The following is the Nov. 20 extended 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.
No question, Sacramento rocks. That’s especially true of our music scene, one that thrives across the musical spectrum. You’ll see that here, with picks this week ranging from metal and jazz to opera, hip-hop and more. While this week emphasizes musical offerings, you will also find an amazing art exhibition to see on downtime between shows.
Grab your opera glasses, your boots for the mosh pit, a Kangol cap — whatever concert gear suits you best — and let’s go!
Get immersed in new sounds from familiar faces
The details:
- The Red Museum, 212 15th St., Sacramento
- 8 p.m. Nov. 22
- $15
A band with heavy connections to Sacramento’s hard rock history makes a much-anticipated debut on Saturday. Foreign Film mixes dreamy atmospherics with crushing moments of guitar aplomb, a sound that’s been crafted over a year of jamming and songwriting.
Its lineage traces to Will Haven, an acclaimed Sacramento alt-metal band that formed 30 years ago and made the cover of Kerrang! magazine, a must-read for metalheads. Four of Foreign Film’s members sprung from Will Haven: guitarist/lead singer Jeff Irwin, drummer Mitch Wheeler, bassist Adrien Contreras and guitarist Sean Bivins.
The name “Foreign Film” was initially a song on Will Haven’s “El Diablo” album. But Foreign Film isn’t a sonic sequel to Will Haven, known for its perpetual bombast and primal scream vocals. The members of Foreign Film yearn to stretch musically, to explore new textures and showcase Irwin as a lead singer.
On a recent night, Foreign Film was holed up at its Gold River studio, fine-tuning its 10-song set list. Guitarist Rylan Kerr and backup vocalist Tami Taracena round out the burgeoning band, one that’s eager to introduce its sound on Saturday at The Red Museum.
“We all love metal, but we all don’t only love metal,” said Irwin, in between songs. “We like Radiohead and Pink Floyd, Nine Inch Nails, all kinds of stuff. We want to throw everything into a blender and see what comes up, instead of being kind of limited to what we can do.”
The band’s inaugural show will be eyed in Sacramento and beyond. After all, Will Haven has a longtime kinship with Deftones, perhaps the most successful band to break from Sacramento. Deftones shouted out the band in album liner notes and brought Will Haven on two European tours and a full U.S. tour as an opening act. Members of both bands appeared in each other’s videos as well.
Irwin says one reason he picked Foreign Film as the band’s name was because Chi Cheng, the late Deftones bassist, said it was his favorite Will Haven song. As of now, Irwin describes Will Haven as being “on hiatus.”
It’s a blank slate for Foreign Film to mine new musical territory. That includes Irwin branching out as a lead singer, in this case with a brooding baritone a la Dave Gahan from Depeche Mode. He also cites Perry Farrell from Jane’s Addiction and Mike Patton as influences.
“(Singing) is one of the hardest things I’ve ever tried to do, but it’s been fun,” Irwin said. “So, you try to figure out what your voice is and then take someone’s influence to fit your vibe and your voice. And David Gahan’s kind of been that guy. It fits my vocal style and my voice and I got a little Frank Sinatra.
“I want to be croony and dark. I want to be different, too.”
Moving forward, the band plans to hit the recording studio and take its show on the road. Keyboards may be added to the lineup as well. Its debut on Saturday is a kind of test run, a dip into its first batch of songs to see how it all connects live.
“There’s a bit of butterflies in the stomach now, which is a good thing,” said Bivins, before getting back to rehearsal. “(We get) to support Jeff in a new endeavor of singing and just a whole new sound that we can explore a bit. It’s really exciting to see where this goes.”
Jazz up your Saturday night
The details:
- Twin Lotus Thai, 8345 Folsom Blvd. Suite 119, Sacramento
- 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., Nov. 22
- Join the waitlist at twinlotusthai.com (donations appreciated for musicians)
Close your eyes and it just might feel like “On Broadway” again. Such was the beloved hub of jazz at 19th and Broadway that guitarist Henry Robinett packed on Tuesday nights. The club may be long gone but Robinett’s playing is for the ages, with a deep sense of lyricism, harmonic sophistication and impeccable technique. Come see this masterful guitarist on Saturday at Twin Lotus Thai with his Henry Robinett Group. Pianist Joe Gilman, a co-owner of Twin Lotus, was a member of Robinett’s group during the “On Broadway” days and will join this gig. Whether you’re a bebop purist or prefer more contemporary jazz styles, Robinett and his crew bring it all together with accessibility and jaw-dropping musicianship.
Opera more your jam? Attend ‘Bluebeard’s Castle’
The details:
- SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center, 1301 L St., Sacramento
- 7:30 p.m. Nov. 22
- $36 – $123
If opera is more your style, especially those on the darker side, the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera’s performance of “Bluebeard’s Castle” is where you need to be on Saturday. This was the only opera from Béla Bartók, the great Hungarian composer who shaped 20th century orchestral music with explorations of folk motifs with dissonance and percussive qualities. This one-act opera takes place in a spooky castle full of mysteries and murderous tales. You might need a cocktail afterwards to wind down from the musical thrills and chills.
See Mars Volta at Channel 24
The details:
- Channel 24, 1800 24th St., Sacramento
- 8 p.m. Nov. 24
- $76.15 – $131.40
The Mars Volta’s show on Monday at Sacramento marks the band’s second Sacramento appearance this year. Even if you saw it open for Deftones at Golden 1 Center in March, it’s the show so nice you’ll want to see it twice. At the much more intimate Channel 24, the band’s wild energy and progressive alt-rock approach will be in your face, just the way it should be.
A chance to see Frida Kahlo at Crocker
The details:
- Crocker Art Museum, 216 O St., Sacramento
- Wednesdays – Sundays through May 3, 2026; 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- $15; seniors/college students/military, $10; ages 6-17, $8.
The chance to see any of Frida Kahlo’s works up close is a no-brainer for anyone interested in visual arts. In this case, Kahlo’s “Self-Portrait with Loose Hair” is part of an exhibition with more than 70 artists titled “Making Moves: A Collection of Feminisms.” Also look for photographs of Kahlo, including one that was acquired recently, and works from a female point of view that spans both historic and contemporary times. Plan to leave inspired and considering a second visit.
Tap into your inner TLC at New Jack Fling
The details:
- Café Colonial, 3520 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento
- 9 p.m. Nov. 26
- $12.36
Start brushing up on your best Robocop and dance steps from Bobby Brown’s “Every Little Step” video. Wednesday night at Café Colonial is going to look more like a scene from Kid ‘n Play’s “House Party” as New Jack Fling goes down with DJs CrookOne, Epik and Travroc in the mix. These are some of the best party rockers in town, with deep crates of upbeat hip-hop styles circa the late 1980s and early 1990s. Bonus points for those who show off steps like the Reebok, the Roger Rabbit and the Butterfly like it was 1990 all over again. Era-specific attire is encouraged as well.
Before I go,
Heads up that Cultural Capital will have an amended schedule for the holidays. We’ll land in your email the Wednesdays before Thanksgiving (Nov. 26), Christmas (Dec. 24) and New Year’s Day (Dec. 31) to make sure you have plenty of time to plan ahead.
As always, if there’s a Sacramento-area event or artist that you recommend for Cultural Capital, drop me a line at christo916@gmail.com.
Chris Macias is a regular contributor, writing Cultural Capital for Abridged.