Issue date: 4/17/07 Section: Features

Media Credit: Sherry Day Some of the locals gather at the bar at Lipstick on a Tuesday night [Click to enlarge]

The sounds of conversation, laughter and music come from inside Old Ironsides, a bar on 10th and S streets, where locals gather to listen to music they can't hear at other bars in downtown Sacramento on Tuesday nights.

Sacramento's Old Ironsides hosts Lipstick every Tuesday night, where founders and DJs Shaun Slaughter and Roger Carpio play Indie rock music.

Full of urban young adults with 1970s and 1980s attire, mixed with today's styles such as leggings, flats and converse, the dance floor at Old Ironsides portrays today's scene of the independent crowd. The dance floor doesn't start rumbling until around 11 p.m. and, by this time, the bar will remain crowded the rest of the night.

The music ranges from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to old school punk, like The Clash. Known as the British rock night, Lipstick has DJs who experiment with urban new wave music.

Drinks can be rated fairly cheap, starting at $4.

Slaughter, 28, has been playing records for Lipstick for seven years.

Lipstick was first tried at another local bar, The Press Club, for one year in 2000. Slaughter said he first envisioned a club that played bands like The Smiths and 80s songs, but it revolutionized into a place that plays Indie labels, rock, pop and electronics.

"Me and Shaun are super passionate about what we do," Carpio said.

The two DJs listen to new music at home and play the catchiest songs at Lipstick, songs that they feel other people would also like. The majority of the crowd that goes to Lipstick are "music-minded people," Slaughter said.

Derek Mattles, an alumnus of Sacramento State, goes to Lipstick on a regular basis.

"It's a good place for townies to go to," he said.

Art Rodriguez has been a bartender at Old Ironsides for 24 years. Rodriguez said that Lipstick is the busiest and liveliest night of the week.

"The people are younger and they seem to spend more money than the older people," Rodriguez said.

Carpio is also working on another project that will attract a similar crowd to Lipstick. This month was the start of an Indie pop showcase that will happen every third Sunday at The Press Club and will include bands from the Bay Area.

Cover is free before 10 p.m. and $3 after.

Lipstick has its own local photographer who takes pictures and posts them at www.ClubLipstick.com. The site is updated about five times a month.

Camilla Aceves can be reached at features@statehornet

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