Never was a bad thing ever said about him.
Over the years, I would hear friends of mine talk about him, and what he was up to. Shows where he would play with other bands, and the like.
Then I saw The Moans play at First Festival and someone pointed out to me,
"Oh, yeah, their guitar player is Danny Secretion."
What.
And sure enough, I saw him play, complete with hilarious banter, limitless stage energy, and genuine love for his fellow band mates and the crowd gathered in front of him.
That's why when I caught wind about his next idea, I got very excited. From November 15-19th Danny put together and hosted Fuck Cancer: Danny Secretion's Lame-Ass Birthday Bash, a benefit series of shows where the proceeds go to the American Cancer Society. The list of bands was expansive, and diverse, with each night hosting its own slice of the Sacramento rock, punk rock, and hip-hop scene.
As well, each venue chosen were local pillars of the music scene.
The first shows on Wednesday and Thursday were held at the Powerhouse Pub and The Press Club, respectively. However, at full disclosure, this writer was not able to make it to these first two shows.
I know. Lame.
Life happens like that sometimes, though.
Life happens like that sometimes, though.
So, rather than bullshit my way through describing what I didn't see, here is who played and where:
Powerhouse Pub - Wednesday 11/15
The Press Club - Thursday 11/16
Both those venues have a solid reputation of having some of the best local acts come through their doors, so please, take the time to check them out from here. You won't be sad that you did.
Friday night settled in, though, cold and crisp as I found myself walking to Old Ironsides, nestled in one of my favorite parts of Midtown in Sacramento. I walk into the bustling bar, full of energetic, smiling people as the stage is getting filled with equipment. I grab a drink and wander over to the merch tables where Danny is setting up to sell Fuck Cancer shirts. Adorned in all black with a leather jacket, which is covered in various buttons and pins, and a baseball cap, he shakes my hand when I say hello. We talk for a bit about how great it is that tonight is happening, and that this is going to be a swell night. Danny's natural, nice attitude is infectious and I certainly enjoy getting to chat with him. Tonight, though, he is hosting and being greeted by legions of friends and fellow musicians, so our initial encounter is brief, but still very pleasant.
More to come on that, though.
The night settles in, the bar fills more, and the first band of the night, Slattern V takes the stage.
Slattern V is a 4 piece rock outfit that is decked out in quality vintage gear, and hit the ground running tonight. As their set hits me with it's vibrant, tube-driven, hard edged sound, I get the sense of a Tom Petty influence, mixed with an alternative rock sound that also reminds me of The Foo Fighters and REM. Their songs are well structured, and as their set continues, their guitar player really showcases his wide range of effects he employs. All these features coalesce into a high energy, fun set that grabbed my interest and didn't let go until they were done. It was a great way to start off the night.
The next band up, Vinnie Guidera and The Dead Birds, already piqued my interest just by setting up. The three piece outfit, their lead singer, Vinnie, had an acoustic guitar. But, when he went to strum it for sound check, I got a face full of warbled, distorted goodness that reminded me instantly of Scott Pilgrim's band Sex Bob-Omb.
Only, you know, way cooler, and with less angst.
Anyway, they kick into their set and they establish a killer rock foundation right out of the gate. For a three-piece, they had a very big sound tht hd a good, hard edge to it, thanks to the acoustic twang that came from their guitar. They had a good rock sound, also like the Foo Fighters, but with elements of The Pixies that I could hear mixed in too. Maybe even a little pop-punk vibe mixed in there for good measure. Either way, it was a very enjoyable set and left me satisfied and pleasantly deafened.
The next band that took the stage was Kevin Seconds and his newly formed band. Kevin, known for doing his solo acoustic songs and his work with 7 Seconds as their lead singer, had chosen tonight to make this new incarnation happen, and he did not disappoint. With Kevin on vocals and guitar, he and his other 3 band-mates proceeded to hammer the room with nice, angry, fast, and fun punk rock that most fans of his are very familiar with. Full of monstrous gain, his batch of songs he delivered reminded me of all the best qualities of bands like The Vandals, NOFX, and The Misfits rolled into one.
And last but not least, local punk rock idol, Skid Jones, joined The Moans on stage to close out the night. With Danny assisting Skid with vocal duty, they came onto stage to the tune of "Ecstasy of Gold", made famous from "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly". What was unleashed had all the hallmarks of a solid Moans set. 4 chord skate-punk, mixed with high energy stage antics, and ear crushing punk. With the addition of Skid Jones, though, it gave them more of a Dead Kennedy's vibe. His height, coupled with long hair and beard made for a captivating stage presence to go with the fun side of The Moans. As well, for an encore set, they had Tom, the bass player from Kevin Seconds' group join them on stage for a rousing rendition of "Sheena is a Punk Rocker" and "Blitzkrieg Bop".
All in all, this made for a pretty bombastic Friday evening. I ventured back out into the frigid night to my car, eager for the show happening tomorrow night.
Before I knew it, it was Saturday night and I was out again to see the event take over both Cafe Colonial and The Colony for the only all-ages show of the entire run. I wander in and settle up to the bar, and soon enough a beer is in my hand, and I am taking in the low hum of excitement that permeates the room when a show is coming up. Halfway through my beer, I see Danny walk in, and start setting up his shirt table. Soon enough, we get to chatting a bit, and I am able to ask him a few questions about this exciting event he has put together.
The first thing I wanted to know was how this whole idea came about. He explains,
"I started doing birthday shows just for fun, about 17 years ago. And, you know, it wasn’t for raising money for anything, it was just to get together with a bunch of friends and bands. And then, about 15 years ago, a friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer, and he was living in Japan at the time, so I thought, ‘Well, let’s do the birthday show as a fundraiser for him.’ And we did that for about 5 [later edited to 2] years in a row…and then we decided, let’s donate it to the American Cancer Society…And it eventually evolved into ‘Fuck Cancer’ and all that."
He also adds,
"It was 13 years ago, as well, my father was also diagnosed with cancer. So that was the real catalyst that made it go to the American Cancer Society."
With so much emotional investment Danny has in this series of shows, I am curious at that moment how the bands have responded to this fundraiser as well. He says,
"As soon as I release the dates, I’ll have a band contact me on social media. My friend Ken, who plays in Cassette Idols…I think he contacted me ten minutes after I made an event page on social media (laughs)."
He goes on to add,
"It’s nice to get contacted by bands, but I still like to reach out to bands…I like to reach out to bands I’m not very familiar with, so I can get the chance to go out and see them…plus I like booking all of my friends! (laughs)."
Variety has also been something he has been thankful to be able to focus on. He elaborates by saying,
"This year, we’ve got stand-up comedy, we’ve got a burlesque act, and we got hip hop this year…This year I wanted to reach out genre’s and acts I don’t normally reach out to, and stuff like that."
Venues have also been very responsive to these shows as well. Danny reiterates his genuine appreciation, by saying,
"All of the Venues that have been on this series have been overwhelmingly generous…Some of the venues have been taking care of security and sound on their own, paying them off the bar and saying ‘Don’t worry, you take this’. Not that I expect that from them, but yeah, they have just been overwhelmingly gracious to us...The venues are gracious; the bands are very gracious…It’s a good booster to my local music self-esteem."
He shakes my hand and gives his trademark ear-to-ear smile, as we head back into the venue in time to catch the start of the night. Immediately, Danny is greeted by another friend, complete with a big hug for him. I am not ashamed to say that, upon hearing him be that appreciative and see him be this nice, this whole experience has warmed my heart.
And the bands haven't even started for the night, yet.
Over on the Colony side, soon enough, the first band of the night takes the stage. Free Candy is the band I wish I was in when i was younger. I'm not going to venture a guess as to how old this 4-piece's members were, because they had me sucked in, regardless. Between songs with "Star Wars" as a title, to a badass girl on bass with a kick ass voice, to their energetic guitar player, I was smiling right along with everyone else. Slamming us with razor sharp chops that reminded me of early Green Day, Teenage Bottlerocket, and proto-grunge rock that was a lot of fun to see.
Up next, back over at the Cafe was a local mainstay that has been on my radar for a bit, but I get to finally check them out. The O'Mulligans take the stage, throwing off a vibe immediately of NOFX, owed to their bass player/lead singer playing a bass that Fat Mike may possibly own. I didn't get to think that far ahead because they confirmed it quickly, throwing blasting, 3-4 chord, under-2-minutes-a-song punk at me. They also reminded me of Goldfinger, SR-71, with some good ol' Bad Religion and Misfits sprinkled in there. Between this sonic whirlwind and their incessantly witty banter, they were a lot of fun to witness.
The band up after these guys was at The Colony. The Enlows, a solid 3-piece outfit, continued the upbeat, rocking tradition that was being established tonight. The rocked a sound that reminded me of The Ramones and Less than Jake mixed together. Throughout their energetic set, they also dipped into some 00's era punk. Not only did it serve to entertain us adult, but they also had two little kids dancing around in the crowd, practicing their tiny mosh pit moves. All with proper ear protection, of course.
Back again over to the Cafe, Kill the Precendent was about to take the stage. I was already interested, since they had their own video canvas hanging behind them, but when they started playing my mind was blown. Fronted by two lead singers, as part of a 5-piece here this night, they kick into harsh, synth-laden backing tracks to start while playing video in the background that one would expect to see either out of a Ministry music video or a duck-and-cover drill from the 1950s.
Or both.
Either way, when both singers started running around, screaming and singing to those in the crowd, their full industrial sound hit me full force. Their combination of wicked double bass, crunchy guitar, and synth overlays made the hair stand up on my neck. As their set continued, their sound took on an unholy hybrid of Ministry, Lard, KMFDM, and Black Flag the likes of which I hadn't gotten to see before. People in the crowd were jumping, flailing, and throwing their hair around like an honest to goodness musical happening was unfolding in front of, and inside of, themselves. Once their set was over, and the shards of my jaw were scooped up off the floor, I was blown away.
Ears thoroughly rung, and a beer chugged from the bar, I head over to The Colony to catch The Mastoids as they kick off their set. This 3-piece group has a good chunk of raw stage presence that lent itself to their modern punk sound. Their set wound through sounds similar to Against Me!, Rancid, The Flatliners, along with a lot of mid-late 90's alternative rock vibes. All in all, after getting the sonic crap joyfully kicked out of me by the previous band, these guys were the perfect band to lean against the wall and groove along to and watch.
As the final act of the night, Danny Secretion hit the stage long with fellow band members Bear Williams, Joe McKinney, Jeffrey Hollandsworth, and Matt Bennett. With Danny on lead vocal duty, they kicked into a set reminiscent of a mutated version of The Moans. Their set covered the full breadth of Danny's influences, as well as the rest of his band's. It was like a progression of a late-80's underground show, where The Misfits, The Vandals, and The Secretions (Yes, I know they aren't THAT old) played all through the night. With Danny on vocals, he was able to bring out his prime stage moves and antics, all adorned with his trademark smile. As the set wound down, rather than yell at us to do something pit-related or kill each other, he said something a little different. Hands out to the crowd,
"Give everyone a hug."
Among a whole legion of smiles, they kicked into their last song and sent us home cheering and smiling. So, out into the cold I went, eager to enjoy the Sunday night show just around the corner.
Soon enough, Sunday was here, the night was cold, and I found myself at The Blue Lamp, eagerly awaiting what the show had in store for me tonight. Once we all filed in, Danny took the stage, glass of whiskey in hand, and gave us the low down on how much this event had meant to him, and how excited he was to have been able to do it. To rousing applause, he raises his glass, and introduces the opening group for the night.
Alpha As Fuck, a two-man group, hits the stage and launches into their track straight away. Now, upon first glance, the vests these guys were decked out in would have fit in at any punk show. Spray paint, buttons, pins, gauges and tattoos were their aesthetic, and they used it to bring home a sound that was very unique. They hit us full force with heavy duty bass, keys, and back-and-forth rhymes that were very unique. They even made sure to mix in a good dose of self-deprecating lyrics, and jokes at the expense of Lil' Uzi Vert. Their stage presence was also very dynamic, and they made sure to hop off the stage and show the crowd what they had in them. These guys sure did their part ot get everyone hyped up and ready to go.
Up next was Mone't Ha-Sidi, a local burlesque entertainer/actress that was here to give us a good dose of a little something different. She started her set off with a razor sharp parody of TLC's "No Scrubs", but instead re-worked and re-directed at Donald Trump. Once our much needed anti-GOP fix was given, Mone't filled us in on how she has a direct connection to the 'Fuck Cancer' tagline for tonight's show. One of her close friends in the artistic community here in Sacramento passed away from cancer. They became friends, bonding over one another's bald heads. After this heartfelt story was shared, you definitely felt a better connection to the act at hand, as well as this show tonight. The next stage of her act was a burlesque routine done to the tune of "Dick in a Box". It gave us the winning combination of well-placed tassels, bombastic dance moves, and a fake dick getting pulled out of a bedazzled KFC Bucket. Like the rest of the crowd, I couldn't help but hoot and holler the entire time.
Next for the night was Kennedy Wrose, who took the stage backed up by a guitarist and drummer as well. Jumping into his set, you get a full picture of his musical diversity right out of the gate. Between the richly layered guitar, crisp drum sound, and driving bass, it makes for a very well put together sound. In addition, Kennedy's rhymes were poignant, well constructed, and flowed like water. Everyone's head was bobbin', no matter where you were in that bar, and he was all over the place on that stage. You couldn't not get sucked in. He also made sure to reiterate that he lost his Mom to cancer, and how important events like this were to keep up hope in the fight against cancer.
Taking the stage next, rocking a sweet Boba Fett jacket with "BOUNTY HUNTER" across the back, was Reflective Intelligence. This solo act hit the ground running from beat 1, and didn't stop. Taking samples from trap, deep house, and even a little Public Enemy sprinkled in there, he kept the flow going, drawing the crowd in with his conscious lyrics and killer stage presence. Soon enough, fellow rapper 180 joined up with him on stage to keep the house rumbling with a good old fashioned belt of "Fuck the Police" here and there, too. I was drawn in, and so was everyone else, that's for sure.
The next act up was the duo, Ode to Saturday. With the vocal talent split between Jordan Kale and Deiy Leone, they brought a new style to the table I hadn't seen yet tonight. The beats they brought were heavy on the synth patches, as well as the chest-shaking bass. Vocally, they were heavily R&B based, and made sure to make full use of well-balanced harmonies, as well as rhyming back and forth through out all of their songs. They showcased a lot of their talent especially when they played their new single, "Closer". It was a great redirection in the night, and it help set the stage and get u excited for more.
Next on the ticket was Sparks Across Darkness, fronted by Anthony Giovanini, who were partially responsible for putting tonight's show together with Danny. Anthony was Danny's go to guy, and they worked together to get this night fully set up. Starting his set off, though, Anthony brought out a poem for him to read. It was one he wrote to and about his uncle who died from cancer. Choked up between stanza's, you sure do get the amount of honesty and heartfelt emotion Anthony put into his words. It goes one step further in illustrating how cancer can touch anybody's lives. Wiping a few tears away, Anthony and his backing band kick into their set. Backed up by a drummer and a DJ, they launch into a musically dense and energetic set that picks the crowd back up and keeps them there with powerful lyrics, crazy synth lines, DJ scratches, and Anthony's crowd mixing stage presence. It ran the full emotional gauntlet, and paid off in spades.
Last but not least, Hobo Johnson took the stage, giving us his trademark toothy grin as he got the lights lowered to a deep blue. Soon, he beckoned us all to sit on the floor while he sat on the edge of the stage. Shoes thrown off, he launches into his bombastic his "Romeo and Juliet" and drives that song home with the help of his backing drummer and emcee. Once that rhyme-laden journey, he too shares his connection to 'Fuck Cancer'. He tells us he had lost his grandfather to the disease, giving us yet another personal connection tying this show together. As his set continues, he shuffles back and forth from the crowd, delivering his blistering lyrics in a way that is truly unique to him. Soon enough he takes a seat on stage and flops a keyboard on his lap, while his emcee hops on guitar. They slam out another song of his, "Sex and the City" in true, full force energy that gets the crowd cheering and thrilled from the get-go.
Once his set is done, we get a rousing thank you from Danny, and a feeling that were part of something a little bit bigger and better than ourselves.
At least that's the feeling I definitely got as I say bye to Danny, and wander to my car for the last time this weekend. It speaks volumes for both Sacramento's local music scene, as well as the impact people like Danny have on our little microcosm of music. I mean, I struggle to think of another place where, in one weekend, I can get the full breadth of local punk and rock music, as well as some of the most dynamic and introspective hip-hop I have ever seen. It was an eye-opening experience, to say the least, and I look forward to next year's already.
As well, make sure you donate to the American Cancer Society today, that way we can beat this awful disease together.
All in all, this made for a pretty bombastic Friday evening. I ventured back out into the frigid night to my car, eager for the show happening tomorrow night.
Before I knew it, it was Saturday night and I was out again to see the event take over both Cafe Colonial and The Colony for the only all-ages show of the entire run. I wander in and settle up to the bar, and soon enough a beer is in my hand, and I am taking in the low hum of excitement that permeates the room when a show is coming up. Halfway through my beer, I see Danny walk in, and start setting up his shirt table. Soon enough, we get to chatting a bit, and I am able to ask him a few questions about this exciting event he has put together.
The first thing I wanted to know was how this whole idea came about. He explains,
"I started doing birthday shows just for fun, about 17 years ago. And, you know, it wasn’t for raising money for anything, it was just to get together with a bunch of friends and bands. And then, about 15 years ago, a friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer, and he was living in Japan at the time, so I thought, ‘Well, let’s do the birthday show as a fundraiser for him.’ And we did that for about 5 [later edited to 2] years in a row…and then we decided, let’s donate it to the American Cancer Society…And it eventually evolved into ‘Fuck Cancer’ and all that."
He also adds,
"It was 13 years ago, as well, my father was also diagnosed with cancer. So that was the real catalyst that made it go to the American Cancer Society."
With so much emotional investment Danny has in this series of shows, I am curious at that moment how the bands have responded to this fundraiser as well. He says,
"As soon as I release the dates, I’ll have a band contact me on social media. My friend Ken, who plays in Cassette Idols…I think he contacted me ten minutes after I made an event page on social media (laughs)."
He goes on to add,
"It’s nice to get contacted by bands, but I still like to reach out to bands…I like to reach out to bands I’m not very familiar with, so I can get the chance to go out and see them…plus I like booking all of my friends! (laughs)."
Variety has also been something he has been thankful to be able to focus on. He elaborates by saying,
"This year, we’ve got stand-up comedy, we’ve got a burlesque act, and we got hip hop this year…This year I wanted to reach out genre’s and acts I don’t normally reach out to, and stuff like that."
Venues have also been very responsive to these shows as well. Danny reiterates his genuine appreciation, by saying,
"All of the Venues that have been on this series have been overwhelmingly generous…Some of the venues have been taking care of security and sound on their own, paying them off the bar and saying ‘Don’t worry, you take this’. Not that I expect that from them, but yeah, they have just been overwhelmingly gracious to us...The venues are gracious; the bands are very gracious…It’s a good booster to my local music self-esteem."
He shakes my hand and gives his trademark ear-to-ear smile, as we head back into the venue in time to catch the start of the night. Immediately, Danny is greeted by another friend, complete with a big hug for him. I am not ashamed to say that, upon hearing him be that appreciative and see him be this nice, this whole experience has warmed my heart.
And the bands haven't even started for the night, yet.
Over on the Colony side, soon enough, the first band of the night takes the stage. Free Candy is the band I wish I was in when i was younger. I'm not going to venture a guess as to how old this 4-piece's members were, because they had me sucked in, regardless. Between songs with "Star Wars" as a title, to a badass girl on bass with a kick ass voice, to their energetic guitar player, I was smiling right along with everyone else. Slamming us with razor sharp chops that reminded me of early Green Day, Teenage Bottlerocket, and proto-grunge rock that was a lot of fun to see.
Up next, back over at the Cafe was a local mainstay that has been on my radar for a bit, but I get to finally check them out. The O'Mulligans take the stage, throwing off a vibe immediately of NOFX, owed to their bass player/lead singer playing a bass that Fat Mike may possibly own. I didn't get to think that far ahead because they confirmed it quickly, throwing blasting, 3-4 chord, under-2-minutes-a-song punk at me. They also reminded me of Goldfinger, SR-71, with some good ol' Bad Religion and Misfits sprinkled in there. Between this sonic whirlwind and their incessantly witty banter, they were a lot of fun to witness.
The band up after these guys was at The Colony. The Enlows, a solid 3-piece outfit, continued the upbeat, rocking tradition that was being established tonight. The rocked a sound that reminded me of The Ramones and Less than Jake mixed together. Throughout their energetic set, they also dipped into some 00's era punk. Not only did it serve to entertain us adult, but they also had two little kids dancing around in the crowd, practicing their tiny mosh pit moves. All with proper ear protection, of course.
Back again over to the Cafe, Kill the Precendent was about to take the stage. I was already interested, since they had their own video canvas hanging behind them, but when they started playing my mind was blown. Fronted by two lead singers, as part of a 5-piece here this night, they kick into harsh, synth-laden backing tracks to start while playing video in the background that one would expect to see either out of a Ministry music video or a duck-and-cover drill from the 1950s.
Or both.
Either way, when both singers started running around, screaming and singing to those in the crowd, their full industrial sound hit me full force. Their combination of wicked double bass, crunchy guitar, and synth overlays made the hair stand up on my neck. As their set continued, their sound took on an unholy hybrid of Ministry, Lard, KMFDM, and Black Flag the likes of which I hadn't gotten to see before. People in the crowd were jumping, flailing, and throwing their hair around like an honest to goodness musical happening was unfolding in front of, and inside of, themselves. Once their set was over, and the shards of my jaw were scooped up off the floor, I was blown away.
Ears thoroughly rung, and a beer chugged from the bar, I head over to The Colony to catch The Mastoids as they kick off their set. This 3-piece group has a good chunk of raw stage presence that lent itself to their modern punk sound. Their set wound through sounds similar to Against Me!, Rancid, The Flatliners, along with a lot of mid-late 90's alternative rock vibes. All in all, after getting the sonic crap joyfully kicked out of me by the previous band, these guys were the perfect band to lean against the wall and groove along to and watch.
As the final act of the night, Danny Secretion hit the stage long with fellow band members Bear Williams, Joe McKinney, Jeffrey Hollandsworth, and Matt Bennett. With Danny on lead vocal duty, they kicked into a set reminiscent of a mutated version of The Moans. Their set covered the full breadth of Danny's influences, as well as the rest of his band's. It was like a progression of a late-80's underground show, where The Misfits, The Vandals, and The Secretions (Yes, I know they aren't THAT old) played all through the night. With Danny on vocals, he was able to bring out his prime stage moves and antics, all adorned with his trademark smile. As the set wound down, rather than yell at us to do something pit-related or kill each other, he said something a little different. Hands out to the crowd,
"Give everyone a hug."
Among a whole legion of smiles, they kicked into their last song and sent us home cheering and smiling. So, out into the cold I went, eager to enjoy the Sunday night show just around the corner.
Soon enough, Sunday was here, the night was cold, and I found myself at The Blue Lamp, eagerly awaiting what the show had in store for me tonight. Once we all filed in, Danny took the stage, glass of whiskey in hand, and gave us the low down on how much this event had meant to him, and how excited he was to have been able to do it. To rousing applause, he raises his glass, and introduces the opening group for the night.
Alpha As Fuck, a two-man group, hits the stage and launches into their track straight away. Now, upon first glance, the vests these guys were decked out in would have fit in at any punk show. Spray paint, buttons, pins, gauges and tattoos were their aesthetic, and they used it to bring home a sound that was very unique. They hit us full force with heavy duty bass, keys, and back-and-forth rhymes that were very unique. They even made sure to mix in a good dose of self-deprecating lyrics, and jokes at the expense of Lil' Uzi Vert. Their stage presence was also very dynamic, and they made sure to hop off the stage and show the crowd what they had in them. These guys sure did their part ot get everyone hyped up and ready to go.
Up next was Mone't Ha-Sidi, a local burlesque entertainer/actress that was here to give us a good dose of a little something different. She started her set off with a razor sharp parody of TLC's "No Scrubs", but instead re-worked and re-directed at Donald Trump. Once our much needed anti-GOP fix was given, Mone't filled us in on how she has a direct connection to the 'Fuck Cancer' tagline for tonight's show. One of her close friends in the artistic community here in Sacramento passed away from cancer. They became friends, bonding over one another's bald heads. After this heartfelt story was shared, you definitely felt a better connection to the act at hand, as well as this show tonight. The next stage of her act was a burlesque routine done to the tune of "Dick in a Box". It gave us the winning combination of well-placed tassels, bombastic dance moves, and a fake dick getting pulled out of a bedazzled KFC Bucket. Like the rest of the crowd, I couldn't help but hoot and holler the entire time.
Next for the night was Kennedy Wrose, who took the stage backed up by a guitarist and drummer as well. Jumping into his set, you get a full picture of his musical diversity right out of the gate. Between the richly layered guitar, crisp drum sound, and driving bass, it makes for a very well put together sound. In addition, Kennedy's rhymes were poignant, well constructed, and flowed like water. Everyone's head was bobbin', no matter where you were in that bar, and he was all over the place on that stage. You couldn't not get sucked in. He also made sure to reiterate that he lost his Mom to cancer, and how important events like this were to keep up hope in the fight against cancer.
Taking the stage next, rocking a sweet Boba Fett jacket with "BOUNTY HUNTER" across the back, was Reflective Intelligence. This solo act hit the ground running from beat 1, and didn't stop. Taking samples from trap, deep house, and even a little Public Enemy sprinkled in there, he kept the flow going, drawing the crowd in with his conscious lyrics and killer stage presence. Soon enough, fellow rapper 180 joined up with him on stage to keep the house rumbling with a good old fashioned belt of "Fuck the Police" here and there, too. I was drawn in, and so was everyone else, that's for sure.
The next act up was the duo, Ode to Saturday. With the vocal talent split between Jordan Kale and Deiy Leone, they brought a new style to the table I hadn't seen yet tonight. The beats they brought were heavy on the synth patches, as well as the chest-shaking bass. Vocally, they were heavily R&B based, and made sure to make full use of well-balanced harmonies, as well as rhyming back and forth through out all of their songs. They showcased a lot of their talent especially when they played their new single, "Closer". It was a great redirection in the night, and it help set the stage and get u excited for more.
Next on the ticket was Sparks Across Darkness, fronted by Anthony Giovanini, who were partially responsible for putting tonight's show together with Danny. Anthony was Danny's go to guy, and they worked together to get this night fully set up. Starting his set off, though, Anthony brought out a poem for him to read. It was one he wrote to and about his uncle who died from cancer. Choked up between stanza's, you sure do get the amount of honesty and heartfelt emotion Anthony put into his words. It goes one step further in illustrating how cancer can touch anybody's lives. Wiping a few tears away, Anthony and his backing band kick into their set. Backed up by a drummer and a DJ, they launch into a musically dense and energetic set that picks the crowd back up and keeps them there with powerful lyrics, crazy synth lines, DJ scratches, and Anthony's crowd mixing stage presence. It ran the full emotional gauntlet, and paid off in spades.
Last but not least, Hobo Johnson took the stage, giving us his trademark toothy grin as he got the lights lowered to a deep blue. Soon, he beckoned us all to sit on the floor while he sat on the edge of the stage. Shoes thrown off, he launches into his bombastic his "Romeo and Juliet" and drives that song home with the help of his backing drummer and emcee. Once that rhyme-laden journey, he too shares his connection to 'Fuck Cancer'. He tells us he had lost his grandfather to the disease, giving us yet another personal connection tying this show together. As his set continues, he shuffles back and forth from the crowd, delivering his blistering lyrics in a way that is truly unique to him. Soon enough he takes a seat on stage and flops a keyboard on his lap, while his emcee hops on guitar. They slam out another song of his, "Sex and the City" in true, full force energy that gets the crowd cheering and thrilled from the get-go.
Once his set is done, we get a rousing thank you from Danny, and a feeling that were part of something a little bit bigger and better than ourselves.
At least that's the feeling I definitely got as I say bye to Danny, and wander to my car for the last time this weekend. It speaks volumes for both Sacramento's local music scene, as well as the impact people like Danny have on our little microcosm of music. I mean, I struggle to think of another place where, in one weekend, I can get the full breadth of local punk and rock music, as well as some of the most dynamic and introspective hip-hop I have ever seen. It was an eye-opening experience, to say the least, and I look forward to next year's already.
As well, make sure you donate to the American Cancer Society today, that way we can beat this awful disease together.
