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I moved to Sacramento in June of 1999, on my 20th birthday.  As soon as I got here, I started going to local music shows anyplace I could... bars, coffeeshops, living rooms.  And I found more great live music than I even imagined.  From punk pop bands like The Knockoffs and Go National, to California country like Forever Goldrush and Red Star Memorial and The Cassidys, to shoegaze heartbreakers like Estereo and Scott McChane and The Cassidys, to wacky pop music like Life Is Bonkers and Diddly Squat, to balls-to-the-walls, kiss-your-eardrums-goodbye rockers like Magnolia Thunderfinger and Grub Dog & The Amazing Sweethearts.  I saw it all.  And loved every minute of it.

In 2003 I started my own band, Radio Cure.  We played some good shows and some bad shows, released a couple of EPs and finally a full length album in 2006, then promptly disbanded.

In 2004 I started hosting the True Love Coffeehouse Open Mic Plus.  Since I was taking over from a guy named "Godzilla" I needed a name, so we took a vote and Matt The Bastard was born.  I continued to host the show until the coffeehouse lost their least and was forced to close in 2005.  When they reopened 2 blocks from their old location in 2006, I started up the Open Mic Plus again, and I've hosted it ever since.

I still get out and see as much live music as I am physically able.  You should too.  But until you do, I'll keep you posted on what's going on.

A lot of people complain that "the scene has changed... it's not the same as it was 3 (or 5 or 10 or millions of) years ago."  Well, yeah, it has.  I don't think it's gotten any better or worse, it just evolves.  There is plenty of young talent out there to make up for whatever we've lost.  Chris Fairman & The Stilts, Autumn Sky, The Ghetto Moments, Baby Grand, The Stragglers, Jimmy Mazerik, Nolan, Pressure Point... what do you want?  It's out there.  GO.

• Park Avenue
  May 9th The City of Sacramento has a love/hate relationship with the local music community.  On one hand, the city wants to foste...
• Plug Plug Plug
  May 6th Tonight is the True Love Coffeehouse Open Mic Plus.  So if you're out there saying "Maaaan, there's nothing to do in this...
• Too much good stuff
  Apr 25th Lots of awesome shows tonight... if only I could see them all. Richard March Ricky Berger Nolan at True Love Coffeehouse,...
• One day I'll post about a show B...
  Apr 4th ... but until that day, I'm listening to Eric Warren & The Tumbleweeds at The True Love Coffeehouse right now.  Eric curr...
• Three's Company
  Mar 27th Tonight at the True Love Coffeehouse: Kevin Seconds, David Houston, and Bobby Jordan.  What can I tell you about these th...
• Local Blogging about Live Music....
  Feb 13th I'm sitting in a Turkish-American fusion restaurant on J Street called Gonul's.  Turkish-American fusion might not sound ...

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