It’s another “evening of foolery” and jovial chicanery at Sac JestFest Vol. 2 , the sophomore iteration of the hyperlocal, loosely circus-themed music and art festival that debuted last year. The frenetically eclectic ensemble music lineup features more than a dozen acts, spearheaded by dreamy pop act Rosemother — the sort of band to somehow make the trees billow wildly with a robust fall wind while also slowing the current of the nearby Sacramento River to an indifferent crawl. Tongue-in-cheek San Jose indie folk artist Pacing (the musical moniker for Katie McTigue) lends a bevy of blooming, neurospicy ballads laden with sassy, meandering non-sequiturs, MRS sludges things up with a dingy powderkeg of guitar rock, and no local festival is complete without Sacramento mainstay pop-punk rockers Dog Party . Also performing are ska-punk rockers Zuki Bomb , surf-garage act Problem Plays , indie rockers Oh Lonesome Ana , grunge-metalers Get the Well, Gill Brothers Band , Yo! & the Electric , Hailey Court , Department of the Interior , Denim Nuns , Blooming Heads and Noise of Approval .
Expect a lot more art and visual feasts in year two, as the event sprawls out at its new digs, the Miller Park-adjacent Latino Center for Art and Culture. A dozen local artists will have art on display (including installations curated by Melissa Uroff and an ongoing exhibit from Miguel Gutierrez Jr.), with more than 20 art and craft vendors, performing poi spinners, and of course, food and drink. It’s all a benefit for NorCal Resist (2:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. 2700 Front St. $23.18. sacjestfest.org ).
We have long been huge fans of Sac Porch Fest here at Sacramento Beat. It’s an unbeatable day in midtown, when a smattering of porches near the corner of 21st and I streets turn into stages for a day , with a platoon of local artists playing free afternoon sets as the crowds saunter from house to house. As of this writing, the full lineup and schedule have not yet been revealed (save for an apparent appearance from Inner Nature ... see below), so we will simply offer a pair of pleas: one, bring cash to donate, and two, be mindful of space and stay out of street traffic while the shows are going (Saturday, Oct. 12. instagram.com/sacporchfest ).
Local artists, message Aaron Davis on Instagram if you have upcoming shows, @adavis_threetosee .
The Colonial Heights neighborhood also previously hosted its own PorchFest, this year reshuffled and rebranded to Colonial Parkfest (“New name. Same scrappy neighborhood”) and being held at Colonial Park (natch), with nine bands on two stages including Sugar Pushers, Abstract Creatures, Maybe Mondays, KC Shane, Wildfather and more (Noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, 5315 19th Ave. Free. instagram.com/colonialparkfest ).
Indie pop artist Inner Nature caught a few people (like me) off guard with a blistering, kaleidoscopic high-noon set at last month’s Farm to Fork Festival, slinging levitating glam-glazed guitar hooks onto a cavalcade of crafty chillwave electronic beats and gut-thumping bass lines. The local trio will be playing another daytime gig this month, a benefit show for standout non-profit MusicLandria (12 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, 2181 Sixth Ave, 95818. instagram.com/musiclandria ). The show benefits MusicLandria’s free music locker program, so they’ll be accepting cash or instrument donations ( musiclandria.com ). Inner Nature also performs the aforementioned Sac Porch Fest on Oct. 12, with additional acts TBD.
Hearts are likely still heavy (and will be for some time) for Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band as the trio cruises into Sacramento a month after the passing of The Rev’s father, Steve Peyton. Fortunately for them (and us), it’s a group with boundless stockpiles of heart to spare — it cascades throughout every slip-n-slide vintage blues/soul ditty they tear through and croon in every show they play, and they always leave a little behind. The front porch is the church, the church is the dance hall and the dance hall is the river bank — your knees will fail you by the time you figure it all out. Local standout grunge/blues rock troupe Ghost Town Rebellion joins an always jubilant hootenanny — just the way Steve would want it (8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4 at Starlet Room. $26.75. harlows.com ).
Radio silence of late from crafty local indie alt-rock standouts Vinnie Guidera & the Dead Birds (pay attention, Dinosaur Jr. fans), who have been hunkered down working on new tunes for a nearly-completed new album, eyeing a 2025 release. Meantime, they’re back for their first show in two years alongside murky alt-rock power trio Nehoda (“Neil Young inspired by Nirvana, inspired by Neil Young”), fronted by Sacramento native Patrick Nehoda, playing their first show in Sac since relocating to Nashville. Both acts have myriad new tunes to show off, with Cameron Betts opening (8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5 at Starlet Room. $16.15. harlows.com )
The justifiably exalted pillar on which Haley Heynderickx sits among the royal court of indie folk almost belies the leanness of her body of work. The combustive “I Need to Start a Garden” — somewhat a Trojan Horse wheeled to the gates of the aforementioned folk castle, with a small battalion of psych rock huddled within — stood for six years as her lone full-length album, but nary a weed has grown on this gem of an LP. “Seed of a Seed” (sensing a pattern here) is due Nov. 1, and we’ve got our first looks at the title track, and “Foxglove,” signaling a wistfully welcome sophomore effort from this Oregon-based darling. Experimental folk singer LéPonds (Lisa Houde) opens the show (8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8 at the Sofia. $45. bstreettheatre.org ).
Sure, the weather is cooling, but there’s no bad time of year for a “Fun Size Surf Fest,” headlined by Sant Anna Bay Coconuts , hailing from Antwerp, Belgium. Their frisky, zigzagging new instrumental record, “ The Pineapple Parade ,” was conceived and inspired by the group’s last tour through the Left Coast in 2023. The inspiration is obvious, with amp-pinging, vintage lounge chair jams like “Pacifica” and “La Jolla,” to go with “Whiskers Aflame” (the story behind this one has gotta be good) and “No Pizza on my Pineapple” (we ride at dawn). The troupe’s certifiably insane October trek of playing shows on 17 consecutive days between Seattle and Oceanside lands them at SacYard for a three-band luau featuring spaghetti western rockers Bloat Floaters and surf-jazzers Dangerforce 5 (6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10. 1725 33rd St. Free. sacyard.beer ).
Since last year, local saxophonist Andrew Maloney has been hosting regular free Tuesday night jazz at dapper Oak Park watering hole the Butterscotch Den, playing as the Andrew Maloney Jazz Trio with a rotating and reconfiguring cast of guitarist Andrew Mills, bassist Avery Jeffry and drummer Jeremy Paz. Turns out that just one day a week couldn’t hold ‘em — they’re expanding the music to include Thursday nights, and on Oct. 22 they’ll host a one-year anniversary shindig for the residency. Celebrate with a freezer martini and a caviar bump. (7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Free. thebutterscotchden.com ).
As much a weekend summit as it is a brew fest, the Peoples Beer Fest at Oak Park Brewing is self-billed as California’s largest Black beer festival and “serves as a platform to amplify Black brewers and brands within the U.S.” There are multiple beer-centric events throughout the weekend encircling the Saturday festival itself, which will cap with a headlining performance from legendary hip-hop troupe Nappy Roots . Virtuoso fingerstyle guitarist katgrüvs (Kat Gallardo), upstart Sacramento alt-rockers Giant Red Rabbit (they’re either a Sac band or just spend a lot of time at Terminal B), hip-hop group Live Manikins and funksters Tone Mosaic also perform at the sprawling event (Oct. 10-13. peoplesbeerfest.com ).
Peeking ahead to next year — just in case anyone didn’t hear — Sacramento’s own Deftones are treating us to a blowout homecoming at Golden 1, with support from fellow mad metal scientists the Mars Volta , along with Fleshwater (March 1 golden1center.com ).
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