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!
If you’re just bursting at the seams to see some top notch athleticism and can’t wait ’til this Summer’s Olympics, or if you’ve just got a gaggle of kids running around with nothing to do over the next 4 days, then the 42nd Annual US Youth Games have the cure for what ails ya.
From now through Saturday, hundreds of the country’s best young athletes will be descending on the city for a full palate of muscle stretching, brain bending competition. Teens ranging from 13-15 will be participating, Olympic style, in tons of competitions including Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer, Swimming, Track and Field, Bowling, Golf, Double Dutch Jump Rope, Chess and Academics. The games also feature alternative Boating and Table Tennis exhibitions for the kiddies.
Things kick off tonight with the Opening Ceremonies over at Woodminster Amphitheater and continue at various locals around the city starting tomorrow. Get the full schedule over at the event website, then get out and support the next generation of US Olympians.-kwanRead the rest of this entry »
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-KwanRead the rest of this entry »
It’s that time of year again, when the parking lot across from the West Oakland Bart Station blazes bright into the night, huge metal dragons, robots and thingamawhutzits spring into fire spitting life and pyromaniacs from far and wide come to get their fix before heading to that big hot party in the desert.
Yes folks, It’s Fire Arts Festival time, and the Crucible’s annual fund raiser will be lighting up the sky around 7th and Nelson Mandela from tonight through July 12.
We’ve covered theCruciblequiteabit, but now this year there’s a snazzy new promo video that does the job a lot more succinctly-y’know that whole picture’s worth a thousand words thing. Video has this weird tendency to capture flaming burlesque dancers and spiraling columns of fire in a way that just doesn’t translate into words. Who knew? So anyway, here ya go.-kwan
Silence the Violence 2007. Photo courtesy of Ella Baker Center.
The Silence The Violence Campaign, working together with members of Leadership Excellence and United Playaz as well the administrators from Oakland, Richmond and San Francisco have declared June 18 as the official Bay Area Silence the Violence Day. Throughout the area candlelight vigils are being held to memorialize those lost to violence in the first 6 months of 2008 while issuing an areawide call for peace.
In a press statement from the Ella Baker Center, Silence the Violence campaign director Nicole Lee said that “curbing violence is a community effort and our community is putting out a united call for peace.” The flagship event tonight at Defremery Park in West Oakland will include the vigil as well as speakers from the community and families who have been effected by violence.
There’s been a lot of talk of public safety, halting violence and Oakland’s transformation into a model city. In addition to memorializing those we’ve lost already, tonight offers a great opportunity to get out, meet people who are doing grassroots work around the issues and create a plan for action, so we don’t have to memorialize any more.-kwanRead the rest of this entry »
When author Richard Wright died of mysterious circumstances in Paris in 1960, he was one of the most celebrated and controversial writers of his day. Even now, his novels-including Native Son and Uncle Tom’s Children-and nonfiction work like 1945’s Black Boy are still required reading for anyone looking for insight into African American culture and intellectual life.
Wright would have been 100 years old this year, and to honor the man and his art the Oakland Public Theater is hosting a yearlong celebration of his work and the artistry it has inspired. The project will culminate on September 4th-Wright’s birthday-with a play examining his life and influences as well as the rumors surrounding his death.
But for tonight, get a preliminary taste of what the OCT is cooking by heading down to the Oakland Main Library for Native Son (Remixed)-a reading series featuring reworks of the classic novel along with writing by his contemporaries, biographers and critics in addition to previews of the upcoming show.
For those unfamiliar with Wright’s work, this is should be a great intro. For those already well versed, come remember why he’s considered one of our countries greatest literary figures.-kwanRead the rest of this entry »
Got a boyfriend/girlfriend/otherfriend and another piece on the side? Do you want one? Do you feel bad about it and want to put it all out there, but are scared to get all polygamist on your main squeeze? Well open relationship and polyamory curious types take note-”Open: Love, Sex, and Life in an Open Marriage”, the new book by Jenny Block, is for you.
“Jenny Block was the average girl-next-door, a suburban wife and mother for whom married life never felt quite right. Deeply in love with her husband but unsatisfied with their sex life, Block didn’t believe her marriage was working - but also didn’t believe in cheating. “Open” tracks the rocky road from husband and wife to husband, wife, and others, and is an intimate look at one woman’s experiences in finding happiness for herself and her family with honesty, love, and commitment. Block brings an eye-opening perspective on polyamorous relationships.”
A great companion to the 1997’s open love bible “The Ethical Slut,” “Open” offers an intimate first person’s account of having your relationship cake and eating it too.-Kwan Read the rest of this entry »
From now through June 1, Cal Performances host the newest work by acclaimed director and writer Robert Lapage and the Ex Machina theater company-
“Robert Lepage is one of Canada’s most renowned artists, ‘a theatrical conjurer, whose dazzling shows have captivated audiences around the world with their mixture of storytelling and stunning imagery’ (The Guardian, London).
In The Andersen Project, he continues to push artistic boundaries with a work freely inspired by two stories by Hans Christian Andersen (”The Dryad” and “The Shadow”) as well as anecdotes drawn from the famed Danish author’s Parisian travels. This spellbinding solo piece draws on some of Lepage’s favorite themes: the confrontation of past and present, of Romanticism and modernism, and of recognized and underground art forms. In this fascinating piece, Lepage also explores more personal territories in questions about sexual identity, unfulfilled fantasies, and the thirst for recognition and fame that are drawn from Andersen’s life and writings.” Read the rest of this entry »
Oakland musical legends Too $hort and Dwayne Wiggins (Tony! Toni! Toné!) opened a new music studio/mentoring center in downtown Oakland last week. The full service music production center will double as a youth business incubator and education center where youth interested in learning the music business can get some hands on training from an experienced and rotating staff of musicians, producers and artists. Photographer Gene Hazzard took these shots at the release party.
Kaladrios is a Berkeley based group focusing on Greek, Armenian, Turkish, and Albanian traditional folk and dance music from the Eastern Mediterranean. The lineup includes violinist, oud player, and singer Aya Davidson; clarinetist Greg Jenkins; Dennis Demakos on laouto and vocals; percussionist-singer Sandy Hollister; and singer Lily Storm.
Don’t know much about the band, but the tracks on their myspace are a cool departure from the usual art galleries, hip hop, spoken word, random parties etc. Not that there’s anything wrong with those, but when’s the last time you heard a Bay Area 5 piece w/o at least one MC and not even a whiff of guitar. And they’ve got an oud and a laouto in the same band. The night promises to be a musical education for those used to hearing their music chopped, screwed and remixed. I’m going and I’m taking notes people. I just might learn somethin’-kwan
Berkeley author Michael Chabon (that’s “shea as in Shea Stadium, bon as in Bon Jovi”), has had pretty much the ideal writer’s life right from the word go: First novel published while still in an MFA program, second novel turned into a film starring Kirk Douglas, critical acclaim all over the place, international bestsellers up the wazoo, Pulitzer Prize firmly in his back pocket, etc. etc. etc.
But the man has earned his praise. His writing is expansive and metaphorical, wordy without being pretentious. and just damned good reading. In his newest novel, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, the fledgling state of Israel has collapsed in 1948 and the Jewish refugees settled in The Federal District of Sitka. For sixty years the refugees and their descendants have lived in this temporary Federal haven but Sitka is soon going to revert back to Alaskan control. The novel’s hero, Homicide Detective Meyer Landsman, has too much on his plate to worry about the upcoming Reversion; his neighbor has just been found murdered and he’s in love with his new supervisor.
Chabon reads tonight just as the Policeman’s Union is released in paperback and the Coen Brothers start working on the film version. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re just bursting at the seams to see some top notch athleticism and can’t wait ’til this Summer’s Olympics, or if you’ve just got a gaggle of kids running around with nothing to do over the next 4 days, then the 42nd Annual US Youth Games have the cure for what ails ya.
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.
When author Richard Wright died of mysterious circumstances in Paris in 1960, he was one of the most celebrated and controversial writers of his day. Even now, his novels-including Native Son and Uncle Tom’s Children-and nonfiction work like 1945’s Black Boy are still required reading for anyone looking for insight into African American culture and intellectual life.
Got a boyfriend/girlfriend/otherfriend and another piece on the side? Do you want one? Do you feel bad about it and want to put it all out there, but are scared to get all polygamist on your main squeeze? Well open relationship and polyamory curious types take note-”Open: Love, Sex, and Life in an Open Marriage”, the new book by Jenny Block, is for you.
From now through June 1, Cal Performances host the newest work by acclaimed director and writer 
Kaladrios is a Berkeley based group focusing on Greek, Armenian, Turkish, and Albanian traditional folk and dance music from the Eastern Mediterranean. The lineup includes violinist, oud player, and singer Aya Davidson; clarinetist Greg Jenkins; Dennis Demakos on laouto and vocals; percussionist-singer Sandy Hollister; and singer Lily Storm.
Berkeley author Michael Chabon (that’s “shea as in Shea Stadium, bon as in Bon Jovi”), has had pretty much the ideal writer’s life right from the word go: First novel published while still in an MFA program, second novel turned into a film starring Kirk Douglas, critical acclaim all over the place, international bestsellers up the wazoo, Pulitzer Prize firmly in his back pocket, etc. etc. etc.