7/16 African Culture Day-All Week Long

So if you believe what scientists say and not the holy word from those kinda creepy creationists, all human life originated in Africa. So by grand extension that means we’re all African, right? So with this little nugget of cultural origin tucked under your arm, everyone should celebrate their heritage at Oakland’s official African Diaspora Arts and Culture Day. Started last year by local arts organization Caribelinq and officially sanctioned by da Dellums for July 17, the celebration actually runs for the next 3 days, cuz let’s be honest, Africa has a lot of culture.

Things kick off tonight at Air Lounge with a special poetry and spoken word extravaganza featuring poets from Hot Water Cornbread, music by Hairdoo and a dance performances by Traci Bartlow & The Beautiful One. Tomorrow afternoon there’s a free artist reception and shindig hosted by da Dellums down in Frank Ogawa Plaza featuring culinary and cultural presentations from throughout the African diaspora. Then Friday’s big finale is a free screening of the bad ass concert doc “Wattstax” down at the Black New World, hosted by Oakland Film Society’s David Roach and Caribelinq’s Theo Williams. That’s 3 chances to get in touch with your inner African. Don’t miss out-Kwan

6/27 O Scene Weekend

Featured Event: Soulstice Swap

I got a call a few weeks back from the moms. She’d found a box of my old clothes and wanted to know if should she keep them or sacrifice them to the gods of Goodwill. When she started describing the threads it instantly took me back the early ’90’s, what’s referred to in hip hop as the Golden Age, when the usic was pure and the clothes were super huge and super bright-I’m talking purple jeans, orange and purple Nikes, multicolored Cross Colours button ups with the fitted baseball caps and jackets that matched the rest of the outfit way, way too much. And these were the stepping out clothes. We must have looked like a gang of hood peacocks. Needless to say the box got the donation treatment real quick.
If you’re in possession of such a box of unmentionables, or just have a closet full of last year’s designs you’re itching to get rid of, the homeys from Homeygrown have to solution: bring everything down to Soundwave Studios this Saturday for the Soulstice Swap, a knock down drag out free for all clothing and stuff swapathon. Just show up with your own bag of clothes, movies, books, music or nonperishables and dive right into the mountains of free schwag.
Homeygrown is a local arts and design collective with the mission to “provide a support system for striving artists by offering outlets for exposure.” In the past they’ve sponsored fashion shows, screen printed T-shirts, pushed artist created merch at local street fairs and thrown kick ass parties on both sides of the bay.
Saturday’s event should be another good time. And with the promise all you can drink beer and Sangria for 5 bucks, you just might find yourself coming home with a few questionable items, but hell, just toss them in the closet till next Summer. Unless you find a pair of Orange and Purple Nikes. I might want to get those from you.-kwan

Soulstice Swap
$5
3pm
Soundwave Studios
2200 Wood St,
www.homeygrown.org

Photos: San Francisco Carnival

The Mission was alive and in full color this weekend for the city’s annual Carnival celebration. Sunday’s parade brought out tons of people who lined Mission St. waving flags, dancing along with the festival music and soaking up the festivities. Check out the pictures from the event.-Kwan

5/2 Novoscene Weekend

Image courtesy of Hip Hop for President

Wake yo Game up!

I don’t think there’s much debate around the significance of the upcoming presidential election. Not only do we have two candidates, a woman and a black man, that have a damned good chance of winning the top spot but we also have the chance to unseat the party responsible for the last 8 years of failed international policy, economic downturns and general Anti US sentiment worldwide. To just say we have a lot at stake here would be a big ol’ fat understatement.
But the thing is, just how much does your vote count if things really don’t change much when the next set of suits step into the White House? And is saying that you voted in a historic election really that significant if it’s the only community minded thing you do all year? What about the historically low voter turnouts in low income communities nationwide? If anything, the people who need to have the loudest voices are often the most disenfranchised. What do we do about it?
These are the kinds of questions that’ll be flying around the room at the Oakland Museum tonight during the Wake Yo Game Up panel discussion and performance presented by the Town Business Network. A panel of deep thinkers, community organizers and activists are hoping to get down to the nuts and bolts of the electoral process, focusing the discussion on how to turn the political rhetoric into practical action, the factors affecting voter participation in urban communities and where do we go after the election, no matter who wins. The panelist will be addressing the issues with a particular focus on hip hop culture and ways that artists and cultural influencers can be a part of the change. Speakers will include Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, writer and historian Davey D, radio personality Chuy Gomez, journalist Eric K. Arnold and Town Business Network founder Charles Johnson. -kwan
Wake Yo Game Up!
Free
7-9:30
Oakland Museum
1000 Oak Street, Oakland
510-776-4644

4/11/08 Novoscene Weekend

Friday, April 11

Femi, Photo by Andreas Branch

R & B Fridays w/MoeSoul and Femi

Maybe it’s something in the Bay Area water that’s made the region such fertile soil for sultry soul, R&B and funk singers over the years, but whatever it is-from the Pointer Sisters to Sugar Pie DeSanto to the current crop of soul, hip hop and rock influenced musicians-there’s no denying that the Bay’s soul.

MoeSoul and Femi are two of the shining stars in a galaxy of talented but largely underground singers hitting up spoken word spots and jazz joints around the area. The Oakland divas to be have been putting in work for years, gigging from Jack London to Lagos and playing gigs with everyone from Les Nubian to Nelson Mandela.

MoeSoul is more of the straight ahead R&B singer. With sweet songs of lost loves, found loves and all the holdovers in between, she adds a moving soundtrack to the art getting busy. Femi’s music is a bit harder and belies her African and Puerto Rican heritage as she blends soul and hip hop with hints of salsa and rock-a little bit Mary J Blige rolled in with a little Tribe Called Quest and Celia Cruz.

Catch both singers performing with a live band tonight as part of Maxwell’s R&B Friday’s series. Proof that the funky legacy continues.

R & B Fridays w/MoeSoul and Femi
$10 presale, $15 at the door
9pm
Maxwell’s Restaurant & Lounge
341 13th Street, Oakland
(510)839-6169
www.maxwellslounge.com

4/9-4/19: DANCING WITH FIRE

The Crucible’s Romeo and Juliet (2007)

From Novometro

There’s art for a good cause, art for kids, and here’s some art that’s just for you (and yes, it also supports a non-profit). It’s amazing, it’s beautiful, and it will probably leave you feeling elated — unless you don’t like hybrids and fusion, in which case, this is not your cup of tea. But if you can handle breakdancers and acrobats in a classical ballet that doubles up as a fire performance, buy your tickets for Stravinsky’s Firebird “L’oiseau de feu.” If you’re wondering about the Firebird, it’s a Pontiac Firebird that will make a blazingly grand entrance. Buy your tickets now — they go fast.-Adara Levidis

When: 8.30 pm, April 9-12 and 16-19
Firebird Gala, Friday, April 18
Where: The Crucible, 1260 7th Street
How much: Tickets for the preview cost $35 in advance, tickets for the main performance cost $55 in advance, gala tickets cost $150. Members have a $5 discount for the performances. Tickets at the door cost an additional $5 over the non-members advance prices, if available.
For more information, go to www.thecrucible.org/ballet/index.html#1

2-08-08 Novoscene Weekend

-Zachary Royer Scholz, Situation 91207

Looks like it is going to be a bee yuu-tiful weekend, and it’s time to get out of the house, shake off the last few weeks of work, rain and political primaries. Take some time out this weekend to enjoy the outside, take a walk, go for a bike rise, plan a picnic, and when you’re ready to come back in, just check out a couple of this weeekend’s fine events.-kwan

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