Sacramento Bands, e-mail submissions to Andy Hawk at andyhawk@kwod.net
Sounds Of Sac Bands
ZuhG 1. To be unlike others.
2. To do something different.
Interesting name considering those who are familiar with ZuhG’s music find that the only way to describe their style is unique, different, and unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. ZuhG first appeared on the music scene headed by Bryan Nichols in 2004 as the laid-back acoustic band, Bonfire. Frequenting the local coffee shops, high school auditoriums and occasional bookstores they gained a plethora of fans along the way. With an organic, soulful sound that explores the caverns of consciousness, they’re passion comes alive in their music. As time passed ZuhG found themselves cycling out friends playing different instruments. With each new member came something different. The band evolved, contouring their sound overtime, shaping their craft, though never straying far from their laid back vibes. This easy living ensemble formed into what is now one of the most versatile underground bands in Northern California . After so much change, they felt it was time for a fresh start and a name that truly reflected their newly adapted sound. In 2007 ZuhG was born. With a unique sound, combining funk, rock, and jazz, most found it hard to really define the genre of ZuhG, which is exactly what these boys were shooting for. Their diversity has even brought them several award nominations. In 2008 ZuhG was signed to Sunflower Records, an up and coming label based out of Sacramento . No one knows what is in store for this talented bunch but one thing is for sure, their capabilities exceed even expectations as they have proven, time and time again. Only one aspect of ZuhG’s future is set in stone, they’re sure to be unlike others… to do something different.
See ZuhG Live!!!
May 16, 2009 8pm Beatnik Studios. BOOBIE BASH! Sacramento
May 22, 2009 8pm Laguna Creek High School DANCE Elk Grove
May 23,2009 9pm Marilyns on K Street Sacramento
May 27,2009 9pm Powerhouse Pub. Hosted by KWOD 106.5 Folsom
May 31, 2009 4pm MID FEST. Downtown Sacto!
June 6, 2009 8pm Beach Hut Deli Stockton
June 11, 2009 9pm Old Ironsides. SAMMIES Showcase Sacramento
June 13, 2009 10pm Tex Wasabi’s Sacramento
June 14, 2009 7pm Crawdads on the River Sacramento
July 12, 2009 6pm Fire Escape Bar & Grille. ALL AGES! Citrus Heights
July 31, 2009 9pm Marilyn’s on K Street Sacrameno
September 5, 2009 7pm The Fountains. ALL AGES Roseville www.myspace.com/zuhg
Shakedown Shakedown in one form or another has been together since the mid 90's. They have released 4 full length records: "Walk the Plank" "Down For Always" "Call It What You Want" and "New Sound Delivery" The Current form of Shakedown is Mike Wilhelm on drums. Mike is one of the most respected rock steady drummers in California as he has been playing most of his life, he has also played guitar on tracks for Shakedown in the past. Garrett Fonda plays bass for Shakedown. Garrett, who was trained at the prestigious Berklee school of music in Boston, also is an accomplished guitarist and teaches both guitar and bass in his free time. Mark Kinyon is the lead guitarist and vocalist and Shakedown's front man. Mark was also the front man for the popular band Soldout in the late 90's and has been involved in the California music scene for close to two decades now. Bles also is a vocalist for Shakedown as he shares singing duties with Mark and provides the melodic raps that are heard in many of Shakedown's songs. Bles along with Mr. Vibe is a thriving force in the Hip Hop Community in Northern California as he is also in the group Set Free and sponsored by popular clothing line Mind Speakers. D.Q. Hayes plays the sax in Shakedown. D.Q. earned a music degree from Cal State Northridge and is also an accomplished jazz musician. Mr. Vibe is Shakedown's DJ. Vibe is a featured DJ for Rane, one of the industry leaders in DJ equipment and has participated and won many different DJ competitions in California. Mr. Vibe is one of the most respected turtablists in the country. A.J. Wilhelm and Rob Farmer handle production for Shakedown. A.J. is the former bassist for the band Filibuster who was one of the bigger rock steady bands of the 1990's and was signed to the legendary Skunk Records out of Long Beach, California. A.J. is now one of the head engineer's at the Pus Cavern in Sacramento, California, a studio that has turned out albums from Cake, Papa Roach and a number of other major label acts. Rob Farmer is the owner of Root One Music and a highly respected Hip Hop DJ under the name R-O, who has played around the world. He earned a degree in sound engineering from the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences and was also a former assistant to A & R at Interscope Records in the 1990's. Shakedown recently finished the fourth album, "New Sound Delivery" which is the first album completed with the current line-up. This record has more of a hip hop influence than the previous three and has already created quite a buzz in the industry and the corporate world as well. Known for their energetic and consistently good live performances, Shakedown has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with such acts as Filibuster, The Long Beach Dub All-Stars, Long Beach Short Bus, Cas Haley, Slightly Stoopid, Papa Roach, Fishbone, UB40, and Pepper just to name a few. The Band signed with Indie record label Root One Music in 2003 and since then under the direction of producer Rob Farmer the band has made it's way across the country on four national tours and gained a steady following nationwide. Shakedown has also recently signed a licensing deal with Geico as their song "Love to Get Love" is featured in advertising for the Geico Nascar team. The bands music has been featured prominently in many extreme sports videos as well. Shakedown was named one of the best bands from Sacramento in 2007 by the Alternative Music station powerhouse KWOD 106.5. The band looks to expand greater in 2009 and continues on their mission to rock the nation and beyond. Shakedown can be found on the web at myspace.com/shakedown and for booking/licensing information please contact Rob Farmer at Root One Music at 916-524-1066 or rootonemusic@yahoo.com
See Shakedown Live!!
May 30, 2009 9pm Old Ironsides Sacramento
May 31, 2009 12pm Mid Fest 28th and J Park. Sacramento
June 12, 2009 7am KCRA/KQCA 58 Morning Show Sacramento
June 12, 20095pm Concert in the Park (Cesar Chavez Park)
July 18, 2009 9pm The Blue Lamp With Liquid Cheese Sacramento
Automatic Static was born in an old one-bedroom apartment in downtown Sacramento Ca in the spring of 2005. Zac Diebels who had been blessed with success in music through being a song writer/guitarist. He had toured all over the world with some of the biggest bands in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s and had even contributed as a writer to other band’s music. After making demo’s of some rough songs he had written, he quickly was signed to a production deal with producer/engineer, Brian Dobbs. Dobbs’ credits had included Metallica, AC/DC, Motley Crue, American Hi-Fi, Weezer and many others. Diebels was very excited to write and work with such talent. Diebels would set out to write and play every instrument on the recordings, choosing to put a band together after the songs and album had been done. This is exactly what he did and today it stands as “Co-Depressant,” the debut album from his project dubbed “Automatic Static.” Recorded primarily in Los Angels at The Bomb Shelter, owned and operated by former drummer for 1990’s rock band Stone Temple Pilots, Eric Kretz. Diebels would do some post-production in Sacramento at The Hangar Studios and Sacramento Sonic Works. Writing and recording an entire album on his own liberated Diebels as a musican that can hold his own. He now has the pleasure of having a live band and friends to share the experience with. They are two fo the most talented and badass musicians around. Listen and hear the rock for real people. Automatic Static is: Zac Diebels-Guitar/Lead Vocals M.J. Franks-Bass Kevin Prince (K Dub)- Drums
See Automatic Static Live! June 20, 2009 9pm The Fire Escape Citrus Heights
Consider the Thief
Consider the Thief is a five-piece rock band hailing from Sacramento, California. Formed by ex Dance Gavin Dance guitarist Sean O'Sullivan (Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean and Downtown Battle Mountain) and long time friend Dryw Owens, Consider the Thief set out with modest aspirations and the musical talent to get them far beyond that. Shortly after the release of their debut EP, Soldiers and Saints they were featured as an unsigned band to watch by Alternative Press (Sep 08 issue). In March 2009 they were featured in Alternative Press again, as one of the 100 Bands You Need to Know for 2009.
Starting in November of 2008, only months off of the release of their EP, the band entered the studio with Aaron Hellam at Castle Ultimate Studios. Signs and Wonders is the band's first full-length record and displays Consider the Thief's complete departure from heavy music, shedding the metal inspired riffs and screams for rich atmospheric textures and stunning vocal melodies. O'Sullivan commented on the writing shift, "As far as writing is concerned, things like breakdowns and overly heavy riffs just stopped appealing to me. We as a band grew and developed as musicians and people and wanted to accomplish something new all played in to how we wrote the new album. We'd spent so much time playing heavy, busy music that it became a sort of crutch for us...there was no push to evolve because the area we were in didn't really promote that sort of progression, so it had to come from within our group." The band’s lineup is completed by Sean O'Sullivan (guitars), Dryw Owens (vocals, guitar, keys), Jordan Wells (guitar, vocals), Zack Walkingstick (bass), and Luke Allen (drums).
"The phrase 'Signs and Wonders' appears twenty-two times in the NIV translation of the bible." Owens remarks about the title of the record. "I had seen the phrase often during my own reading, and we wrote the title track about how ancient Israel repeatedly forgot or ignored the miraculous signs presented to them by God and the prophets. Though I have not witnessed the parting of any sea, nor the creation of man from dust, I have seen God act in my life. Like Israel, I too forget."
"For me the title signifies the age-old request of the common man for God to give him a sign that he exists (Matthew 12:39) when the evidence is all around us. It's why we picked the album artwork to be the deep-space shots from the Hubble telescope...I don't know if it gets any more wondrous than unseen galaxies millions of light years away." O'Sullivan adds.
"The vast majority of the lyrics address biblical parables, stories, or concepts that have been particularly relevant to my life over the past several years." Owens spoke about his lyrical content. "For example the song ' No More Samaritans' applies Jesus' parable of The Good Samaritan to the seeming lack of altruism today. We live in a very self-centered culture, where 'I' precedes anything hip. The average person, and myself, would benefit to focus on meeting the needs of others."
As a band, Consider the Thief takes was just as thoughtful in the secetion of their band name as they are in their song writing. O'Sullivan explains the origin of the band’s name, "Our friend Nick Golling was having a discussion with someone in the band (before we started this group) and used the phrase 'Consider the Thief' in reference to someone who, without a change of heart always goes back to their old ways, even with rehabilitation of sorts. We sort of took new meanings from the phrase...especially how the media has stolen the true weight and depth from things like love and music by replacing them with cheap substitutes like pornography and glossy pop music."
Consider the Thief has already taken part in shows and tours with bands like Evaline, Picture Atlantic, Portugal The Man, Dance Gavin Dance and others. In coordination with the release of the album, the band plans to set into place a rigorous tour schedule to spread their name, sound, and message to the world.
See Consider the Thief Live! May21, 2009 7pm Fat Catw/ Riots of Eighty, Operocia Modesto
May 22, 2009 7pm kuppajoe’s w/ Riots of Eighty Fresno
May 29, 2009 7pm The Red House w/ Picture Atlantic, Via Coma Walnut Creek
June 12, 2009 9pm The Cabin w/ Push Push Pull, The Rhythm Kills, Alpha Children Vacaville
June 19, 2009 5pm Concert In The Park w/ MC Rut, Lite Brite Sacramento
July 17, 2009 8pm Luigi’s Pizza w/ Alpha Children & The Secret Stolen Sacramento
Middle Class Rut play a visceral brand of alternative rock that echoes the intensity of Jane’s Addiction and Refused, the pummeling rhythmic backbone of Rage Against The Machine and the anthemic post-punk core of The Foo Fighters. Only in their mid-20s, Middle Class Rut—Zack Lopez (guitar/vox) and Sean Stockham (drums/vox)—are veteran musicians; both were core members of Leisure, an LA-based band that was signed to DreamWorks back in 2000 when Sean and Zack were in their early teens. After Leisure disbanded in 2003, Zack and Sean realized that what they really wanted was to write music and perform together as a stripped-down two-piece. After secluding themselves in their studio for several months and producing more than 60 songs, Middle Class Rut was officially born, performing for the first time in December 2006 in their hometown of Sacramento, CA. The band's first major tour was in Fall 2007 with Receiving End Of Sirens and Envy On The Coast. And from the very first tour stop, Middle Class Rut completely destroyed the audience's preconceptions of what a rock two-piece is capable of. ALTERNATIVE PRESS described the band’s aggressive sound and intense performances best in their January 2008 issue, writing: “…it’s mind-blowing to witness the sheer depth and complexity of the sound these two guys are capable of unleashing on their own…but once the novelty subsides, you’re left with incendiary post-rock with visible traces of ‘90s alternative.” Unsigned for the moment, Middle Class Rut will be touring throughout the US and Canada in 2008.
See MC Rut Live! June, 19 2009 5pm Ceasar Chavez Park FREE All Ages Sacramento
1. To be unlike others. 
Shakedown
