WED 6
Greenbelt? Isn’t that what some people wear on St. Patrick’s Day? Actually, the Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt is a City of Oakland project to create a nature-friendly pathway through North Oakland along Temescal Creek. Naturally, beauty of the human-made variety is part of the scheme, which is why three public art proposals are now being shown at the Oakland Public Library’s Rockridge Branch. The winner will be integrated into Phase II of the Greenbelt landscaped pathway project. Catch a glimpse of the urban future today (10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) through Friday at the library (5366 College Ave.). From July 11 to 21, the exhibit moves to the Dalziel Building, 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, in downtown Oakland. — Kelly Vance
THU 7
The Zapatista struggle for human rights and autonomy in Mexico’s Chiapas state goes on, and a group of East Bay hip-hop, spoken word, and jazz artists wants to lend a hand. This evening at 21 Grand (416 25th St. at Broadway in downtown Oakland), the politically charged electronic hip-hop collective Entartete Kunst, spoken-word performer and editor Arnoldo Garcia, and the Devin Hoff Platform play a Zapatista Benefit Concert at 8 p.m. Their goal is to raise funds for a pharmacy warehouse to supply medicine to indigenous people in the county of San Manuel during the recently declared Red Alert. But the artists will also have a good time doing it. Admission is $5-$10, sliding scale. Chiapas-Support.org — Kelly Vance
FRI 8
Last week, Spud’s Pizza Parlor became a comedy club. Punchlines were served along with pepperoni at the debut of the new weekly stand-up comedy showcase. And already, the promoters are trying to improve on what they’ve done in the past (rim shot). Women Who Kick Comedy Butt showcases female comics who hope to show that the fairer gender can literally stand up for themselves — and then some. But if you’re expecting tired T&A humor, you’re on the wrong laugh track. “This is not a girl show, ‘Hot Mommies,’ or ‘Women Who Tell Jokes Who Have Bosoms,'” insists comedienne Grace White, who conceived of the WWKCB concept. In addition to White, the lineup includes Erikka Innes, Aundre the Wonderwoman, Jennifer Hahamian, Jovelyn Richards, Tessie Chua, and Sandy Stec. Doors are at 7:30, the show is at 8, and the cover charge is an affordable seven ducats. For more info, call 510-597-0795. — Eric K. Arnold
SAT 9
The Hayward-Russell City Blues Festival, an East Bay institution — now in its sixteenth summer — devoted to preserving local blues culture as well as carrying on the musical legacy of the now-vanished community of Russell City, has hooked a big fish for this year’s show: Bobby Rush. The Jackson, Mississippi-based singer, known for his bawdy comic sketches as well as the “folk funk” he puts out, headlines the fest Sunday, along with Lydia Pense & Cold Blood, Ron Thompson & the Resistors, and Curtis Salgado. Still, today’s lineup is nothing to throw a rib tip at: Guitar Shorty, Little Jimmy Reed, Maria Muldaur, and Sherman Robertson. You can hit both days for $26 (advance), or $20 per day at the gate. Check BayAreaBluesSociety.net for details. The ‘cue, the brew, and the blues happen from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Hayward City Hall Plaza, 777 B St. — Kelly Vance
SUN 10
Attention all lovers of beer, pizza, and folk music: You can get yer fill of all three today at 5 p.m. at Berkeley’s Jupiter, which has brought back its Americana Unplugged series to the outdoor stage and beer garden just in time for the warmer weather. Sure, Jupiter’s gourmet pizzas, salads, and panini are yum-tastic as ever, but the real news is that the microbrewery is serving up a new Double IPA and a seasonal Mai Bock (while supplies last), in addition to its extensive selection of house Hefeweizens, ales, porters, and stouts. As for the music, you can’t get more Americana than Appalachia, which is where Matt Kinman and the Oldtime Serenaders hail from. As the name implies, they play old-time the way it used to be — slowly and not so fast. JupiterBeer.com — Eric K. Arnold
MON 11
Before Drew Gooden was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers, even before he reached the Final Four as a member of University of Kansas Jayhawks, he played prep hoops at El Cerrito High School. The third-year NBA star is now conducting his own basketball program in the East Bay at Merritt College in Oakland (1200 Campus Dr.) Designed for boys and girls ages 7 through 15, the five-day Drew Gooden Basketball Camp — which starts today (9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.) and runs through Friday — teaches fundamentals with the help of Gooden and a few of his NBA friends. The cost is $225 per camper, and all proceeds go to Bay Area charities through the Drew Gooden Giving Fund. Want to know more? Visit DrewGooden.net, call 1-866-340-6356, or e-mail [email protected] — Kelly Vance
TUE 12
His name is Nicky, but you can call him Dre. Andre Nickatina isn’t a household name in the sense of 50 Cent, but then he isn’t your average gangsta rapper either. If 50 and the G-Unit are the musical equivalent of a Jerry Bruckheimer blow-everything-up-every-ten-minutes film, Nickatina is an indie homage to noir cinema whose subtleties are savored and appreciated by true aficionados, even as the masses get suckered in by the obvious and unoriginal. For example, look no further than the classic “Even Pimps Get Broken Hearts,” which sounds just as poignantly ironic as its title suggests. Nickatina has built up an impressive catalogue of albums in the last decade, and his latest, Halos and Horns, is currently one of the top- selling indie hip-hop CDs at local retailers. He comes to Blake’s tonight with Equipto for a show that should appeal to hardcore hip-hop and hardcore rock fans alike. BlakesonTelegraph.com — Eric K. Arnold
