Sleep Train Arena
Summer concert fun starts next weekend
Sunrise Marketplace
Photo: Randy Miramontez
While it may not be officially summer yet, things start heating up next weekend as the Sacramento Music Festival kicks off in Old Town Sacramento.
Celebrating their 40th Anniversary it’s going to be one giant party with many styles of music. There will be dancing in the streets, with music blasting morning, noon, and night.
Read: Sacramento summer concerts – check for schedules
Some of the featured bands will be Los Lobos, Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, Ben Taylor, The Blasters, John Lee Hooker, Jr., The James Hunter Six, Wanda Jackson, Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks, Jimmy Pailer, Johnny “Guitar” Knox and Beer Dawgs. Click here for a complete line-up.
Read: Ironstone Vineyards announces Summer Concert Series
On the heels of the Sacramento Music Festival, Thunder Valley Casino Resort kicks off their Summer Concert Series with Frankie Vallie on June 1. Vallie recently made an appearance on American Idol’s season finale.
Sleep Train Arena brings Pit Bull to Sacramento on June 15. Pit Bull also made an appearance on American Idol’s season finale.
Sacramento Summer Concerts 2013
With summer just around the corner, the Sacramento area has a lot to look forward to for Summer concerts. Here’s a brief rundown of what you can expect from a few of the larger venues.
Thunder Valley Casino Resort – Directions
Peter Frampton
Photo: Randy Miramontez
About: Every summer Thunder Valley erects an outdoor amphitheater and this year they will be adding additional seating bringing the total capacity to 4,800 seats. They have numerous bars throughout the amphitheater for ease of access. After the show enjoy your choice of 14 restaurants and bars, including High Steaks Steakhouse, Red Lantern and a 500-seat Buffet as well as Mingle Bar, Falls Bar, Thunder Bar and High Steaks Bar. Thunder Valley Casino Resort is also home to a luxury, 17-story hotel with 297 rooms, including 40 suites and an expansive outdoor pool complete with private cabanas and Coconut, a poolside bar.
What to expect this summer: Thunder Valley brings your favorite bands from the ’50s, ’60′s, ’70s, ’80′s and today with the likes of Frankie Vallie, The Beach Boys, Heart, Chris Isaak and more. Need some laughs? Jeff Dunham and his suitcase possy will be entertaining the masses and American Comedy Award winner Bill Engvall will have you ROTFL.
| Frankie Vallie and The Four Season | Saturday, June 1 | |
| Pat Benatar w/Neil Geraldo and Cheap Trick | Friday, June 7 | |
| Super Summer Soul Jam click for full line up | Saturday, June 8 | |
| Doobie Brothers | Friday, June 14 | |
| Jeff Dunham | Friday, June 21 | |
| Lynyrd Skynrd | Saturday, June 22 | |
| Under the Sun w/Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray and more | Friday, July 12 | |
| Huey Lewis & the News | Saturday, July 13 | |
| Larry Hernandez | Saturday, July 20 | |
| ESPN Friday Night Fights | Friday, July 26 | |
| Chicago | Saturday, Aug 3 | |
| Gladys Knight and The O’Jays | Friday, Aug 9 | |
| Bill Engvall | Saturday, Aug 10 | |
| Chris Isaak | Friday, Aug 16 | |
| Frankie Vallie | Saturday, Aug 17 | |
| Andy Bell, Howard Jones, Terri Nunn, Men Without Hats | Saturday, Aug 24 | |
| Frampton’s Guitar Circus w/ B.B. King | Friday, Aug 30 | |
| Sammy Hagar | Thursday, Sept 5 | |
| Beach Boys | Friday, Sept 6 | |
| Funk Fest, featuring Sinbad | Saturday, Sept 7 | |
| Kathy Griffin | Friday, Sept 20 | |
| Heart | Saturday, Sept 21 | |
| Bad Company | Friday, Sept 27 | |
| Tesla | Saturday, Sept 28 |
Sleep Train Arena – Sacramento – Directions
American Idol Live 2012
Photo: Randy Miramontez
About: If you’re from the Sacramento area then there’s no need to tell you about Sleep Train Arena, also known as Arco Arena and more recently Power Balance Pavilion. One word of caution – Wheatland is home to Sleep Train Amphitheater, don’t get them confused when purchasing tickets or planning your summer concert fun.
What to expect this summer: Sleep Train Arena has a few big shows coming this summer starting with Pitbull in June, followed by Fleetwood Mac, Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift’s ‘The Red Tour.’
| Pitbull | Thursday, June 15 | |
| Sesame Street Live | Saturday/Sunday, June 22/23 | |
| Fleetwood Mac | Saturday, July 6 | |
| American Idol Live | Monday, June 22 | |
| Bruno Mars | Wednesday, July 24 | |
| Taylor Swift | Tuesday, August 27 | |
| Josh Grobin | Sunday, October 6 |
Sleep Train Amphitheater – Wheatland – Directions
Train
Photo: Randy Miramontez
About: Not to be confused with Sleep Train Arena, Sleep Train Amphitheater is an outdoor venue with plenty of lawn seating. Located in Wheatland near Marysville it attracts fans from the more remote areas of Northern California and Sacramento.
What to expect this summer: Country. Live Nation is offering up a whole lotta country this season with their Country Megaticket. Essentially you are purchasing a season pass to some of the greatest country artists of today, including Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban and Jason Aldean. Kid Rock is also scheduled to appear this summer.
| Miranda Lambert | Friday, May 10 | |
| John Mayer | Wednesday, July 24 | |
| Kid Rock | Wednesday, July 31 | |
| Train | Saturday, August 10 | |
| Keith Urban | Sunday, September 22 | |
| Maroon 5 | Tuesday, October 1 | |
Sunrise at Night Amphitheater
Photo: Randy Miramontez
Sunrise at Night Concert Series – Sunrise Marketplace, Citrus Heights - Directions
About: What do you do with a competition tennis court built each summer for the Sacramento Capitals? You have some fun! Sunrise Marketplace is the host to the Sacramento Capitals and when the Capitals aren’t playing tennis Sunrise Marketplace brings you their Sunrise at Night Concert Series – and some great shopping.
What to expect this summer: Officials for Sunrise Marketplace are still putting together their lineup for the season. Check back often as we will keep all venues updated.
| Dave Koz and Friends | Sat. August 10 | |
| Boyz to Men with Bell Biv Devoe | Thur., August 15 | |
| Christopher Cross, Orleans, Gary Wright and more | Sat., August 24 | |
| Trace Adkins | Thurs., August 29 | |
| Bachman Turner Overdrive and Blue Oyster Cult | Sat., September 7 | |
| Diamond Rio w/John Michael Montgomery | Sat., September 14 |
Ironstone Vineyards Summer Concert Series – Murphys - Directions
About: Nestled against the Sierra Foothills, in the heart of California’s scenic Gold Rush Country, Ironstone Vineyards provides an intimate setting in a beautifully done outdoor amphitheater with plenty of lawn seating. The best part – they have wine!
What to expect this summer: A little bit of country and a little bit of rock and roll.
| Joan Jett and the Blackhearts | Saturday, July 20 | |
| Mellissa Etheridge Live | Friday, August 2 | |
| Big & Rich Party Like Cowboyz featuring Cowboy Troy/Whiskey Dawn | Saturday, August 10 | |
Rick Ross – Death Threats Cancel Tour?
Rick Ross – Click for more images
Several reasons have been cited over the last few days, including lack of organization on the part of the promoter, as well as rumors of death threats from Gangster Disciples, a street gang that originated from the Chicago area.
The MMG tour included Meek Mills, Wale, and more recently Machine Gun Kelly. The tour was originally scheduled for 23 days, but was extended to Dec. 16.
Representatives for the promoter, Live Nation, have not commented.
The cancelations started with two shows in North Carolina, where the death threats were rumored. Soon after that, the remainder of the shows were canceled.
The Gangster Disciples posted their threats on YouTube about a month ago, warning Ross and everyone who was signed with Mayback Music Group that they were coming after them. Since then a number of videos have surfaced on YouTube threatening the singer.
Their beef started back when Ross was better known as Teflon Don, when he released the single “B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast), where he mentioned the gang’s imprisoned leader Larry Hoover.
Machine Gun Kelly – Click for more images
It doesn’t stop there! Gangster Disciples are also upset, or should I say pissed off, that Ross is using a design similar to their gang symbol on his Black Bar Mitzvah mix-tape.
Oh . . . one more thing. There’s also something about the pressure being on until the gang receives “the check”. Apparently the check is for providing protection for Ross in the way of security/body guards.
Do any of these people have anything better to do?
What’s the worst part about the cancelations?
Machine Gun Kelly is not going to be able to build up his fan base! As the opening act for the MMG Tour, he has stolen the show. Look for him headlining his own show next year, minus all the death threats and other crap that seems to follow Ross around wherever he goes.
Before the tour was canceled, Ross brought the MMG tour to the Sacramento area. You can read the review here.
Rick Ross brings his posse to Sleep Train Arena
Rick Ross (Rozay) – Click for more images
Rick Ross brought his MMG Tour to Sleep Train Arena on Saturday.
This is Rozay’s (Ross’s nickname) first headlining tour as he brought a supporting cast of characters including, Meek Mill (Robert Williams), Wale (Oluboware Victor Akintimehen), Omarion (Omari Ishmael Grandberry), and Machine Gun Kelly (Richard Colson Baker).
Opening the show was MGK storming the stage and daring the fans to have fun as he dove into the crowd on several occasions. Pro-skateboarder Ryan Sheckler was in attendance for MGK’s show and was invited backstage after his performance.
Machine Gun Kelly – Click for more images
While Rozay and crew put on a great show, MGK is the real story. Bringing his high energy and lightning fast rap, which earned him the nick name Machine Gun Kelly, this kid stole the show. If anyone in attendance didn’t know him before the show, they certainly knew who he was after the show.
Following MGK was Omarion. He was met with a lukewarm reception, which may have been because he was following a blistering performance by MGK. I don’t believe Omarion brought his A-game and luckily only played a brief set.
Omarion – Click for more images
I thought it was strange as each performer was represented by a cardboard cutout with their name displayed on it, which was being held by a couple of stage-hands. As if the audience needed to be reminded who was onstage. Not sure what that was about.
Wale followed Omarion and was met with cheers and screams. Wale won the crowd over and had fans on their feet. Wale also performed a pretty brief set, saving some time for the big man Rozay.
Meek Mill – Click for more images
Meek Mill followed Wale with “Racked Up Shawty” and “Young & Gettin’ It” as the crowd started getting more intense and loud. Was it Wale’s performance, or the wildly good California weed?
When Rozay took the stage it could have been independence day as fireworks were going off all around. The ruler and king of MMG ripped through his hit’s including “Hustlin’ ” and “I’m Not A Star.”
Wale – Click for more images
Following Rozay’s lengthy solo set, Wale and Mill joined Rozay onstage to perform a number of songs including “Bag Of Money” and “Tats On My Arm.”
Rozay has put together quite a line-up for his first headlining tour and made a brilliant decision to include Machine Gun Kelly. I’m looking forward to seeing bigger and better things from MGK, including his own headlining act. The kids got talent!
Wheezing with Wiz
Wiz Khalifa – Click for more images
Sleep Train Arena turned into a haven for pot smokers as Wiz Khalifa and his band of recording artists, under the record label Taylor Gang, brought throngs of fans to the arena formerly known as Power Balance Pavilion Sunday night.
Wiz Khalifa and Taylor Gang 2050 World Tour is in support of Khalifa’s latest album O.N.I.F.C.
Car alarms could be heard going off on a regular basis, as a large number of “pre-drinkers” and pot smokers were hanging out in the parking lot prior to the show.
While fans were filing into the arena, a thick cloud of smoke could be seen rising above the sold-out crowd. Wheezing was the watch word because as the crowd grew, so did the cloud.
Tuki Carter – Click for more images
As Fans pushed and shoved their way to the front, security was having to extract people who had bitten off a bit more than they could chew. There were a couple of instances where people were being pulled out of the crowd after they had lost consciousness. In fact, one fan had to have only been 10 or 11 years old.
Berner – Click for more images
These concerts are not for the faint of heart, and not the type of event parents should be dropping off their kids so they can have a nice quiet dinner alone. I was shocked to see so many young kids.
Taylor Gang is a recording label established by Wiz Khalifa. The “gang” on Sunday night consisted of Tuki Carter, Berner, Lola Monroe, Chevy Woods, Juicy J and of course Khalifa.
Lola Monroe – Click for more images
The audience was into the show from the start as Tuki Carter took the stage followed by Berner and Lola Monroe, each playing about 10 or 15 minutes. The short sets didn’t hamper their efforts to get the crowd excited as each came out and gave it their all.
Chevy Woods and Juicy J both performed for about 30 minutes each, followed by Khalifa who performed for over an hour.
Chevy Woods – click for more images
It was quite a night with almost the entire audience smoking freely while girls were being invited up onstage to “party.” At times it was hard to tell where the smoke was coming from, smoke machines or the hundreds of joints being lit up throughout the arena.
Juicy J – Click for more images
Just prior to Khalifa coming out onstage, it was obvious a few fans saved the best for last, as they were holding on to finger sized joints with lighters at the ready.
It was a smoking good concert!
