This last Saturday, Casa de Chaos, one of Sacramento’s most infamous punk joints, was packed with people raising money for the beloved 916 legend, Ground Chuck. During a show a while back, Chuck broke his hip in a pit and needed to get it replaced, so naturally, the community decided to host a show. Over three hundred people went to see Storytellers, Secretions, Death Rogen, Strange Party, SSyndröm, Crossing the River, and Crude Studs play and support Chuck’s cause.
Ground Chuck has been mobbin’ around Sacramento for decades. Descriptions of the man stretch across various planes. One of Chuck’s friends whom he’s known for decades remarked, “in addition to a great musician, a leading frontman to some of Sacramento’s great musical entities,” Chuck is “an artist, a visionary, and a friend.” a singer (who would like to remain anonymous) from a local punk band, stated Chuck was simply “a guy everyone knows in Sacramento,” which is true. Almost everyone who was at the show had a story about how they met Chuck. For example, Josh Cox, who works at Casa, talked about when he met Chuck in 2009 at a show, and how Chuck was “painted in King Diamond, black metal makeup.” Cox also added that “[Chuck] would support any band; if you’re about the scene and you’re about music, then Ground Chuck will support you.”
People from all scenes of Sacramento got to support “the spirit of downtown Sacramento,” as put by Chuck’s friend, Les Light. All in all, the show was an absolute success. It was an honor to be able to help out such a positive person in the Sacramento community. Get well Ground Chuck! We’ll see you in the pit soon!
Words Alexia Roditis.
Photos Vi Mayugba.