“On The Run”, by Pink Floyd thumps on through my speakers as I follow a familiar Hyudai Santa Fe around the K Street area in Downtown Sacramento. Traversing the brightly lit streets, I spot a pattern that outlines the current state of K street. After a year of COVID, every brightly lit dining patio and bar is next to at least boarded up building, with unhoused folks camped near them.
Open. Closed. Open. Closed.
All with people milling around in between, with masks in various states of fashion. Or none at all, hopefully vaccinated and ready to party.
As we pass these smashed scenes of decay and recovery, the lights of the Crest fade into the background and we turn towards the capitol. I find a spot in the dark, and my Korean-made guide continues down half a block, before finding a spot for itself. I hop out and am assailed with the sensations of this blustery night. The wind whips at my face, making me thankful I brought a sweatshirt along in May.
The air also feels cleaner. I have no idea how, but it does.
The dome behind me is bathed in light, while flags flying above it whip in the wind, clanging against their flag pole in protest. I walk towards the duo emerging from the Santa Fe, and two pleasant faces greet me, loaded with gear.
Local musicians Jayson Angove and De'von Whitaker are out and about tonight, looking to flex their videography muscles by bringing Sacramento's night lights into their lenses for our viewing pleasure. Jayson's backpack is packed to the gills, while De'von is wielding gigantic DSLR camera, with a wide faced lens on the front of it. In one hand, Jayson also carries a bag of yet more gear, and an electric monowheel in the other hand.
As we gather ourselves, I learn that more people are coming to meet us here, so I take up camp, they calibrate their gear, and I gaze at Capitol Avenue's long row of stoplights, leading my vision straight to the looming Tower Bridge. It's golden facade is tinted orange tonight, and headlights drift in and out of the foreground.
I've seen it a thousand times, and it still makes me smile. It is always pure serenity, that bridge. One of the few spots on the grid I feel like I can actually experience that, even with various exhaust noises in the background. My attention is momentarily diverted, as Jayson speeds past me on his one wheeled surfboard. He makes a slow arc on the sidewalk, LED light illuminating the ground in front of him. Eventually, De'von comes back into view, and he is taking some preliminary shots of the glowing ivory building behind us. Jayson and I gather to peek at De'von's screen when a new sound tickles our ears. Once they are done calibrating, our visions locks onto a lone man with a PA system, and two speakers. He is on the sidewalk, dead center in front of the Capitol, singing (literally) the praises of the Lord. There is a flurry of phrases and words that emanate from him, but it comes close to the line of word salad more often than not.
However, when this guy kicks on his backing tracks from said PA system, and starts singing an actual song, all 3 of us realize that there is talent there. I bet he is rally really good with his gospel choir. I just don't see how the three of us, and the occasional JUMP/LIME/one word business scooter gang, are a good audience to try and pick up on this particular Friday night.
Eventually the backing tracks fade away, De'von's attention goes to a different source, and Jayson's monowheel escapades continue. A Subaru with some familiar occupants finally arrives, and parks near us here on Capitol and 10th. The driver is none other than Paul Bates, a local drummer and frequent collaborator with Jayson on many projects. I am excited to see him, because I have recently become a fan of their YouTube channel, Gear Cage, where he and Jayson review/praise/verbally abuse various music equipment.
Joining Paul tonight is his girlfriend, Cecilia, their friends Cayden and Lauren, and another duffle bag of camera gear. As the two groups converge on this poorly lit corner, I learn that one of the motivations for being out here tonight is to get shots of Cayden for a music video his band, Texture Love, is putting together.
The three camera jockeys turn their attention toward the capitol, and hatch a plan to find the best angle for Cayden's video. All 6 of us venture onto the Capitol Grounds, up the stairs, and hang a left. The hunt is on for the elusive combo of a well-lit, straight walkway, with some cool stuff in the back ground to really seal the deal.
Maneuvering along the paths, Jayson continued his monowheel adventures; darting over grass, up and down sidewalks, all while hollering location suggestions. Paul and De'von were pointing and walking various directions, while yours truly and everyone else managed some idle chit chat in the background. This pattern continued around each darkened side of the Capitol, past parked CHP cars, questionable park benches, and various wildlife that one would only find in Sacramento.
You know, skunks and raccoons. 2 of each, to be precise.
Once we passed the other sides of the capitol (all adorned with a fancy new cop car), a feeling of deja vu really started to set in. Once we were all done laughing at ourselves, Cayden pointed down Capitol and said he liked this as a background for their first shot of the night.
With a flurry of activity, guided by both passion and purpose, the three camera men unveiled their tools of the trade and got to setting up. While serving as their focus, Cayden stood with his back to Capitol Ave. while, somehow, more gear began to materialize in front of him. De'von's massive camera had sprouted a leg, Jayson materialized a tripod-supported, multicolor LED light, and Paul had all the sound equipment ready to go.
I guarded the monowheel on the steps with my life. Cecilia and Lauren joined me on the steps a few feet back and took in this new version of the night. Behind Cayden and the crew, Sacramento moved right on by us. Clusters of 3-7 wobbly scooters continued to amble by us, heading towards K Street, while headlights flickered in and out of our periphery like fireflies on the wind.
Just as sound started up for Cayden to lip sync to, my attention was ripped away again by not one, but 7 VW Bugs sputtering around Capitol's corner, and off toward the rest of the grid. It was this slowly ambling whirlwind that was moving around us, all while the set lights glared and the “film” rolled. Off in the background, the wind continued to blow, and the flags still banged against the pole, monotonous and filling in the brief silences that would settle around us occasionally.
Aaaaand scene.
With the first set done, we make our way toward K Street, as more ideas start flying about. All 6 pairs of legs guide us across L street, to the front of the 11th + L building. It's here that all 3 camera guys talk about how great the lighting is from the doorway of this particular residential-looking building. Sure enough, everyone resumed battle-stations, and Cayden got another shot done. In the bag, mission accomplished.
Until we walked 6 feet over in front of a boutique store, adorned with various flowers in even more various pots and containers. The 3 camera men collectively sighed,
“Ahh man, look at this light.”
So, like he had done it before, Cayden sat down in front of said boutique, and resumed the necessary aloofness for the shot as everyone went around setting up. However, Cecilia, Lauren, and myself were recruited to help with this scene.
We were tasked with walking in front of the camera to make it look like there were passers by on this strangely desolate street. I mean, I've always been told I make a better door than a window, so this may just work out. Once shooting started, we began our traipsing past the camera, and even had Paul and Jayson join in. The shot turned out really well, even though it was apparent I need to work on my calves.
I think I may have just shattered the magic of this music video, too, but I digress.
From here, the decision was made to finally get back on K street. The neon lights, the slightly inebriated crowds, and just the raw energy was perfect to put in the background for these next sets of shots.
Or, at least that's what I got from Paul, Jayson, and De'von throwing out camera gear specs, shorthand, and lingo that I never would have been able to piece together in a reasonable amount of time.
The idea was to have Cayden on a corner, doing his thing, and have someone run into him as he is singing. Right as their idea floated past me, an Abbot and Costello sized pair of dudes roll up to us on the hardest working scooter in Sacramento. Lauren and I get out of the way, and their homies flow on past, laughing like hyenas into the night.
That was when I noticed, as all 6 of us took op this side of the corner of 10th and K, the people going to bars behind us, and to the night club in front of us, were giving us some distance. Everyone either scooted out of the way, apologized as they snuck past us, or just flat out went around us. Cayden set up on the corner, and the shot was achieved, with no interference of any kind. The nightclub and crowd were perfectly blurred by De'von's mastery of his gear, Jayson's use of lighting put a customized, subtle color pallet on Cayden, really adding to the chemistry of the whole shot, and Paul's direction was what lined everything up just where it needed to be.
All this, with no script or anything. Just pure video magic.
Walking away from our special corner, we spotted the next shot location very shortly.
In the alley behind the nightclub.
While the alley was bathed in wonderful yellow light, and was perfectly straight, it was lined with some of the ripest dumpsters I have ever had the privilege to stand next to. Thank God for the masks, yet again.
This is where Jayson's monowheel came back into the mix. They were getting some shots of Cayden, then were gonna roll up on the monowheel as he took off running. Sure enough, Jayson rolled right up on him, and he took off in spectacular fashion.
We made our way back onto the street quickly, since we were burning nose hairs by the second due to the fragrance of this alley.
It was smiles all around, as I looked at my watch and started to feel my age by the second. Bidding everyone a farewell, I made my way out back into the dark, still feeling something I hadn't been quite able to pinpoint. Seeing these people get together like this for a common creative goal had filled a hole that I didn't realize was there to begin with. Or, as I sit here and type, I didn't want to admit it was there at all.
I got to my car and felt that same elated tiredness I always seem to have after seeing live music, regardless of the venue.
My feet were tired, like I had been standing/moshing for hours on end. I was sleepy, like I had enjoyed a glass of wine the corner of Harlow's. Lastly, I felt grateful for the people I saw and spent time with, only this time I was way less sweaty.
I simply can't wait to have this feeling more often, and I hope to see you all out there soon.
