This is the Oakland blog for people living out loud. True to the Oakbook philosophy, we’ll tell you where to go, what to do, and what’s really going down in the town and around the Bay. From parties to films, peace protests to flag football, if there's a there there, we'll blog it.
Invite us to things. We're great at parties.
If you've got events, photos, videos, announcements or general news on all the happenings in the Bay, send 'em over to Kwan Booth at kwan (at) theoakbook.com. And don't be afraid to leave a comment. Don't be shy...come over and talk to us. You just might get lucky!
As the folks over at 21 Grand continue their battle with the gods of permits and city bureaucracy, here’s another reason why this spot really needs to stay open. Tonight’s show features experimental drummer William Hooker performing a live score for “Symbol of the Unconquered,” a rarely seen 1920 silent film from filmmaker Oscar Micheaux, arguably one the greatest and most underrated directors in the first half of the last century.
Hooker, who moved to New York in 1974, remained fundamentally faithful to the aesthetic of free-jazz… starting with the double-LP Is Eternal Life (1975), a set of collaborations with other improvisers, including tenor saxophonists David Murray and David Ware. Rediscovered by Sonic Youth’s guitarist Thurston Moore for the rock audience, Hooker returned to a more abstract and free-form kind of creative improvisation. His recent work has included projects with Zeena Parkins, DJ Olive, Lee Renaldo, and Christian Marclay. Opening set by the Weasel Walter Quintet (Liz Allbee - trumpet, Aurora Josephson - voice, Jacob Lindsay - clarinets, Weasel Walter - drums, William Winant - percussion).This quintet featuring five idiosyncratic, skilled improvisers from the bay area scene creates a music that tempers microscopic detail and nuance with bloodyminded humor and chaos.
Here’s a video of Hooker scoring the film at last years’ Rhythm in the Kitchen Jazz Festival
By most accounts, Annie Hall and Manhattan are Woody Allen’s best movies (although to be honest, I think Celebrity and Sweet and Lowdown are tops). The flicks catch Allen at the height of his mature neuroticism, after the slapstick of What’s Up Tiger Lily and before the “just a little too dry” newer stuff like Cassandra’s Dream. Both screen tonight as part of BAM/PFA’s 90 year anniversary tribute to United Artist Films. Check ‘em out. Cuz anxiety, depression and angst of this magnitude deserves to be seen on the big screen at least once.-kwan
Annie Hall’s Best scenes: (Best Line “We’ll kiss now, we’ll get it over with then we’ll go eat, we’ll digest our food better.”)
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
As the 5th anniversary of the war passes and the death toll for U.S. soldiers tops 4,000, tonight the humanist hall is offering just one more reason to question the intelligence of the “War on Terror”:
“This film by Greg Palast explores the connections between the Bush family, the Saudi Royal family and the Bin Laden family of Saudi Arabia. It covers much of the same Saudi ground as “Fahrenheit 9/11″ but it makes a bolder assertion: that the real reason for the war in Iraq is to wrest incredibly rich oil fields from Iraqi control and give them to international oil corporations. There is a lot of background on George Bush’s early career in the oil business and in Texas politics, and how Bush and Saudi money and influence smoothed over the bumps in his spotted career…What emerges is a story about a spoiled rich kid who never really had to suffer the consequences of his life choices. More than any other documentary, this one shows how Bush’s life of regal privilege has convinced him that he can get away with anything. He benefitted from powerful connections which smoothed over his problems. Way back behind him, pulling the strings and providing ample money, is the vast wealth of the Saudi Royal family, the Bin Laden family and Enron money, before Enron went belly up. It explains the energy policy and the current military strategy of the U.S. If you want to know where that policy came from, just follow the money.”
Bush Family Fortunes
$5 donations
7:30-9pm
Humanist Hall
390 27th Street, Oakland www.humanisthall.org
No matter if you’re a rapper or an heiress, a bona fide star or a wannabe mogul, you might want to check out tonight’s free movie screening for the behind the scenes dope on the diamond industry. In her 1st film, Hip Hop journalist and editor Raquel Capeda takes an investigative look inside the world of Bling with a cast of unsuspecting, but jewel encrusted hip hop impresarios.
Rappers Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan, Paul Wall and Tego Calderon travel to war-torn Sierra Leone, West Africa, and get a crash course in “blood diamonds” The dirty not to little secret of the multi million dollar industry so deeply entwined in hip-hop. The film explores the cultural significance of diamond jewelry in hip-hop and traces its evolution from early ’80s old-school ghetto culture to the bling-encrusted billion-dollar industry it is today. Featuring Ishmael Beah, best-selling author of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier and interviews with Kanye West, Big Daddy Kane, Jadakiss and Mr. T. There will be a community discussion following the screening.
From wine tasting to booty shaking, art tours to praise songs, this weekend’s events combine the sacred and spiritual with the secular and the satirical, kind of like the novometro gang. With only slight leanings towards the secular. Just slightly.-kwan
By the way, look out for Oakbook vol. 2 at these fine locations. You’ll be glad you did!
Friday, Feb. 22
Planetary Alignment
Planetary Alignment is a new live arts performance talk show dedicated to artistic empowerment, ecology, education, health, enterprise, and global awareness presented by Laney College and Peralta TV. This opening show will feature performances and conversations with community arts and artists including musicians Hairdoo, dance companies Starchild Dance and Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet and live painting by Oakland muralist Khufu. The show will be hosted by the husband/wife hip hop/soul raggae duo Fiyawatah.
Planetary Alignment live taping
Free
8pm
Laney College Theater
900 Fallon St in Oakland
415.608.3207 www.peralta.TV
Until recently it was widely believed that the tradition of the Buddhist hermit had been all but wiped out, but Amongst White Clouds, by director Edward A. Burger reveals the culture is alive and thriving and has remained so for the last 5000 years. The documentary provides and inside look at these reclusive figures-Buddhist students and masters living in scattered retreats dotting China’s Zhongnan Mountain range.
One of only a few foreigners to have ever lived and studied with the monks, Burger’s work is a lens into a little known culture. Inspired in part by Bill Porter’ book Road To Heaven: Encounters With Chinese Hermits, White Clouds chronicles the everyday joys and hardships of those who have chosen to live a life of isolation in the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment. -kwanRead the rest of this entry »
From it’s extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is an animated 20-minute documentary that looks at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. The film will be followed by a community discussion with the director.
The Story of Stuff
Free
7pm
The Center for Urban Peace
2584 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, Berkeley
866.PEACE2008 | ext 6 www.newdharma.com
The official weather forecast for the weekend predicts lots of rain and cold throughout early next week. It’s a damned shame because the Novometro events forecast for the weekend predicts lots of gems for those brave enough to battle the winter weather. Cool jazz, soulful R&B, white hot shopping and some thought provoking cinema are in store for those who can resist the call of the comfy cozy couch. -kwan
Last weekend was all about Ghouls and Goblins and things that go bump when you’re drunk and stumble over them (but maybe that’s just us).This weekend we’re mellowing out with some poetry, a little art, a little soul and jazz and, if you’re feeling really frisky-some spooky surrealist Japanese Anime.For a good cause of course…
No matter if you’re a rapper or an heiress, a bona fide star or a wannabe mogul, you might want to check out tonight’s free movie screening for the behind the scenes dope on the diamond industry. In her 1st film, Hip Hop journalist and editor Raquel Capeda takes an investigative look inside the world of Bling with a cast of unsuspecting, but jewel encrusted hip hop impresarios.
