They’re back!

If you’ve been in Sacramento for a while, you’ve surely wondered every now and then, “What in the hell happened to Filibuster?” Or maybe you even woke up in the middle of the night in tears, screaming, “I want my Steady Ups!” With many sweaty nights and crazy drunken parties, those two bands defined a generation of Sac music. And now that our city is blossoming once again in all genres—hip-hop, pop, country, punk and art-school doucherock—clubs are holding shows at decent prices, all-ages shows are no longer unheard of and creativity seems to be at an all-time high. So it’s perfect timing for a new/old band like the Kinetics to make their entrance. With members from Filibuster and the Steady Ups, the new/old band plays a reggae/ska type of jam over a rock-steady beat with danceable rhythms and energetic groove. The Kinetics, with offbeat and broken syncopation, recall groups like Toots and the Maytals and the Specials. The lineup includes Jason Tescher and Tim Conroy (Steady Ups); Mike Scheftner and Curt Cottrell (Filibuster); Kevin Conroy (Addict Merchants); and Juan Ruiz (from Mexico!). And judging from their live set at Marilyn’s on K last month, the Kinetics are exactly what Sacramento needs to maintain this eclectic, lively, raucous party-music scene.