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!
Just found this vid of a little dance off over at Clean Skate shop and thought it was cool. Thought the people should see it. Nothing groundbreaking just a look at what the kiddies are doing downtown after all the offices close.
Danceoff at Clean SkateShop:
And have you seen Gene Lee yet? For the last couple of years he’s been making the rounds downtown, lugging around his boombox and tennis racket and generally causing all types of relatively good natured mayhem and vying for the role of Oakland’s strangest character, right up there with Frank Chu and Dr. Shabubu. The stories have been racking up: Gene Lee playing tennis at the Whole Foods, Gene Lee getting buck wild at the Warehouse Party, and now Gene Lee freestyling outside of Cleanskateshop. Remember you saw it here first (unless you saw it first on vimeo).-kwanRead the rest of this entry »
Ever been to a hoe down? I mean a real hippified, jug band, backyard, bare foot, dust kickin’ kinda hoedown? Well, being from Virginia and having been fortunate (?) enough to get hitched to the String Cheese Incident, Keller Williams, Hot Buttered Rum Band set for a while, I’ve been known to get my feet dusty on occasion. And you can too, (granted, without the actual dust) as Ashkenaz hosts a show by Oakland roots and “Soul Tub” band The California Honeydrops.
While young in years the Drops are old in influence. Versed in varying types of American Roots Music (that catchall category encompassing Blues, Bluegrass, Ragtime, Gospel, Jug Band and music originating in rural Southern and Midwestern communities) the quartet of Lech Wierzynski, Nansamba Ssensalo, Chris Burns and Ben Malament play everything but the kitchen sink as they run through bluesy numbers and dance floor friendly interpretations of classic work by Big Bill Broonzy, Rae Charles, The Soul Stirrers and a long list of other acoustic artists that are being pushed more and more into obscurity with each digitally enhanced day.
Check them out tonight as they put a new hand clapping, foot stomping twist on some old classics. Some sweet southern licks right here in Bay. Bare feet optional.-KwanRead the rest of this entry »
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
Featured Event: Oaksterdam University Grand Opening Party
Oaksterdam, Smokeland, Amsterdam West. Over the years the Town’s liberal attitude towards smokin da herb has earned us some colorful monikers, won us praise for our forward thinking drug policy and resulted in Buddha knows how many raids by disgruntled federales none too happy with our tendency to more than happily inhale.
And while it’s possible the members of these various task forces could just be long overdue for a little smoke break, the founders of Oaksterdam University are taking steps to make California’s other green culture more palatable and respectable, while educating us on the finer points of building the perfect grow room.
What started as a weekend certification course last November has grown into a full blown educational program offering semester long courses on everything from horticulture to the politics and legalities of growing to how to establish and operate your own “Cannabusiness.” What to do if your spot gets bum rushed by federal agents? Need to know the finer points of Measure Z? Will G-13 or Bubble Kush grow better in your attic setup? Oaksterdam’s staff of trained professionals are here to help.
The classes have been so successful that Oaksterdam has opened a 2nd school in LA, and with well over 500 people enrolled at the downtown location, they’ve decided its time to move to bigger digs farther up Broadway. Just to air the place out a bit, y’know?
To celebrate the new location the university is opening it’s doors today to the curious public. Faculty members and volunteers will be on hand to answer questions and enroll those ready to begin their journey of (you knew it was coming) higher learning.
Admission to the party includes a one year membership to the Marijuana Policy Project as well as a screening of the documentary “Super High Me”, partially filmed in Oakland, which sheds a new if slightly cloudy light on the conflict between medical Marijuana in California and Federal drug laws.
There’ll also be a ventilated lounge for those who indulge and of course gobs of free hors d’oeuvres. Cuz with all that learning is bound to give anyone the munchies.-kwan
Oaksterdam University Grand Opening
$5
7pm
Oaksterdam University
1776 Broadway, Oakland www.Oaksterdam.com
If funky jazz with a hint of poetry sound like the ideal way to spend a Sunday afternoon, then you can’t do much better than the Backstreet Sunday Jazz Series, going down today at the Oakland Public Conservatory in downtown Oakland.
The once a month series has been serving up sets by some Bay Area jazz and blues heavyweights since it’s creation earlier this year and today’s performance with electric violin player J. Tarika Lewis promises to bring a bit of genre hopping to the normally cool series. Lewis, a respected live performer and studio musician, has been mixing musical styles for over two decades-from the post Bop and jazz standards of 1989’s “Class”, recorded with John Handy, to her recent spiritual sets with Destiny “The Harpist from the Hood” and the blues, rock and R&B inspired collabs with The Bobby Young Project. Today Lewis is joined today by Lynn Bryant on keyboards, David Daniel playing bass. And be sure to check out the vintage jazz films screenings during intermission and after the show.-kwanRead the rest of this entry »
“The day of the print publication is over” they say. “The next wave of media will be on the Internet” they say. “Brick and Mortar stores are a thing of the past” they say. Well good people, they-the far sighted culture predictors, print on demand enthusiasts and PDF magazine downloaders-need to bring their asses down to Issues, grab a good ol’ print copy of Razorcake, sift through some Italian Vogue and shut their glossy hatin’ traps for a few more years. This little shop is proof that the neighborhood books shop ain’t going nowhere yet.
Nestled near Peets Coffee off Piedmont Ave, Issues opened a year ago this weekend offering a wide rainbow of hard to find magazines, music, art books and accessories ranging from kitschy t-shirts to jewelry to hip little day planners. The owners Joe and Noella put a lot of time and effort into making sure they capture the local flavor and stock all the area mags from Oakbook (of course) to Planet to Swee (t) art, in addition to an entire wall of obscure art zines, trashy UK gossip pubs, music rags and “all the Vogues your little heart desires: Italian, French, Australian.” Speaking as someone who’s spent insane amounts of money on mags over the years, I could spend forever in this place-just give me a cuppa coffee, a quiet corner and a few hours to bliss out and I’m a very happy man.
They’re also big supporters of local artists and have featured shows by Swee(t) art Publisher Obi Kaufmann, Xopher Davidson and Olivia Warnecke. Their focus on Oakland centric merch has earned them a loyal following and judging from the list of businesses giving away prizes at their anniversary party this Sunday afternoon-including 1-2-3-4 Go Records, Crackerjacks, Down at Lulu’s and Spectator Books-the event should be full of loving supporters and bibliophiles. Expect lots of music, giveaways and if their website is any indication, an assortment of dips and finger foods that will boggle the mind.
So if you’ve had an itch for something of the periodical nature that Barnes and Noble and DeLauer’s just haven’t been able to scratch, get out from in front of the computer and head over to Issues this Sunday and get your browse on in real life the way God and Conde Naste rightfully intended. But be warned-I’ve got dibs on that last copy of Good Magazine, and I will fight you for it.-Kwan
Issues 1 year Anniversary Party
Free
noon-6pm
Sunday, June 1
Issues
20 Glen Ave, (at Piedmont), Oakland www.issuesshop.com
Calling all laptop producers, bedroom DJ’s and future Pete Rocks-your time to shine has arrived. The Red Bull Big Tune Beat Battle passes through town tonight and any hip hop beat junkie worth their vinyl will be at Sweet’s Ballroom for this beatsmith battle royale. And any savvy MC’s and music folk should be there too, scooping up the next generation of hot producers before they blow up and go all Scott Storch on the scene.
Now in it’s 4th year, the battle touches down in 8 cities around country, scooping up the best up and coming producers along the way. 12 DJ’s bring out their best tracks and go beat for beat to decide who’ll represent the Town at the the national finals in New York City later this year. The winner gets a stupid amount of free studio equipment, along with the national spotlight and the chance to collaborate with a major label artist at Red Bull’s Santa Monica Studio.
Picked from a pool of over 50 competitors, the final 10 producers battle tonight to unseat Oakland’s current champ Beat Roc (check dude killing it @ last year’s finals in the vid above) and runner up Wun O.A.K. for a chance to rep in the Big Apple. Along with the battle there’ll be performances by Rick Rock and Turf Talk and probably more impromptu freestyle ciphers than you’re likely to catch anywhere this year. Oakland come get musical.-kwanRead the rest of this entry »
At last Thursday’s reception for Cool Remixed: Bay Area Urban Art + Culture Now, the Oakland Museum’s Great Hall was overrun with young artists, media makers, organizers and parents, many who admitted this was their 1st time inside the Oakland institution. From the graffiti murals, scraper bikes and skateboards to the DJ’s, b-boying and brightly painted gallery walls, the space had an electric energy that hadn’t been much been associated with the Museum until last year’s staff changes.
Cool Remixed is the companion to the much lauded Birth of Cool and features installations of youth art and culture from area youth organizations including the East Bay Asian Youth Center, Youth Uprising, Oakland High’s Visual Arts Academy and Visual Element along with large scale works from local artists KDub, Mike Reyes and Ben Winslow. The exhibit runs through August 17th with special programs each month. Check out the pictures below then go to the website for more details.-Kwan
Tonight the Mills College Music Department, with the help of professor and violinist extraordinair India Cooke presents the ninth installment of the annual lecture performance series, “PATTERNS: MUSIC AND RELATED ARTS IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN TRADITION. This year’s symposium is titled “Celebrating Creative Music II : An Afrocentric Perspective”. It will consist of a panel discussion, musical performances, and audience participation sessions. The emphasis of the discussion will be the social, cultural, political, and socioeconomic aspects of improvised music.
Panel will include:
Dr. David Bernstein…..Mills College Music Dept.
Melanie Berzon……….Program Director of KCSM AT 91.1FM
Greg Bridges, KCSM-FM, KPFA-FM
Dr. Karlton Hester…… U.C. Santa Cruz, Jazz Studies, assoc. prof.
Roscoe Mitchell……….Mills College, Darius Milhaud Chair of Composition
Andrew Rosenthal…… New College media studies
Art Sato……………….. host of “In Your Ear” on KPFA
Angela Wellman……… Oakland Public Conservatory, founding director Read the rest of this entry »
In 2007 the Urban Alliance for Sustainability hosted a monthly Green Movie Night and Forum with the aims of presenting inspirational films, providing a platform for local organizations to interact and engaging the community in a group discussions. The series was so successful the group had to move the 2008 series over to the Victoria Theater’s 450 seat auditorium.
After a brief hiatus they’re kicking of this year’s festival tonight with a screening of The Power of Community, a documentary that follows the hardships, teamwork and resilience of a Cuban community in the 1990’s after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990, cutting trade profits and food imports to the small impoverished country. The film is followed, naturally, by a community discussion. Read the rest of this entry »
Ever been to a hoe down? I mean a real hippified, jug band, backyard, bare foot, dust kickin’ kinda hoedown? Well, being from Virginia and having been fortunate (?) enough to get hitched to the String Cheese Incident, Keller Williams, Hot Buttered Rum Band set for a while, I’ve been known to get my feet dusty on occasion. And you can too, (granted, without the actual dust) as Ashkenaz hosts a show by Oakland roots and “Soul Tub” band 
If funky jazz with a hint of poetry sound like the ideal way to spend a Sunday afternoon, then you can’t do much better than the Backstreet Sunday Jazz Series, going down today at the Oakland Public Conservatory in downtown Oakland.
