEC 12

CON BRIO

DEC 31 NEW YEARS EVE WITH

Friday

1TAKEJAY, AZCHIKE

DEC 7

6:30PM $22adv all ages

7PM $17adv 21+

TIMES ARE DOOR TIMES*

DEC 20

BO NAPOLEON, FLUID FOUNDATION, SQUAREFIELD MASSIVE

Saturday

DEC 29

BLUES & BOURBON

MAJEL CONNERY BOOT JUICE HANNAH MAYREE

thu JAN 9 6PM | ALL AGES PLUM ANDERSON BEAUTY QUEEN & COUNTRY CLUB

BAND OF COMERADOS

fri JAN 10 8PM | 21+ THE NICKEL SLOTS MERRYGOLD

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

QUIQUE GOMEZ with CHARLIE BATY

KID ANDERSEN & ALEX PETTERSEN

sat JAN 11 6PM | ALL AGES

THE UP ‘N COMIN’ LIVE EXPERIENCE

DIAMOND, ZARIA, AARON LE HOSTED BY JOHN ANGELO COLEMAN

HOLLYWOOD BALL: A PLANNED PARENTHOOD BENEFIT

ATM MACHINE, DRIFTS, WHISKERMAN, SAM ELIOT’S SPIRIT DISCO, SARA & THE DEVIL

mon JAN 20 6PM | ALL AGES FOG LAKE FOXES IN FICTION

WAX

UBI (OF CES CRU), LANCE SKIIIWALKER

tue JAN 28 6PM | ALL AGES DUDE YORK

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

306 2019

ic ! s u M p DIVE o p k l o A Night of f IN According

Submerge: an independently owned entertainment/lifestyle publication available for free biweekly throughout the greater Sacramento area.

COFOUNDER/ EDITOR IN CHIEF/ ART DIRECTOR

COFOUNDER/ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Jonathan Carabba jonathan@ submergemag.com SENIOR EDITOR

James Barone ASSISTANT EDITOR

Ryan Prado

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Amber Amey, Ellen Baker, Robin Bacior, Robert Berry, Syrah Caparas, Michael Cella, Bocephus Chigger, Ronnie Cline, Justin Cox, Alia Cruz, Miranda Culp, Brittney Delgado, Josh Fernandez, Lovelle Harris, Mollie Hawkins, Tyler Horst, Ryan Kaika, Niki Kangas, Nur Kausar, Grant Miner, Olivia Monahan, John Phillips, Paul Piazza, Claudia Rivas, Daniel Romandia, Andrew Russell, Maxwell Shukuya, Jacob Sprecher, Richard St. Ofle CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Wesley Davis, Evan Duran, Dillon Flowers, Julia E. Heath, Jon Hermison, Paul Piazza, Tyrel Tesch

Submerge

P.O. Box 160282 Sacramento, California 95816

916.441.3803 info@ submergemag.com

24 07

DIVE IN

GRAVE LAKE

THE STREAM

STRAWBERRY GIRLS

OUTSIDE THE 9-TO-5

THE CITY OF THEATERS

CALENDAR

SUBMERGE YOUR SENSES

AIDA RODRIGUEZ

OPTIMISTIC PESSIMIST

SOLOMON’S DELICATESSEN

SubmergeMag.com

THE SHALLOW END

All content is property of Submerge and may not be reproduced without permission. Submerge is both owned and published by Submerge Media. All opinions expressed throughout Submerge are those of the author and do not necessarily mean we all share those opinions. Feel free to take a copy or two for free, but please don’t remove our papers or throw them away. Submerge welcomes letters of all kinds, whether they are full of love or hate. We want to know what is on your mind, so feel free to contact us via snail mail at P.O. Box 160282, Sacramento, California 95816. Or you can email us at info@submergemag.com.

SUBMERGEMAG.COM Follow us on Twitter & Instagram! @SubmergeMag PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

FRONT COVER PHOTO OF AIDA RODRIGUEZ BY PHIL PROVENCIO BACK COVER PHOTO OF GRAVE LAKE BY JULIA E. HEATH

Do you have friends or family that you need to shop for this holiday season? I’d love to suggest supporting Submerge advertisers! Because of them, we’re able to publish stories on local and national musicians, artists, comedians, local events and local business every other week! For the music lover: Get them a pair of tickets to an upcoming live concert! I’d suggest taking a look at all of the venue’s ads in our paper to see if anything is coming to town your loved one or friend might be excited for at places like: Ace of Spades (pages 14 and 15), Holy Diver (pages 4 and 5), Harlow’s/Starlet (page 6, while page 8 specifically has local promoter Abstract Entertainment’s upcoming shows), The Boardwalk (while page 7 only has their upcoming shows for December you can also check out future shows at Boardwalkrocks. com), Torch Club (page 21 and see more shows at Torchclub.net), Center for the Arts (Grass Valley is just a hop, skip and a jump away, check out page 17 and Thecenterforthearts.org), Goldfield (page 20) and Crest Theatre (page 25 specifically has local promoter SBL Entertainment’s upcoming shows at Crest as well as a few shows at B Street at The Sofia. For all their events around town visit Sblentertainment. com). And if you can’t decide on a specific show, I’d suggest giving the venue a call to see if you could get them a gift certificate. Laughter may be the best medicine, but it also makes a great gift! Think Punch Line. Look into future laughs at Punchlinesac.com. Give the gift of food and drink: For a chill place with cocktails, burgers, brunch and so much more, how about a gift certificate for Kupro’s Craft House? A gift certificate to Der Biergarten is a great idea for the beer lover in your life. With 32 beers on tap and some of the best sausages in town, you can’t go wrong. Who doesn’t love jewelry? A pretty necklace, a cute ring, a bronze cuff or perhaps an engagement ring? Keep it local with Little Relics. On top of hand made or custom jewelry, they also have other locally sourced gifts that can help finish up your holiday shopping list. A Crocker Art Museum membership is a thoughtful gift for that art lover in your life. Free general admission for 12 months, invitations to exclusive events and exhibition previews, plus it includes discounts on lectures, concerts and classes. A bonus for the buyer, whatever level you choose is also tax deductible. For the man in your life, snag a gift certificate to Anthony’s Barber Shop. It’s a great local shop to get haircuts or straight razor shaves, I know because my husband goes there. They also sell some of the best smelling pomades from Anthony’s other company, Victory Crown Barber Co. Between mom, dad, brother, sister or the in-laws, someone probably smokes the marijuana. For the toker in your life, nothing helps take the edge off from the holiday madness like an eighth (or an ounce, you know, if you smoke too). I “high”-ly suggest checking out these collectives: NUG, Two Rivers Wellness, Green Solutions, Abatin Wellness Center, and for delivery service, I Heart Canna. Keep in mind Indica equals “In-da-couch” and Sativa equals “Festiva” ... Or you could always just go for a hybrid. Thanks for considering supporting these awesome Submerge advertisers this holiday season! Be sure to tell them you peeped their ad in our publication. Read. Learn.  Buy rad gifts this holiday season. Melissa Welliver

bazooka.c Accordingto “The DeevDile’stails” in th available album now!

MELISSA WELLIVER melissa@submergemag.com

Melissa Welliver melissa@ submergemag.com

To a Bazook

’TIS THE SEASON FOR SHOPPING!

DECEMBER 4 – 18

The O’Mallys: Sister plus

Kallyfac&eboAokl.cltoyemr/s

e s o o G & x o , F y a d r CRAMENTO u A t S , a t S e e r t 1001 R S 21 & over is

TheOMallyS

DEC 14

over 9 p.m. $5 C

The

Boardwalk FRI, DEC 6

9426 GREENBACK ORANGEVALE (916) 358-9116 BOARDWALKROCKS.COM

ALL AGES • 6PM

L.A. GUNS

STARRING PHIL LEWIS & TRACI GUNS ABEYANCE / ARMINIUS / JET BLACK ROMANCE SAT, DEC 7

ALL AGES • 6:30PM

OH! THE HORROR

AMERICAZ MOZT HAUNTED / EXILED FROM GRACE DEMENTED NAYCHIA / 2HK + MORE SUN, DEC 8

ALL AGES • 6PM

THE HOME TEAM

CROOKED TEETH / LONELY AVENUE HI, MOM! MON, DEC 9

ALL AGES • 6PM

UNEARTH / DARKEST HOUR WED, DEC 11

ALL AGES • 6:30PM

ADEMA

FAILURE BY PROXY / NOVA SUTRO DAMAGED THINGS THU, DEC 12

ALL AGES • 6PM

DEAD CROWN

AVOID / WHITE WOLF UNTIL THE UNKNOWN FRI, DEC 13

ALL AGES • 6:30PM

THE FALL OF TROY

THE NUMBER 12 LOOKS LIKE YOU STRAWBERRY GIRLS / SUFFERER

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

ACCORDING TO BAZOOKA

CELEBRATING THEIR LATEST ALBUM

THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS

AccordingToBazooka.com

First Street Cafe

Friday December 13

free / 7 p.m. all ages

440 First Street, Benicia

Also playing:

Saturday December 14

Fox & Goose

Sunday January 19

Father Paddy’s Irish Pub

Sunday February 9

Blue Note Brewing Co.

$5 / 9 p.m. 21+

The O’Mally Sisters

1001 R Street, Sacramento

435 Main Street, Woodland

THE STREAM

JONATHAN CARABBA

Send regional news tips to info@submergemag.com It feels good to give to those in need. It also feels good to see live music. Do both this holiday season by attending one or more of these four upcoming local concerts for charity. This Saturday, Dec. 7, a group of local hip-hop artists are throwing a free show at Exhale Smoke Shop and will be accepting donations to benefit local homeless. Expect live performances from the likes of Don Blanco, D-Dubb, Mi$tuh G, Abstract Ninjaa, E-Moe and others. Bring some bucks for those in need this holiday season and kick back with some good music. It’s a win-win. This event is 18-plus and doors open at 7 p.m. Exhale is located at 2830 E St.

free / 8 p.m. 21+ or with adult free / 3 p.m. 21+ or with adult

750 Dead Cat Alley, Woodland

SAC HAS HEART: FOUR UPCOMING LOCAL CONCERTS FOR CHARITY

Don Blanco

After taking last year off, the annual Hip Hop Helps toy drive and concert returns on Thursday, Dec. 12, this year at Cafe Colonial. An all-star roster of local and regional hip-hop talent is lined up to perform live including Mr. P Chill, Mr. Hooper, Poor Majesty, Ms. Vybe, Mahtie Bush, J.Smo of BUNKS, Madame Z and others.

Now AcceptiNg AppoiNtmeNts!

Book oNliNe At sAcrAmeNtoBArBershop.com 2408 21 st • Sac • (916) 457-1120 st

Tues-Fri 9am-6pm • saT 10am-4pm

ACE

SPADES

•

(ALL ORIGINAL MEMBERS) LOS STRAITJACKETS

1417

STREET

•

SACRAMENTO

•

THURSDAY

AGES

•

7:00PM

THE STARLET ROOM (ABOVE HARLOW’S) • 2708 J STREET • SACR AMENTO • 21 & OVER • 8:00PM

ZEPPARELLA

2708

STREET

•

SACRAMENTO

•

HARLOW’S

•

2708

HARLOW’S

•

2708

STREET

•

SACRAMENTO

•

8:00PM

SUNDAY

DEC 29

•

OVER

DUSTBOWL REVIVAL OF MONTREAL

HARLOW’S

•

STREET

2708

•

SACRAMENTO

•

LOCATE S,1

STREET

•

SACRAMENTO

•

8:00PM

•

8:00PM

THURSDAY

OVER

•

TH’ LOSIN STREAKS

2708

STREET

•

SACRAMENTO

Bill Mylar | Photo by TJ Lev

APR 3 OVER

•

9:00PM

TUESDAY

MAY 5 •

OVER

•

9:00PM

MELT BANANA (FROM JAPAN) HARLOW’S

•

2708

TIMES OF DESPERATION

STREET

•

SACRAMENTO

•

OVER

SATURDAY

MAY 30 •

8:00PM

SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS

HARLOW’S

•

2708

STREET

•

SACRAMENTO

•

FEB 27

On Tuesday, Dec. 17, the legendary local venue and bar Torch Club will host local musician Bill Mylar’s annual Holiday Party and Warm Donation Drive to benefit Loaves and Fishes. This fun filled night will feature holiday music by Mylar and Friends, including popular sing-alongs and special guests, and in lieu of a cover charge patrons are asked to please bring new, unopened warm items like socks, scarves, sweaters, coats, jackets, blankets and sleeping bags to be donated to Loaves and Fishes, a local nonprofit that helps with food, warmth and a path home for men, women and children experiencing homelessness in Sacramento. The party, which runs from 5–8 p.m., will also feature food and drink specials. Torch is located at 904 15th St., in between I and J streets.

FRIDAY

MUDHONEY HARLOW’S

DEC 12 DEC 12

OVER

CON BRIO IDEATEAM

THURSDAY

(THE ALL-FEMALE ZEPPELIN POWERHOUSE) •

Mr. P Chill

DEC 5 ALL

CHARLIE HUNTER & LUCY WOODWARD

HARLOW’S

Plus local turntablist Mike Colossal will help set the vibe all night. Admission to this 21-plus event is one brand new, unwrapped toy. All donations will go directly to Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center in support of their annual holiday basket program. Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center is a private, nonprofit social service agency serving residents of all ages in the North Sacramento, Gardenland, Northgate and Natomas communities. Cafe Colonial is located at 3520 Stockton Blvd. Doors open at 8 p.m.

OVER

•

8:00PM

TUESDAY

JUNE 9

And last but not least, on Saturday, Dec. 21, more than a dozen of Sacramento’s best singer-songwriters will gather at Fox and Goose to perform versions of their favorite holiday classics, all for a good cause. Bring $5 cash or even better, a new, unwrapped toy to be donated to the Toys for Tots program and you’ll be in on the party, which will feature Christopher Fairman, Larisa Bryski, Hans Eberbach, Gillian Underwood, Natalie Cortez, Erik Hanson, Warren Bishop and more. This one kicks off at 9 p.m. Fox and Goose is located at 1001 R St. Christopher Fairman | Photo by Paul Piazza

ALL TICKETS AVAILABLE AT: ABSTRACTPRESENTS.COM & EVENTBRITE.COM

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

If you know of any other regional concerts for charity coming up, shoot us an email us to info@submergemag.com to get it on our radar. Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

OUTSIDE THE 9-TO-5

WORDS & PHOTOS ELLEN BAKER

THE CITY OF THEATERS: EVENING OUTINGS IN SACRAMENTO

YOUR AD HERE

CALL US

(916) 441-3803

OR EMAIL US

info@submergemag.com

TODAY!

This week has been a long, cold one for me. A week of self-inflicted crisis and lethargy—a week I’m ready to say goodbye to. The weather is no longer cozy in the mornings, nor is it daylight when I expect it to be. My mind is thrown off-kilter. I look for guidance in the outdoors only to find cold accompanying dark. It is these shifts in nature that break cycles. It is the epitome of my love for nature, but breaking cycles, whether positive, negative or neutral, can be a difficult time. And you know what a difficult, cold and dark time calls for? A movie theater. A theater production. A comedy show. Sacramento proper is home to more than 30 theaters. From the common theaters where one may find the popular “now playing” Rotten Tomato list, to B Street Theatre that hosts an array of entertainment from classic stage productions to comedy to music events. Sacramento, if you didn’t already know, is bursting with live entertainment. Take a solo night on the town, plan a date, call family, grab your friends and take your pick from one of Sacramento's many theaters. Although a more typical movie night out at the multiplex, Century DOCO Theater (1015 Fourth St.) now offers beer and wine as well as discount tickets on Tuesdays for $6.50. In the heart of our growing city, this is not a bad place to spend a dark and cold evening. The options are nearly endless for modern movie theaters in Sacramento. For instance, head to the West Wind Sacramento 6 Drive-In (9616 Oates Dr.) but don’t forget your hand warmers and blankets! Or, for a quieter night out, the Tower Theatre (2508 Land Park Dr.) is known for showings of independent and foreign films and is my favorite movie theater in town. Built in 1938, this neon-signed historic building began as one large auditorium showing sub-run films and later resigned the space into three theaters. This iconic Sacramento landmark is not to be missed! To immerse yourself onto a red carpet surrounded by 1920’s elegant decor, look no further than the Crest Theatre (1013 K St.). Here, one may find older movies and live entertainment, but my favorite of all is when they play the Oscar-nominated short films, typically in February. Two days of the best-of-the-best short films yet to be released to the public—what a dream! SubmergeMag.com

Perhaps live theater is more your calling. B Street Theatre at The Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts, also referred to simply as The Sofia (2700 Capitol Ave.), has been at its new location for nearly two years now. With all-inclusive live entertainment of theater, speakers and music, The Sofia has a Mainstage for all, and a Family Stage for the children. As you may know, the Sacramento Community Center Theater (1301 L St.) is undergoing a $96.4 million renovation and is currently closed during construction. This venue is perhaps my favorite in Sacramento for ballet and Broadway shows. It is scheduled to reopen in Fall 2020. I highly suggest finding tickets for opening week! For a night of laughter, stop by Sacramento Comedy Spot (1050 20th Street, #130) for improv and stand-up shows. It’s a small location nestled close to Block Butcher Bar and LowBrau, making it a perfect nightcap after a charcuterie board and drink. The Comedy Spot is also home to Northern California’s largest comedy school with eightweek sessions, individual workshops and classes for kids. Punch Line Sacramento (2100 Arden Way) is arguably the city’s number one stand-up comedy spot. With big names and a full bar, grab your tickets and seats early. Last but not least, at Laughs Unlimited (1207 Front St.) you will find a mix of stand-up and live music. Located in Old Sacramento, Laughs Unlimited is steps away from restaurants and bars, yet provides their own full kitchen and bar as well. These nine entertainment vessels are a select few of the many that Sacramento has to offer with variance in entertainment ranging across the board. Check out The Guild, Capital Stage, Ooley Theater, New Helvetia Theatre, California Stage Co.—even Luna’s Cafe and Juice Bar on 16th Street hosts live music, open mic comedy nights, poetry and more. Our city is bustling with live entertainment, so in these coming weeks of cold dark afternoons, take a step into another world, at least for a couple hours.

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

Your Senses

WORDS SUBMERGE STAFF

Ernest Saves Christmas

TOUCH

How Quick Is St. Nick? Come See at the Seventh Annual Sacramento Santa Run • Dec. 21 We all know how fast St. Nick gets around in his sleigh, what with his flying reindeer and all, but how quick is the old jolly guy on his own two feet? Come find out at the seventh annual Sacramento Santa Run, where thousands of local runners (and walkers!) will dress up and hit either the longer 5K course (3.1 miles) or the shorter Merry Mile. Even better, a free Santa suit comprised of a jacket, pants, hat and beard will be provided for every registered runner participating. Registration rates vary from $35 to $55, depending on age, distance and whether or not you want to be timed. Start the race off with a “Yoga Santa Stretch” and end it with free cookies and milk from Insomnia Cookies. Visit Sacramentosantarun.com to register ahead of time and for event details, to see a course map and more. Run, Santa, run!

TASTE

Love Actually

El Dorado Hills-Based Crack’d Toffee Company Has Got Your Holiday Treats Covered!

SEE

Mmm, toffee. The sweet and crunchy treat is a favorite in many homes around the holidays, but that doesn’t stop El Dorado Hills-based Crack’d Toffee Company from cranking out the good stuff all year round. The husband and wife owned company specializes in artisanal microbatch English toffee, often offering mouthwatering variations like their newest flavor, Distill’d Bourbon Toffee, made with extra dark chocolate and Amador Distillery’s Engine 49 Barrel Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The tasting notes on Crackdtoffee.com explain that, “The alcohol cooks off but not before adding a rich woody flavor to the already indulgent confection.” Crack’d also regularly offers their award-winning White Chocolate Toffee, as well as a Dark Chocolate Toffee, a Premium Dark Roast Toffee (another award-winner) and they even have a Vegan Dark Toffee made with a butter alternative and a “Deeply indulgent extra dark chocolate for a somewhat sharper and more refined taste with zero animal products.” Trust us, this crack is not wack! Buy Crack’d goods at Strapping Store (3405 Broadway, Sacramento), inside the Séka Hills Tasting Room at Old Sugar Mill (35265 Willow Ave. Clarksburg) and at the Amador Vintage Market (9393 Main St., Plymouth) to name a few. They’ll also be hosting a “pop-up” on Saturday, Dec. 14 from noon–4 p.m. at Williams Sonoma (525 Pavilions Lane, Sacramento) where you can sample different flavors before buying a bunch for yourself or as gifts. Order online through their website Crackdtoffee.com before Dec. 18 to get your toffee before Christmas!

Scrooged

Crest Theatre’s December Calendar Is Stacked With Classic Holiday Flicks There’s no denying we’re living in the streaming age. Netflix. Hulu. YouTube. Disney+ and all the others. It’s easier than ever to catch new and old movies and shows alike while simply chilling at home on the couch. But there’s still something so special about catching a movie in a big theater, especially this time of year and especially in one as historic and beautiful as downtown Sacramento’s Crest Theatre. In case you didn’t know, on top of concerts, comedy shows and other live performances, Crest also frequently hosts screenings of classic movies, and this month is no different, with a ton of holiday flicks on tap. They’ve got everything from Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) on Tuesday, Dec. 10, to Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) for two screenings on Sunday, Dec. 15. Then on Tuesday, Dec. 17, things go more rom-com with 2003’s Love Actually, before taking us back down memory lane on Sunday, Dec. 22 with two screenings of The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). Christmas week looks fun, too, with White Christmas (1954) on Monday, Dec. 23, It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) on Christmas Eve, and Scrooged (1988) on Thursday, Dec. 26. General admission tickets are $10 each, or if you’re purchasing online ahead of time, get the two-pack for $22 which comes with a medium popcorn. Visit Crestsacramento.com or call (916) 476-3356 for more info. Crest is located at 1013 K St.

HEAR

Three-Time World Champion Spoken Word Artist Buddy Wakefield Comes to B Street Theatre for One Night Only • Dec. 11 In the world of touring performance poets, there is Buddy Wakefield, and there’s everyone else. The three-time world champion spoken word artist is the most toured performance/slam poet in history, and his latest stint of live appearances in support of his newest book, A Choir of Honest Killers (his first book of new work in eight years), will bring him right here to little old Sacramento on Wednesday, Dec. 11. According to his website Buddywakefield.com, the artist is “not concerned with what poetry is or is not” and that he “delivers raw, rounded, disarming performances of humor and heart.” For his Sacramento date, Wakefield will be performing at The Sofia: Home of the B Street Theatre (2700 Capitol Ave., Sacramento) as part of an event benefiting The Creation District, a nonprofit arts and music program serving youth and young adults experiencing homelessness in Sacramento. He’ll be joined by local slam poets AndYes, Andru Defeye, Grace Loescher, Jeanette Sem and Tiffany Gold. Tickets are $13 in advance, $17 at the door, and $10 for students. Learn more at Bstreettheatre.org or by calling (916) 443-5300. Don’t miss this night of passionate poetry for a great cause at a beautiful local performance venue!

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

THE OPTIMISTIC PESSIMIST So you’ve survived another Thanksgiving with your crazy family. Hopefully, your level of traumatization was at a minimum on Turkey Day and none of your fam announced their allegiance to the Proud Boys or ISIS. No one wants to find out Based Stickman is their Uncle Kyle or that the next Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is their cousin Franklin. It’s been a rough year for a lot of people and we could really use some good in our lives right around now. Fortunately, we can count on at least one thing about the day being good: the food. The beautifully browned and still juicy turkey with all of the sides that find their way onto the dinner table is truly a feast. It’s a perfect portrait of American gluttony at its best. On this day, we eat far too much. We eat until all we can manage to do is fart and snore ourselves to sleep watching TV on the couch in our sweatpants at 9 p.m. It’s like our brains know we are going to need some extra rest, because tomorrow we are going to have to figure out what to do with all of these leftovers! There are so many different ways you can go with Thanksgiving leftovers. The

THE LEFTOVERS

possibilities are truly endless. There are however, also things you should definitely not do with your horde of Thanksgiving eats. For starters, you should probably not horde your leftovers. You can’t eat 5 pounds of turkey by yourself before it goes bad, so get into the spirit of the holiday and encourage your guests to take home some food of their own so they can partake in the Thanksgiving leftover shuffle along with you. So what should you do with all of that leftover turkey meat? The obvious choice is to just make a plate of leftovers and live the dream all over again, but there are other options. There is never a better time than now to make a glorious sandwich with as many items from your Thanksgiving dinner plate as you can stack on top of a crusty piece of bread. Go ahead, make Dagwood proud! If you want to get away from the usual, go Mexican with some turkey tacos, enchiladas or tamales, or head to Italy and have a little turkey tetrazzini. What you shouldn’t do is feed it to the wild turkeys around your home in some sort of weird forced cannibalism thing. First of all, wild turkeys are dangerous. Longtime readers

BOCEPHUS CHIGGER bocephus@submergemag.com know my feelings on these feathered menaces; they are despicable. My opinion of them has only gotten worse since I last wrote about them. I walked out of my house to find one of them standing on the hood of my car the other day. Now they want to learn how to drive! If you are wondering why I wouldn’t want to feed those turkey-lurkey bastards their own rotten flesh, it’s because I am worried about making them worse. Feeding them their own brethren could lead to a turkey-based variant of mad cow disease, in which case we are all fucked, or to some other mutation that ultimately makes them an unstoppable force. Do you want to be a slave to a mutant turkey with big muscles and the brain of … well … a bird? I didn’t think so. When the big pieces of meat are gone and you are left with the turkey carcass and the neck and giblets that came stuffed inside, you might be inclined to throw it all out, but you really shouldn’t. All of them funky turkey leavings can go into a big pot to make a delicious soup. You’ll need some carrots, onions, celery, bay leaves and thyme, along with some salt and pepper and water

to get your broth going, but if you cooked Thanksgiving dinner, you probably already have all of that shit, so get on it. Once the broth is up to snuff, throw in some noodles, rice or barley to make it official. Your soup will freeze beautifully in case you want to save it for later. When you come down with the flu after hanging around all those grubby people at the mall on Black Friday, that bowl of soup will be there to nurse you back to health. What you should not do with all of those turkey bones is make predictions about the future. Bone reading, or bone divination, is for trained professionals only and should not be attempted by amateurs. All it takes is one misreading and you’ll end up dead instead of receiving that major award you were so sure you’d win. It’s also a bad idea to try and guess what you will be getting for Christmas. Santa don’t play that shit, and he might end up sending his spokes-thug Sean Hannity to wack you. The war on Christmas is real and about to be underway. It’s going to be a long slog, so I hope you saved some turkey soup!

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Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

TRADITIONAL JEWISH DELICATESSEN GOES ELECTRIC AT SOLOMON’S

IT AIN’T YOUR GRANDMA’S DELI, UNLESS YOUR GRANDMA IS A SHREDDER

Co-owners Sonny Mayugba, Andrea Lepore and Jami Goldstene all had a connection to Solomon, and when they conceptualized this wild reimagining, they reached deep into his creative network to tap many of the original craftsman who contributed to the Tower zeitgeist. Where most restaurants take a handful of months to roll open the doors, the renovation of this space took years. Lepore is the visionary force in the area who developed Hot Italian and the ambitious design project rejuvenating Del Paso Boulevard. She’s a comprehensive creative, thinking of design that will support culture and public space beyond a single building. Every last detail of Solomon’s underwent painstaking consideration: moving the stairs from one side to the other, the glossy high-tech kitchen, a bitchin' retro installation of vintage speakers by local upcycle company Boom Case. When you’ve had your noshes and you are ready to ascend into the Russ Room, the signature yellow of the Tower sign lines the stairs to the second floor. “Pantone 109CDD, I was so glad Russ remembered it!” Lepore laughs about the exact hue of yellow.

But before we go up there, let’s grub. Goldstene brings what she calls her “deep Jew food knowledge” together with Chef Mike Atwater’s contemporary style to blend the rich bounty of Jewish traditional food with the magic of modern Cali slow food. I can see how for some stodgy old-schoolers, Solomon’s offerings might seem a little complicated, but personally, I love that I can get a Reuben with a spanking glass of cab. “We’re a newish Jewish delicatessen,” says Goldstene. “There are some things you’ll see that are very traditional … We’re reintroducing it to an area that hasn’t had a Jewish deli in quite a number of years.” Solomon’s does a lot of baking in-house. You can get aromatic bagels and challah delivered daily from Grateful Bread. Ingredients are sourced locally as much as possible, and everything they make comes from inside California. I sucked down a “Strawberry Fields” like a VIP in the green room: bourbon, strawberry syrup and rhubarb with bitters. It went down a little too easy with the latkes, sour cream and applesauce. The classic lox and bagel with horseradish cream was stacked so

WORDS MIRANDA CULP • PHOTOS EVAN E. DURAN

was 10 years old when my mom brought me to Tower Records with hard-saved allowance to buy my first vinyl: Purple Rain. Little did she know about the lyrics to “Darling Nikki.” The feeling of putting my money on the counter and the guy at the register giving me the smug look like, you’re never gonna be the same, kid. It was a rite of passage. It’s a similar feeling when you arrive at the doorway of the new Solomon’s Delicatessen on K Street, the site of the sixth original Tower Records location. Before you even walk in, the radiant, super-trippy, symmetric, psychedelic mural is like a gateway announcing your reality is about to change. The art was commissioned by Russ Solomon himself in 1973, founder of the legendary Tower Records chain that started here and became a powerful vehicle for music, movies, books and art all over the world. Originally by Frank Carson and Mitch Aronson, the art was recently restored by Mitch’s daughter Sophie Aronson, and local artists Franceska Gamez and Shaun Burner. The two-story glass façade, startling white neon sign and dining room emboldened by a high-contrast color palette all scream rock ‘n’ roll. It isn’t just a restaurant that inhabits the space and borrows the style from the famous record shop; Solomon’s is both a tribute to a local figurehead and a continuation of the creative wellspring that made the Tower so skyscraping. It can truly be said that making this deli required “getting the band back together.”

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

high with wriggling-fresh fish, I had to really crank my jaw around it. Then came the signature pastrami on rye, also excessive to the point of hedonistic with thick-sliced, pink meat and tangy, punchy mustard. The pastrami and corned beef are from a Southern California outfit that also sources Langer’s, an L.A.-based delicatessen that is arguably the best in the nation, Goldstene tells me. You can also get that pastrami in an eggroll if you still need more fusion. Had I to do it all over again, I’d have ordered a Pickletini for this course. We sat outside and the owners watched us plow through the pastrami (oh man, that pungent carraway of the rye bread!) and a constant string of passersby would spot them and come over to talk about the qualities of their black and white cookies as they compare to that of their favorite deli in Chicago, or just to say thanks for doing this. To counter the rich-and-heavy nature of Jewish comfort food, they have plenty of healthy Cali-style stuff whipped into their recipes, and Solomon’s even participated in the 30-day Vegan Challenge and was praised widely for its And the Beet Goes On sandwich and its ‘Shrooms Rubin. And still Chef Mike kept bringing more food, this time a plate of assorted, housemade knishes. Apparently, Darrell Corti, of another old-world Sacramento institution Corti Bros., said Solomon’s knishes were the best he’d ever had. This was so obviously a feather in everyone’s cap. “The highest compliment,” Mayugba beamed. Truthfully, I haven’t had a ton of knish in my life, but this dumpling of savory fluffy potato wrapped around portobello totally lives up to my platonic ideal of knish. SubmergeMag.com

The Cheesecake with Matzo crust is not as lively as your usual graham cracker or saltine crust—a ballad versus an anthem, if you will. I paired it with a “Man Oh Manischewitz,” which is like a blackberry Kir Royale. I also recommend boxing half that big slab of cake so you can finish it off at midnight in your underwear standing in front of the fridge. Not that I did that or anything. But dessert won’t be the end of your night at Solomon’s; the elevator ride is a minute-long visual tour through popular music in the last half of the 20th Century, spackled from floor to ceiling with iconic faces on famous magazine covers, and of course, disability access. The second floor is the Russ Room, part art gallery and part live performance space. Exhibits will be curated by John Soldano of the Toy Room Gallery, famed as a purveyor of brash pop art, street art and rock posters. Again, the wall of glass works its full magic, allowing upstairs guests to see out onto K, and pedestrians on the sidewalk to look up and see what’s happening on stage. Longtime Sacramento promoter Brian McKenna will be doing the booking, but the team all plan to channel talent onto the stage. Mayugba says the venue will be a mixed-use space for private events, a smorgasbord of music, even some all-ages shows. It’s a nice counterpoint to the arena down the street, an intimate spot that will foster local performers. In fact, many Solomon's employees play in bands. Solomon’s really wants to cultivate a scene on this strip of K where the youth feel welcome in the same way that Russ made the Tower. So you can get a bagel for 2 bucks, peruse the vinyl (yes, they do sell some vinyl supplied by Phono Select), check out a band or a reading and keep strolling.

The Russ Room expects its live music license any day now, but in the meantime, you can get bottomless mimosas on Sundays and movie and music Trivia Night on Tuesdays with rotating local celebs doing the hosting. The area really has changed and it’s clear that the community is stoked about it. The light rail, Jump Bikes and added security make the area more accessible to tourists and all kinds of locals. “K Street is its own animal,” says Mayugba, whose other culinary successes include Tiger and The Red Rabbit. “We have to be a multi-dimensional offering to pull people in and make it a destination.” It’s certainly a grand mission and a balancing act: to keep the gold of the past spinning on the turntable while incubating something new. But this crew is both business savvy and tuned into Sacramento’s restaurant, music and art culture. I think they are hoping not just to sell something, but to build something by inviting the community to participate. That takes time. There’s a Yiddish word for what they are doing: Shtrebn. It means to strive. While Russ Solomon sadly never saw the final, dramatic reveal, he did give the project his blessing before he peaced out. He went like a boss sipping whiskey on his couch at the sweet-ass age of 92. But I think he’s up there on the paisley plane looking down, raising a glass, stoked that his friends are carrying on Check out Solomon’s online at where he left off. Solomonsdelicatessen.com for more info, or follow them on Facebook and/or Instagram @solomonsdelicatessen.

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

LAINEY WILSON

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

THE SCRATCH OUTS AND SOL PELIGRO

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BECK PETE & THE JACKS

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T H U R S DAY

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Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

T H U R S DAY

F R I DAY

December 19

December 20

F R I DAY

January 3

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

WITH SPECIAL GUEST

DEE WHITE

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ZEROCLIENT

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THURSDAY MARCH 12

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YACHT ROCK REVUE

CHANCEY WILLIAMS AND THE YOUNGER BROTHERS BAND

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January 24

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TUESDAY MARCH 24

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WE CAME AS ROMANS

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THE AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

BAND OF BROTHERS

GRAVE LAKE DRAWS UPON UNITY WITH DEBUT LP WORDS JOHN PHILLIPS PHOTO JULIA E. HEATH

n 2015, the band Darlingchemicalia came to an end, as a few members were leaving the group. Not wanting the band to be finished, the remaining members of the band forged on as a band of brothers to form Grave Lake. When Grave Lake did indeed emerge from the albeit flameless end of their former incarnation, they decided to change their approach: Frontman Ian Bone switched to bass guitar, and he removed himself from principle songwriting responsibilities, encouraging the band to begin writing as a team. “In Darling, Ian was writing the songs at home, for the most part, and we then arranged them together,” said guitarist Andrew Henderson during a recent interview with Submerge. “But this band has been ... no one is necessarily bringing a completed song idea to the table or anything. It’s really a straight collaboration, which is really something we were all interested in trying to do. Which has been pretty easy since we have been playing together for so long.” Bone didn’t really mind the switch to bass, either, as it was a more natural position for him, having filled that role before in the popular Sacramento band Red Host. In addition to the aforementioned changes, the band also took the opportunity to move on from their established moniker, something that had been a bit of a struggle with fans. “We had kind of tossed around the idea of changing the band name even toward the end of [Darlingchemicalia], because it was a rather difficult one for people to say,” said Bone. Bone isn’t the only member of the group to hold veteran status in the Sacramento music scene. Henderson also boasts years with the now defunct project G. Green, while drummer Justin Gonzales played with the band ESS. At various points in the past, each of the members have juggled membership in multiple groups simultaneously. “Back then it was easier to juggle all those shows playing in other bands just because my energy level was ... I was younger, you know? That was easier,” said Gonzales.

“But now, I definitely value just focusing on making music with these two guys. The comfort level is most important to me at this stage in making music.” “I think back then it wasn’t necessarily a difficult thing to do because that was my whole life was playing music as much as possible,” added Henderson. “Juggling G. Green and Darlingchemicalia, I think at certain points in time I was in even three or four bands. That was ideal for me because I didn’t really care about doing anything else. Whereas now, I do have a solo project that I have been slowly working on for the last four years since G. Green ended, and that’s taking forever, but, yeah ... we’ve gotten older, and we have different priorities. I went back to school, Justin has a real job and Ian’s got his kids. It isn’t 100 percent easier to do this than it was doing that, it’s just a different era, I think. We grew up a little bit.” With a bit more maturity and all three members devoted to the project at hand, Grave Lake has completed their full length debut, after a couple of EP releases (practically titled EP and EP II). The new record, Pure Fear, dropped Sep. 20, and features nine tracks of guitar-laden, hypnotic garage rock, which was recorded at Earth Tone Studios with the popular Patrick Hills, with whom the band enjoyed the recording experience. “He was great,” said Bone of Hills. “He did the second EP for us too, and that was our first experience working with him. We had such a good experience that we just kept carrying on and did this new thing over a number of sessions with him. I think his overall demeanor and just being down to do what we want to do works for us. We definitely wanted to record the basic tracks live in the studio, and there are certain people that tend to think that is a bad idea, but he was just like, ‘alright, let’s setup.’” “That’s the funny thing about this album is that it took a year and a half to get the amount of songs together that we wanted to record, and the actual act of recording was in two different sessions, but each session took no more than an accumulated 10 hours or something,” added Henderson. “We were always prepared to knock out really quick, and I think Pat enjoys that; that we are there to seriously work and get it over with. He’s great and I think his sense of humor works with us pretty well, so we get along with him pretty good.” A particularly interesting track, “Depths,” had some familiarity to the song. Behind the keyboards is none other than former Darlingchemicalia member Stephine Bone (also married to Ian). The appearance is the first time the four of them have played together since the final Darlingchemicalia show,

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

and probably the closest anyone is going to get to a DC reunion, according to the band. However, for those out there who are chomping at the bit to see things as they once were, there is good news: Stephine will be joining the band on stage once again at the next show, which is a sort-of record release for Pure Fear. Not only will she perform “Depths,” but she’ll also be filling in for any keyboardrelated appearances required during the course of the show. The boys seemed excited at the opportunity to share the stage once again with their former bandmate. “I’m excited to hear [our songs] that way,” said Bone. In addition to the album being released online, as well as at the show, the band is also getting an LP pressed, something the band is eager to pass along to fans, as well as to have for themselves. “I do really like the streaming thing, like the convenience of having that,” said Bone. “Especially for a band like us. You don’t have an excuse. You can pull it up on your phone, Apple Music, Spotify...whatever, it’s there. But I think the idea of doing an LP for it is thrilling to me to see it, to have it, the artwork …” “It’s a little bit more for us,” added Henderson. “I mean it’s great to have merch to sell, but it’s also a token of achievement for ourselves. I’ll be able to pull that out in 30 years and be like, ‘Oh yeah, it’s still in the shrink wrap.’” Over the years, the three members of Grave Lake have been through a lot together, and while they don’t feel the lyrical content of their work has necessarily matured with age, they do feel like they have homed in on their craft. “I feel like our playing is much better than it used to be, a little more focused,” said Bone. “I think it was a little more of a party back then, whereas it’s a little more like we’re actually trying [now]. I think for me, the lyrics part at least, the maturity doesn’t show up. It’s kind of coming from a similar place. Musically, I would say I think it’s far more complicated for me to play and sing now than it used to be. “I would say now more than ever, I’ve never spent so long writing a song as we do with this band. We put them together, we take them apart then put them back together. There’s definitely much more thought put into it now.”

Get out to Blue Lamp (1400 Alhambra Blvd.) Friday, Dec. 13 for the album release show for Grave Lake’s LP Pure Fear! Also performing are Sacramento shredders Ghostplay, and Atlanta-based Sub Pop Records artists, Omni. Show starts at 8 p.m. and is 21 and over. For ticket info, visit Bluelampsacramento.com

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Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

POP MATTERS

STRAWBERRY GIRLS’ ZACHARY GARREN AND BEN ROSETT DISCUSS THEIR CATCHY NEW ALBUM WORDS TYLER HORST • PHOTO CORY MUIR

he instrumental rock trio Strawberry Girls is back with a new full-length album called Tasmanian Glow. As is typical for the Salinas, California-born group, it’s hard to pin the album down to any specific genre. Leaping from prog, to funk, to R&B—sometimes in the span of a single song—Tasmanian Glow can be complex in its ambitions, but the band corrals these wild ideas into a more straightforward, poppier set of tunes than is found on previous releases. Strawberry Girls is guitarist Zachary Garren (ex-Dance Gavin Dance), bassist Ian Jennings and drummer Ben Rosett (also of Eternity Forever and a solo artist). With no official vocalist in the lineup, listeners might find themselves singing along to melodies even though there are no words. For those looking for lyrics, guest

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

vocalists do appear twice on the album. Haley Nicole Woodward of Placerville’s neo-soul band Mookatite sings on the haunting math-rock ballad “Angel Dust,” and Bakersfield, California-born crooner Andrés fronts the rip-roaring closer “Party Nights.” This time around, the three members of Strawberry Girls found themselves living in different cities while writing the record. Rather than hindering the process, they say it allowed different ideas to float to the top. Rather than progressing linearly and racking up long runtimes, the songs on Tasmanian Glow often return to catchy choruses and head-nodding hooks. Garren and Rosett sat down to talk about the writing process for the new record.

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

Congratulations on the new record. I know you just got off a tour. Have you been playing the new songs live, and how have they been received? Zachary Garren: They seem to be doing well when we play them live. We were doing four unreleased ones and two of them slowly got released over tour. So half of them were basically like brand new songs people hadn’t heard and people reacted to them pretty well. Were all of the songs on Tasmanian Glow written for the record? “First Kiss” and “Party Nights” were released as singles awhile back. Were those always intended for the record? ZG: Those were just kind of random singles we’d done. We weren’t sure if they’d end up on an album or not. "Sasha" was the first one we released back in 2017. We did “First Kiss” at the end of 2017 when we toured with mewithoutYou. And then we did “Party Nights” last year before our second headlining tour with Andrés, because it was featuring him on the song so we’d do the song every night. We wrote a bunch of stuff for the album and then we debated whether or not we should have the songs. It kind of ended up that we wanted those songs to be able to be on a record. We still play those songs basically every show, so we wanted them to have a home. It’s cool because they’re all in the same key basically, so they kind of make sense and they’re in the same key as the last couple songs on the album, so they fit well and don’t seem out of place, which we like. Is there a theme that ties Tasmanian Glow together or sets it apart from records in the past? Ben Rosett: In the past we all lived close together so we were jamming a lot and writing together, but for the new record we all live in different cities now. Zach demoed out 40 to 50 different ideas, then we chose the 10 best ideas and recorded those. We wanted the new record to be more straightforward and concise and fun to listen to. On Tasmanian Glow there’s nothing longer than five minutes. It definitely seems tighter in general. ZG: I think it was a product of how the album was written. We wrote a bunch of stuff for the album but we ended up choosing the poppier, catchier songs. Kind of by chance a little bit, but also I kind of went into it wanting to do shorter, more repetitive but in a catchy way. I want the riffs to get stuck in your head. We tried a different writing style than some of our past stuff that has been more linear with less repeating riffs. It’s cool to have these shorter, poppier bursts of energy that we can throw into our sets and play more songs. One riff that’s been caught in my head is from “Dreamgirl,” which for lack of a better term feels more classic rock than anything you’ve released before. What were some of the genres you were drawing inspiration from this time around? ZG: That one specifically, we’ve had that riff for a long time now. I’d say four or five years. We jammed it at practice but I had never written much past that. After a couple years we added the second riff that comes in, and then tried to expand it. For this album I tried to flesh it out a little bit more and we finally decided to do it. As for inspiration, all of us listen to everything, especially hip-hop and R&B. SubmergeMag.com

In our songs “Lovetrip,” “Faith Healer,” “Mini Ripper,” they have more of a hip-hop, R&B feel to them. There’s less prog and math-rock this time. BR: I grew up listening to a lot of progressive rock stuff like Tera Melos or Fall of Troy. I do a lot of music production so I’m into pop, R&B and a lot of that stuff, too. Ben, I noticed some sound drops you use in your solo records on Tasmanian Glow. Because you all were writing in separate places, were there other musical ideas you have as individual artists that came up more in writing? BR: I’ve been producing a lot of my own solo music this past year so I’ve just been growing a lot, musically. Performing, recording, production, mixing, all of that kind of transfers over to the band as well. I also really love K-pop and super poppy electronic music like Tennyson, Waveracer and a few others. I love how it gets straight to the melody. I feel like that’s transferred over to the new record. Do you have any dream vocalists that you’d like to work with? BR: One of our songs on the new record, “Mini Ripper,” we’re going to be releasing another version of that song with Nic Newsham from Gatsby’s American Dream, but we’re not sure when that’s coming out. I would love to have Anthony Green [Circa Survive] on a song, and Thomas Erak from Fall of Troy. ZG: Chino [Moreno] from Deftones. BR: We almost had Chino actually. I lived in Bend, Oregon, and Chino was actually living a couple miles from where I live and we started hanging out. He was going to feature on a song in “Tasmanian Glow” but he ended up moving to Portland and got busy. It’s interesting that you and artists like Andrés play very different styles of music from each other, yet it somehow works together. Then on top of that, somewhat by virtue of bands you’ve played with in the past, you’re both associated with a post-hardcore or punk scene. Where do you feel like your music fits? BR: It’s funny because a lot of people assume we’re on Blue Swan Records [the post-hardcore label owned by Dance Gavin Dance guitarist Will Swan; Strawberry Girls is signed to Tragic Hero]. We get thrown into the whole math rock scene, too, though we don’t consider ourselves math-rock. I’m glad to be part of a cool scene of upcoming music, but we’re also trying not to pigeonhole ourselves and make fun music that most anyone can enjoy. ZG: We’re not too far in any direction, so we’ve been able to do different tours where I feel like most bands would only be able to do one type of tour. We can tour with an indie band like mewithoutYou, and then we can also go off next tour with a metal prog-rock band like Veil of Maya. We can adapt to whatever type of tour we’re on.

See Strawberry Girls live at The Boardwalk in Orangevale (9426 Greenback Lane) on Dec. 13. Also performing will be The Number 12 Looks Like You, Sufferer and headliner The Fall of Troy. Tickets for this all-ages show are $22 in advance, and doors open at 6:30 p.m. For more info, go to Boardwalkrocks.com.

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

Serving Flakos Takos! 1630 J Street SACRAMENTO (916) 476-5076 Thursday December 5 7:30pm | $24adv | all ages

Tuesdays!

$1 TACOS +

Saturday January 11 7:30pm | $16 | all ages

Lindsay Ell

Taco

$1 OFF ALL BEERS

Merkules

ALL DAY LONG

plus special guests

2HK

plus special guests

Amador Sons

Thursday December 12 | 7:30pm | $22 | all ages

The Expendables

plus Riotmaker & Island of Black & White

Thursday December Friday January 17 12 | 7:30pm | $22 | all ages plus Riotmaker & 7:30pm | $15 | all ages

The Expendables

Josh Ward

Island of Black & White

plus special guest

Randall King Saturday December 14 | 3pm | $25 | all ages

Wednesday January 22 7:30pm | $13 | all ages

SECOND SHOW ADDED!

Struggle Jennings

The White Buffalo Chuck Ragan

plus special guest

STARTING AT 10PM

FVME

DJs OASIS JOSEPH ONE & FRIENDS

Sim Williams

Saturday January 25 | 7:30pm | free | all ages

Thursday December 19 7:30pm | $10 | all ages

American Mile

Hellbound Glory plus special guests The Nickel Slots

Monday January 6 | 7:30pm | $10 | all ages

The Picturebooks

Thursday February 6 7:30pm | $26.50 | all ages

21 TVs

Black Uhuru plus special guest

Etana

Saturday February 8 | 7pm | $25adv | all ages

Thursday January 9 7:30pm | $26 | all ages

Tarrus Riley

Justin Townes Earle

turday, ember 22

Darling mentines

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BOOK YOUR NEXT EVENT AT GOLDFIELD!

Corporate Events, Private Parties, Birthday’s & More Tuesday February 11 Melvins

Wednesday February 12 Horrorpops

Thursday February 13 Jerrod Niemann

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

Wednesday February 26 Delta Bombers

F O R M O R E I N F O V I S I T G O L D F I E L DT R A D I N G P O S T. CO M

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

MUSIC, COMEDY & MISC. CALENDAR

DECEMBER 4 – 18

SUBMERGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR

12.04 WEDNESDAY

Ace of Spades Aly & AJ, 7 p.m. The Club Car The Double Shots, 7:30 p.m. Crest Theatre Asleep at the Wheel: Merry Texas Christmas Y’all, 6:30 p.m. Folsom Hotel Saloon Open Mic Jam, 9 p.m. Kupros Ross Hammond, 5 p.m. Louie’s Cocktail Lounge Live Blues Jam Session, 8 p.m. Mondavi Center: Jackson Hall UC Davis Concert Band, 7 p.m. The Pour Choice Kyddo, 6:30 p.m. Revival at The Sawyer The Albertson Duo, 6 p.m. The Starlet Room Blues & Bourbon: Red’s Blues, Sid Morris, 5:30 p.m. Torch Club The O’Mally Sisters, 5:30 p.m.; The Big Poppies, 8:30 p.m.

12.05 THURSDAY

Ace of Spades X, Los Straitjackets, 7 p.m. Armadillo Music New Spell, 7 p.m. B Street at The Sofia Jane Monheit Duo, Rabbit Quinn, 6 p.m. The Club Car Songwriters Showcase, 8 p.m. Goldfield Lindsay Ell, Amador Sons, 7:30 p.m. Harris Center John Tesh’s Acoustic Christmas, 7:30 p.m. Kupros Robert Kuhlmann, 7 p.m. Powerhouse Pub North Forty, 9:30 p.m. The Press Club Feed Your Soul: Dan the Man, 7 p.m. Shine Jazz Jam, 8 p.m. The Starlet Room Roselit Bone, Gamma People, The Bad Barnacles, 6 p.m. Torch Club Mind X, 5:30 p.m.; Tracorum, 9 p.m.

12.06 FRIDAY

Ace of Spades Dir En Grey, 7 p.m. Arden Fair Living Room Vibes w/ The Philharmonik, Basi Vibe, 6 p.m. Armadillo Music Tyler Ransom, 8 p.m. Berryessa Brewing Co. The Casual Coalition, Jonny Mojo, 5 p.m. Big Sexy Brewing Co. Mookatite (Album Release), Crecon, 6 p.m. The Boardwalk L.A. Guns, Abeyance, Arminius, Jet Black Romance, 6:30 p.m.

SubmergeMag.com

Brickhouse Gallery Holiday Celebration feat. Carol Manson w/ Blue Skies Band, 7 p.m. Capitol Garage Capitol Friday’s Reggae Night w/ DJ Veyn, 10 p.m. The Canyon Grill and Alehouse KMCBand, 7 p.m. First United Methodist Church Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus, 8 p.m. Golden 1 Center Electric Christmas: The 1975, The Head and the Heart, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Local Natives, 6:30 p.m. Golden Bear DJ CrookOne and Guests, 10 p.m. Harlow’s Anuhea, Bo Napoleon, Fluid Foundation, Squarefield Massive, 8 p.m. Holy Diver Lyrics Born, 7 p.m. Louie’s Cocktail Lounge William Mylar’s Hippie Hour, 5:30 p.m. Old Ironsides Mr. Hooper, Mr. P Chill & Mike Colossal, A Few Drinks In, 9 p.m. Opera House Saloon Red Voodoo, 9:30 p.m. Palms Playhouse The Steel Wheels, 7:30 p.m. The Park Ultra Lounge DJ Spider, DJ Eddie Edul, 9:30 p.m. Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m. Placerville Public House One Leg Chuck, 8 p.m. The Pour Choice James Love, 6:30 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Sock Monkeys, 10 p.m. The Press Club DJ Rue, 9 p.m. SacYard Community Tap House Home B4 Dark, 6 p.m. Shine Mateo Briscoe, Sam Eliot, Ariana Brooke, 8 p.m. The Starlet Room Grooveline Friday Night Funk Party, 10 p.m. Torch Club Jimmy Pailer & Co., 5:30 p.m.; Harp Dog Brown, 9 p.m.

12.07 SATURDAY

Ace of Spades Eli Young Band, Nate Smith, Niko Moon, 7 p.m. Armadillo Music Justin Yates, 8 p.m. B Street at The Sofia John Doyle Duo, Mick McAuley, 6 p.m. Berryessa Brewing Co. Paul Kamm and Friends, 2 p.m. Blue Lamp N-Men Party: Fang, The Boneless Ones, Relapse, 8 p.m. The Boardwalk Oh! The Horror, Americaz Mozt Haunted, Exiled From Grace, Demented Naychia, 2HK and More, 6:30 p.m. Cafe Colonial Decent Criminal, Bastards of Young, Blaming You, Lightweight, 8 p.m. Crest Theatre Tommy Emmanuel, Jim & Morning Nichols, 7 p.m. (Sold Out) Crooked Lane Brewing Co. Jason Wilkins Jazz Duo, 7 p.m. Denio’s Walkin’ the Dawg Band, 11:30 a.m. Exhale Smoke Shop Benefit Show for Local Homeless feat. Don Blanco, D-Dubb, Mi$tuh G, Abstract Ninjaa, E-Moe and More, 7 p.m.

First United Methodist Church Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus, 8 p.m. Golden 1 Center Holiday Jam: Ludacris, Ja Rule, Ashanti, DMX, Digital Underground, 6:30 p.m. Harlow’s 1TakeJay, AzChike, 6:30 p.m. Harris Center: Stage 1 Voices of California (Elvis Christmas Tribute), 1 p.m.; Folsom Lake Symphony presents Bianco Natale, 7:30 p.m. Harris Center: Stage 3 Sacramento Baroque Soloists: Christmas Concertos by Candlelight, 2 & 7:30 p.m. Holy Diver Born Breach, Curb Job, Rise and Strike, 7 p.m. Laughs Unlimited Roni and the Flight, 3:30 p.m. Memorial Auditorium Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra, 2 & 7:30 p.m. Nicholson’s MusiCafe Ukulele Sing-Along, 11:30 a.m.; Free Ukulele Class, 1 p.m. Old Ironsides Lipstick! w/ DJs Shaun Slaughter & Roger Carpio, 9 p.m. On the Y Denunciation (Album Release), NewtDick, GoreSkinCoffin, 8 p.m. Opera House Saloon When Doves Cry (Prince Tribute), 9:30 p.m. Palms Playhouse George Cole Orchestra, 6:30 p.m. Placerville Public House Red Dirt Ruckus (Album Release), Jessica Malone Duo, Jonny Mojo, 8 p.m. The Pour Choice ClarifEye, 7:30 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Midnight Players, 10 p.m. The Press Club DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m. Shine Miggy & Friends, 6 p.m. The Side Door Iola Rose Band, 7 p.m. The Starlet Room Rock the Bells Christmas Party, 7 p.m.; Scandal Saturday Hip-Hop Chic w/ DJ Souljah, 10 p.m. The Strum Shop Free Monthly Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Meetup, 3 p.m. Thunder Valley Casino Resort Mùa Giáng Sinh Yêu Thương, 7 & 9:30 p.m. Torch Club Elvis Cantu, 5:30 p.m.; The Highway Poets, 9 p.m. Tower Brewing Eddie, Rose & The Foreign Locals, 6 p.m.

12.08 SUNDAY

Ace of Spades Mitchell Tenpenny, Lainey Wilson, 7 p.m. Armadillo Music Jon Bennett, 2 p.m. B Street at The Sofia Joni Morris (Patsy Cline Tribute), 7 p.m. Berryessa Brewing Co. Scott Guberman & Zach Nugent, 3 p.m. The Boardwalk The Home Team, Crooked Teeth, Lonely Avenue, Hi Mom, 6 p.m. Crest Theatre David Benoit & Sara Gazarek (Charlie Brown Christmas Tribute), 6:30 p.m. Crocker Art Museum RSVP Choir, 3 p.m.

First United Methodist Church Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus, 3 p.m. Gaslight Company Grateful Sunday w/ Nipper Brothers and Guests, 6 p.m. Harris Center: Stage 1 Folsom Lake Symphony Presents: Bianco Natale, 2 p.m. Harris Center: Stage 3 Sacramento Baroque Soloists: Christmas Concertos by Candlelight, 2 p.m. Holy Diver Liily, Ultra Q, On Drugs, Paper Airplanes, 6:30 p.m. Laughs Unlimited Lu Music Circus: Open Band Jam, 3 p.m. LowBrau Throwback Jams w/ DJ Epik & Special Guests, 9:30 p.m. Midtown BarFly Factor IX w/ DJ Hawk, DJ CarnieRobber and Guests, 9 p.m. Mondavi Center: Jackson Hall Mary Chapin Carpenter & Shawn Colvin, 7 p.m. Mondavi Center: Vanderhoef Studio Theatre Alexander String Quartet 2, 2 & 7p.m. Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Mighty Mike Schermer, 3 p.m. The Press Club Sunday Night Soul Party w/ DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m. SacYard Community Tap House One Grass Two Grass, 2 p.m. Shangri-la Fair Oaks Jessica Malone Duo, 4 p.m. Torch Club Blues Jam, 4 p.m.; Front the Band, 8 p.m. Veterans Memorial Auditorium The Center For The Arts Presents: Storm Large, 6:30 p.m.

12. 09 MONDAY

The Boardwalk Unearth, Darkest Hour, HellHeart, A Waking Memory, 6 p.m. LowBrau Motown on Monday’s w/ DJ Epik, 9 p.m. Luna’s Cafe Nebraska Mondays, 7:30 p.m. Old Ironsides Heath Williamson & Friends, 5:30 p.m.

12.10

904 15th Street 443.2797 Between I & J • Downtown Sacramento

TORCHCLUB.NET

THUR

DECEMBER 5 - 19 MIND X 5:30PM

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JIMMY PAILER & CO. 5:30PM

sat

ELVIS CANTU 5:30PM

HARP DOG BROWN 9PM

THE HIGHWAY POETS 9PM

SUN

BLUES JAM 4PM

FRONT THE BAND 8PM RICHARD MARCH & FRIENDS

TUE

5:30PM 8PM BALLIN THAT JACK 5:30PM

SACTOWN PLAYBOYS

WED

THE HOMEWRECKERS 9PM

THUR

MIND X 5:30PM

LITTLE HANK MILLER 9PM

THE BACKBURNERS 5:30PM

DANA MORET & MR. DECEMBER

fri

9PM

MAU HOLIDAY JAM 5:30PM

SAT

LAURIE MORVAN 9PM

SUN

BLUES JAM 4PM

FRONT THE BAND 8PM WILLIAM MYLAR

TUESDAY

Ace of Spades The Grouch, Murs, 7 p.m. First United Methodist Church Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus, 8 p.m. Harlow’s Sac City College Commercial Music Ensemble, 6 p.m. Harris Center Folsom Lake College Choral Concert, 7:30 p.m. Holy Diver The Aquadolls, The Countermen, 6:30 p.m. Kupros Marty Taters, 5 p.m. Torch Club Richard March & Friends, 5:30 p.m.; Sactown Playboys, 8 p.m.

12.11 WEDNESDAY

Ace of Spades As I Lay Dying, Emmure, After the Burial, 6:30 p.m. (Sold Out) The Boardwalk Adema, Failure By Proxy, Nova Sutro, Damaged Things, 6:30 p.m. Cafe Colonial Simon & Garfunkel Night w/ One Trick Pony, 7 p.m.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

HOLIDAY HIPPIE HOUR 5:30PM

TUES

JONATHAN SCALES FOURCHESTRA 8PM TBA 5:30PM

WED

THUR

JONEMERY & THE UNCONVENTIONALS 9PM MIND X 5:30PM

JELLYBREAD, CALLISTO

9PM

TUESDAY DECEMBER 31!

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY

NIKI J. CRAWFORD

with

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

1217 21ST ST MIDTOWN SACRAMENTO

916.440.0401 kuproscrafthouse.com @kuprossacto TUESDAYS • 7PM • OPEN MIC

EVERY SUNDAY 7:30PM

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Thurs, Dec 5

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EVERY SUNDAY & MONDAY SPECIALS

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Tues, Dec 10

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Thurs, Dec 12

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Tues, Dec 17

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Thurs, Dec 19 SAT& SUN 10AM-2PM

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ALLIE MARCEL S I N G E R / S O N GW R I T E R N I G H T

JOSEPH KOJIMA GRAY S I N G E R / S O N GW R I T E R N I G H T

JOSHUA HAINES

The Club Car The Double Shots, 7:30 p.m. Crest Theatre Jonny Lang, 6:30 p.m. Harris Center Gary Vecchiarelli Productions Presents Big Band Christmas, 2 & 7 p.m. Kupros Ross Hammond, 5 p.m. Louie’s Cocktail Lounge Live Blues Jam Session, 8 p.m. The Pour Choice Rainer Rose, 6:30 p.m. The Starlet Room Blues & Bourbon: Rockin’ Johnny Burgin, 5:30 p.m. Torch Club Ballin That Jack, 5:30 p.m.; The Homewreckers, 9 p.m.

12.12 THURSDAY

Ace of Spades Lil’ Boosie, Prezi, Chippass, Ahki Rahki, 7 p.m. The Boardwalk Dead Crown, Avoid, Whitewolf, Until the Unknown, 6 p.m. Cafe Colonial Hip Hop Helps Toy Drive w/ Mr. P Chill, Mr. Hooper, Poor Majesty, Ms. Vybe, Mahtie Bush and More, 8 p.m. The Club Car Songwriters Showcase, 8 p.m. Crocker Art Museum ArtMix: Futuristic feat. Bells Atlas, DJ Freddy Silva and More, 6 p.m. Golden 1 Center Illenium, Dabin, William Black, 7 p.m. Goldfield The Expendables, Riotmaker, Island of Black and White, 7:30 p.m. Harlow’s Zepparella (Led Zeppelin Tribute), 7 p.m. Holy Diver Myles Parrish, 7 p.m. Kupros Jay Shaner, 7 p.m. Old Ironsides Antwon Vinnie (Album Release), The Good News Club, 7:30 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Ariel Jean Band, 9:30 p.m. The Press Club Park Street Riot, Sky Pig, Supernaut, 8 p.m. Revival at The Sawyer The Albertson Duo, 6 p.m. Shine Jazz Jam, 8 p.m. The Starlet Room Charlie Hunter & Lucy Woodward, 7 p.m. Torch Club Mind X, 5:30 p.m.; Little Hank Miller, 9 p.m.

12.13 FRIDAY

Ace of Spades Selena Fest feat. Como La Flor, 7 p.m. Armadillo Music Dave Nachmanoff, 8 p.m. B Street at The Sofia Monica Pasqual (Album Release), Dear John Love Renee, 7 p.m. Berryessa Brewing Co. Robbie Thayer (of The Bottom Dwellers), 5 p.m. Big Sexy Brewing Co. Love and Honey Duo, 6 p.m. Blue Lamp Omni, Ghostplay, Grave Lake, 8 p.m. The Boardwalk The Fall of Troy, The Number 12 Looks Like You, Strawberry Girls, Sufferer, 6:30 p.m. Capitol Garage Capitol Friday’s Reggae Night w/ DJ Veyn, 10 p.m. Fountainhead Brewing Co. Misfit Williams, 6 p.m. Golden Bear DJ CrookOne and Guests, 10 p.m. Harlow’s Sacramento Blues Society Membership Holiday Party feat. Nikki Hill, 7 p.m. Harris Center Cantare Chorale Presents: Christmas Concert, 7 p.m.

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

Holy Diver Rittz, Dizzy Wright, Ekoh, Whitney Peyton, Stnrkrew, Cali Bear Gang, K Floh, 7 p.m. Louie’s Cocktail Lounge William Mylar’s Hippie Hour, 5:30 p.m. Old Ironsides The Comedians, Itlookslikeablackhole, Vasas, 8:30 p.m. Opera House Saloon Press Play, 9:30 p.m. Palms Playhouse Golden Bough, 7 p.m. Placerville Public House Christopher Gene, 8 p.m. The Pour Choice Peter Wilson, 6:30 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Metalachi, 10 p.m. The Press Club DJ Rue, 9 p.m. SacYard Community Tap House Island of Black and White, 6 p.m. The Side Door Jessica Malone Band, 7 p.m. The Starlet Room The Midnight Dip, The Gold Souls, 8 p.m. Torch Club The Backburners, 5:30 p.m.; Dana Moret & Mr. December, 9 p.m. Tower Brewing Your Alibi, 7 p.m.

12.14 SATURDAY

Ace of Spades The English Beat, The Scratch Outs, Sol Peligro, 7 p.m. Armadillo Music Numb Mouth, 8 p.m. B Street at The Sofia Dirty Cello, 7 p.m. Berryessa Brewing Co. Red Dog Ash, 3 p.m. The Boardwalk “Music Heals” Fundraiser for Sacramento Autism Spectrum and Special Needs Alliance: Led Balloon (Led Zeppelin Tribute), Wendell & The Puppets, Zeroclient, Volrahven, Gundacker, 7 p.m. Cafe Colonial Kill the Precedent, Peace Killers, Frack!, Trip Weaver, 8 p.m. California State Capitol Museum Sacramento Valley Concert Choir, 2:30 p.m. The Canyon Grill and Alehouse Aud-Man Out Xmas Party, 7 p.m. Crooked Lane Brewing Co. Green Eyed Misfits, 7 p.m. Denio’s Goodnite Gracie, 11:30 a.m. Foothills Event Center The Center For The Arts Presents: Mark O’Connor Band, 7 p.m. Goldfield The White Buffalo, Chuck Ragan, Sim Williams, 6:30 p.m. (Sold Out) Harlow’s Charitte, Michel’le, DJ Tosh in the Mix and More, 8 p.m. Harris Center: Stage 1 Placer Pops Chorale Presents: Holiday Pops, 2 & 7:30 p.m. Harris Center: Stage 3 Folsom Lake College Youth Chamber Orchestra, 7 p.m. Holy Diver Authority Zero, Knocked Down, Black Crosses, Blue Fiction, 7 p.m. Laughs Unlimited Groove Deluxe, 3:30 p.m. Mondavi Center: Jackson Hall Danú, 8 p.m. Nicholson’s MusiCafe Ukulele Sing-Along, 11:30 a.m.; Free Ukulele Class, 1 p.m. Old Ironsides Anarchy Lace, Banger, Full Metal Hippies, 8 p.m. On the Y Blessed Curse, Next Door To Heaven, Chains of Belmont, Unprovoked, We Were Giants, 8 p.m. Opera House Saloon Bay Company, Unchained, 9:30 p.m. Out of Bounds (Folsom) Brian Lee Bender, 8 p.m. Palms Playhouse Lucy Kaplansky, 7:30 p.m.

Placerville Public House Frankie and the Defenders, 8 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Frank Hannon, 10 p.m. The Press Club DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m. Richard Brunelle Performance Hall Byron Colborn Big Band, 7 p.m. Roseville Moose Lodge Rat Pack Christmas Show w/ The Dean-OHolics, 6 p.m. Shine Skyler’s Pool Holiday Party w/ Lovelorn, 8 p.m. The Side Door Shelley Burns, 7 p.m. Torch Club Mau, 5:30 p.m.; Laurie Morvan, 9 p.m. Tower Brewing Nipper Brothers, 6 p.m. Westminster Presbyterian Church Sacramento Master Singers, 3 p.m.

12.15 SUNDAY

Ace of Spades Hellyeah, Nonpoint, Deep Fall, 6:30 p.m. Armadillo Music Sissy Brown, 2 p.m. Berryessa Brewing Co. Joe Craven’s Holiday Hoot, 3 p.m. Blue Note Brewing Co. Sunday Sessions Live w/ The Big Chiefs, 3 p.m. Cafe Colonial Möwer, Armamento Fatal, Dopemess, Burial Order, And For What?, 8 p.m. CLARA Auditorium Sacramento Guitar Society’s Holiday Concert, 3 p.m. Crocker Art Museum Renaissance Choir, 2 p.m. Elks Tower Ballroom Peter Petty’s Return of Son of Hepcats Holla’Day Musical Yuletide Revue feat. Dana Moret, Juniper Waller, Omari Tao, Th’ Losin Streaks and More, 7 p.m. Harris Center: Stage 1 Placer Pops Chorale’s Holiday Pops, 2 p.m.; Sacramento Master Singers, 7 p.m. Harris Center: Stage 3 Folsom Lake College Youth Chamber Orchestra, 2 p.m. Holy Diver Pete Yorn, Rain Phoenix, 7 p.m. Laughs Unlimited Voice Over, 3:30 p.m. LowBrau Throwback Jams w/ DJ Epik & Special Guests, 9:30 p.m. Midtown BarFly Factor IX w/ DJ Hawk, DJ CarnieRobber and Guests, 9 p.m. Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Shana Morrison, 3 p.m. The Press Club Sunday Night Soul Party w/ DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m. The Red Museum Sacramento Audio Waffle: Liver Cancer, Ambigere, Power Plant, Michael Ryan, Iris Fibers, Ego Death, 12 p.m. Rio Americano Center for the Performing Arts Sacramento Concert Band’s 50th Anniversary Holiday Concert, Dec. 15, 2:30 p.m. The Starlet Room Majel Connery, Hannah Mayree, 6:30 p.m. Torch Club Blues Jam, 4 p.m.; Front the Band, 8 p.m.

12.16 MONDAY

Ace of Spades Silversun Pickups, 7 p.m. Armadillo Music Learning Stages, 7 p.m. Harris Center Folsom Lake College’s Voice Recital, 3 p.m.

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

12.17 TUESDAY

Arden Christian Church Sacramento Valley Concert Choir: Simple Holiday Joys, 7 p.m. Kupros Allie Marcel, 5 p.m. Mondavi Center: Jackson Hall Pink Martini, 7 p.m. Torch Club William Mylar’s Holiday Hippie Hour, 5:30 p.m.; Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, 8 p.m.

12.18 WEDNESDAY

The Club Car The Double Shots, 7:30 p.m. Crest Theatre Blind Boys of Alabama, 6:30 p.m. Kupros Ross Hammond, 5 p.m. Louie’s Cocktail Lounge Live Blues Jam Session, 8 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Malcontent, Never 4 Naught, Nova Sutro, 8 p.m. Revival at The Sawyer The Albertson Duo, 6 p.m. The Starlet Room Blues & Bourbon: Quique Gomez w/ Charlie Baty, Kind Andersen & Alex Pettersen, 5:30 p.m. Torch Club JonEmery & The Unconventionals, 9 p.m.

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Misc. 350 Crate Building at The Mill at Broadway Makers Mart Holiday 2019, Dec. 7, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 1409 Del Paso Blvd. Uptown Market on the Boulevard, Saturdays, 12 - 5 p.m. 8th and W Streets Certified Farmers Market, Sundays, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. 20th Street (Between J and L) Midtown Farmers Market, Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. 21st and X Streets Sacramento Antique Faire, Dec. 8, 6:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. The Atrium UpcyclePop Eco Holiday Market and Art Exhibit, Dec. 15, 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. B Street at The Sofia On An Open Fire, Through Dec. 29 Wizard of Oz, Dec. 7 - 26 Blue Cue Trivia Night, Wednesdays, 9 p.m. The Boxing Donkey Trivia Night, Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Broad Room Broad Spectrum Art Show feat. 24 Artists on 2’x2’ Panels, Live Painting, Projection, Vendors and More, Dec. 14, 6 p.m. Buddhist Church of Florin 12th Annual Florin “Mochi Madness:” Hand-Pounding Workshop, Treat Tasting, & Year End Potluck, Dec. 14, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Capitol Garage   Geeks Who Drink Pub Quiz, Wednesdays, 8:30 p.m. Dinner and a Drag Show, Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. Country Club Plaza Certified Farmers Market, Saturdays, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Crocker Art Museum  Indigenous Voices In Film: Drunktown’s Finest, Dec. 5, 6:30 p.m. Arte Extraordinario: Recent Acquisitions, Through Jan. 5, 2020 Pueblo Dynasties Master Potters from Matriarchs to Contemporaries, Through Jan. 5, 2020 When I Remember I See Red: American Indian Art and Activism in California, Through Jan. 26, 2020 Cool Clay: Recent Acquisitions of Contemporary Ceramics, Through July 19, 2020 Crooked Lane Brewing Co. Trivia Night, Wednesdays, 6 p.m. Drake’s: The Barn River City Marketplace: Crafts and Drafts, Dec. 14, 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. Florin Road & 65th Street  Certified Farmers Market, Thursdays, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Fox & Goose Pub Quiz, Tuesdays, 7 p.m.

Fremont Park Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night, Dec. 15, 6 p.m. The Golden Bear 9th Annual Hot Toddy Competition, Dec. 10, 6 p.m. Hacker Lab Last-Chance Holiday Bazaar, Dec. 14, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Harlow’s The Darling Clementines: Burlesque & Variety Show, Dec. 15, 8 p.m. Harris Center for the Arts FLC Dance Department: Evening of Dance, Dec. 5, 6 p.m. A Christmas with C.S. Lewis, Dec. 8, 7 p.m. Ballet Folklórico de Sacramento: Posada Navideña, Dec. 13, 8 p.m. Highwater The Trivia Factory, Mondays, 7 p.m. Historic Old Folsom Farmers Market, Saturdays, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Christmas Arts and Craft Fair, Dec. 8, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Howe Park Festival of Lights & Tree Lighting, Dec. 7, 5 p.m. Kupros Craft House Triviology, Sundays, 7:30 p.m. Luna’s Cafe Poetry Unplugged, Thursdays, 8 p.m. Memorial Auditorium Sacramento Ballet: The Nutcracker, Dec. 12 - 22 McClatchy Park Oak Park Farmers Market, Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Midtown BarFly Salsa Lessons, Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Oblivion Comics & Coffee Drink & Draw, Saturdays, 3 p.m. Old Fair Oaks Village and Plaza Park 36th Annual Christmas in the Village, Dec. 7, 2 - 7 p.m. Phono Select Records  Book Reading & Signing w/ Alice Bag & Michelle Gonzales, Dec. 7, 5 p.m. Placerville Public House 2019 Pray for Snow Party & Premier of Snowboard Movie Hold My Beer, Dec. 15, 6 p.m. Punch Line Makeup & Mimosas: Drag Brunch with a Punch!, Dec. 15, 11 a.m. The Russ Room at Solomon’s Vintage and Vinyl, Dec. 15, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op Maker’s Market, Dec. 14, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Serna Village Community Center All Nations Native Craft Fair, Dec. 7, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Scottish Rite Masonic Center Sac Gamers Expo 2019, Dec. 8, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sheldon High School Performing Arts Center Capitol Ballet Company: The Nutcracker, Dec. 14, 1 & 7 p.m. Sierra 2 Center Holiday Gifts & Goods, Dec. 7, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Streets Pub and Grub Pub Trivia, Sundays, 8 p.m. Strikes Unlimited (Rocklin) Let’s Get Quzzical: Trivia Game Show Experience, Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Sunrise Light Rail Station Certified Farmers Market, Saturdays, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Tower Brewing Geeks Who Drink Pub Quiz, Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Two Rivers Cider Co. Cribbage Night, Tuesdays, 7 p.m.   Trivia Night, Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Uptown Studios Handmade Holla Day Market, Dec. 8, 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. Verge Center for the Arts Soldering For Jewelry: Absolute Beginner, Dec. 5, 5 p.m. Opening Reception for New Exhibits by Jodi Connelly and Michael Pribich, Dec. 14, 6 p.m. WAL Public Market Gallery Opening Reception for 100 Under 100 Exhibit, Dec. 6, 6 p.m. Wesley Community Hall Colonial Heights Neighborhood’s Fifth Annual Creative Craft Festival, Dec. 7, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Yolo Brewing Co. Trivia Night, Tuesdays, 6 p.m.

Folsom Hotel Saloon Standup Saloon Hosted by Jason Anderson, Mondays, 8 p.m. Golden 1 Center Stand Up Sacramento w/ Aida Rodriguez & Lance Woods, Dec. 10, 5:30 p.m. JB’s Lounge & Grill Wild’N Out Wednesday Night Open Mic Comedy, Wednesdays, 9 p.m. Laughs Unlimited Josh Means, Chelsea Bearce, Marcus Peverill and More, Dec. 4, 8 p.m. Dennis Gaxiola, Paul Conyers, Taylor Evans, Dec. 6 - 8, Fri. & Sat, 8 & 10:30 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m. Holiday Funny Jam w/ Steph Sanders, Tay Livingston, Ricco da Great Bernie Onassis, DJ Marcus Pierce, Dec. 12, 8 p.m. Ellis Rodriguez, Andrey Belikov, Javon Whitlock, Dec. 13 - 15, Fri. & Sat, 8 & 10:30 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m. Big Pine Comedy Fest Industry Showcase w/ Wendy Lewis, Rhoda Ramone, Liz Stone, Joey Avery, Emily Van Dyke, Benton Harshaw and More, Dec. 17, 7 p.m. Luna’s Cafe Open Mic Comedy w/ Hosts Jaime Fernandez and Michael Cella, Tuesdays, 8 p.m. On the Y Open Mic Comedy w/ Guest Hosts, Thursdays, 8:30 p.m. Punch Line Talking After Sets with Austin Carr, Dec. 4, 8 p.m. NEMR, Dec. 5 - 7, Thurs., 8 p.m.; Fri. & Sat, 7:30 & 9:45 p.m. Tinkle All the Way w/ Kris Tinkle, Ta’vi, Diego Curiel, Nick Larson, Sara Rooker and More, Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m. Anthony Robinson, Dec. 11, 8 p.m. Trevor Wallace, Dec. 12, 8 & 10:15 p.m. (Sold Out) Shawn Wayans, Dec. 13 - 14, 7:30 & 9:45 p.m.

Rivest Dunlap, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m. Ryan O’Flanagan, Dec. 16, 8 p.m. Sacramento Comedy Showcase, Dec. 18, 8 p.m. Sacramento Comedy Spot Open Mic, Sunday’s and Mondays, 8 p.m. Improv Taste Test and Harold Night, Wednesdays, 7 - 10 p.m. Cage Match and Improv Jam, Thursdays, 8 - 10 p.m. Anti-Cooperation League, Saturdays, 9 p.m. LGBTQ Stand-Up Showcase: Ladies’ Night w/ Shahera Hyatt, TammyTea Love, Sureni Weerasekera, Melissa McGillicuddy, Dec. 6, 9 p.m. SacYard Community Tap House SacYardigans Comedy Show w/ Ben Rice & Guests, Dec. 11, 8 p.m. STAB! Comedy Theater Comedy Open Mic, Thursdays, 9 p.m. STAB! Podcast Panel Show, Fridays, 10 p.m. Late Week Leftovers Open Mic, Sundays, 8 p.m. The Starlet Room Comedy Burger feat. Ngaio Bealum & Wendy Williams, Dec. 8, 6:30 p.m.

LowBrau Motown on Monday’s w/ DJ Epik, 9 p.m. Luna’s Cafe Nebraska Mondays, 7:30 p.m. Old Ironsides Heath Williamson & Friends, 5:30 p.m. The Starlet Room Boot Juice, Band of Comerados, 6:30 p.m.

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YellowCabSacramento.com Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

COMEDY & TRAGEDY

WITH MIC IN HAND, ACTIVIST/ STAND-UP COMIC AIDA RODRIGUEZ HEALS HERSELF AND OTHERS WORDS OLIVIA MONAHAN PHOTO PHIL PROVENCIO

railblazer. Groundbreaker. Pathfinder. By definition alone, those words each hold powerful meaning. They describe someone who attempted to follow a path well-worn by those that came before, and when they found that particular path didn’t fit their own dreams, they decided to make their own way. Comedian Aida Rodriguez—the only AfroLatina featured on Netflix’s They Ready, the only Afro-Latina to make it in the top 10 of NBC’s Last Comic Standing and the first Afro-Latina to have two specials, on Showtime and HBO, airing in the same month—is all of those things. While we can draw inspiration from pioneers, there is often something that we don’t think about: It’s tough being the first one. The one to charge ahead into the darkness with only their own light to help lead the way requires strength, courage and passion that drives you from deep within your core. For Rodriguez, that passion is also a part of the reason she will be bringing her comedy to headline the Stand Up Sacramento show at Golden 1 Center on Dec. 10, along with local comedian Lance Woods. The event is funnelling its proceeds to the Hope Cooperative, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to the assistance and housing of those dealing with mental health issues. From speaking on the responsibility we as a nation have to opening our eyes to the struggles of black and brown members of our country, or speaking out against the “babies in cages,” as she famously did on the red carpet, Rodriguez doesn’t hold back on her beliefs, and as her multiple appearances as a correspondent for TYT Investigates prove, she has no plans to stop anytime soon. “There are some people who want nothing to do with me because of the things I say, or the things I stand for. But I don’t want to work with those people, anyway. I have a responsibility to dedicate a certain amount of my time to activism, and I don’t plan on stopping that work,” Rodriguez remarks. “It’s a job to educate people, but for my community, for my family? I do it happily.” Rodriguez’s family is a large part of her stand-up, and an even larger part of her inspiration to keep going. Born in Boston, Rodriguez spent a portion of her childhood in the Dominican Republic with her father, who had been deported from the United States in the 1970s, before her mother parentally kidnapped her back to the Bronx. In what seems an almost unbelievable turn of events, it was not the first kidnapping that Rodriguez would experience, as less than six years later, Rodriguez’s grandmother and uncle in turn kidnapped her away from her mother, who at that time, was dating an FBI’s Most Wanted List killer.

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

“My grandmother flew to New York, staked and community as women of color in the industry, the whole shit out, put a knife to my babysitter’s the two made a pact that whomever made their throat, cut all my hair off, and flew me back to way into the mainstream first, would throw the Florida,” Rodriguez says. rope back to others in order to bring them along Rodriguez’s grandmother and uncle gave her for the next part of the journey. When Haddish the stability she needed. She was going to school broke the “glass ceiling” first, she eventually put regularly, eating regular meals and had a roof herself in the position to bring those she believed over her head. For the time, her grandmother and in with her, and Rodriguez was one of the first uncle became her whole world, even though her on that list, becoming one of the six women longing for her mother was prevalent. Eventually, presented in Haddish’s Netflix special They Ready, Rodriguez’s mother came back into her life after which premiered Aug. 16. “someone dropped a dime on that man she was From there, her rise has continued to rocket with,” but with her mother her to the top of people’s came a Cuban stepfather lists and earned her spots who taught Rodriguez all on Power 105.1FM’s The about the deep-seeded colBreakfast Club and The Late orism within Latin cultures. Show with Stephen Colbert. Those traumas would “I’ve got a few things have been enough to that I’m really excited about stop many, but Rodriguez right now,” Rodriguez says. turned them into triumphs. “I’ve got the show coming Eventually packing herself up Dec. 10, which is going and her two children, both to give me the chance to of whom she had early in put my skills toward a good life, Rodriguez made a bold cause. I have something move and travelled across coming with Tiffany Haddish the country to California TV-wise that I won’t be able in the hopes of making a to announce just yet … but better way for her kids. It what I’m really excited for was in California, while is the movie I’m working on living in a truck with her based on my uncle’s life. It children asleep in the back, will work to shine a light that Rodriguez decided on the difficulties faced by to attempt her first open LGBTQIA within the Latino mic. Taking her pain and communities.” transmuting it into a healing Rodriguez uses her story that allowed herself platform to benefit herself and others to bond and and others, and I think laugh over her experiences. “Last Comic Standing was that is what truly defines It was behind that mic a defining moment for me. her. She is more than a where Rodriguez discovered It came at a time in my life comedienne. She is more what she was supposed than a young, single when I was fully immersed mother. She is more than to be doing with her life. Clawing her way up through an Afro-Latina. Rodriguez is in my grief, and I knew the ranks of the comedy someone who refuses to be clubs and paid appearances, it was going to be harder defined by her titles. She is she got the call for NBC’s a force to be reckoned with. than it had ever been to Last Comic Standing in She is also the first be funny. But I realized November, 2013. Latina that this Latina that my grief, in some way, journalist has ever got the Unfortunately, the call came after the back-to-back chance to interview, despite might be healing for a lot deaths of two of the most writing in arts and culture of people, and in the end important people in her for the last three years. life. Her grandmother, who might be healing for myself. Which I made sure to thank had gone to great lengths to So I forced myself on stage her for as we spoke. keep her safe, passed away “I’m glad I was your first,” every night, and I became after a battle with cancer in she says. “Now go and write August, 2013. A little over the story, and remind the the first Afro-Latina to two months later, the uncle world why they don’t get make the top 10.” who had quit school to take to put us in the boxes that care of her, and who was – Aida Rodriguez they try to keep us in.” openly gay, died in Miami Trailblazer. after being stomped to death in a hate crime. Groundbreaker. Pathfinder. Those words mean “Last Comic Standing was a defining moment something different for all of us. But for me? for me,” Rodriguez says. “It came at a time in my Those words are all found in the dictionary next life when I was fully immersed in my grief, and I to Aida Rodriguez’s picture. knew it was going to be harder than it had ever been to be funny. But I realized that my grief, in some way, might be healing for a lot of people, and in the end might be healing for myself. So I See Aida Rodriguez live at the Golden 1 Center forced myself on stage every night, and I became in Sacramento on Dec. 10 at 5:30 p.m. The the first Afro-Latina to make the top 10.” event will be hosted by comedian Lance Woods. During her time in Los Angeles, Rodriguez Stand Up Sacramento is a benefit show for the met Tiffany Haddish, who despite being a little homeless put on by Hope Cooperative, which has younger, had been working in stand-up a bit provided mental health services and supported longer. Haddish became Rodriguez’s mentor and housing in Sacramento County for almost 40 dear friend and it was through their bonding years. To learn more and to purchase tickets, that the two instituted the “throw the rope back” go to Hopecoop.org. policy. Understanding the importance of support SubmergeMag.com

Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

THE SHALLOW END I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving/ Friendsgiving/Tofurkeyday or what have you. I hope you shopped small on Saturday (if you shopped at all) and/or gave to your favorite charity on Giving Tuesday; perhaps you danced with your mother on Pretend It’s Your Wedding Wednesday (I made up the last one, but I’m sure your mom would be stoked if you asked her to dance). I’ve got to say, I’m more jazzed about the holidays this year than I have been for quite some time. So much so that I’m even using words like “jazzed.” It’s been a crazy year, right? Soon enough, it’ll be time for us to delve into the reality show that will be the 2020 Presidential Election (still licking our wounds from the last one), but for now, eye-rolling moments around the family dinner table aside, we can let down our guards and enjoy ourselves a bit. I know I will. This could be the last holiday season ever, so I might as well enjoy it. There are a few reasons for my holiday enjazzment this time around: I’ve spent the past year pursuing a dream of mine that I long-thought dead; I’m writing a lot, and

HAIL TO QUEEN E

actually enjoying it again; and after a couple of really dark and trying years, I feel like I’ve turned a corner. I’m not going to sit here and tell you it’s been a “journey,” I’m not at that point yet, but I’m happy and hopeful for the future. But despite all those good things, I also had the opportunity to see Frozen II, which took my jazzed-o-meter from zero to a billion. Is your faith in humanity shot? Of course it is. Do you think all the magic and wonder of your youth has been strained out of you by the ardors of adulthood? Sure it has. Frozen II won’t cure you of these ailments. The world still sucks, but I swear if seeing Elsa steel her resolve before tackling a seemingly insurmountable task doesn’t warm the temperature of your cold, dead heart by at least a few degrees, nothing will. Like, is it a bad thing that I’m fortysomething and I get kinda swoon-y at the sight of a cartoon character? She’s beautiful, sure, but it’s more than that. (And as an aside, Frozen II is pure magic to behold. The Scandanavian forests in fall look like how a

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pumpkin spice latte make you feel inside; the shards of fractal ice inscribed with runes crackle with vibrant mysticism; and Elsa’s horse—you guys—Elsa’s fucking horse.) She’s just so brave. Courage is probably one of the most noble traits a person could have, I think. It takes courage just to get out of bed in the morning. We have to overcome so many obstacles on a daily basis, and a lot of them are internal. Like any good Campbellian heroic figure, she finds that the greatest monsters are the ones that dwell within. I enjoyed the first movie, but the sequel’s story has greater depth. It taps into ancient archetypes of the Hero’s journey and examines the sins of the past and how ignorance dooms us to repeat them. Frozen II does what any good fairy tale should by using fantasy and metaphor to shine a light on very real world issues—in this case, the fear of the other, which has sadly become the hallmark of politics here in America and worldwide. It’s also just funny and entertaining, and what isn’t more cockle-warming than watching

two sisters empower one another to realize their best possible selves? And while there’s no “Let It Go” on the playlist, as a whole, I thought the songs are much stronger. Kristoff, Sven and a herd of reindeer even contribute a number. I mean, c’mon! Singing reindeer? Disney, you’ve done it again. Here’s a game I suggest, though only once the film makes its way to DVD so you can play in the safety of your own home (and presumably out of the sight of children): Watch Frozen II and take a shot every time a character performs a feat of selfless heroism. I swear you won’t make it through the first halfhour without passing out. This time of year should be about enjoying yourself. Hey, you made it this far. Congrats! Maybe Frozen II isn’t your thing, but I’m sure you have a thing, so go on, get and do that thing. Do it like Elsa belting her face off from the balcony of her ice castle. Or, just do it like you do you.

It’s gift giving season!

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Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

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Issue 306 • December 4 – December 18, 2019

DIVE INTO SACRAMENTO & ITS SURROUNDING AREAS

DECEMBER 4 – 18, 2019

#306

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