So the band at Sacramento Current was jamming in the garage the other day when they suddenly became paralyzed by the sound of thousands . . . er, tens . . . of screaming fans shouting for an encore.  Okay, the drier was on spin cycle.

As the fifth episode of the wildly popular local, all things Sacramento web-based show (heretofore to be known as Meet The Current) approached, how do we stay relevant? How do we possibly meet the demands of the throngs of fans. . .er, our wives . . . screaming for more (I’m still talking about the show, of course).

When we picked up the first ax, drum stick and microphone, we did so wanting to present something a little different.  Something serious.  Something definitely Sacramento.  But also something fun. . . A bunch of guys drinking beer in a garage who care about Sacramento, offering an outlet for people who also care about out fair city, and are still able to pay their ISP bill.  Nothing more, nothing less. . . A pretty low bar.  (Dear Herb Caen:  Thank You for the use of the three dots.  As annoying as it is, I can’t seem to stop).

On the upcoming episode, we feature a denizen of local politics who is bound to stir a little debate in the studio.  The last thing we want to do is create a podcast of a bunch of guys sitting around a microphone at 3^rd Bedroom Studios (that was a plug), drinking beer and agreeing with each other week after week. . . zzz zzz zzz.

We will also feature a local brewery.  Not only because we appreciate the free beer they will provide, but because we want to celebrate all things Sacramento.   As it turns out, our city boasts a proud history in the sudsy brew, so you can expect more of the same in the future.

But we really want to hear from you. . . beyond our wives, of course.  What do you find unique about Sacramento?  What do you find makes us a great city, beyond arena arguments and closed swimming pools (also a plug for this week’s episode, by the way)?

We have urban wineries.  We have a burgeoning music scene.  We have great restaurants.  We have Summer festivals.  We have so much that is Sacramento.  With all of the rancor in today’s public discourse, that often gets lost.

So the band here at Sacramento Current asks for your ideas of a local product, event or personality that deserves a moment in the spotlight, as dim as the lighting in our garage may be.  We do so because we got together originally for one purpose, and that is to showcase a city we love, warts and all. . . and the occasional free stuff is cool too.

So, let us know. . . It’s your show.

A couple months back when I first heard about the Save Our Pools program that City Parks Director Jim Combs developed, I was impressed. There are almost 500,000 people in our City so it would only take a $1 per person ($5 for family of five) and we’d get to keep six regional pools open this summer. This is exactly the kind of innovative public-private partnership that we’re always wishing for and this one looked like it could work. So why hasn’t it?

There are a lot of reasons why a person might not donate, but what has me really worried is that the folks who otherwise would’ve donated are choosing not to because of the arena. Because our Council is engaged in what appears to be a huge publicly funded subsidy to professional sports and entertainment corporations civic minded citizens who volunteer regularly and give to worth causes liberally are holding back. And can you blame them? Last week Sacramento Current produced a segment called Fix This First where we asked the question “What’s more important than an arena?”. It turns out, not pools.

If you liked our podcast with historian BIll Burg this week, you’ll love Burg’s article in this edition of Midtown Monthly. (Sadly, the final edition.) In “West End Jazz,” Burg lays out a bit of the history of what he calls “Sacramento’s Bourbon Street” and the racially integrated Jazz scene that used to thrive there in the 1940s and 50s. He focuses in particular on the Zanzibar club, one of the more popular M Street spots that drew in stars like Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie.

Later this month, the Sacramento County Historical Society will include a talk about the Zanzibar, following it’s annual awards dinner. There will also be a performance by the Harley White Orchestra. Details at the link above.

Racism and segregation eventually caught up with the West End scene, that and redevelopment. Burg writes that the Chamber of Commerce and redevelopment officials of the day declared the bustling M Street clubs to be “blight” and scrubbed them away, installing the stately, and boring, Capitol Avenue of today. Burg doesn’t mention it, but we’re wondering if the phrase “world class city” was around back then?

You can also get more information about Jane Jacobs and Jane’s Walk here. Also, keep an eye on the Sacramento Old City Association website for more information about the Sacramento Jane’s Walk, coming up in May.