Latest news with #DenzelCurry
San Francisco Chronicle
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
‘The start of something really good': Channel 24 venue energizes Sacramento arts landscape
For decades, Sacramento concertgoers have packed into cars or boarded trains to see their favorite artists in San Francisco or Oakland. But a new addition to the city's Midtown district could signal a shift in the region's migrational patterns. Channel 24, a mid-size venue developed and operated by Berkeley-based Another Planet Entertainment, the powerhouse independent promoter behind San Francisco's annual Outside Lands music festival, opened last month with a clear mission: Keep Sacramento music fans local. More Information May-June lineup Denzel Curry: 8 p.m. May 7 Madness: 8 p.m. May 14 Hippocampus: 8 p.m. May 16 Hermanos Gutiérrez: 8 p.m. May 21 Jack White: 8 p.m. May 26-27 James Arthur: 8 p.m. May 29 Charley Crockett: 8 p.m. June 8 Social Distortion: 8 p.m. June 14 Pachiko: 8 p.m. June 17 Ryan Bingham and the Texas Gentlemen: 8 p.m. June 18 Channel 24: 1800 24th St, Sacramento. For a full schedule, go to 'We'll go to the Bay Area for shows, like San Francisco, but it's hard to get out there with a job and stuff,' Jeannette Ho, 51, standing in the Channel 24 lobby just before electronic group Tycho took the stage Friday, April 25, as part of the venue's opening celebrations. Ho's boyfriend, John Conley, 56, echoed that sentiment. 'It's harder now than when we were younger to drive to the Bay Area for shows, especially during the week,' he said. 'Having shows here in Sacramento is definitely nice. We're more willing to get out to a show during the week here in town and close to us.' For fans who have long faced a 90-mile trek for mid-level acts, Channel 24 fills a longstanding void. While smaller indie bands regularly play the 530-capacity nightclub Harlow's and megastars hit the more than 17,500-seat Golden 1 Center, the state's capital has lacked a home for artists who sit comfortably mid-lineup on a Coachella poster. 'Over the years, we have had lots of artists ask to play Sacramento. They were bigger than Ace of Spades, and they weren't big enough to play Sacramento Memorial Auditorium,' said Allen Scott, president of concerts and festivals at Another Planet Entertainment, describing the goldilocks conundrum of downtown's concert scene. The former is an all-ages venue that accommodates 1,000, while the latter is a nearly 4,000-capacity space that books more graduation ceremonies than concerts these days. The hole in the market often led the concert production and artist management company to skip the market and send talent to Reno. That calculus changed with the 2016 opening of Golden 1 Center, managed by the Sacramento Kings and the City of Sacramento, that hosts cultural juggernauts like Paul McCartney, Janet Jackson and Kendrick Lamar. 'Golden 1 Center, 10 years later, is still in its honeymoon period,' Scott said, describing how the burst of energy and attendance for a new venue usually dissipates after a year or so. 'That's really a testament to what's happening in Sacramento.' With Channel 24, Another Planet is betting on a city long seen in a perpetual state of striving — but one increasingly ready to stand on its own. For pop culture proof of its underdog status, just look to the plot of the recent comedy ' Sacramento,' which hinges upon the city being a random and detached destination for its Los Angeles characters to find themselves in. Local residents are accustomed to serving up reasons for it to be taken seriously: It's a culinary destination, a mecca for cyclists, close to a lot of (arguably superior) natural attractions like Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. But offering up the city's art scene might not be the most obvious move if one were making the case for it as a sexy metropolis. The addition of Channel 24 might not completely turn that around, but it's certainly a step in the right direction. Sam Kesh, 46, who has produced indie shows in Sacramento as a DJ and booker for most of his adult life, said he has long ventured out to the opulent Fox Theater in Oakland, Berkeley's open-air Greek Theatre and the more intimate room at the Independent in San Francisco well before knowing they were all owned and operated by Another Planet. When he learned of the entertainment company's latest venture in his hometown it was definitely welcoming news. 'All of those venues … they're huge parts of my life,' he said. 'It's just cool that there's something connected to that and means that if there's tours playing those venues, now there's an opportunity to have them in Sacramento.' Serving up a premium sonic experience was, in fact, the dominant objective when building the 2,150-capacity space, which is Another Planet Entertainment's first 'from the ground-up' project. 'This was completely built from the dirt,' Scott noted. 'I think the results will speak for themselves.' The structure, which was erected in place of an old electrical supply warehouse on 24th and R streets, was designed by Sacramento's Ellis Architects and the Bay Area's CAW Architects. With one wall adorned with a towering mural of a roving horse, by Sacramento artist Cheyenne Randall, and a modern auburn facade, the building — whose namesake references the electrical 'channels' of its warehouse days and Sacramento's converging rivers — is an unexpected addition to the mostly residential southeast corner of Midtown Sacramento's grid. Frequent concert goer Nicole Grant Kriege, 46, is hopeful about Channel 24's influence on its surroundings. 'I think it could really grow into a little bit of a micro-hood,' she pondered while sitting in a booth at Round Corner bar, which was buzzing with activity just before Channel 24's Tycho concert. 'You have Round Corner, which is kind of this dive bar institution, you have Racks, a vintage store that's been around forever. I think there's the start of something really good here.' Spotted among the bar crowd, huddled around the pool tables, was Tycho frontman Dan Hansen. The Oakland-based musician, who lived in Sacramento in the early 2000s, was mingling with friends and family ahead of the show. Later onstage, Hansen expressed his appreciation for the city of trees. 'This is amazing and so meaningful to us,' he said warmly as he reminisced about making music in a garage-turned-studio just up the street from Channel 24. Those songs would become the influential 2011 album 'Dive,' which received the loudest cheers at the venue that night. 'It was important to have a local artist play,' said Scott. 'We always knew Tycho would be in that first week.' Although the throng of mostly 30- to 50-somethings was enthusiastic about the chillwave indie rockers that night, Channel 24's roster serves a broad audience, including younger fans with a proclivity for country music. The venue's opening night on April 24 featured Tucker Wetmore, attracting a sold-out crowd outfitted in cowboy boots and wide-brimmed hats. 'Two very popular genres in Sacramento are country music and hard rock music — they perform better in Sacramento than they do in the immediate Bay area,' explained Scott, adding that shows featuring bluegrass singer Sierra Ferrell and alt-country artist Sam Barber were both sold out. From gritty Americana crooner Charley Crockett, who last drifted through the capital city five years ago, to blues rocker Jack White, who has never stepped a booted foot into a Sacramento venue, there's a bit of a sea change coming for the land-locked town. 'I'm hoping it brings shows we wouldn't normally get in Sacramento,' said Conley.
Chicago Tribune
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Review: Denzel Curry at Salt Shed: This one's for the fans
Denzel Curry is for the people. That much was clear during his show Friday night at the Salt Shed, where a bevy of teenage and 20-something fans were bouncing off the walls (literally) from start to finish. After a number of up-and-coming openers, Curry finally took to the stage at around 9:50 p.m. to much fanfare. The artist — who is on tour to promote his latest record, 'King of the Mischievous South' — is something of a showman compared to his peers. Curry is a star, sure, but he's also a performer with a deep connection to his fans. His audience interactions are aplenty, sprinkled liberally between each song. He understands the instincts of his fans. Certain songs, like his cover of 'Goated' or the propulsive 'Sked' and 'Hit the Floor' made prime fodder for a group of fans who were itching to let loose and go crazy. Curry delivers, again and again, never letting up. It makes for a raucous night. Clad in a neon green tee, long-sleeve undershirt and a hat, Curry makes for an unassuming figure. Yet when the first notes of the apropos track 'Act a Damn Fool' begin to play through the Salt Shed's speakers, Curry unfurls an alter ego that's all parts fiery and spirited. That energy never lets up through the night, whether the audience is rapping along to the track 'Ricky' or perhaps getting ready to mosh during 'Still in the Paint.' At one point, he joked and asked if the paramedics were ready and insisted on not starting to perform again until the audience was primed and ready to go. It is that energy, that heart, that devotion to the fans that kept the show moving through the hour-long set. At one point, a woman threw a bra on the stage and Curry wore it on his head. Later, a young fan named Cynthia joined him on stage to rap along to 'Hot One.' It seemed like she knew about half of the lyrics, or maybe she was just a little nervous to be in a packed room of a few thousand folks. Yet the crowd and Curry alike were encouraging, a testament to the solid attitude and enthusiasm of the community he's curated. 1 of A capacity audience watches Denzel Curry perform at the Salt Shed Friday, April 25, 2025, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune) Interspersed throughout the set were a number of covers and additional surprises. On 'Diet,' which samples Kendrick Lamar's 'tv off,' Curry glided atop the beat with ease. He also covered 'First Night,' a Lyrical Lemonade track. And he was even joined on stage by Kenny Mason, one of his openers, for a rowdy performance of 'Sked.' In the end, it was a rap show, but also something more frenetic and wild. Curry takes his audience through a journey, one that's musical as much as it is physical. It's a riotous punk spirit that pushes the crowd to not stay so wrapped up in their phones and live firmly in the moment. Jump up. Dance. Mosh. Shout. Be free. Stop worrying so much about everyone around you and just have some fun.
Time Out
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The III Points Music Festival 2025 lineup just dropped, and it's looking stacked
The most genre-defying weekend in Miami just set the tone for fall: III Points is back, and its first wave lineup for 2025 is as wild and wonderful as ever. Returning to its home turf at Mana Wynwood on October 17–18, the festival's eleventh edition is loaded with sonic curveballs, from the woozy psych-dance of Darkside to the hard-hitting verses of local hero Denzel Curry. Add in a little French flair courtesy of L'Impératrice, a global dance floor queen in Peggy Gou, and Sean Paul doing what Sean Paul does best, and you've got a weekend that will melt genre lines faster than a Miami margarita. Other standouts from the just-announced phase 1 lineup include Baltimore rockers Turnstile, viral it-kid 2hollis and Berlin's techno titan Nina Kraviz. Underground favorites Barry Can't Swim, Michael Bibi, ANOTR and Indira Paganotto round out a list that leans into the eclectic—because that's just how III Points rolls. 'It is not easy navigating a forward-thinking, multi-genre festival in the North American music landscape nowadays,' said co-founder David Sinopoli in an official statement, 'But I believe our commitment to our Miami music community has been the guiding force for us.' In true III Points fashion, the experience goes beyond the beats. Expect cutting-edge art installations, immersive activations and an upgraded VIP scene that includes elevated viewing decks, happy hour perks, air-conditioned lounges and billiards at the Players Club. New this year: the ultra-tempting AFTER MIDNIGHT (AM) ticket, a budget-friendly $139 option for night owls that grants entry from midnight to close (4am). General ticket prices are lower than ever, starting at just $199—or $11.11 down via payment plan—when they go on sale this Thursday, April 24, at 1:11pm ET at
Washington Post
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Denzel Curry's latest unites rappers of the past, present and future
Denzel Curry was just 18 years old when he dropped his debut studio album, 'Nostalgic 64.' The 2013 release put him on the map due in large part to the way he traversed hip-hop history, starting in Memphis with a pit stop in Atlanta but sticking close to his hometown of Miami. Alternating between a triplet-heavy attack and a deft double-time flow, Curry spelled out street-level menace with the sounds of police helicopters hovering overhead.
The Guardian
28-02-2025
- The Guardian
Concern over sniffer dogs near first NSW pill-testing site in Wollongong
Police will keep a highly visible presence including sniffer dogs around the site of a long-awaited pill testing pilot but say safety is the top priority. The two-day Yours and Owls music festival in Wollongong – headlined by US rapper Denzel Curry and UK band The Kooks – will host a drug checking site over the weekend, offering the harm reduction measure to thousands of festival-goers in NSW for the first time. It's the first of 12 festivals to have the service as part of a year-long government-run pilot. But the continued use of sniffer dogs despite known effects on risk-taking has raised concern. Victoria police in December said it would not have drug detection dogs at the state's first music festival to trial pill testing. 'There is a genuine risk to people's safety at music festivals when there is high-visibility policing, including drug dogs,' Greens MP Cate Faehrmann told AAP. 'If people are going to take drugs, we want them to do so as safely as possible and that is not what a highly visible police presence leads to.' Alexandra Ross-King died at a music festival in 2019 after consuming three MDMA capsules and multiple alcoholic drinks. A friend told her inquest the 19-year-old took two capsules at the festival gates when she became nervous she'd be caught by sniffer dogs. Police plan to use local police, sniffer dogs and other commands at the festival. Safety of festival goers was the top priority, Det Acting Supt Glen Broadhead said. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email 'Police will be targeting antisocial behaviour and alcohol-fuelled violence and any behaviour that puts yourself or others at risk will not be tolerated,' he said. 'Prohibited drugs are illegal and potentially life-threatening, especially when combined with alcohol. We urge anyone who feels unwell or needs medical assistance to attend one of the medical tents on-site.' Once inside the drug checking service – attached to the festival's medical tent – users will be presented with health and safety issues with illicit drugs from non-government peer workers. Amnesty bins will also be present. Up to six patrons at a time can have their drugs checked, with analysis taking about 10 minutes followed by further discussion. 'Depending on what has been found, they can be educated further on the risks or be alerted to 'this is actually a dangerous substance',' festival co-founder Ben Tillman told ABC Radio Sydney. Some results may led to broader warnings to attendees or feed into intelligence for peer workers and medical staff on the ground, the state's chief health officer said. Health, police and liquor regulators are overseeing the implementation of the $1m trial. Drug checking is available in at least 28 countries, according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation. Queensland's new conservative government this week reiterated plans to shut down community drug checking services in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
