Festival daze

Was it some kind of bad joke that Latin groove band Sol Peligro kicked off the inaugural SN&R Music Fest? Their name literally means “sun danger,” and Saturday was the hottest day of 2009. We can laugh now, of course, because Sunday was even hotter.

Anyway, evidently nothing chills things out like cumbia beats and a quartet of brass horns, because as soon as Sol Peligro finished, Ninth Street’s towering U.S. Bank building cast welcome shade on the all-day festival in Cesar Chavez Plaza. Thirteen more local acts performed: Hip-hop troupe Righteous Movement collaborated with truckin’ Americana band Light Rail; metal outfit Category 7 had revelers disrobing; and thank God everyone kept their clothes on for teen band Dog Party. Shaun Slaughter deejayed for a crazy six hours, which must be some kind of record.

And at the end of the day, when emcees Miss Ashleigh, Big Sammy and Clay Nutting handed out the Sammies hardware, the local music scene had one of those “aww, shucks” very Sac moments. And hot damn, even Mom won a Sammie.

2009 Sacramento Area Music Award winners

Outstanding Emcee
Random Abiladeze

Outstanding Rock
Middle Class Rut

Outstanding Punk/Hardcore
Final Summation

Outstanding Hard Rock/Metal
Man Automatic
Prieta

Outstanding Hip-hop/Rap
Righteous Movement

Outstanding Turntablist
DJ Epik

Outstanding Jazz/Blues/Latin
Ross Hammond

Outstanding Indie
The New Humans

Outstanding Country/Americana/Folk
Light Rail

Outstanding Experimental
Mom

Outstanding Singer-Songwriter
Be Brave Bold Robot

Outstanding Teen Band
Red Wire Army

Outstanding Reggae/Ska/Funk/Jam
Arden Park Roots

Outstanding Pop
Agent Ribbons

Outstanding Electronica
Tha Fruitbat

Outstanding Dance Deejay
DJ Whores

Outstanding Hip-hop Producer
Jae Synth

Outstanding Sacramento Band
Middle Class Rut

Outstanding Release of 2009
MC Rut, Middle Class Rut