TAIS live @ Marilyn's for Submerge Issue 50 party

It's Not A Tuba.

A woman in her late forties leaned up against a small wooden table that wrapped around a thick pillar to the left of the small stage in the back corner. She wore high leather boots and light brown pants; equestrian garb. A matching brown, shallow brimmed hat sank in front of her face as she bobbed her head back and forth, grinning and sloshing her drink onto the hardwood floor below. She peaked up and opened her eyes a bit wider every once in awhile, her grin becoming a smile and her drink becoming a cheers. She saluted the jazz band of course.

A husky, anchored jawed singer stood stage right in a black two piece suit and matching tie. He jilted his head violently, causing the strands of hair that were jetting out from the top of his forehead to flicker ans spasm. He smiled at everybody.

"Lucile!" He shrieked at the top of his lungs. "You won't do your sisters will."

Two little sprouts, barely twenty one and snockered broke into the Charleston as they passed by, giggling and locking arms as they made they're way outside into the crisp January night. A gust of air entered the room, cooling the sweat from the older woman's forehead that was now exposed; her hat in hand and acting as a fan now. The horn section blared, sound bouncing off the bar and back again and drinks were noisy glassware; strange percussion. The trombone player ducked out, put his horn away and found a larger case that looked as though the contents might be a leaf blower of some sort. He unsheathed a beast of brass that he mounted on his shoulders and wrapped his lips around the mouth as if to resuscitate the un-godly creature back to life. He blew.

"Is that a tuba?" I said to my date.

FUCK FRIDAY/SEMF

This is our 2nd night of the Sacramento Electronica Music Festival and I am very proud and excited to be sharing it with Shaun Slaughter, Jon Droll and Roger Carpio. Be sure to check out live sets from Melee Beats and The New Humans.

SEMF LINE-UP and TICKETS

TICKETS HERE:

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/93079

Sacramento Electronica Music Festival

Pork Tenderloin w/ seasonal pear sauce and mash potatoes

It's January and in the spirit of cooking seasonally, I decided to base my meal this evening around pears. Pears are so beautiful to look at and wonderful to eat-so crisp and they have a very unique flavor and texture. Local cider company Two Rivers Cider has a seasonal pear cider that is a must have during the winter here in Sacramento and they are also a special fruit for my lovely sister Adrienne. So, needless to say, I'm a fan of the pear.



The idea for this pear-themed dinner was first brought about when I met my sister/chef extraordinaire Jen at SoCals Tavern on Folsom Blvd. They have Two Rivers Pear Cider on tap, so naturally I ordered one. Jen immediately said how awesome it would be to make a dinner that was based around the pear cider. Brilliant.



With that memory in mind, I called Jen and asked her what the hell I should make for dinner that would include pear. I was thinking pork originally, and sure enough that was the first thing out of her mouth.





Ingredients: Being selective with your ingredients might seem pointless, but it really isn't. You have a choice when you spend your money on food, and choosing local ingredients that are sustainable will have a huge positive impact. Don't get me wrong, I'm not perfect. I shop at other grocery stores that don't carry these items when I'm pressed for time, but I make an effort whenever I can and that's a start. Yeah?



Sauce:



4-6 Shallots (green onions)

2-3 Garlic cloves

1 organic locally grown pear (sliced thin)

1 tbs Dijon mustard

a squirt of honey

1 cup of brandy

1/2 cup of chicken stock (no MSG)

1/4 cup of butter



Meat:



1 pork tenderloin (enough for two medallions per person at least)

sea salt

fresh ground pepper



Mashed potatoes:



1 bag of baby Dutch yellow potatoes

1/2 quart of vitamin D milk

1/4 cup of butter

Rub down your pork tenderloin medallions with a little freshly ground pepper and sea salt.

Heat your skillet on medium heat with a little cooking oil. I use locally produced (my parent's neighbor) Bariani California Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Add your medallions to the skillet and sear on each side. This will keep in the moisture when you bake it. Remove them from the pan and put them in your baking pan and place them into your preheated oven at 350. Cook until medium to medium rare (about 12-15 mins) then remove to let rest, cover to keep warm.

In the same skillet, uncleaned, add your chopped shallots, minced garlic, a little sea salt and some pepper. Sautee for a minute or two then add your brandy. Cook this down until you don't smell anymore alcohol. Add a healthy scoop of Dijon, a little honey (depending on how sweet you want the sauce) some chicken stock (just a pour) and your sliced pears. Cook this down until it thickens and the finish with butter.

Finish boiling your potatoes at the same time your sauce id finished, mash, add butter and then a little milk for desired thickness.

Serve. Eat. Be happy.

This is my Wednesday night

My sister Jennifer is a chef at at a restaurant (I'm being secretive as to not give away her identity) here in Sacramento. The past couple years for me have been full of good food and great wine and Jennifer has seen me through with wisdom and now, fuel for my fire. For Christmas, she gave to me a partridge in a good stew. Just kidding. She gave me a copy of Jamie Oliver's "Jamie at Home" cookbook. The guy is kind of a tool, but the book is amazing and filled with pages that speak to me and the way that I have learned how to cook. Our parents have six acres and my mother grows many fruits and vegetables that are always incorporated into the meals that we gather for every Sunday. If we need thyme, I'm sent out to the garden to snip a few sprigs off and there you have it. Tomatoes for a salad? Let me go pick some. Broccoli? Got it. Leeks. Sure. You get the point. We live, as much as we can, off the land beneath our feet.

Jamie Oliver has terrible bleach blonde hair and dresses like a San Diego State freshman with the waves on his mind, but the dude seems legit with his food. I'll give him that. I decided that tonight would be as good a night as any to open up the book and attempt a recipe. The book is broken down by season which I really like, so I flipped to winter. "Roasted white fish and leeks" read the title of the first recipe. Perfect.

List in hand, I ventured to Safeway. I know, I know. Safeway fucking blows and the fish I got (Tilapia) was a "Product of China". I was so disappointed in myself but I'm experimenting and I went to buy groceries at 7:45 PM. Trader Joe's and Corti Bros. were long closed so I'm sorry Jamie. I'll buy local and sustainable next time. I promise.

I gathered my ingredients (by the way, there is no fucking point to this story.), wrote my check and headed home to begin the adventure of yet another recipe that I have no idea how to cook. But, that's what mothers are for. I called her twice in the store and once when I got home. She is the guru, as your mother should be too, and helps me along the way as I try new recipes. Look, you can't do this shit by yourself so if you're the type that can't ask directions when you're clearly lost, then starting a culinary journey might not be for you. Thanks mom, the mash potatoes were divine.

I prepared the marinade, and started the potatoes boiling. The oven was preheating and I was enjoying a glass of cabernet, procrastinating on transcribing this Submerge interview that is full of static (annoying, seriously). I parboiled the leeks, steamed dried them and then added all the ingredients together. I pulled the preheated pan out of the oven and added the fish, then put the rest of the goodness on top of and around the fish. Two pieces of bacon were applied to the top and into the oven it went.

Fifteen minuted later, everything was cooking great except the bacon. It just wasn't 'crisping' like Jamie said it would. Asshole. Kidding. I pulled the pan out after twenty minutes and finished cooking the bacon in a pan because I got it like that.. I plated everything after mashing the potatoes and sat down to enjoy the fruits of my labor. It was good. Really, really good. I got this. I got this.

The Rain

It's January 13th and the rain is beating down on my three bedroom flat in downtown Sacramento. I'm so busy this month. Swamped.

Someone at work asked me, "How are you doing?"

"Ok," I said.

"Just ok?" She responded. "Like, you're glass is half empty right now or what?"

I laughed.

"Actually, my glass is overflowing. It would be nice if it was half empty for a change."

But it doesn't matter. It's totally self inflicted and if I didn't give myself too much shit to do than I would feel like I was wasting my life. Having a project makes me feel like I have a purpose in life; like I belong. It's how I answer questions like, 'how are you doing?' And, 'what have you been up to?' I don't want to tell people that I dropped out of college and that my bank account is overdrawn for the 812th time. I want to tell them that I'm busy. That I got shit going on. I have purpose, ok? Ok?

The sound of the rain beating against my three bedroom flat is relaxing and I appreciate that. I'm allowed, for that moment in time, to do nothing but listen and lye there. Project or not. Negative funds or feast.

Sacramento Electronic Music Festival

www.sacelectronicafest.tumblr.com

DEEDA Salon presents: Black Thursday Holiday Art Sale

Exclusive live set from TAIS Music Crew with yours truly on the drums. Come hang with us at DEEDA Salon for the Black Thursday art show that will feature multiple works of art that will be on sale for under $150. What a deal! DEEDA events are a blast; tons of beautiful women, usually adult beverages and all the cool kids under one phallic roof. Holler! This event starts at 6pm and goes til 10pm, so it's perfect for those of you getting off work and wanting to be home at a respectable hour. Oh, and it's FREE FREE FREE. Yes! See you there!!!

Come see my work at this show 12/12/09

Sacramento’s New Helvetia Theatre Company does it…again!

Connor Mickiewicz’s New Helvetia Theatre Company is winning over the Sacramento theatre audience one fantastic production at a time. His last endeavor was taking on the cult class Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and boy did he do it with style and confidence. Local favorites The New Humans tackled the rock soundtrack and gave an electric shock to the production. Mickiewicz knows how to pick them. It’s as if he has been saving up his ideas, plotting his career this whole time and when he finally graduated from NYU with his degree in theatre, he unloaded on Sacramento. It’s his hometown after all, and he has enlisted the help of everyone he knows in town that can swing a hammer, paint a picture, play an instrument, sing a song or sell a ticket. He’s resourceful and it shows. This pooled energy sets his productions apart, offering audiences not just his creative talents, but the likes of just about every creative body he knows in town. He’s done it again with his latest production of Tick, Tick…Boom!

Tick, Tick…BOOM!, written by the late (and great) Jonathan Larson who wrote the critically acclaimed musical Rent, might be the piece of musical theatre that can bring out the non-theatre types. This 90 minute rock musical follows Jon, an artist struggling to write the next great American, er, rock musical. Tick,Tick…BOOM! was originally written as a monologue that Larsen’s father later described as an autobiographical piece and was performed as a one man show. It was later turned into a three actor show which is the version that Mickiewicz decided to work from. It’s minimal and contained inside the Artisan’s black box theatre, but the sound and the acting is gigantic.

A live band led by pianist and cabaret host Graham Sobelman kicks serious ass during the entire length of the show. There were moments where I was lost in the songs, forgetting I was watching actors on a stage but rather imagining that this was a marvelous hidden jewel of a band that was stopping through town on tour. Mickiewicz has found the key to Sacramento’s heart by incorporating live music into the shows. And not just any band, but musicians who understand rock music and can take the concept of the rock musical and make the most of it. Plus, it helps that all three actors have the singing chops to hang with any live band.

Nanci Zoppi’s voice is electric, course and lathered with style. She eases her way through a handful of songs that range from ballads to full on rock and roll tunes-changing stylistically with ease. Zoppi, who plays the role of Jon’s girlfriend as well all the other female characters in the musical, is brilliant. Her portrayal of Jon’s cigarette smoking, shall-wearing agent is so funny to watch as Zoppi stretches and frowns her mouth around her character’s all-but-encouraging words of encouragement to the struggling Jon.

Jon is well played by Tristan Rumery whose f-bomb dropping, pot smoking, Twinkie eating character wants nothing more than to make it. His growing frustration with mediocre success is taking its toll on other things in his life too. He is quickly deconstructing his relationship with his antsy girlfriend who longs for a different life that is far away from New York and includes a dishwasher; something their hole in the wall apartment is lacking. He seeks solace in his best friend Michael played perfectly by Mickiewicz himself. But while seeking a shoulder to cry on, he is at the same time jealous of Michael’s wealthier lifestyle and bitter towards his choice of careers; opting for a 401 K over being a struggling artist like Jon.

Mickiewicz has created a very simple set for his production. Black walls with white tally marks written in chalk, a visual representation of Jon’s ‘ticks’ that throughout the show keep getting louder and louder as he gets closer and closer to the inevitable 30. Tick, Tick…Boom! is well done and spoke to me personally. I too am chasing the dream while steadily (but gracefully) approaching thirty. Hopefully it all pans out like it does for Jon. Until then, go see a musical; this one in fact.

Tick, Tick...Boom! runs through November 14th at the Artisan, 1901 Del Paso Blvd in Sacramento, CA.

Here is a trailer.

Have fun.

The very last game...

Tuesday nights have been transformed for me. No longer a mundane brother of Monday, Tuesday has come to mean one thing for me; softball. From the age of seven to the prepubescent age of twelve, I played America's wonderful past time. I ate, breathed, slept, spoke, played and cherished everything and anything baseball. My room was full-no, wait. My room was cluttered with baseball memorabilia. I had autographs from greats like Ted Williams and hard cased rookie cards like the coveted, yet widely owned Ken Griffey Jr. from the 1989 Upper Deck set. Mini helmets from the grocery store, collectible pins from Oakland A's and San Francisco Giants games, figurines, pogs even! I collected it all. I was obsessed. Funny tbough, I was terrible baseball player. My best at bat was an inside the park home run that I had very early on in my "career" and the only reason that happened was because I ran like hell and the other team fumbled the ball who knows how many times. My other attempts to get on base were mainly satisfied by walks that were the result of me not wanting to strike out. I was good at striking out. I had thick round glasses and skinny noodle arms that I had to choke way up on the bat just so I could hold it steady. When I was pitched the ball, I'd swing with all my might and close my eyes, hoping that I would connect. Heck, if I ever hit the ball it was a surprise to me. My greatest memories of those little league days were putting on my uniform which I did with great pride or eating sunflower seeds in the dugout with my teammates who barely liked me.

None of that matters now though. What matters is the nostalgia. Baseball for the general public is about love of team and passion for the past time. I had forgotten that for so long because baseball only reminded me of being that kid who struck out. I had forgotten about the kid who simply just loved the game.

Playing softball on Tuesday nights on a beat up field with a bunch of guys I hardly know is the most fun I used to have but had forgotten all about.

Times are a changing.

Fall is upon us once again and so I cannot help but return to my now very, very dusty blog. But like any sentimental treasure that you keep hidden away from time to time, it's always a small pleasure to unearth it for a trip down memory lane when the time is right.

My coats and scarves, sweaters and beanies have all returned to the forefront of my wardrobe and I can't be more pleased to say so. I despise Summer now that I am no the beach baby that I was once. Our family owned a beach house right on the cliffs on Laguna Beach and my cousins and I would chase lizards on the terra cotta patio, eat sandy sandwiches and enjoy hot outdoor showers at dusk that were so well deserved after hours of beach play and tide pool exploration.

Summer for me now is sickening heat in Sacramento where I find myself cooped up in an air condition-less gymnasium that I call my work place. I sweat all the time and my car eats gas with the AC on. Classic. Forget about rolling down windows unless you like the feeling of hot breath on your face.

Needless to say, I love Fall and Winter now more than ever and the mood that the weather puts me in is essential to my creative energy. Plus, I sleep like rock when it's raining outside and lots of rest means lots of energy to be creative. Beautiful.

Some of my favorite things during the Fall season are most likely some of your favorite things too. The leaves on the trees, cider, Oktoberfest, Apple Hill, pumpkin patches; the list goes on. Tonight, a moderately chilly evening, I indulged in some homemade chili and cornbread that my friend Bob made. We washed it down with some Henry Weinhardts and then capped off dinner with a glass of Ravenswood Merlot. That's why it's so easy to pack on the pounds during the holidays; it's warm inside and the eating is good.

TAIS Music Crew//FREE//Tonight//TOWNHOUSE

*..*..*..*..*..***************
*..*..*..*..*..***************
*..*..*..*..*..***************





SN&R & CLUB POW!

PRESENT

THURSDAYS AT

THE TOWNHOUSE


//// UPSTAIRS ////

DJ RATED R




TAIS

MUSIC GROUP



//// DOWNSTAIRS ////

SEX&WEIGHT

.

CITYSTATE



ALL THIS FOR FREE!!!


1517 21ST STREET


SACRAMENTO, CA

21+

9PM

*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*​​​*​​​*​​​
*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*​​​*​​​*​​​
*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*..​​​*​​​*​​​*​​​

TAIS MUSIC CREW, PROMO #3

This is what dreams are made of. I love what I do, honestly.

Life Through the Eyes of a Camera Phone

I saw these paper mache birds in Sunset magazine last month that I really liked. This guy was making them out of recycled cement bags and selling them for $40 online. It was one of those moments where I said to myself, "I can do that." So,I did. Here is the rough...

And here is the painted version. I think I'm going to finish it in baby blue. Anyone want one these beauties? Just let me know, I'll do it for $20!

Here is where I've been spending a lot of my time. This is our practice spot-packed full of gear and sweaty dudes like my main man Juice the Hype.

I pulled up to stoplight and found the true definition of 'junk in the trunk.'

Nothing clever to say here. Jenga is super fun.

TAIS MUSIC CREW: LIVE AND DIRECT!!!

Ok, so check it everybody. This is the TAIS Music Crew, TMC if you will. Yours truly on drums, TAIS on the lyrics, Juice on the Hype and Jason Whitesel guest Sax. Safe sax of course. This footage is of a song called "Too Complex" that there is a recorded version of that's about to be dropped at WWW.TAISMUSIC.COM, so keep your ears peeled for that sh*t. This version is a live rendition that we spiced up with a little funk beat and tempo change. The crowd eats this one up! Have you been in the crowd??? Then you already know!!! So check it, play it, watch it again, send it to a friend, post it on a blog, myspace, facebook, twitter, smoke signal, telegraph WHATEVER! Spread the love. Visit us online and drop us a message...or two.

TAIS + Adam Saake live from FFT on Vimeo.

Take a look at this hilarious promo for TAIS band's show tomorrow.

I'm playing drums with TAIS band tomorrow for 2nd Saturday here in Sacramento. Check out our promo video we put together for the show. Hilarious.

-Adam

Two Great Events, just for you.