event
Jeff Dunham: A Heart of Wood
Jeff Dunham
Jeff Dunham’s suitcase posse was in the house at Thunder Valley Casino Resort Saturday night, performing to a sold-out crowd. As was expected, the audience was a mix of young and old, including my 13 and 15 year old sons, and their great-Grandmother of 87 years old.
Jeff Fa Fa DunHAM, which is how the hyperactive Peanut refers to him, was born in 1962, making him an old guy who likes to play with dolls. We’re not talking about the kind of dolls Mom used to play with, or Dad for that matter (remember GI Joe, or maybe it was the Ken doll). No, we’re talking about larger-than-life, mouthy, belligerent, racist, downright disobedient, and let’s not forget just plain crazy, funny dolls.
These creations of lumber are nothing short of adorable, mean-spirited and, above all, hilarious. While Dunham is the creator, mastermind and the voice behind these creatures, he just didn’t seem to have the same comedic power while performing onstage without them.
Starting with a brief monologue about his dog which received some general laughter, Dunham went from being a so-so comedian to a true standup comic as soon as he introduced his old buddy Walter. Before bringing Walter out, Dunham explained they had just finished taping a Halloween special entitled “Minding the Monsters” for DVD and Comic Central, he thought he would give the audience a preview by using some of the material in the evenings show. To complete the Halloween special Dunham had all his characters dressed in costumes.
Jeff Dunham doing his monolog – bring on the dummies!!
Walter is a retired, grumpy old man. His arms are always crossed and he appears quite discontented. He’s a sarcastic, negative old cuss who has seen better days. A Vietnam War veteran and former welder, Walter doesn’t give a damn about anyone, even his own wife. Walter was Dunham’s own creation from conception to his silicon mold.
Right out of the box Walter had the audience on their feet cheering, to which he replied, “Shut the hell up!” Walter wanted to know where the walls were, and started complaining about performing outside, letting Dunham know that his career was just zooming.
Trying to divert Walter’s attention back to the audience Dunham reminding him of all the applause and without skipping a beat Walter responded, “They applauded because they were happy you finished your cute little doggy story.”
In response to a heckler in the crowd Walter yelled, “Excuse me! Did the ticket say Jeff, his friends, and a drunken asshole in the crowd?” This was met with a huge round of applause.
Jeff Dunham performs with his buddy Walter
Dunham brought out a hat to put on Walter that made him look like Frankenstein, which will be used in the upcoming special.
Bubba J was the next one out of the box and dressed as a vampire. Bubba J is a beer-drinking redneck that Dunham describes as “white trash trailer park”, and whom Dunham uses for humor centered on such stereotypes. To this end, he frequently does jokes involving Bubba J’s love of drinking beer, NASCAR, and his low intelligence.
Dunham asked Bubba if he ever trick or treated as a kid. Bubba said it was difficult to do when all the houses could just pull away when you rang the bell. Bubba made sure everyone knew he was mobile home schooled.
Peanut came out dressed in a Batman costume, calling himself Bat Nut, that’s about the time the spot lights were shut down due to threatening weather.
Peanut is purple-skinned, and the bad kid of the bunch. He’s hyperactive and enjoys giving Dunham a hard time, even more so than his other characters. Peanut was born on a small Micronesian island. Dunham met Peanut in Florida and has been with him ever since. At least that’s how the story goes.
Talking about his secret weapon, Peanut explained that he has the nutterang and keeps it stored next to the bat pole ““ probably shouldn’t have brought the kids and Grandma.
There were several times the kids wanted to know what Dunham meant when he said one thing, or another. Look it up on the internet, was our standard response. Sadly, after searching the internet the next day, they had even more questions, as did Grandma.
Peanut battled it out with Jalapeno-on-a-stick and also brought out a miniature dummy of Dunham who was dressed as the loser, with a large L pasted on his forehead.
Achmed the dead terrorist finally made it out of the box. Achmed is the most controversial of all Dunham’s wooden wonders, and is a skeleton of a bumbling suicide bomber.
Achmed spend a very brief amount of time on stage and a number of people were upset that he didn’t say “Silence! I keel you” once during his performance.
Dunham puts on a hilarious show. I felt this performance was a little flat and not quite up to past shows that he’s put on. Maybe it’s the new material, or maybe it’s his posse’s just getting older. Regardless it was still a great evening out with the kids . . . and Grandma.
Dunham’s shows aren’t for everyone and contain a lot of racist remarks, stereotyping, and more, so beware.
There’s still some great summer concerts left for Thunder Valley Casino’s Summer Concert Series.
That was One Sorry Concert at PBP!
LMFAO - Click for more images
Matthew Koma - Click for more images
LMFAO brought their Sorry for Party Rocking Tour to Power Balance Pavilion on Wednesday, playing to 7,000 adoring fans, most dressed in neon green and yellow, with some donning an afro wig (shoot – can I say afro?).
Before LMFAO came out to party rock, there were several starters on tap. Leading off the charge was Matthew Koma, who didn’t do it for me. Let’s just say by the time he was done, I was in a coma (that’s a joke. I really wasn’t in a coma). Apparently he’s an American Idol fan, as he add some Phil Phillip type mannerisms during parts of his performance.
Eva Simons - Click for more images
Up to bat next was the very sexy Eva Simons who kicked some major butt. The Rhianna look-alike was energetic, sounded great, and looked even better! She sang several songs including her hit “Take Over Control” and her latest release “I Don’t Like You.” Expect to see bigger and better thing for Simons.
DJ Sidney Sampson brought his mixing skills as he weaved some great dance beats together, bringing much of the audience to their feet.
FM - Click for more images
If anyone’s seen Far East Movement (aka FM) before, you’ll understand what I mean when I say, they jumped up on stage. This crew has some wicked high energy and some real catchy tunes such as “Like a G6″ and “Round Round.”
With DJ Virman providing much of the tunes and Kev Nish providing lead vocals, FM energized the crowd in preparation for LMFAO as they bounce, hopped, skipped, and jumped on every inch of the stage. This included J-Splif and Prohgress who provided backup vocals and some entertaining moves.
In preparation for LMFAO’s appearance, several young ladies came out and threw flashing styrofoam glow-sticks to the audience. As I sat back and watched the audience you could see a sea of lime green as fans prepared themselves to party rock.
RedFoo - Click for more images
Prior to LMFAO making their appearance, a man dressed in the wildest glowing outfit sang ”Rocking the Beat” as the Quest dance crew did their thing. Berry Gordy’s son RedFoo and grandson SkyBlu (RedFoo is SkyBlu’s uncle) arrived on stage during “Rock the Beat” at the top of a two tiered stage, making for quite an entrance.
Dressed in their signature attire they started with “Sorry For Party Rocking” right out of the chute, causing the crowd to go absolutely crazy. As they were flying around the stage several members of their crew started throwing out beach balls, inflatable zebra’s, and palm trees.
There were several costume changes throughout the show, most notable was during “Put That A$$ to Work,” when several members of the crew came out in the most outrageous workout clothes imaginable. And yes, they were neon, bright, and way too revealing.
If you don’t like their music, don’t let that stop you from going to see a live performance. These two know how-to keep an audience totally engaged and completely entertained. It’s nothing but pure fun with a whole lotta neon – let’s not forget about the inflatable toys.
KNCI’s Country Christmas
JaneDear - Click for more images
Not to be out done by 107.9 The End’s Jingle Ball, Sacramento’s country music radio station 105.1 KNCI held their own Christmas celebration at Power Balance Pavilion on Saturday.
KNCI’s Country Christmas concert was an evening packed with country greats including The JaneDear Girls, American Idol finalist Danny Gokey, Sacramento’s own Attwater, Craig Campbell, and duo Montgomery Gentry.
Leading the pack was The JaneDear Girls coming out singing “Merry Go Round” followed by “Shotgun Girl.” The duo, made up of Susie Brown (vocals, mandolin, fiddle, bass, guitar, accordion) and Danelle Leverett (vocals, guitar, banjo, harmonica) are well versed in a number of instruments and they were continually switching instruments.
Brown also treated the audience to a fantastic solo piece with the fiddle. Quite impressive!
Attwater - Click for more images
Local country music sensation Attwater came out with both barrels blasting singing “Daydreaming” and “Runnin”. The duo, consisting of Erika Attwater and Jonathon Richards, had an extra band member. Sorry, but I wasn’t able to get her name. I will research and update this as soon as I find out. She was awesome playing the Ukulele.
Craig Campbell - Click for more images
Craig Campbell followed Attwater. Obviously he has a lot of fans in the Sacramento area because the crowd went wild as he came out on stage. Towards the end of his set he sang his newly recorded Christmas song “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Dedicating it to Specialist Ben Nichols and his girlfriend Michelle.
Michelle, Specialist Ben Nichols, Pat and Tom
The couple met at Country in the Park a couple of years ago and Nichols couldn’t make it to this years event, so he recorded a special message for everyone at this years Country in the Park. Pat and Tom brought Michelle onstage and asked her what is the one thing she wanted most for Christmas. She responded “To have Ben home,” at which point the brought Nichols onstage.
Danny Gokey - Click for more images
American Idol alumni Danny Gokey kicked his set off with “Bad Timing” and “Be Somebody.” Gokey sang a couple of his songs as well as a couple of covers. He did a great job working the crowd and getting them on their feet.
Montgomery Gentry - click for more images
Montgomery Gentry blasted onto the stage and showed everyone in attendance why they were headlining the show. Troy Gentry and Eddie Montgomery were high energy with Montgomery stealing the show. He was all over the stage swinging the mic stand around like it was nothing. They started their set with “Hillbilly Shoes” and “Ever Stop Loving Me,” with the audience on their feet and cheering throughout their set and ended with “Gone.”
| The JaneDear Girls: Merry Go Round Shotgun Girl Goodbye Earl Lucky You Fiddle (instrumental) Footloose Wild Flower |
Danny Gokey: Like That’s A Bad Thing Be Somebody What Hurts The Most Get Away Second Hand Heart O Holy Night Crazy Not To T-R-O-U-B-L-E My Best Days Life is A Highway Livin’ On A Prayer |
| Attwater: Daydreaming Runnin New Life You Got Away All I want for Christmas |
Montgomery Gentry: Hillbilly Shoes Ever Stop Loving Me Back When I Knew it All Something to be Proud of Damn Right I Am Where I come From Hell Yeah Lucky Man Roll With Me My Town What do You Think About That One in Every Crowd Gone |
cfvi812mf
Kicking it at Thunder Valley
Jeff Morris and Justin Baseman - Click for more images
A few weeks ago I covered the Chippendales out at Thunder Valley Casino Resort. If you recall, I really started to question my “maleness,” since I kind of enjoyed the show. So to test my maleness I decided to take in a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event.
It just so happened that Gladiator Challenge, a promoter of all things MMA, was hosting an event out at Thunder Valley Casino Resort. There were sixteen fights on tap, so I was going to get my fill of fights.
It was nice of Gladiator Challenge to have some really nice young ladies walking around in between rounds letting us know what round it was. I found them extremely helpful.
For those of you who may not know, an MMA event consists of two fighters getting into a cage that resembles a boxing ring, only this ring has a cyclone fence encircling it so spectators don’t end up getting a lap dance from one of the fighters being thrown out of the ring. There are three rounds for non-championship matches and five rounds for championship matches, with each round lasting five minutes each with one minute breaks in between.
The two fighters wear small gloves and have complete control of their fingers, unlike boxing gloves. Some wear little booties while others go barefoot. I guess they probably don’t call them little booties. Let me see – tiny little shoes?
Just prior to entering the ring their faces are given a coat of grease. As the half-naked men enter the ring you get a sense that the grease is bothering them, because that’s when they start looking all mean and nasty like they want to kill somebody.
Jordan Beaver and Sid Finen - Click for more images
Keep in mind this is the first time I’ve watched an MMA match, so I’m still somewhat unclear as to the rules. It appears that once they’re in the ring, they are required to run around in circles screaming at the audience and pounding their chests for effect ““ such brutes.
With sixteen fights scheduled, I thought I would be there for quite some time. Turns out these fights don’t last nearly as long as a boxing match. Most ended just minutes into the first round. A couple went to the second round and that was it. One ended within 45 seconds!
First up were John Younger and John David Reynolds. Reynolds, fists blazing, had Younger on the mat and in less than a minute – BAM! Game over.
In the fourth bout it was Jamie Hantz and John Wigglesworth, with Hantz winning by a technical knockout. Hantz came into the ring kicking and screaming ““ seriously kicking, because he proceeded to kick the crap out of Wigglesworth. I don’t think Hantz threw a punch. All I saw were his legs pumping out the kicks.
Oh, yeah. In between bouts someone had the unlucky role of cleaning up the blood spattered on the mat. Oh, joy.
There were several title fights, which I’ve listed below with the winner in bold.
Light Heavyweight: Don “The Predator” Frye vs. Reuben Villareal
Heavyweight: Rob “The Caveman” Jackson vs. Josh Appelt
Welterweight: Jeff Morris vs. Justin Baseman
Super Fight: Chris Wood vs. Cal Worsham
Jamie Hantz and John Wigglesworth kicking it at TVCR
So did I pass my latest maleness test? Yes and no.
Yes – I found it appalling that these guys would get into a ring and simply beat the crap out of each other for the sport of it, but at the same time I found it oddly entertaining. So I’m counting that as a good thing – in a macho kind of way.
No ““ I couldn’t help but think of the similarities between an MMA fight and the Chippendales. Both are half naked, in good physical shape, and greased down prior to the show.
Since you rarely see men out at a Chippendale performance it’s obvious that guys would rather watch half naked, greased up men, roll around with each other rather than watch them dance around.
Sadly I believe I have failed my maleness test yet again, since I would rather go to a Chippendales show than watch a fight.
The whole blood and sweat spraying all over the ring didn’t work for me, and I found myself surrounded by testosterone laden men.
Now at a Chippendales show, I’m guaranteed to be surrounded by women.
I rest my case.
Kesha and a Whole Lotta Fun!!!
Click for more images
Bringing her raunchiest of raunchy, her sleaziest of sleaze, and her ton, or two of glitter, Kesha brought her Get Sleazy tour to UC Davis Tuesday night. Opening acts were Spank Rock and LMFAO.
The Pavilion at the ARC was transformed into a rave party, complete with glitter, balloons, and top notch entertainment. Adding to the rave feel, the main floor was cleared of all seats giving people the opportunity to mingle during the quieter times, and dance during the show. And a rave party wouldn’t be complete without a few CO2 powered glitter canons spraying the audience in all that shiny stuff.
The audience was made up of mostly women. The few men I saw were either gay, or being dragged by their significant other to the concert. Poor schmucks had no idea how much fun they were going to have! Almost all the women donned glitter and some form of spandex or fishnet stockings. Yes, I did see a couple of guys mimicking LMFAO too, so it wasn’t just the ladies playing dress up.
The sad part about the audience was the large number of young kids that attended. I saw numerous grade school age kids running around the floor, apparently the parents off doing their own thing. Kesha and LMFAO are energetic and fun to party with, but a concert like this is no place for kids!
LMFAO
Click for more images
Featuring Redfoo and Sky Blu, LMFAO supercharged the audience before Kesha took the stage.
Now I’ve heard a number of their hit songs such as “Party Rock Anthem,” and “I’m in Miami Bitch,” but I had no idea what I was in for with these two clowns.
Sporting his signature glasses, arms painted bright neon yellow, green, pink, and wearing a tank top that read “Party Rock. It will get inya bones,” Redfoo came out rockin’ to “Rock the Beat”, with his nephew Sky Blu in tow. The duo was originally written off as a one-hit-wonder, only to emerge as a bona fide hit-making machine, leaving many critics scratching their heads.
They had acrobatics, beach balls, foam hands, CO2, a dancing panda, and who can forget the blow up zebra being bounced around the crowd. Later during the show I found the poor zebra off in a corner with a bunch of girls laughing at it. I called PETA and they laughed at me – how humiliating ““ poor zebra.
This was a totally high energy show with LMFAO making you feel right at home. They gave the concert a “feel good” vibe from start to finish. Expect to hear a lot more from this duo in the future.
Click for more images
Ke$ha
By the time Kesha made it on stage the audience was in total rave mode, screaming, shouting and simply having a great time. All thanks to the opening acts, especially, LMFAO.
Kesha started off by telling everyone to “. . . Just be yourself,” then added, “Take off your clothes!”, which I proceeded to do, but people were looking at me kinda of funny and laughing, so I stopped ““ I think it must have been my Superman Underoos, but my wife thinks they were laughing at something else.
Dressed in fishnet stockings, glitter, and some wild ass glasses outlined in bright lights, Kesha came out singing the title track “Sleazy.” With her sleaziest garb and wonderfully naughty attitude, she had the audience’s attention, never letting go the entire show.
She sounded and looked phenomenal. While there were a few times she sounded out of breath, her voice was spot on and it sounded like I was listening to her live ““ crap, I was listening to her live, no wonder she sounded so good.
There are many people that haven’t given Kesha a chance. I think it’s because of her various styles and “live in the now” attitude. She’s tough to define, I get that, but that shouldn’t detract from her talent.
I see a mix of Iggy Pop, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, and a little dose of Alice Cooper, all rolled into one delectable morsel of naughtiness.
Give her a listen and decide for yourself!
| Kesha Set-list: Sleazy Take it Off Fuck Him He’s a DJ Dirty Picture Blow Blah Blah Blah Party at a Rich Dude’s House Backstabber Cannibal Harold Song C U Next Tuesday Animal Interlude Dinosaur Grow a Pear Your Love is My Drug Tik Tok We R Who We R Fight For Your Right |
LMFAO Set-list: Rock the BeaT Get Crazy Take It to the Hole Put That Ass to Work I’m in Miami Bitch Sexy & I Know It One Day LA LA LA Yes Party Rock Anthem Champagne Showers Shots Reminds Me of You Lil Hipster Girl |
Spank Rock Set-list: Make’em Rock Nasty Loose Dance DJ Special Famous Turn it Off Race Riot B/O B Day Look at Me Now Car Song |
Ke$ha to Play at UC Davis
My girl Ke$ha is playing at UC Davis’s, The Pavilion at the Park next Tuesday, September 13th at 7:30 p.m.
Now when my wife reads this, she’s going to kick my arse. You see, she can’t stand Ke$ha and thinks she’s just plain weird. While I understand that assessment, that doesn’t mean it’s true.
Here’s a girl with the girl-next-door good looks, tends to go for the sleazier look and has a bad reputation to boot. Now that statement just cinched it for me and about eighty percent of the guys out there. The other twenty percent are gay, and still love how she can be so nasty, yet so hot at the same time.
Okay, let’s forget about that and focus on her determination. She’s determined and downright focused. A good example of how determined she is? She actually went to a good friend of mine’s house. Yes! She actually paid a gardener five bucks to let her squeeze under the fence of Prince’s Beverly Hills home ““ Okay – maybe Prince isn’t a good friend, at least that’s what the Judge told me just before sentencing me because of some stupid stalker law. The sad part about this story? That little stunt landed her back on the streets never to hear from the purple one again and I got 2 years probation for stalking! Come on Prince have a heart – drop the charges.
Regardless of her stunts, she’s made it big and now’s your chance to check out this little bundle of weirdness. Listen ““ If you can get over the weirdness and listen to the oneness of her stories . . . crap . . . it’s getting late, several glasses of wine, and I think I’m starting to get poetic. I hate when that happens.
I’ll tell you what. You just get your butts out there and have a listen to this weird, whacked out, and strangely sexy young lady and decide for yourself, or click below for some examples. Just make sure you listen carefully to the words of her songs, because each one is telling a story, and each one has a lesson ““ a lesson about life ““ damn, there I go again.
‘Electric Daisy’ Sparks Riot in Hollywood
The premier of Insomniac’s documentary “Electric Daisy Carnival Experience” was marred by riots last night at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.
It appears Ryan Raddon, better known as DJ Kaskade tweeted that he was going to perform live in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Starting around 5:00 p.m. attendees and fans started arriving in the thousands. Commuters and tourists alike were surprised to find themselves in the middle of a free for all riot.
Police arrived on the scene and shut down Hollywood Boulevard trying to disperse the crowd. People started throwing objects and it all went south from there. Police donned riot gear and then really started dispersing the crowd. Some idiot actually started a police car on fire. How smart was that? With all the video cameras out there, I’m certain that will end up on youtube shortly and the poor schmuck who started the fire will find him, or herself, facing charges. No concert for them.
For those of you who do not know, Electric Daisy Carnival is an annual electronic dance music festival. It’s always been held on the last weekend of June in Southern California up until this year, when it was moved to Las Vegas, NV. Satellite events have also been held in Dallas, Colorado and as far away at Puerto Rico. This year attendance was estimated to be 215,000 people.
And for those of you who know the dumb ass who started the fire, let him know it’s only a matter of time. I say him because let’s face it. Women tend to me more civilized and would never think of starting a police car on fire, unless the police officer was their significant other who just recently cheated on her – then all bets are off.
Google+ a Concert Venue?
Female Artist Connects With Fans in Live Virtual Concert
Facebook users are migrating to Google’s new social network, Google+, for innovative features like the Hangout technology, which allows 10 people to interact on live video simultaneously. The new technology has created a buzz in the social media world, with one of its most exciting uses being the first official virtual concert performed by singer/songwriter Daria Musk.
Pushing the limits of this new Google+ technology, Musk performed a 6.5 hour virtual concert that became a worldwide phenomenon, ultimately reaching thousands of viewers around the globe, from Norway to Australia to Argentina. Daria performed all night for fans who created an etiquette of staying for a few songs before leaving the Hangout so that fans-in-waiting could jump in.
The response from fans around the world caused the media to pick up the story, while Musk has landed on BusinessInder.com’s list of “The Most Interesting People to Circle on Google+.” Meanwhile, Google’s top engineers are collaborating with Musk to host a second concert this Saturday, July 23rd at 7 p.m. ET., creating a live streaming channel on www.HangoutParty.comthat will allow an unlimited number of viewers around the world to watch and listen.”While Facebook has created a platform that has changed the way people connect online through sharing pictures and updates, Google+ took it one step further by allowing people to interact in real time with video and voice capabilities, changing the very nature of how people socialize on these networks,” said Sean Wolfington, owner of Tier 10 Marketing, the agency which architected the digital marketing strategy for Grammy Award-winning musician Shakira and that now represents Musk. “Traditionally record labels dictated which artists get exposure. Now Google+ gives artists an opportunity to find fans, and gives fans the opportunity to find artists. This interactive video conferencing platform turns fans into friends by allowing them to collaborate directly with the artist, and it’s changing the music industry.”
“Google+ changed my life on Saturday night because I was able to connect with fans from all around the world,” said Musk. “My heart is bursting with joy and I’m forever changed.”
I think is a great tool for artists to get their names out there and meet new fans. As for me, I’m heading over to Google+ to check it out, but I think I’d rather be watching a concert at venues like Thunder Valley Casino and Resort. Especially their summer concert series, or even a larger venue like Power Balance Pavilion.
About Daria Musk
With a set list of powerfully catchy songs, crafted with artistry, spunk and modern flair, soulful indie pop/rock artist Daria Musk is quickly becoming a fan favorite online and in person, receiving rave reviews for her recordings and live shows. Raised in a musical family, with a rebellious heart, an honest innocence, and a passion for playing, Daria developed a distinctive guitar and songwriting style that catches fire on stage and in the studio. Together with producer/composer/bass player R.A.M., Daria has gone from playing cafes to showcasing at festivals and major music industry events like SXSW, CMJ and Gathering of the Vibes. Daria has played to sold-out crowds at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston, New York City’s Mercury Lounge, and Connecticut’s beautiful Stage One. In just a few years, Daria’s songwriting and talent have been recognized and awarded by the We Are Listening Singer/Songwriter Awards, the Starbucks Emerging Artist Competition, the International Songwriting Competition, the Gap’s Born-To-Play Competition (voted #9 over-all out of 800+ artists), the Musician’s Atlas Spotlight Artist, and she has been sponsored by the Taylor Guitars at SXSW 2009.
Rockin’ it at the State Fair
I
had the opportunity to meet with Troy Carlson, CEO of Stage Nine Entertainment Store and Exhibit Design, the creators of probably the most impressive exhibit at the California State Fair this year. “Rock U: The Institute of Rock “‘N’ Roll,” is located in building 5. This custom designed exhibit is an interactive adventure into one of America’s greatest institutions – Rock “‘n’ Roll. Admission is free with your entrance to the fair.
According to Carlson, “This really is a mix between a museum and an Exploratorium.”
The exhibit provides attendees museum style displays such as vintage posters and photos, while also providing plenty of hands-on exhibits.
Media tower at entrance to Rock U at Cal State Fair (Image by: Randy Miramontez) The exhibit features interactive stations covering the different origins of rock “‘n’ roll. Attendees are greeted by a “media tower” infused with memorabilia, rock instruments and gold records that tower over the exhibit. It’s quite a sight to see when first entering the exhibit.
The design focuses on three distinct ways that people have experienced Rock ‘n’ Roll over the years. First up is the “The Studio Experience,” displaying highlights of the early days of the recording process. This area will feature costumed characters on the weekends.
Second is the “The Concert Experience,” an interactive multimedia display celebrating the live performance aspects of Rock ‘n’ Roll, incorporating an extensive collection of rock posters, vintage wardrobes and listening stations that focus on live performances of the world’s favorite bands. I’m betting Tesla will be in there somewhere.
The third area, “The Playing Experience,” allows the audience to wander through and experience different interactive stations that allow them to play and explore the basic instruments in a rock band. The really nice part about the hands-on instrument section is the ability to play onstage or off with your own personal headphones, sparing other attendees from having to listen to the guitar- or drum- challenged.
Hands-on exhibits include:
Can you feel it?
You hear a musical instrument being played and must guess which instrument it is. You then stick your hand into a box and feel the instrument. You don’t get to see it, only feel it.
One hit wonders
A song is played and you must guess who the artist is. Trust me, when you hear the song, the name of the artist will be on the tip of your tongue, but you never quite get it.
Rainbow Records’ interactive display (Image by: Randy Miramontez) Rainbow Records, one of the few remaining manufacturers of vinyl records, has a display of records in various stages of being manufactured. Go check out their site to see a video and learn about the record making process.
Interactive display including a working 8-track player. Yes, I said working. (Image by: Randy Miramontez) A display of all the different ways we have listened to music, including a Walkman and a working 8-track player. Carlson stated that they have a number of 8-track players as backup and they had already had to replace one. I just hope he has a two year supply!
Dimple Records store inside the Rock U exhibit (Image by: Randy Miramontez) Once you’ve completed the circuit, step into one of Sacramento’s most famous record stores, Dimple Records. Carlson said they wanted people to experience the totality of the music experience of Sacramento. To do that, he invited Dimple Records to set up a store within the exhibit. The store is complete with vinyl records and a wall filled with the history of rock “‘n’ roll.
Throughout the fair, the exhibit will feature Elvis, Buddy Holly and other impersonators. YouTube sensation Brodie Cumming is scheduled to appear July 15-17 & 29-31. Cumming will be playing the top 100 rock riffs in one take.
The California State Fair runs from July 14 through July 31.
Jeff Dunham: A Heart of Wood
Jeff Dunham’s suitcase posse was in the house at Arco Arena Thursday night, performing to a sold-out crowd. As was expected, the audience was a mix of young and old, including my 12- and 13-year-old sons, Aidan and Liam.
Jeff Fa Fa DunHAM, which is how both the hyperactive Peanut and Aidan refer to him, was born in 1962. This makes Dunham an old guy who likes to play with dolls. Now we’re not talking about the kind of dolls Mom used to play with, or Dad for that matter (remember GI Joe, or maybe it was the Ken doll). No, we’re talking about larger-than-life, mouthy, belligerent, racist, downright disobedient, and let’s not forget just plain crazy, funny dolls.
These creations of lumber are nothing short of adorable, mean-spirited and, above all, hilarious. While Dunham is the creator, mastermind and of course the voice behind these creatures, he just didn’t seem to have the same comedic power while performing onstage without them.
Dunham started with 20 minutes of stand-up comedy about his past proclivities toward all things dorky, including yearbook photos with him and his dolls from the seventh grade all the way through college (his way of getting an 8-by-10 glossy for his portfolio). Dunham’s a likable guy, but it wasn’t very funny, and midway through his routine I found myself getting antsy for the show to start. It felt like he was trying to warm up the audience for the real stars of the show. But if this was the case, why did we just sit through 30 minutes of warm-up by the strangely compelling Trombone Guy, Jonathon Arons (that guy can move!) and funny songs about real-life drama from The Guitar Guy (Brian Haner)? They were a great warm-up. We didn’t need more.
But once he brought out Walter, his first character of the evening, you could feel the mood of the audience change. Dunham completely transformed from a so-so stand-up comedian into a wildly confident, absolutely hilarious comic in the form of Walter and all his other wooden (or is it silicon?) creations.
Dunham’s humor knows no boundaries. All races, creeds and religions are fair game. Throughout the performance you could hear the audience react to some of the more pointed remarks. Even Rio Linda came under fire. Dunham informed Walter that he was going to hell. Walter said he already knew that since their next stop was Rio Linda.
Last night’s cast of characters included:
Walter
Walter is a retired, grumpy old man. His arms are always crossed and he appears quite discontented. He’s a sarcastic, negative old cuss who has seen better days. A Vietnam War veteran and former welder, Walter doesn’t give a damn about anyone, even his own wife. Walter was Dunham’s own creation from conception to his silicon mold.
Walter and Dunham have a special relationship and share way too much information with each other. At one point they discussed a disease stemming from extreme cold weather in Minnesota called AFS (Ass Frozen Shut). Let’s just say Walter has no intention of going back to Minnesota.
Peanut
Peanut is purple-skinned, and the bad kid of the bunch. He’s hyperactive and enjoys giving Dunham a hard time, even more so than his other characters. Peanut was born on a small Micronesian island. Dunham met Peanut in Florida and has been with him ever since. At least that’s how the story goes.
Peanut was the most entertaining of all the characters. Dunham insisted he apologize to someone who complained about his portrayal of Chinese people. Peanut responded by reading the apology in his best Chinese accent and refused to apologize.
José Jalapeño (on a Stick)
José is a talking jalapeño on a stick who wears a small sombrero. José speaks with a thick Latin accent and was paired up with Peanut. Peanut consistently made fun of José (on a stick) due to his Latin background.
Achmed the Dead Terrorist
Achmed, by far the most controversial of all Dunham’s wooden wonders, is a skeleton of a bumbling suicide bomber. Achmed was joined onstage with a brand-new character, his long lost son, Achmed Junior.
Achmed hit a snag in South Africa after the airing of a ring-tone commercial. South Africa banned the commercial because they believed he was mocking Islam. Thanks to widely successful YouTube videos and the controversy surrounding those commercials, Achmed’s videos have a combined total views of over 500 million, the highest percentage of views coming from South Africa.
As for Jeff Dunham ““ whatever you do, Jeff, don’t grow up. We like you just the way you are . . . with a heart of wood.
