The True Story of Tru Valu

This is the true story* of short-lived Sacramento band: Tru Valu.

Jason Verlinde, a musical saw performer, put the group together in 2000. He had been playing solo gigs, but invited a friend and two co-workers (Booker and Woodhouse) to create a four-piece band.

Left to Right: Chris Woodhouse, Kurt Foy Booker, Jason Verlinde, Aaron Tassano.

(All pictures ©Sandy Booker)
*as true as memory and a bit of fun allows.

Their first of two performances was at world famous Old Ironsides in downtown Sacramento.

Kurt, getting ready for the show. A veteran of the stage, having performed many years with the Dutch Falconi Orchestra, Kurt was eagerly anticipating this first outing, and wondered at the possibilites. It promised to be a fun and exciting evening.

In the audience was Kurt's lovely wife Sandy and man about town, Eoin McGloughlin.

Close friend Kari was close at hand.

The opening band, name unknown.

Tru Valu finally takes the stage!

Jason Verlinde - uniting us all with his musical saw.

Kurt rocks the Theremin in his dog outfit.

The band has a few latin influenced tracks.

After a quick costume change, things shift in tone. This is not avant-garde, artsy-fartsy stuff. This is smooth.

Smooooooth.

The banjo player thinks it's funny to froth at the mouth.

Grand finale, coming right up!

Uh-oh, what is Kurt up to?

Ummmm...

Uh...

The Gimp!

ROARRRR!!!!!

ROARRRR!!!!! ROARRRR!!!!! ROARRRR!!!!! ROARRRR!!!!!

ROOOOOOOOOOOOARRRR!!!!!

and then the gentle guitarist, slowly strums his tune...

Ladies and Gentlemen, Chris Woodhouse!!!

The crowd was really getting into it.

Chris played of longing and regret, a melancholy tale.

Wha, whose this guy???

OMG, it's Neil Hamburger, the comedian who yells "That's My Life!" in the Tenacious D movie!

He was the headlining act!

Mr. Hamburger told a 20+ minute joke about Anthon Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers repeatedly going in to a convenience store and asking the clerk, "Got any Heroin?", over and over and over again, ultimately going nowhere, with no punchline, and annoying half the crowd! But he was great.

Back to Tru Valu, giving it everything they've got!

Kurt's attention wanders during the final number, a majestic cover of Journey's Open Arms. "This could be it. We could be big time, like the Residents or something," he thinks.