Every second Saturday of every month, art galleries keep their doors open late, drawing a slew of wide-eyed and gawking Sacramentans through a latticework of city streets. Brushing up against many musical performances and numerous easels bearing a dynamic range of paintings, it was easy to see why the streets were packed. Fine art, delicious food, and a feeling of organized chaos -- it's all at the art walk.People were everywhere. With their attention focused on various displays, live bands, and the shear density of the throng of pedestrians, the masses were not hesitant at all to cross the normally busy and functional intersections of Sacramento. It was painful to watch the line of vehicles trapped at a crosswalk that was bottle-necked at both sides with an endless tide of pedestrians.
I had never understood this until last Saturday, and it filled me with an ironic feeling of what I'd been missing, right at hand.
Impressive to say the least.
The art-walk had an inextricable draw on the community. There was a buzz in the air, not just from the copious amounts of live musical performances, but from the chatter of many elated voices reveling in the night. I too felt like a part of it, as if inducted.
Was it really like this every second Saturday? A lot of artists were receiving attention.
One of the bands, Art Lessing, played some very captivating instrumental bits. Their experimental sound used strings to create an esoteric air, while the drums maintained a rocky garage-feel. They certainly had a style of there own, which seemed to carry an otherworldly feeling.
The most noteworthy band was Jazz Gitan, which drew a smaller crowd, but played a very stylized and characteristic set. The bass was punchy, carrying all of the fullness experienced in jazz, and the timing was perfect. It was a striking example of how to do a street performance right, transporting listeners where they stood, from a street in Sacramento, to a cobblestone alley in 40's Bordeaux, France.
The night steadily waned into a low hum, the streets opened up, and cars were able to continue on their routes safely without the human blockade. While it lasted, there were some very dedicated and gifted artists sharing their works freely. It was the way Sacramento did things on second Saturdays, and everybody benefited. Come hungry and bored, leave full and grinning. Just like that.
