The shitkicker incident

Welcome to the jungle:
Every so often, something pretty bizarre goes down at The Press Club. Like the time some two decades ago when former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash showed up at the venue.

Slash was visiting Sacramento for an animal-rights event, I’m told, and ended the night in the back room of the Press drinking and autographing girls’ breasts. Drunk eventually became sloppy, however, and the burly-haired ax-wielder accidentally dropped a cigarette into his cowboy boot. A few seconds later—sizzle, fry—and Slash burst out of the back room and out onto P Street, tugging at his boot, howling, rolling on the sidewalk.

I share this Midtown yarn because this Monday at The Press Club, something could go down and quite possibly match Slash’s shenanigans.

First off, the night is being called a “slow jam dance party,” according to website Undietacos. The last time I witnessed one of these—age 7, peeking down the hall at my parents’ dinner party, watching my 50-years-plus neighbor try to do a headstand—I witnessed unspeakable unspokens. Secondly, Julian Elorduy, former Mayyors drummer, will open the night with a solo set as Fine Steps. He’s a tall guy with a soft voice, so show some respect while ordering drinks at the bar. Thirdly, SN&R favorite Mom and Buk Buk Bigups, two real-life Valentines, will unite on stage—for the first time?—as Bovine; if there every was potential for a Slash moment, this is it. And finally, artist Troy Mighty will join two others and make three: the Dead Western trio, who promises to play loads of new material.

But will they cover “Sweet Child O’ Mine”? It all starts at 9 p.m. this Monday, $5, 2030 P Street. (Nick Miller)

Second L!fe:
Nearly two years ago, Midtown venue The Distillery, at L and 21st streets, closed its front-door curtains on L!fe, a regular hip-hop Thursday-night party at the spaghetti-steakhouse/bar/hip-hop and hardcore venue. Well, like many house nights in Sacramento, L!fe would be born again, but this time on a Friday—February 11, in fact—when local emcee Blee will host the resurrection. I exchanged a few text messages with said host to get the lowdown on the return and he noted, specifically, that DJ Oasis will man the decks for the night, “determined to win the hearts of the fickle backpacker crowd, lol.” Also look out for Verbal Taktiks, Keno, 10 p.m. doors and a $5 cover charge. (N.M.)

Kickstarter roundup:
Kickstarter freaks me out. I admire the arts philanthropy, but am dubious as to whether many of the artists are worthy of donations? Like this morning, when I visited the site looking for new Sacramento-based campaigns and saw that the “Project of the Day” was for a Los Angeles-based writer/blogger who shares my good name, Nick Miller. He’s asking for $10,000 to fund his novel, Isn’t It Pretty to Think So?, and so far he’s garnered nearly half that. Ten grand? To write a book?

So, yeah, I’m at once impressed and distressed. Still, let’s give a quick shout out to the locals on Kickstarter:

Boot-tapping blues stompers the Alkali Flats will be able to afford some new white button-ups after raising $3,281 (and counting) to record their forthcoming album. Amaranth, Spencer Seim and Aaron Ross’ project, hope to raise $10,000 so that they can record “the $100,000 record”; watch their video, it’s funny. A local band I’ve never heard of, Woodland-based three-piece Living With Giants, is asking for $4,000 to record their first album. And on the nonmusical front, filmmaker Trevor Morgan is looking for $3,200 to fund his Tent City documentary Hidden America: The Rise and Fall of an American Shanty Town. Morgan is an out-of-towner, so the funding will go toward plane tickets, motel rooms and equipment rental for both him and his cinematographer.

Find all these projects on www.kickstarter.com. (N.M.)