The following is the March 26 edition of Cultural Capital, an arts and entertainment newsletter written by Abridged contributor Chris Macias. Want it sent directly to your inbox? Sign up here.
Hope you’re all enjoying some fun in the sun while supporting our local culture. The outdoor live music season continues to develop with the Davis Music Festival announcing its line-up last week. The 14th edition of the festival is a doozy, with more than 30 primarily local acts including Rituals of Mine, Sol Peligro, LabRats and Dog Party. We’ll have more on the Davis Music Festival soon. In the meantime, mark your calendars for June 19-21 and get ready to party in downtown Davis.
For now, let’s get to some picks in a sunny week for local arts and entertainment. You’ll find iconic rock ‘n’ roll, scrumptious storytelling, an encore of St. Patrick’s Day, a female-focused comedy festival and more.
Let’s get it!
Rock out with a band that goes far beyond “La Bamba”
The details:
- Cache Creek Casino Resort, 14455 CA-16, Brooks
- 8 p.m., March 28 (Saturday)
- $41.50-$66.18
Long-running musicians are on our minds, with Abridged community reporter James Smith recently penning a story on veteran Sacramento bands and their keys to going the distance. But of all the long-running rockers in the land, few have longevity like Los Lobos and their run of nearly 55 years. The band rose from East Los Angeles as one of the area’s great party bands, then a fixture of the Southern California punk and roots-rock scene that spawned The Blasters and X.
Since then, Los Lobos scored a smash with its 1987 version of “La Bamba,” explored its Mexican roots acoustically with the stunning “La Pistola y El Corazón” and delved into jam-based psychedelic territory as well. The core of the group has remained the same for a half-century — David Hidalgo, Louie Pérez, Conrad Lozano and Cesar Rosas — which makes its longevity even more impressive.
Los Lobos remains a must-see group with its deep catalog, air-tight musical chemistry and sheer fun of its shows. Head to the Cache Creek Casino Resort Event Center on Saturday to catch a classic American band that’s still going strong.
Fill up with compelling storytelling
The details:
- The Sofia, Home of B Street Theatre, 2700 Capitol Ave., Sacramento
- 7 p.m., March 27 (Friday)
- $34
Head to The Sofia on Friday night if you’re hungry for some first-rate storytelling. Food and how it relates to our lives in myriad ways is the focus of “All You Can Eat,” presented by In a Nutshell’s live storytelling series. The show includes a tantalizing mix of storytellers and poignant themes, including self-awareness, shame and childhood nostalgia.
I’m especially looking forward to the piece from Steph Rodriguez, who you may remember as a food/arts reporter and editor at the Sacramento News & Review. Without giving too much away, she tells me her story touches on hardships, uncertainties “and then rediscovering my culture and identity through food and how food has opened so many doors and opportunities for me.”
In all, a night of captivating stories that stick to the ribs.
Kiss the Blarney Stone once again
The details:
- Father Paddy’s Irish Pub, 435 Main St., Woodland
- 8 p.m., March 28 (Saturday)
- Free entry
Father Paddy’s was definitely the place to be in Woodland this past St. Patrick’s Day with its all-day outdoor festival. If you want to keep the party going, Whiskey and Stitches will be on tap Saturday with Irish-flavored rock, punk and folk that’ll feel like March 17th all over again. No green beer this time, but plenty of Jameson and Guinness pints are ready to go around.
Let the ladies make you laugh all weekend
The details:
- Sacramento Comedy Spot, 1050 20th St., Suite 130, Sacramento
- 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., March 27-28 (Friday and Saturday), 7 p.m., March 29 (Sunday)
- $65 for festival pass; $12-$20 for individual events
March is Women’s History Month, so let’s give it up for comedians like Wanda Sykes, Gilda Radner, Ali Wong and so many others who make us laugh until our sides hurt. In that spirit, celebrations of female comedic voices are the focus of the three-day Femme Fest which runs at the Sacramento Comedy Spot this weekend. Yuk it up with female comedians from around the country and a mix of styles including stand-up, sketch comedy and improv. Also look for workshops throughout this weekend of hilarity.
Let’s keep it going with bonus picks for this week and beyond:
- Screenings of “Fruitville Station” and “Spring Breakers” at The Dreamland Cinema in Midtown Sacramento on March 27.
- Funky good times with Wet Wreckless at SacYard Community Tap House in East Sacramento on March 28.
- Best of San Francisco Stand-up Comedy at The Center for the Arts in Grass Valley on March 28.
- Closing reception and presentation for “The Sons of Villa and Carrillo: The RCAF Family Point of View” at SMUD Art Gallery in East Sacramento.
Before I go,
Last week, Cultural Capital led with the Toyroom Gallery 25-year retrospective at Never Board. For the record and moving forward, Never Board is located in Old North Sacramento, not Del Paso Heights.
Stay in touch at christo916@gmail.com to recommend events and artists you’d like to see in Cultural Capital. See you next week!
Chris Macias is a regular contributor, writing Cultural Capital for Abridged.