The following is the April 30 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 ready to cut a rug. Last week was the first time since Cultural Capital launched that music-related events weren’t among the featured items. It wasn’t an intentional move. There’s such a variety of arts and entertainment going down in the Sacramento area that music just didn’t make it into the mix.
Now, the beat is back. This week we’re paying homage to a classic dance party that’s scaling back, and a must-see concert in Rocklin for reggae fans. You’ll also find a book fair that’s paired with wine, the opening of a group photo exhibition, a fun musical theater class for seniors and more.
Pump up the volume and let’s go!
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In your inbox every Thursday, Abridged's entertainment newsletter from Chris Macias highlights things to do in the Sacramento region.
A farewell kiss for Lipstick (at least for now)
The details:
- Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St., Sacramento
- 9 p.m., May 2 (Saturday)
- $10
It’s hard to think of Sacramento’s dance scene without Lipstick in the mix. For more than a quarter-century, DJs Shaun Slaughter, Adam Jay and Roger Carpio created a Sacramento indie-dance institution with the monthly Lipstick party. But after all these years, and nearly 300 gigs, Lipstick is going silent. Kind of.
Saturday marks the final night with Lipstick as a monthly event. But before dropping tears on your favorite LCD Soundsystem or Ladytron vinyl: Slaughter insists that Lipstick will return in some way.
“After 26 years, I’d like to give every event under the Lipstick banner all the energy we have and it’s hard to do that every month,” he said over Facebook Messenger. “I really just wanna be excited every time we do it and for people to feel that.”
Now, the Lipstick crew will catch its collective breath. Shaun says Lipstick could re-emerge as an occasional special event or be re-shaped another way. But after Saturday, Lipstick as a monthly will be just a memory. And those euphoric floor-stomping nights will very much be missed.
Wine down with a book fair
The details:
- A Seat at the Table Books, 9257 Laguna Springs Dr., Suite 130, Elk Grove
- 7 p.m., May 2 and 3 (Saturday and Sunday)
- $11.49
The Sacramento region’s been on a bit of a literary kick with events related to National Poetry Month, the Sacramento Book Festival and last week’s Read the Region independent bookstore crawl. Now, you can raise a glass and cheers to all things literary at the Boozy Book Fair, held Saturday and Sunday at A Seat at the Table Books.
Browse through books priced 50% off while sipping on a glass of vino from Phantom Wines, a label from Bogle Family Vineyards in nearby Clarksburg. A nonalcoholic drink is offered as well.
Immerse yourself in a world of photography
The details:
- Timeless Thrills Gallery, 3714 J St., Sacramento
- 6 p.m., May 2 (Saturday opening reception)
- Free entry
Timeless Thrills in East Sacramento continues to thrive as a visual arts space (and with some of the coolest Sacto-related merchandise in town). That momentum continues with Between Worlds, a group photo exhibition that kicks off Saturday.
The show features photographers affiliated with Nighted, a collective that publishes some of the best photo zines around. Whether you’re into street photography, politically-charged scenes or stark black-and-white imagery, Between Worlds shouldn’t be missed. It’ll run through June 13, an end date that coincides with the annual Zine Megamall at Timeless Thrills.
Cap the weekend with reggae
The details:
- Quarry Park Amphitheater, 4000 Rocklin Road, Rocklin
- 7 p.m., May 3 (Sunday)
- $60.70 in advance
Fill your suburban Sunday with island soul as J Boog performs in Rocklin. This contemporary reggae favorite performed locally at the Holo Holo Music Festival last September, and now he’s back Sunday at the Quarry Park Amphitheater. Bask in those uplifting island vibes like you’re on an endless vacation, not facing an upcoming workweek.
Learn dance steps with fellow seniors
The details:
- The Auditorium at CLARA, 1425 24th St., Sacramento
- 11:30 a.m., May 6 (Wednesday)
- $25
If you’re age 60 and up, let’s see those jazz hands! A new series of musical theater dance classes for seniors launches Wednesday where participants learn choreographed numbers from classic Broadway shows. The class is taught by Angela Dee Alforque, who you may remember from her “Fast Girls in Parked Cars” multimedia installation at Prism Art Space earlier this year.
The classes run Wednesdays through May 27, with four-class packages offered at a discount. Note that weekly beginning African-Caribbean dance classes also start Tuesday. No matter your ability or cultural background, come out and dance with your fellow senior Sacramentans.
More events you won’t want to miss
Let’s keep it going with bonus picks for this week:
- Spoken word from Ike Torres at Classy Hippie Tea in Sacramento’s North Oak Park neighborhood on May 1.
- Sacramento Youth Symphony 70th Anniversary Concert at the Harris Center in Folsom on May 1.
- Vocal jazz and Latin folk from Lucía at the Mondavi Center in Davis on May 2.
- Print & Zine Fest at Third Space Art Collective in Davis on May 2.
- Hardcore punk from Terror, Crowd Control and more at Goldfield Trading Post in Roseville on May 4.
Before I go,
Speaking of long-running Sacto dance parties, note that another is on the move. The eternally funky “Church” from DJ Larry Rodriguez a.k.a. The Flower Vato is leaving The Press Club for its new digs at Midtown Live Sports Pub & Venue (formerly Goldfield Trading Post in midtown) starting May 10th. I’ll be the guy throwing his hands in the air when The Flower Vato drops “Heartbeat” by War in the mix.
Also, don’t forget to test drive and subscribe to the new events calendar from Abridged.
See you next week!
Chris Macias is a regular contributor, writing Cultural Capital for Abridged.