Archive for March 22nd, 2009
By James W. Cameron
Attractive, smiling, vivacious, proudly proclaiming her status as the married mom of three children, Dez Astris hardly looks like someone who’s dedicated to battling it out with pugnacious opponents while trying to avoid their elbows and balance on a pair of roller skates at the same time. But that’s exactly what she does on a regular basis as part of Sacramento’s own Sacred City Derby Girls, one of the city’s entrants in the world of extreme roller skating sport. Read more »
I am seated at a sticky table at Old Ironsides, years of spilt PBR and other mysterious liquids and liqueurs forming an impressive mélange. Seated to my immediate right is Charles Albright, with his debonair 70’s cop mustache, affable manner and a couple of his latest recordings for my perusal. What was supposed to be an hour of good-natured questions and answers turned into a sprawling three hour conversation where I was asked twice as many questions as I asked him. Read more »
Mindy Giles has been working in the music industry for most of her life, beginning with a gig as a teen record store clerk. She soon graduated to promotions and eventually landed a head office slot at Chicago’s prestigious blues/Americana label Alligator Records where she worked on records with many of her musical heroes. Locally, Giles is best known for organizing the popular Americana Ramble music series and for the concerts she produces with Steve Nikkel under the name Swell Productions. Read more »