Sacramento: Dust, Drum Machines, and a Whole Lot of Humidity
okay, so sacramento. it wasn’t on the ‘must-see’ list, honestly. i was routing through, chasing a gig with this weird synth-punk band out of *reno, and needed a place to recalibrate the ears after a particularly brutal soundcheck in salt lake.
and recalibrate i did. it’s…sticky here. i just checked and it’s hovering around eight and a half degrees, feels exactly the same, and the air is thick enough to chew. humidity’s at seventy-four percent, which, as a drummer, is basically a nightmare for my kit. everything feels damp. the pressure’s a little wonky too, like the whole city’s holding its breath. apparently, the ground level is lower than sea level, which explains a lot.
i ended up wandering around midtown, mostly because my phone died and i couldn’t navigate. stumbled into this amazing little record store, Revolution Records (check out their Yelp page: https://www.yelp.com/biz/revolution-records-sacramento). the guy working there, old man with a serious handlebar mustache, gave me the lowdown on the local music scene. apparently, it’s thriving, but mostly underground. he pointed me towards this open mic night at a place called The Press Club (https://www.thepressclubsacramento.com/).
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“Don’t bother with Old Sacramento,” he said, polishing a vinyl. “It’s all tourist traps and overpriced fudge. Go to Land Park. That’s where the real people hang out.”
land park was…fine. lots of dogs, lots of people picnicking. it felt a little too wholesome for my taste, honestly. i prefer a bit more grit. i overheard someone complaining about the parking situation near the state capitol - apparently, it’s a bloodsport. someone else warned me about the homeless population downtown, said it could be a bit intimidating at night. i didn’t really experience that myself, but you know, just passing it on.
food-wise, i hit up a taco truck on del paso boulevard. best three bucks i’ve spent all week. seriously. i’m not even kidding. i also tried this fancy coffee place, Temple Coffee Roasters (https://www.templecoffeeroasters.com/), because, you know, gotta stay caffeinated. it was…coffee. good coffee, but coffee. i’m a simple man.
my neighbors seem to be mostly college students and people working for the state government. if you get bored, san francisco and lake tahoe are just a short drive away. i heard that the nightlife in roseville* is surprisingly decent, but i didn’t venture that far.
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“That new brewery on K Street? Avoid it. They water down the beer and the bartender’s a total jerk.”
honestly, sacramento surprised me. it’s not glamorous, it’s not particularly exciting, but it’s…real. it’s got a vibe. a dusty, humid, slightly melancholic vibe. and sometimes, that’s exactly what you need. i’m off to reno now, to wrestle with some synthesizers and questionable life choices. check out TripAdvisor for more info: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g33264-Sacramento_California-Vacations.html.
and if you’re a drummer passing through, bring a dehumidifier.
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