In going through a little bit of a return to punk rock, I heard a new track from Rancid. I realized, while listening to it, that I hadn't bought a new Rancid album since "Life Won't Wait". With that rotten egg of an album, I certainly didn't wait for any more good stuff from them. But, with the upcoming album, I may be surprised. Not surprisingly, I may find interest in one or both of the albums I've since skipped.
I saw Rancid once outside of the Warped Tour, and I started thinking about the small venue shows I'd attended. The three I remember most are below:
1995:
dec 9 sat RANCID, Stiff Richards, Pressure Point
at the Grind, Sacramento a/a $10 7pm *** @ $
The Grind was (is?) a skater shop/indoor park in West Sacramento. Definitely a small venue particularly appropriate for the event, The Grind put the band on one end of a room and the small-ish crowd to fill in the rest. We had to contend with a half-pipe behind us. It was the first time I had heard anything by Pressure Point, and I had never heard anything about Stiff Richards after that (who may have MP3s up at this site). I would later see Pressure Point at the For Food Not Bombs benefit at a Davis park and at other gigs. But Rancid was the main and only draw for this one. One could get right up to Tim and Co., sing along with them, and run around and mosh like the best of them. Naturally, there were plenty of "OpIV" calls, with all of them ignored. They had to escort Lars out through the crowd after the show.
1999:
apr 13 tue Dropkick Murphy's, Oxymoron, Ducky Boys, Pressure Point
at Bojangles, Sacramento a/a $8/$10 7:30pm/8pm # *** @
My first Dropkick Murphys gig. Held at a small bar near the freeway, this concert made me forget the 100+ degree fever I had that night. I believe Oxymoron and Ducky Boys started things out, in that order. Pressure Point came out and played an awesome set. They ended their set with some song that had the whole crowd chanting (I think it was "Never Walk Alone"). DKM commented on it when they came on stage, since the crowd was still chanting. There is nothing more magical in a concert than to hear the whole crowd singing along together.
The venue was a small bar with black walls and ceiling. The bands played on a raised platform near the front with everyone standing around in front of that. The bands had very little room to move around. There was no room for stage-diving, but you could get on stage and sing, dance, and have fun with anyone in the bands.
1999:
aug 29 sun Testament, The Haunted, Skin Lab
at Big Shots, Roseville a/a $15 8pm/9pm ** @
I'll admit it: I went to this one mainly for how amazing Testament's "The Gathering" was, and I went to see Dave Lombardo play drums. In the end, I got to experience a great Testament set and got hooked on The Haunted, a great metal band that is partially a spin-off from At The Gates. Big Shots was a pool hall in Roseville that used to host concerts until the locals complained about the noise. If I recall correctly, they had some sort of stage set up on one end of a long room (or it was inset into the wall). I don't remember what they did to clear the pool tables out. A little less accessible of a stage than the other two. They may have actually had security keeping people off the stage.
Thank you The List and this site for the old listings.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
A Reflection on KWOD
Many years ago, we had a radio station called 93 Rock (KRXQ). In my most infuenced years, 93 Rock was the station to listen to for current and upcoming hard rock. I listened to it regularly and, along with MTV and Video Jukebox, gained exposure to many of my favorite bands: Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, and many others. I grew to love hearing Whitey Gleason, Pat Martin, and Charlie Thomas talking about the bands, upcoming concerts, and various other bits and comedic sketches.
In 1998, KRXQ changed frequencies to 98.5. I did not realize until later that said change also signaled an end to the station I previously loved. In reality, the station and I had changed in opposite directions. I think the frequency change, at the time, allowed me to move away from the station as its direction had moved away from what I enjoyed. Since then, I've warmed up to it.
During those high school years when I listened to 93 Rock, my rock-listening classmates would be divided between 93 Rock listeners and KWOD (106.5 FM) listeners. In the early '90s, both stations played a distinctly different flavor of rock: 93 Rock with its hard rock or "Album-Oriented Rock" (AOR) format, and KWOD with its modern rock/alternative format. As one friend put it, "the difference is that KWOD would never play Metallica, and 93 Rock would never play the Cure." We each had different senses of what was "cool" and what "sucked."
As the years passed, the differences between the stations blurred. That included 98 Rock's parent company buying up KWOD and a slow integration of similar music between the two stations. With the gradual rise of hip-hip/R&B and the death of rock through the flash of grunge, both stations played the same new music with some crossover of the older stuff. No longer was KWOD not playing Metallica. Even 98 Rock played some songs that probably wouldn't have made it on a previous format. Sadly, it looks like this played some part in Entercom changing KWOD's format. I know there had been quite a turnover in on-air talent and morning shows in the past few years on KWOD while 98 Rock had the "Rob, Arnie, and Dawn Show" that apparently has done wonderfully in the ratings. I have a feeling that KWOD's writing was on the wall for some time.
Though I have never been a fan of KWOD's offerings (when I would have listened to it in the past 20 years or so), it's sad to see a station fade away. The lack of good station choices around here bothers me. With the demise of KWOD, all we have left is KRXQ and 96.9 The Eagle. KRXQ doesn't play enough alternative to keep that segment of society happy, and The Eagle has become more AOR but covering '60s-'80s and hard rock from '80s forward. It concerns me as to what they'll do to 98 Rock to possibly compensate. I also wonder if some other changes will occur that may be more drastic in these trying times. Either way, Sacramento needs a solid alternative presence. Maybe it'll get absorbed into a Top 40, but then the people who want to hear the Cure without having to hear Britney Spears will be out of luck.
I hope a satisfactory solution comes to light. A more-diversified 98 Rock will make it feel too much like JACK-FM. Adding KWOD's stuff to another station may clash too much with what it was already playing. Maybe, like KBMB did, someone will start an underground station that'll better reflect KWOD's glory days in a current form and provide what KWOD's listeners still desire in a station.
In 1998, KRXQ changed frequencies to 98.5. I did not realize until later that said change also signaled an end to the station I previously loved. In reality, the station and I had changed in opposite directions. I think the frequency change, at the time, allowed me to move away from the station as its direction had moved away from what I enjoyed. Since then, I've warmed up to it.
During those high school years when I listened to 93 Rock, my rock-listening classmates would be divided between 93 Rock listeners and KWOD (106.5 FM) listeners. In the early '90s, both stations played a distinctly different flavor of rock: 93 Rock with its hard rock or "Album-Oriented Rock" (AOR) format, and KWOD with its modern rock/alternative format. As one friend put it, "the difference is that KWOD would never play Metallica, and 93 Rock would never play the Cure." We each had different senses of what was "cool" and what "sucked."
As the years passed, the differences between the stations blurred. That included 98 Rock's parent company buying up KWOD and a slow integration of similar music between the two stations. With the gradual rise of hip-hip/R&B and the death of rock through the flash of grunge, both stations played the same new music with some crossover of the older stuff. No longer was KWOD not playing Metallica. Even 98 Rock played some songs that probably wouldn't have made it on a previous format. Sadly, it looks like this played some part in Entercom changing KWOD's format. I know there had been quite a turnover in on-air talent and morning shows in the past few years on KWOD while 98 Rock had the "Rob, Arnie, and Dawn Show" that apparently has done wonderfully in the ratings. I have a feeling that KWOD's writing was on the wall for some time.
Though I have never been a fan of KWOD's offerings (when I would have listened to it in the past 20 years or so), it's sad to see a station fade away. The lack of good station choices around here bothers me. With the demise of KWOD, all we have left is KRXQ and 96.9 The Eagle. KRXQ doesn't play enough alternative to keep that segment of society happy, and The Eagle has become more AOR but covering '60s-'80s and hard rock from '80s forward. It concerns me as to what they'll do to 98 Rock to possibly compensate. I also wonder if some other changes will occur that may be more drastic in these trying times. Either way, Sacramento needs a solid alternative presence. Maybe it'll get absorbed into a Top 40, but then the people who want to hear the Cure without having to hear Britney Spears will be out of luck.
I hope a satisfactory solution comes to light. A more-diversified 98 Rock will make it feel too much like JACK-FM. Adding KWOD's stuff to another station may clash too much with what it was already playing. Maybe, like KBMB did, someone will start an underground station that'll better reflect KWOD's glory days in a current form and provide what KWOD's listeners still desire in a station.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Whole Earth Festival 2009
My 16th straight Whole Earth Festival felt a little more fragmented and unfocused compared to prior visits. Pam and I hobbled our way to the quad and browsed through the numerous vendors. The WEF crew most certainly had more vendors this year than in the last couple of prior years. All of them seemed to emphasize the DIY, all-natural/green, or progressive mindsets. The "Jews for Jesus" group on the benches provided an interesting and refreshingly different presence from the Hare Krishna group who usually camps there (if only the Jews had played music...). I had another sighting of the Dancing Usher from the River Cats games. This time he was just walking around rather than dancing his dance with the band. We had only one wildlife sighting this year due to a large yellow-orange lizard. I did not see the chinchilla that someone had carried around a year or two ago. I think I spent about as much time in the Bookstore and Memorial Union as I did in the Festival itself.
Pam bought a small dish in which to place her keys. The vendor's son gave her a "Paint-with-Water" picture that he recently completed. I'm not sure if it was free with purchase, or if he aspires to be an artist and wanted to make his work known. Either way, Pam didn't get his autograph on it; you never know when someone makes it big. My purchases fell fully on drinks. For some reason, the relatively mild heat (~80 degrees) felt rather desiccating. We sat a bit behind the soundboard and caught some of the act on the Quad Stage. One of my friends had designs to meet up with us and bring his new girl, but competing schedules prevented that. Overall, it was a nice time.
My focus, in the past, fell on the booths. When I first started going, they had various cool candle vendors, people selling incense, and some tie-dyed t-shirt vendors among several other people selling various wares. Since then, the incense is gone, the candle vendors sell rather boring-looking candles, and the t-shirt vendors still sell the shirts for seemingly silly amounts. Oh, and I'm 15 years older. I find I have slightly different interests and no Adam proclaiming, "Calm down, Dave!"
I will still go next year. However, I think it's time for me to change my focus. The vendors simply cannot continue to be my focus anymore. So, Pam and I plan on going later in the evening, have dinner there, and enjoy more of the acts that come on stage. We'll still poke through the booths, but I rarely find anything of interest there. Many of the candles I miss I'm able to make myself, and numerous places sell incense. But I think I'd enjoy making the musical and speaking acts a focus and just relax and enjoy the vibe.
As usual with any year, if anyone who knows me wants to come along, you're all welcome! There's plenty of good Karma to go around.
Pam bought a small dish in which to place her keys. The vendor's son gave her a "Paint-with-Water" picture that he recently completed. I'm not sure if it was free with purchase, or if he aspires to be an artist and wanted to make his work known. Either way, Pam didn't get his autograph on it; you never know when someone makes it big. My purchases fell fully on drinks. For some reason, the relatively mild heat (~80 degrees) felt rather desiccating. We sat a bit behind the soundboard and caught some of the act on the Quad Stage. One of my friends had designs to meet up with us and bring his new girl, but competing schedules prevented that. Overall, it was a nice time.
My focus, in the past, fell on the booths. When I first started going, they had various cool candle vendors, people selling incense, and some tie-dyed t-shirt vendors among several other people selling various wares. Since then, the incense is gone, the candle vendors sell rather boring-looking candles, and the t-shirt vendors still sell the shirts for seemingly silly amounts. Oh, and I'm 15 years older. I find I have slightly different interests and no Adam proclaiming, "Calm down, Dave!"
I will still go next year. However, I think it's time for me to change my focus. The vendors simply cannot continue to be my focus anymore. So, Pam and I plan on going later in the evening, have dinner there, and enjoy more of the acts that come on stage. We'll still poke through the booths, but I rarely find anything of interest there. Many of the candles I miss I'm able to make myself, and numerous places sell incense. But I think I'd enjoy making the musical and speaking acts a focus and just relax and enjoy the vibe.
As usual with any year, if anyone who knows me wants to come along, you're all welcome! There's plenty of good Karma to go around.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Amish Friendship Bread
On the fateful day of April 28, a co-worker gave me some starter for Amish Friendship Bread. Thankfully, she asked first. And, thankfully, I'm wise enough to know to not try to pass this along. At least, not pass it along without asking or ambushing....
The sweet bread recipes that accompany the starter taste wonderful, but it got my creative cooking juices flowing to create something "not sweet". ("Savory" is what my co-worker called it, but I have a different sense of what that means.) With my suspicion of this being a sourdough starter confirmed, I shall take my first aim soon. I'll start with a bread and possibly try other concoctions. Going the route of taking ingredients away rather than adding them should lead me into interesting creations. Hopefully, they'll be edible, too. My first bread tasted decent. I omitted the packet of pudding mix, but the oil seemed to collect at the bottom when baking. Interestingly enough, the rest of the bread tasted perfectly fine. So, I should be able to omit further ingredients, experiment with combinations, and possibly come up with my own recipe that, to me, would be less sweet and taste really good.
The good thing about this large-volume bread starter is the sheer volume itself that you can create. That should allow me to try many recipe options without worrying about running out. If I grow weary of this, I may try my hand at making a regular sourdough. I can keep that in the 'fridge, which would be a good thing given the lack of space in my kitchen. My childhood memories of sourdough pancakes and waffles may serve as my primary motivator for that route. Even if I could make a regular sourdough bread, it would be worth the effort.
The sweet bread recipes that accompany the starter taste wonderful, but it got my creative cooking juices flowing to create something "not sweet". ("Savory" is what my co-worker called it, but I have a different sense of what that means.) With my suspicion of this being a sourdough starter confirmed, I shall take my first aim soon. I'll start with a bread and possibly try other concoctions. Going the route of taking ingredients away rather than adding them should lead me into interesting creations. Hopefully, they'll be edible, too. My first bread tasted decent. I omitted the packet of pudding mix, but the oil seemed to collect at the bottom when baking. Interestingly enough, the rest of the bread tasted perfectly fine. So, I should be able to omit further ingredients, experiment with combinations, and possibly come up with my own recipe that, to me, would be less sweet and taste really good.
The good thing about this large-volume bread starter is the sheer volume itself that you can create. That should allow me to try many recipe options without worrying about running out. If I grow weary of this, I may try my hand at making a regular sourdough. I can keep that in the 'fridge, which would be a good thing given the lack of space in my kitchen. My childhood memories of sourdough pancakes and waffles may serve as my primary motivator for that route. Even if I could make a regular sourdough bread, it would be worth the effort.
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