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If you cannot join us for the Celestial Screening under the stars this week at the Maui Film Festival, you'll have to check out the always interesting San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival June 13-30th! It's too late to volunteer, but I love that they have such clear information about the process--please send me volunteering information you have about all venues--it's certainly the best way I know to afford a show and support it! We are missing the fourth annual San Francisco Black Film Festival this week, 6/12-16, buy you can check it out! Hawaii's one and only Keali'i Richel will be at the free and beautiful setting of the Stern Grove Festival on Sunday July 14th. We'll be getting there early so let us know if you would like to join us with blankets and food and games! Keali'i Richel will also be at the Community Music Center at 544 Capp Street, San Francisco at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, July 12 to discusses the native arts and culture of the Islands. Last Hawaiian tips for the day: Jake Shimabukuro and others from the Sounds of Hawaii tour will be at Border's (it's free so you don't have to buy any Border's merchandise) in Pleasant Hill 6:00 p.m. on June 28th. Here is a well updated list of other Bay Area Hawaiian events, and if you want to hear the sounds of Kauai wherever you may be, listen to KKCR Radio on your computer. Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam opens on 6/18 at Theater on The Square. Featuring nine poets and a DJ, it could be quite a production. Ushers are currently needed if you want to check it out for free for a little of your labor. Thirteen Conversations About One Thing just opened in the San Francisco Bay Area to extremely favorable reviews. Candice saw it at at the opening night screening of the San Francisco International Film Festival courtesy of its accomplished and fellow UCSC alum editor, and she also highly recommends it. We just missed "How to be a Secret Agent Girl" at the tiny, invaluable Venue 9 on 9th Street in San Francisco, but the next many Sundays there is a provocative looking comedy series called The Sevens Sins series. Let us know your favorite sin and we'll join you there. The Second Annual SFDocfest just ended, but there are lots of interesting screenings happening at Jezebel's Joint on 510 Larkin at Turk. Check out the upcoming screenings. Josh Kornbluth has apparently
actually done it. The San Francisco Mime
Troupe are set to open their season July 4th in Dolores Park with
the Kornbluth penned Mr. Smith Goes to
Obskuristan. Be there, or at one of the many other dates throughout
Bay Area parks this summer. If you missed Josh's inimitable Haiku
Tunnel in the theaters, buy it now on video or DVD, and surely see
the monologue when he performs it again! We missed the New Foundland sound of Great Big Sea at Slim's a coupla months back, but we hope to catch the Irish magic of The Saw Doctors at Slim's on June 27th. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts has some outstanding events going on as usual. I'm focused on the following two upcoming films. Having just read an Angela Davis' Blues Legacies and Black Feminism book on Billie Holiday, Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, and Bessie Smith, I'm certainly interested in (from http://www.yerbabuenaarts.org/filmvideo/index.htm): "STRANGE FRUIT by Joel Katz Filmmaker Joel Katz delves into the history and legacy of the song "Strange Fruit"—written by Bronx Jewish schoolteacher Abel Meeropol in the 1930s and best known in a Billie Holiday rendition—using it as a vehicle to explore the intricacies of Black/Jewish relations. Katz surveys the song's eternal relevance and impact through interviews and performances with a diverse range of artists and activists including Amiri and Amina Baraka, Pete Seeger, Abbey Lincoln, Cassandra Wilson and many others. Preceded by a selection of vintage jazz short films." There are several other jazz related films being screened this month, and also a likely powerfully disturbing film being shown in association with the Arab Film Festival organization on June 26th (also from http://www.yerbabuenaarts.org/filmvideo/index.htm)L "INVISIBLE WAR: DEPLETED URANIUM AND THE POLITICS OF RADIATION
by Martin Meissonnier Did America bomb Iraq, Bosnia and Kosovo with radioactive waste? In
these conflicts, the American army's use of depleted uranium Weapons
effected the mass destruction of enemy tanks and armor, while minimizing
casualties among its own troops—so we've been told—but is
it true? Documentary filmmaker Martin Meissonnier set out to find the
truth about this new and mysterious weapon, in a groundbreaking inquiry
that took him from France to Germany, the United States, Dubai, Iraq
and Kosovo. Preceded by Children of the Embargo, by Amer Alwan (2000,
27min, video), a look at the aftermath of the US bombing of Iraq and
the subsequent decade-long UN embargo." So check out "Invisible War" with us to learn some too infrequently discussed truths about the 21st century morality of the U.S. military. The very diverse media of the Queer Arts Festival is underway all this month at various venues in San Francisco. We're particularly curious about Kate Rigg's CHINK-O-RAMA with David Jung as MC Chink Daddy and featuring the Chink-O-Rama Dancers at the Brava Theater in our former neighborhood through Sunday, June 16th. And monologist Reno will be at the Brava in Rebel Without a Pause June 18-23rd. PBS is honoring LGBT Pride month with a number of worthwhile programs and resources all month long. This might be a great year to check out the Kate Wolf Memorial Festival in Laytonville (6/28-30), especially since our very favorite Linda Tillery and The Cultural Heritage Choir will be present. Has anyone heard anything about Linda Tillery's health--I heard a concerning reference to her health on KPFA over one month ago, but have not found any information about it. Hope all is well and we will be able to see her very special performance group soon. They are also scheduled to appear at the Marin County Fair in San Rafael on July 7th. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band from New Orleans is going to be at the fair on July 4th and at Santa Cruz' Rio Theater on July 5th. Dar Williams is going to be at the tiny Palms Playhouse in Davis on July 8th for two shows, and we won't leave until she sings "When I Was a Boy" for us. She is also at the larger but all quite nice venues of Villa Montalvo in Saratoga on 7/7, Rio Theater in Santa Cruz on 7/9, and Bimbo's in SF on 7/10. Back to music and the Northwest, does anyone have any recommendations about Western Canada summer music/folk festivals? We are contemplating a road trip this summer through the northwest and certainly would like to include a Canadian folk festival as possible. If you are lucky enough to be in Toronto this week (6/13-15) or New York in mid-July (7/11-14), please tell us all about the Jane Siberry performances. If you have never seen her live, go now! And Jane, please come back to 30 View Lane soon! If you're in New York the second half of this month, ell us about the 3rd Annual Hip-Hop Theater Festival (6/18-6/29). Who can update me with the new email address of Manhattan's newest inhabitant, Mark Lehmann? He should go to the festival this year and he'll figure he's performing in it by the 4th Annual. Comedy Celebration Day is Sunday, August 18th this year at The luscious Sharon Meadow in Golden Gate Park. Be there for old or new time's sake. Still promoting my very favorite performer/writer, David Cale, working on a two person theater project with the also amazing Anne Galjour at Yerba Buena Center for The Arts. I believe it is going to be in November. I'll keep you posted as this is a performance I am certain will be very worthwhile from two very talented beings. Finally Jonathan Richman is performing in twelve states over the next twenty days. Check and see if he is coming to yours. |