Something’s always happening

In the five years I’ve worked at SN&R, I’ve written about hundreds of events in the area. I’ve moshed through Ozzfest and applauded Shakespeare. I’ve gotten bloody hands in homemade horror films and strained eyes from marathon subtitle-reading at the Sacramento French Film Festival. I’ve witnessed The Vagina Monologues and Puppetry of the Penis and seen performers as diverse as Dave Brubeck and Ron Jeremy.

As I’ve grown at the paper, the city has grown around me. There are more local visual artists, musicians, fashion designers and filmmakers than ever before, and there are more restaurants, galleries and nightspots for them to populate. Massive construction all over town suggests this is bound to continue, but I still hear people complain that nothing ever happens in this “cow town.”

If that were true, I would have been out of a job years ago. Instead, Sacramento’s entertainment options keep expanding, and this week, we’re enlarging SN&R’s Arts&Culture section to keep up. With my new weekly column, Nothing Ever Happens, I’m determined to prove there’s no end of interesting experiences to be had here.

Sacramento is attracting a greater number of prominent touring artists, and our new Mark Your Calendar section will help you plan for these shows. We’ve added more restaurant listings, so you can always find a four-star place to eat. Kate Washington’s Corner Table grills the people who keep our culinary scene thriving. And for those nights when you just want to stay in, the film section’s Bring It Home feature offers a weekly DVD pick.

As Clubber readers already know, Christian Kiefer retired his nightlife column to pursue his burgeoning music career. We’ll miss Christian, but we’re happy to announce the return of former SN&R Arts Editor Jackson Griffith to the Music section with the weekly column Trust Your Ears. And Erin Sierchio weighs in with Playlist, a look at the songs influencing the city’s musicians.

Things are happening in SN&R, just as they are every minute in Sacramento. We encourage you to explore and take us along as your guide.