Wednesday 4/15: In this time of the movement for “Black Lives Matter,” the release from Ecco Press/Harper Collins of Ryan Gattis‘s new novel, All Involved, about the Rodney King beating and the subsequent Los Angeles Uprising of 1992 is well worth noting. Gattis will be reading and signing books at City Lights. Free, 7 p.m., City Lights Bookstore.
“Braided: A Night of Music and Poetry Blended Beautifully” will be presented at a favorite venue, the quite beautiful Viracocha. An outstanding lineup of writers and musicians will include Becky Foust paired with musician Andrew Blair, Martin Hickel paired with songwriter Karlyn DeSteno, Blake Moore paired with guitarist Datiko Gee, Patti Trimble paired with musician Cello Joe, and Hal Robins paired with songwriter Dawn Oberg. Free, 8 p.m., Viracocha.
Slam enthusiasts will want to make the scene for The Berkeley Slam‘s 2015 Grand Slam Finals to hoot, stamp, snap, and cheer for their favorites. Whaaaat? $10, 8 p.m., The Starry Plough.
Thursday 4/16: Lacuna and Rock Paper Scissors Collective are hosting a Zine Panel + A Spontaneous Reading. The panel will include zine creators V. Vale (RE/Search and Search And Destroy), Tomas Moniz (Rad Dad), and Andrew Cole (zine coordinator for RPSC). The Spontaneous Reading will feature audience members (YOU, perhaps?) pulling zines randomly from the archives and read sections aloud. Free, 7 p.m., Rock Paper Scissors Collective.
Jack Hirschman is a Poet Laureate Emeritus of San Francisco, Beat legend, political activist, and author of The Arcanes, a 1,000 page collection published in 2006 hailed by many (I’m one) as a masterpiece. He is also the subject of a documentary film, Red Poet, by Matthew Furey, screening tonight. Jack will be present (and reading), along with the filmmaker. Other fascinating folk are likely to show up. Free, 7:30 p.m., Bird and Beckett.
Friday 4/17: Recommendation from Paul Corman-Roberts: Nomadic Press is the new “it” kid on the block in Oakland. In addition to putting up an ambitious reading schedule at their storefront salon in the heart of the Fruitvale neighborhood, they are a full-fledged press with a full publication schedule. Their latest installation comes this Friday, with East Bay legend MK Chavez reading with out of town guests Michelle Ruiz Keil from Portland, and long time Los Angeles legend/hero Billy Burgos, with musical interludes provided by the new “it” girl in the East Bay art scene, the multi-talented and ass-kicking Annelyse Gelman. Free, 7 p.m., Nomadic Press.
Popular series Lip Service West, co-produced by Joe Clifford and Justine Clifford, features Steven Gray, Lisa Martinovic, Rob Pierce, Jon Sindell, and Susanna Solomon. Free, 7:30 p.m., Pegasus Books.
Saturday 4/18: Rolling Writers, Jon Sindell’s reading series at Rolling-Out Cafe, presents Queer-Nami featuring queer lit by Michael Aleynikov, Blythe Baldwin, Andrew Demcak, Rick May, Colleen McKee, Vincent Meis, and Genanne Walsh. Pianist Run Yang Liu will perform music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Plus pastries! Free, 6:30 p.m., Rolling-Out Cafe.
Sunday 4/19: A highlight of Spring by the Bay is the open house at the Headlands Center for the Arts. The Center currently has 19 artists in residence in all disciplines. The open house will feature readings, open studios, demonstrations, and various works in progress spread out over the entire multiple building campus. Perched high above the Bay in the Marin Headlands, where you can gaze down upon the Golden Gate from above, the Center is located in the midst of some of the most spectacularly beautiful geography in the world. Free, 12-5 p.m., Headlands Center for the Arts.
Tuesday 4/21: The Poetry Series at The Top of the Mark continues with former SF Poet Laureate Jack Hirschman and his equally distinguished spouse, Agneta Falk, accompanied by George Long on the saxophone. Free, 6:30 p.m., The Top of the Mark.
*
This week’s very enthusiastic theatre recommendation is King Lear as staged at The Emerald Tablet by The Independent Eye, a company consisting of two actors (husband and wife team Conrad Bishop and Elizabeth Fuller) plus 20 hand puppets. Bishop and Fuller bring 40 years shared experience to this astounding rendition featuring Bishop as the eponymous King and numerous other characters. Elizabeth Fuller plays The Fool and Cordelia and occasionally provides narration. Fuller also provides a stunning musical score created entirely with her voice. This extraordinary tour de force is the creation of truly great theatre artists who deserve to be very widely celebrated. For a video trailer, click here. For a review, click here. For further information, click here.
*
This week’s featured local author is Gabriel Cortez. (Click here to read an interview.)
