Friday, April 1, 2011
Weekender: The Top Five Things to Do Over the Next Three Days in the East Bay
People Ellen Cushing — Fri, Apr 1, 2011 at 12:01 AM
It's Friday, Friday; gotta get down on Friday! Behold, the top five events this weekend in the East Bay, lovingly hand-picked just for you by our esteemed critics.
Much Ado About Brew
Lest anyone forget that Oakland loves beer, it seems like almost every weekend some brewery or organization is throwing a beer festival. Not that we’re complaining. On Saturday, April 2, KGO Radio presents Much Ado About Brew at Jack London Square (98 Broadway, Oakland), an event that boasts more than thirty craft and specialty beers for sale, as well as food from various local restaurants. Proceeds benefit the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County. Noon-3 p.m., $8.10 in advance or $25 day-of. KGORadio.com. — Ellen Cushing
Shirley Masengill Memorial Gathering
After working for more than sixty years at local bookstores, including Cody's, Sather Gate, and Books Inc., Northern California Children's Booksellers Association Otter Award-winner Shirley Masengill passed away in February. A memorial event at one of her former workplaces, Laurel Bookstore (4100 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland), on Saturday, April 2, includes refreshments and a "Shirley story hour." 1 p.m., free. LaurelBookstore.com. — Anneli Rufus
Friday, March 25, 2011
Day Around the Bay in Music: Eddie Vedder Coming to Oakland, Forum on Musicians and Health Care
Business / Just-Announced Shows / Bay Area Bands / Pics and Video Kathleen Richards — Fri, Mar 25, 2011 at 6:01 PM
1) Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder is embarking on a solo tour this summer in support of his forthcoming album, Ukulele Songs, according to the Contra Costa Times, which likens Vedder's effort to Tiny Tim. Vedder plays the Paramount Theater July 11, tickets go on sale April 1.
Weekender: The Top Five Things to Do Over the Next Three Days in the East Bay
Ellen Cushing — Fri, Mar 25, 2011 at 9:07 AM
Provided you've safely survived the deluge, plan the next 72 hours of your life, with help from our esteemed critics. NB, every single one of these events is indoors!
Das Racist
Facebook fans are lobbying — albeit softly — for Das Racist to perform at the combination KFC and Taco Bell on Telegraph Avenue when the hip-hop group makes an EastBay homecoming this Sunday. It seemed fitting, given that Das Racist launched its career with a viral joke-song, "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell," later followed by the equally infectious hit, "Chicken and Meat." But emcees HimanshuSuri and Victor Vazquez defied expectations by booking themselves in a legit venue. Which makes sense — fast food isn't exactly the core of their repertoire. Rather, these guys specialize in post-colonial theory (hence the band name), glitchy electronic beats, and rambling pop-culture references. Last month Das Racist regaled a sold-out crowd at TheIndependent with 25 minutes of murmured rap lyrics and unmitigated sass. They opened the set by telling everyone to go home. Fans cheered, anyway. See them at The New Parish (579 18th St., Oakland) on Sunday, Mar. 27. 9 p.m., $16, $18. TheNewParish.com. — Rachel Swan
Lisa Taylor: "Your Farm in the City: An Urban-Dweller's Guide to Growing Food and Raising Animals"
It's happening all over the world: Abandoned or long-ignored urban property is being transformed into fruitful agricultural land. At Mrs. Dalloway's (2904 College Ave., Berkeley) on Friday, Mar. 25, Lisa Taylor presents Your Farm in the City: An Urban-Dweller's Guide to Growing Food and Raising Animals. Taylor is the education program manager for Seattle Tilth, a non-profit that teaches urban dwellers how to grow organic food. 7:30 p.m., free. MrsDalloways.com. — Anneli Rufus
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Advice for Chris Brown, Who Also Went Postal
Media Rachel Swan — Thu, Mar 24, 2011 at 2:11 PM
Video blogger Jay Smooth has some advice for the troubled R&B singer:
Yoshi's Engineer Goes Postal Inside Club
Law Enforcement & Crime Rachel Swan — Thu, Mar 24, 2011 at 1:27 PM
Oakland police officers and, apparently, a SWAT team descended on Yoshi's jazz club this morning, after a former employee went postal and destroyed roughly $10,000 of equipment with a baseball bat. Sound engineer Dan Pettit was arrested for felony vandalism after he entered the club at approximately 8:45 a.m. and wreaked havoc, bludgeoning several computers and overturning furniture. Pettit refused to talk to police, but according to Trib reporter Angela Woodall, he was upset over a dispute that occurred between engineers and performers at a concert Wednesday night. The act, hip-hop artist R.O.D. , performs over pre-recorded tracks. (The Trib mistakenly referred to R.O.D. as a sign language group — he's actually most famous for the song "I Can't Stand You.") It's still unclear what caused the argument.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Black Guys on a Beautiful Day: The Investigative Report
Media Rachel Swan — Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 1:53 PM
As evidenced by the title of their "Siskel and Negro" podcast —formerly a show on radio station Live 105 — local comedians Kamau Bell and Kevin Avery never shied away from race themes. Bell generated a cult of fandom by trying — perhaps futilely — to end racism in about an hour. Avery decided that if he can't live up to the thug stereotypes that proliferate in Hollywood, he'll at least celebrate them. Hence the title of his new, star-studded production, Thugs: The Musical. And now, they've teamed up with Greg Edwards and Reggie Steele to address another befuddling stereotype, which may or may not hold true. Check the investigative report below:
Live Show Review: Lady Gaga at the Oracle Arena (Plus Pictures!)
Local Show Reviews Ellen Cushing — Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 8:43 AM
So, Lady Gaga? You may have heard of her. She played some songs at the Oracle last night. It was pretty chill.
PSYCH! It was fucking bananas. We're talking at least eight costume changes; fire, sparklers, smoke, and countless other pyrotechnics (literal and figurative); a small army of muscular, appropriately freaky-looking backup dancers — and an audience of 15,000 or so little monsters hanging on to every moment. It was, in other words, more or less exactly what you'd expect from a Gaga show.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Los Angeles Times Discovers Oakland
Breaking News Rachel Swan — Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 5:36 PM
The turf war is over, guys. Los Angeles Times just discovered this quaint little Northern California hamlet called Oakland, and guess what? It's thoroughly modern! Reporter Irene Lechowitzky marvels at how the 56-mile East Bay city isn't just a cauldron of vice, as previously thought. Nor is it a cauldron of Raider fans. To the writer's surprise, it's actually a destination location — for refugees from high-rent San Francisco, at least. And maybe even for Los Angelinos. Lechowitzky proceeds with a cheery travelogue that lists off Oakland's many amenities, including new restaurants, Art Deco architecture, and "cheek-to-cheek condos." The Fox gets immortalized as a "1928 Moorish gem." Rockridge is noted for having "charming houses on leafy streets," and also a BART station. Lake Chalet offers cocktails on a patio that overlooks crystalline Lake Merritt, Oakland's main aquatic feature. There's even this cool "eclectic main drag" called College Avenue. Et voila.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Around the Bay in Music: SXSW Wrapping Up, Dance Music Fans to Rally City Hall
Breaking News / Bay Area Bands Kathleen Richards — Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 5:02 PM
1. Seem like everyone’s at SXSW but you? That’s okay, the six-day music extravaganza is almost wrapping up. Apparently, the Foo Fighters made a surprise performance, reports the Mercury News’ Jim Harrington. And The Bay Bridged has some nifty photos of a performance at a church.
Weekender: The Top Five Things to Do Over the Next Three Days in the East Bay
Art / Movies Ellen Cushing — Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 8:13 AM
Nurse your St. Pat's hangover Get ready for the weekend by checking out our critics' choices.
