1-23-09 O-Scene Weekend

Friday, Jan. 23

Town Bizness Townhall Meeting-Against Police Terrorism

You’ve read the news reports and seen the videos, now come hear the news from the family of Oscar Grant, the protesters who were there and the community leaders, artists and activists driving the action around Grant’s killing. The even is hosted by Block Report Radio’s JR Valrey and Black Dot proprietor and cultural curator Marcel Diallo.

Town Bizness Townhall Meeting-Against Police Terrorism
Free, donations accepted
6-9pm
Black Dot Cafe
1195 Pine St., Oakland
415.671.0789
www.blockreportradio.com
www.sfbayview.com

The Collective

This monthly showcase is where you go to catch the funkiest soul singers from the bay and beyond sharing the stage with a rotating cast of slick jazz and hip hop spoken word poets. Tonight Grammy nominated soul man Eric Roberson mixes it up with Oakland songbird Jimmie Reign and Oakland poetry slam champion Ner City.

The Collective
$20
8pm
Maxwell’s Lounge
341 13th St., Oakland
510.839.6169
http://www.maxwellslounge.com

Noir City: The 7th Annual San Francisco Film Noir Festival

Oh yeah, you gotta love this one-I mean just the fact that there’s a whole 10 day festival devoted to gritty 40’s and 50’s noir flicks is great enough, but this year is dedicated to “Newspaper Noir” and all the hard drinkin’, chain smoking, high and low minded scuzzballs that come with it. The program kicks off tonight with “Deadline U.S.A.”, the 1952 Bogart flick about a lone wolf renegade newspaper editor battling the infamous mob of racketeers. Clawing to get the story before final deadline.

Noir City: The 7th Annual San Francisco Film Noir Festival
Jan. 23-Feb. 1
Various times and prices
The Castro Theatre
429 Castro St, San Francisco
415.621.5288
http://www.noircity.com/

Saturday, Jan 24

Post-inaugural celebration

We’re only a couple of days into the Age of Obama but so far B-rock has been pretty on point with the executive orders. So recommending just one more Obama party makes sense. And the fact the tunes are coming from the Blues Society Caravan of Allstars makes it all the better. True to their name, the Caravan is a rotating collective of old school blues and R&B legends from around the Bay. An offshoot of Ronnie Stewart’s Bay of the Blues Society, the Caravan always brings the house down with the good old shimmie and shake. A cool event for the whole fam.

Post-inaugural celebration
7:30-10 p.m.
$15-20 (proceeds donated to the BFUU Sunday Music Program)
Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists
1924 Cedar St., Berkeley
510-841-4824
http://www.bfuu.org

Poetry for Gaza

A fundraiser for the Middle East Children’s Alliance featuring prominent area Arabian and Jewish writers coming together to share their views of the homelands. Featuring readings by Elmaz Abinader, Anita Barrow-Friedman, Chana Bloch, Aurora Levins Morales, Dyanna Loeb, Dina Omar, Deema Shehabi, Lenore Weiss. Co-sponsored by American Friends Service Committee, Arab Cultural and Community Center, Bay Area Women in Black, Code Pink: Women for Peace, Islamic Cultural Center, Jewish Voices for Peace, Tikkun Magazine, Wellstone Democratic Club

Poetry for Gaza: Poetry by Arab and Jewish Writers
$5-15
7-9:30pm
Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California
1433 Madison St., Oakland
http://www.mecaforpeace.org

The People

The 1st People of the year is here with a hometown lineup of heavy house heads including sets from DJ’s Cecil, Cali and Be Brown. The Tea chemists from Tealchemy will be in the back room blending up the special chi concoctions alongside treats from Taste of Africa and beats by DJ heyLove.
The People
$5 before 10, $10 after.
Oasis
135 12th St. Oakland
www.thepeopleoaland.com

Sunday, Jan. 25

Mexico Unconquered: A Dialogue on Empire, Resistance and Revolution

John Gibler, KPFA journalist and author of “Mexico Unconquered: Chronicles of Power and Revolt” leads a presentation and dialogue about Mexico, discussing its ongoing history of colonization and class struggle, along with a powerful undercurrent of grassroots resistance.

Mexico Unconquered: A Dialogue on Empire, Resistance and Revolution
10am-12pm
Institute for the Critical Study of Society
6501 Telegraph Ave., Oakland
415.575.5550
http://www.tifcss.org