WED 19
Why and how do young upper-middle-class Americans become violent leftist revolutionaries? That’s one of the central talking points of Sam Green and Bill Siegel’s immensely watchable documentary, The Weather Underground, still making the rounds after getting festival and commercial play dates earlier this year. The film captures the zeitgeist of the ’60s and the angry, rebellious mood of college students in the Vietnam war era, but the underlying discontent still exists, which is why tonight’s free screening of the film at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga is so interesting. Former Weatherperson Rick Ayers, whose brother Bill Ayers and sister-in-law Bernardine Dohrn are key figures in the film, appears in person for a Q&A session after the movie. The wind blows at 7 p.m. at Soda Activity Center on campus, 1928 Saint Mary’s Rd., Moraga. — Kelly Vance
THU 20
Holiday Food Drives ain’t just about canned yams anymore. Bay Street Emeryville is hosting a free kick-off event for the Alameda Food Bank’s annual effort at 6 p.m. this evening, with a tree-lighting ceremony, musical performances, and kids’ activities. It happens in the main plaza area near Barnes & Noble. Bay Street is only one of 160 county businesses and organizations that have registered to participate in the food drive. The food bank distributes food twelve months a year through a network of three hundred emergency food providers such as soup kitchens and community pantries. So head down to Bay Street with cans in hand, or sign up to run your own by calling 510-834-3663, ex. 318. — Stefanie Kalem
FRI 21
Despite its name, Splash Circus Theatre has very little to do with water. Headquartered at Emeryville’s Head Over Heels Gymnastic and Circus School, the all-youth circus arts ensemble features kids doing just about anything you can imagine kids doing on dry land, including mime, tumbling, aerial tricks, and juggling. The troupe’s latest production, In the Magical Forest, aims to transport audiences of all ages (including adults) to an enchanted world where fairies, elves, sprites, and even trees take part in the battle between good and evil. See it at Julia Morgan Theatre (2640 College Ave., Berkeley) this evening at 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for grown-ups, $10 for seniors and students, and $8 for kids under 12. Call 925-798-1300 for reservations. — Stefanie Kalem
SAT 22
Koreans have been immigrating to the United States for one hundred years. That calls for a celebration, and Oakland’s Korean Youth Cultural Center is stepping up. This evening (7 to 9 p.m.) at the Oakland Museum of California, the center’s sixteenth annual Fall Festival, In Our Voice: Stories from a Community, celebrates four generations of Korean-American history with a program as varied as the East Bay itself: traditional drum music, folklore dances and songs, poetry and spoken-word performances, even hip-hop. General admission is $15, students and seniors $10. For further information, phone 510-652-4964. — Kelly Vance
SUN 23
So what if the Raiders are getting their behinds kicked from one end of the league to the other this season? Raider Nation lives! If you truly believe in Pride and Poise, the Silver and Black Attack, the Tradition of Excellence, and the Brotherhood of the Mad Stork, there’s only one thing to do in these dark days: Dust off your chain mail and spiked helmet, grab a few buddies, and march down to the Parkway Theater this afternoon, right after the Raiders-Chiefs game on TV, for the Raider Rally. On tap is a screening of the new documentary Raider Nation, a lighthearted look at the Black Hole, tailgate parties, fistfights in the stands — the usual Raider fan highlights — plus a few selected Raiders shorts. If all else fails, remember: The Parkway Theater has beer. Lots of it. The brawl starts at 6 p.m. 1834 Park Blvd., Oakland. For more info, visit PicturePub Pizza.com — Kelly Vance
MON 24
Reading The Middle Mind may not make you feel good about yourself as an American, but it may give you insight into some of your behaviors, making it easier to change. Curtis White‘s new book takes on the dumbing down of the nation’s intellect with a massive amount of research and no small share of wit. Despite his titular force’s obsession with entertainment, Publishers Weekly called White’s writing “undisciplined, frightfully (and unabashedly) elitist, self-satisfied, jokey, yet rather entertaining.” The Illinois State University English professor and author has penned novels (Memories of My Father Watching TV and Requiem), and received critical notice for his work in Context and Harper’s. He reads and talks about how lazy and hypocritical we are today at Cody’s Books (2454 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley) at 7:30 this evening. Call 510-845-7852 for venue details. — Stefanie Kalem
TUE 25
The Second Cuming Tour drips down to Livermore tonight, with hometown heroes God Herself in the driver’s seat after supporting such acts as Voodoo Glow Skulls and the Dance Hall Crashers. The trio is just about a year old, with a debut record coming out next month. Expect a heavy blend of punk, thrash, death metal, hardcore, ska, and reggae (?!), alongside respectably punishing sets from Starch, Beneath the Surface, Red Kor, the Fuzz, and Bullet 66 at Eagles Hall, 527 N. Livermore Ave. The all-ages show starts at 7:30 p.m. — Stefanie Kalem
