San Francisco Music Blog

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Massenet's Thaïs
1550 Fell
Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009

Better than: Finding Jesus

San Francisco Parlor Opera, the young company that in May introduced audiences to the concept of Faust in a house, brought its unique brand of chamber opera to the Zellerbach Mansion at 1550 Fell on Saturday night with the opening of its production of Jules Massenet's Thaïs. A run at the Met last season notwithstanding, this tale of an Egyptian courtesan and the monk who tries to save her soul while battling his desire to jump her bones is not generally considered part of standard operatic repertoire. But then, neither is it standard for performers to take their final bows in someone's backyard in front of an enthusiastic sellout crowd of maybe 50.  

When I heard that SF Parlor Opera had chosen Thaïs for its third production, I didn't know quite what to expect. The title role is one that gives even world-class sopranos pause, and without someone who can execute it brilliantly, a company may as well not bother staging the opera at all. While Patricia Urbano was a charming Marguerite in Faust, this role didn't afford her the chance to demonstrate whether she had the voice and charisma necessary to sing Thaïs.  After last night's stellar performance, there's no question that she has both.

Terrence McCarthy

​Verdi's Otello
War Memorial Opera House
Friday, Nov. 13, 2009

Better than: Most professional athletes' returns from retirement

Local opera fans may not realize it, but they owe a debt of gratitude to Giulio Ricordi and Arrigo Boito. Without the machinations of these two -- a music publisher, and a composer and librettist -- Giuseppe Verdi may well have ended his career as a composer of operas after 1871's Aida, and consequently his Otello never would have premiered 16 years later. And, of course, we would not have the chance to enjoy the excellent production currently being staged by the San Francisco Opera, which capably handles nearly every aspect of what is often considered Verdi's greatest and most complex work.

Otello the opera is, obviously, based on Othello the Shakespeare play, and it was in part the opportunity to work with such compelling dramatic material that coaxed Verdi out of his self-imposed early retirement. Though librettist Boito considerably condensed the play, doing away with all of the first act and cutting out several characters and other scenes, what remains is hardly lacking in action -- the essence of the tale of the titular Moorish warrior; his faithful yet unfairly accused wife, Desdemona; and Iago, the congenitally evil presence who schemes to ruin the pair.

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"One Day: A Collective Narrative of Tehran" @ Intersection For The Arts

Taraneh Hemami of San Francisco and Ghazaleh Hedayat of Tehran teamed up to curate "One Day: A Collective Narrative of Tehran," describing life in the city through the eyes of its artists. The show (at Intersection For the Arts) acknowledges the ephemeral quality of a place that has been exciting and volatile through the years. Aside from Hemami, who was born in Tehran and came to the United States in 1978 to attend college, the participating artists reside in Tehran. Using photography and mixed media, they present work that responds to daily life in Iran, illustrating culture in a city of almost eight million people filled with variables and contradictions. Viewers may recall Hemami from her beautiful Transcendence installation at YBCA this spring, which was a response to war and strife in the Middle East. Three prayer rugs, pointing east, were constructed of shattered glass and ashes. The paradisiacal tree of life was detailed on the rugs in blue, orange, and clear glass. Her sharp, aesthetically gorgeous social commentaries are well complemented by the work of her colleagues, and further illuminate life in a country so physically distant but constantly present in our news.

A free opening reception starts at 7 p.m.

EKAphotography

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The party in the park is, quite possibly, hip-hop's most singularly enduring tradition. Saturday's Estria Invitational Graffiti Battle honored that tradition - and then some. Held in conjunction with the Living Word Festival, the National Poetry Slam, Hood Games and Life Is Living.org's Life is Living Festival, the event took over deFremery Park, which was buzzing with vibrant energy. In addition to live graffiti painting (this year's theme word was "grow"), there were b-boy battles, live performances by poets and musicians, eco-sustainable booths, and much more. Visceral activity was just about everywhere, and not a single one of hip-hop's foundational elements was overlooked--if anything they were added to.

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Oh, No: Pharaohe Monch

​ Oakland's own Vogue TDK took home the top prize for his piece, a 3-D calligraphic masterpiece which used bamboo symbolism to convey the idea of verdant, active plantlife. Life performers included Marc Bamuthi Jacobs, Linda Tillery & the Cultural Heritage Ensemble--who performed folk songs from the Underground Railroad era--the Kev Choice Ensemble, and Pharaohe Monch, who rapped with such intensity, he bloodied his lip. All in all, it was an extremely good look for hip-hop, reminding people that there is no substitute for organic community-building.

EKAphotography

2,3 Break: B-boys in a cipher

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Yes, He Can: Estria

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The fascinating subcultural (and frequently subterranean) world of graffiti art surfaces this week, as the third annual Estria Invitational Battle, organized by Bay Area spraycan art legend Estria (in conjunction with Marc Bamuthi Joseph's Living Word Festival), gets underway. The festivities begin tomorrow with the Can Film Festival, a free event at the 1:AM SF Gallery featuring screenings of the films "Style Wars" and "Bomb It," and an illustrious panel including moderator Jeff Chang, Estria, Suzie Lundy and Kevin Epps. On Friday, Pecha Kucha Night at East Side Arts Alliance in Oakland presents "Don't Sweat the Technique," an exhibition/discussion featuring 10 graffiti artists showing 20 slides, promoting social change. On Saturday, Oakland's deFremery park becomes ground zero for the culminating event, the Estria Invitational Graffiti Battle, bringing together 16 of the nation's top graffiti artists, as well as workshops and a black book battle.

Tim Wagner

​The Walt Disney Family Museum is gearing up to open its doors in early October after several years of meticulous planning and lobbying by several of Disney's children and grandchildren.

Tim Wagner

​The museum will tell the story of Walt Disney, who raised animation to an art and transformed the film industry, leaving one of the world's largest entertainment companies as a legacy.

Tim Wagner

​The museum's collection of three historic San Francisco Presidio buildings are renovated former military barracks, a gymnasium and a supply shed. The buildings house 10 linked galleries, a 114-seat screening room, learning center, museum store and cafe.

Cory Weaver

Patricia Racette (Giorgetta) in Il Tabarro

Puccini's Il Trittico
War Memorial Opera House
Sept. 18, 2009
Better than: Nicorette

If you're trying not to fall off the no-smoking wagon, be warned that SF Opera's current production of Giacomo Puccini's Il Trittico may leave you with a powerful urge to light up.  Characters in all three of the one-act operas that comprise this work bust out the nicotine (the finale, in particular, features levels of tobacco usage not generally seen outside of Mad Men). This retro proclivity is perhaps not inappropriate, given that the work was last staged in its entirety in S.F. in the heavy-puffing year of 1952. Fortunately, though, incidental props aren't all that's smoking-hot in this lively, multifaceted production, directed by James Robinson and first staged by New York City Opera.

In an unusual feat, Patricia Racette takes on all three main soprano roles -- the dissatisfied wife of an older barge captain in Il Tabarro; the titular nun with a heart-wrenching past in Suor Angelica, and the coquettish ingénue in Gianni Schicchi -- and excels in all three, displaying remarkable dramatic versatility as well as a showcase-worthy voice. (Indeed, SF Opera general director David Gockley chose to stage Il Trittico specifically to capitalize on Racette's talents.) The memorable sets by Allen Moyer and strong performances by fellow cast members form a worthy context for this undertaking.

Entrancing: Cheb i Sabah

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On the heels of such global groove projects promoting humanitarian causes as NextAid and Project Ahimsa comes San Francisco to Uganda. SFtU is a silent auction fundraiser whose proceeds support three organizations involved with on-the-ground eco-sustainable, health, and education work in Uganda: Building Tomorrow, ShantiUganda, and YouthAIDS.
The event boasts a nice selection of musical talent: Sila and the Afrofunk Experience, Cheb I Sabbah, DJ Amir, master African drummers, and more.
For $25 admission, you get all that, plus food courtesy of Radio Africa Kitchen.
It all goes down next Thursday (Sept. 24), at 111 Minna. More information is here and here.

Terrence McCarthy

Marco Berti (Manrico) and Sondra Radvanovsky (Leonora)

​Verdi's Il Trovatore
War Memorial Opera House
September 16, 2009
Better than: Experiencing the Anvil Chorus solely through Ragu pasta sauce commercials.

According to no less an authority than Enrico Caruso, all you need for a good performance of Il Trovatore are the services of the four greatest singers in the world. I couldn't say whether the principals in San Francisco Opera's current version meet that exalted standard, but the stellar performances they gave on Wednesday night -- in the context of a visually impressive production by David McVicar and spirited conducting by new musical director Nicola Luisotti -- were more than enough to save Verdi's 1853 crowd-pleaser from its own inherent excesses and shortcomings.

You don't really go to the opera for the finely crafted plots, and Il Trovatore is no exception. The story can only be described as intensely silly; sort of a mash-up of Tosca and the "you killed my father; prepare to die" bits from The Princess Bride. Also potentially problematic is the fact that the first two acts involve more telling than showing, as they are constructed around narrated accounts of past events rather than immediate action. Thus, it falls to the performers and the production designers to work some compensatory magic -- in the absence of either top-notch musicianship or compelling staging, the whole affair would be an incoherent drag. Fortunately this production is engaging enough as a spectacle to keep tedium largely at bay, and the singers in the four main roles represent the cream of a cast with no real weaknesses.

Painting by Borish

​One of the coolest SF art galleries around is D-Structure. The Haight Street spot is continually presenting some really interesting exhibitions in the urban art realm, such as The Black Art Show, an exhibit opening on 9/11 presented by Trust Your Struggle. The show features "visual experimentation" with black &white pieces from Borish, Cece, Erin Yoshi, Miguel Perez Bounce, Robert tres Trijillo, Scot LaRockwell, and Shaun Burner, with music by DJs Wonway and Pele. There's also an after-party at Nickies with the Whooligan and Dion Decibels. For more info,or to RSVP, click here.

He Gets Raw: Big Daddy Kane

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A little while back, Davey-D ran an article on his website reminding readers of the lyrical magnificence of Big Daddy Kane, the Brooklyn hip-hop artist who defined the term (and repped the label) Cold Chillin'. Best known for his ferocious verbal onslaughts in tracks like "Ain't No Half Steppin" and "Raw," Kane set the bar high for Golden Age MCs - a standard which, unfortunately, has been all but lost in the 50 Cent/Soulja Boy era.

On Sunday, Lyricist Lounge co-founder, Current TV producer, onetime Earhustle promoter, and independent filmmaker Ant Marshall hosts the SF premiere of his film "BDK," a documentary of "one of hip-hop's most notable legends." The event, held at Yoshis SF location, kicks off Independent Artists Week  (IAW), which continues with music, film, and art events through September 12. Peep a trailer of "BDK" here. PS: act fast, and you might just cop free tickets to the entire week's events with an RSVP here .

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One of the things that makes art so exciting is that artist who is able to create something beyond what you could have imagined - especially when it's a whole new world for you to get lost in.

Oakland-based artist Scott Hove has done just that with his "Cakeland" installation. Regardless of whether or not you are a fan of sweets, this world Scott has created is sure to draw you in. But be careful, for while you might have the urge to take a bite, the cakes on display may just bite you first.

Scott will open his Cakeland exhibition tomorrow, September 4th. The opening reception runs from 6-10 p.m. at Cakeland Gallery, 5600 Shattuck Avenue in Oakland. And now, onto the interview...

NIMBY Targets: Black Eyed Peas

​In a clear case of covering all one's bases, the SF Chronicle has managed to both support this weekend's massive Outside Lands festival and criticize it. This past Sunday, the three-day extravaganza garnered lots of Pink section coverage, with a Joel Selvin feature whose headline declared "Outside Lands gets ready to rock." The Datebook cover package also included an Aidin Vaziri Pop Quiz with Jack Black & Kyle Gass of Tenacious D, and a list of bands and set times  for those attending the festival.

Sunday Datebook editor Sue Adolphson called the festival a "megamusic event" and compared it to Woodstock, while Selvin's article, which included an interview with Another Planet Entertainment impresario Gregg Perloff, noted "the festival does not lack for star power. But the real pleasures of Outside Lands will be found scattered on all eight stages across the Polo Field, Speedway and Lindley Meadow."

Yet just one day later, in Monday's SFGate, blogger Michelle Richmond took up C.W. Nevius' NIMBY torch with a post highly critical of the festival. Unfortunately, Richmond failed to do even basic research which might have informed her viewpoint. The ticket prices were an easy target for Richmond's ire: "If I want to take my preschooler to the meadows this weekend, it will cost us $89.50 (per person) for the day, $225 (per person) for three days. In this economy, those ticket prices aren't exactly appealing to the masses."

Too Expensive? Tom Jones

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Ok Michelle, we understand that that's a wee bit more than you might expect to pay for two tickets to see Tom Jones  (who appears at OL) at the Starlight Room--although you'd probably want to get a babysitter (in case you feel the need to toss your granny panties at Mr. "What's New, Pussycat"), so you'd probably break even on that one, all told.

And, we have to wonder: is your preschooler a Pearl Jam, Black Eyed Peas or Dave Matthews Band fan? Does your tot rock out with his wee-wee out to Os Mutantes, Atmosphere, Zion-I, Zap Mama, Raphael Saadiq, Lila Downs, Incubus, or Street Sweeper Social Club?

If so, $90 for a full day of incredibly diverse music doesn't seem so exorbitant; lots of folks are paying those prices (which amounts to approximately $4 per band), and as the Chron itself noted back in January, the festival is expected to raise as much as $ 1.7M  ($950,000 of which is guaranteed) for the cash-strapped SF Parks & Rec Dept.

Jazz Channeler: Terrence Brewer

​Local jazz just got a big boost. SFJazz has announced "Hotplate," described in their PR as"a new concept from SFJAZZ that features a different Bay Area artist each month, interpreting the music of their favorite jazz legend. Generously supported by The Wallace Foundation, the Hotplate program provides new performance opportunities for local jazz talent and is set to run continuously through 2011."

The monthly series will be held at Amnesia, with an opening set by DJ Vinnie Esparza, and kicks off September 10 with Terrence Brewer playing the music of Wes Montgomery. Future Hotplates include Wil Blades playing Jimmy Smith, Joe Bagale playing Ray Charles, and Spaceheater playing Rahsaan Roland Kirk. For more info, click here.

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Michael Franti at 2008's PTTP

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Watch out, Outside Lands and TIMF! Power to the Peaceful--Michael Franti's annual free party in Golden Gate Park--has announced the lineup for this year's throwdown, which is expected to bring between 50 and 75 thousand people. The featured artists this year are not only one of the strongest PttP bills to date, but stack up well against the big-time acts at the other, non-free, music festivals happening later this fall in San Francisco.

In addition to headliners Franti and Spearhead, confirmed artists for the Sept. 12 event include Alanis Morissette, Sly & Robbie (!) with Cherine Anderson, and Vieux Farka Toure. The opening slot was snagged by SF conscious MC Sellassie, and in addition to the main stage, there is a morning yoga practice, "1,000 Yogis for Peace"; a keynote speech by Tibetan Buddhist Namkha Rimpoche, and a DJ tent with Miguel Migs, Ren the Vinyl Archaeologist, and others. More info is here.

Franti has also announced an after-party at the Fillmore, featuring the "Rocking Heads," an ensemble of artists performing at PttP, playing Talking Heads covers. That show, unfortunately, is not free, but sounds like it might be worth the ducats.

Ramblin' Man: Ramblin' Jack Elliot

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Before there was freak-folk and alt.country, there was Freight & Salvage. The venerable Berkeley folk music venue and coffeeshop has been around since the days when bluegrass was just "grass," and jug bands were the order of the day--41 years, to be exact.

On August 27, as the Chron recently noted, the long-awaited Grand Opening of the Freight's new downtown Berkeley venue at 2020 Addison happens, commencing a week of celebrations and musical performances, including the 21st Annual Freight Fiddle Summit with Alasdair Fraser, Liz Carroll, and Darol Anger's Monster Quintet, the David Grisman Quintet, Greg Liszt & the Deadly Gentlemen, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, and a Bluegrass Blowout, featuring Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands, Bluegrass Intentions, the Kathy Kallick Band, High Country, and Jim Nunally & Keith Little.

The concerts highlight the Downtown Berkeley MusicFest (Aug 27-30), which features more than 40 events at fourteen venues. And, the Freight curates "Moved by Tradition," a music-focused art exhibit at the Addison Street Gallery.

Community members, folksters, and Americana fans are also invited to attend August 29's open house from 12 noon-5 p.m., featuring 52 workshops, eight performances, and tours of the new facility. And finally, on August 29, from 10 a.m.-noon, the nationally-syndicated radio show, West Coast Live, hosted by Sedge Thompson and featuring Laurie Lewis, will be broadcast live from the Freight's new building. More info on the whole shebang is here.

Kirsty Evans

​The New People World center, which just opened with much fanfare in Japantown this last weekend, is a monument to the increasing American interest in Japanese pop culture. This modernistic glass and steel structure houses two clothing boutiques, a shoe store, a gallery, a store selling all kinds of cool toys and housewares, a coffee shop, and the brand new Viz cinema in the basement.

Kirsty Evans

​The mall opened on Saturday with a huge street fair centered around two stages, one in Peace Plaza and another just outside the mall itself, and a row of exhibitor booths. Highlights included the Harajuku Kawaii Experience on the main stage, during which TsuShiMaMiRe, Red Bacteria Vacuum, and Noodles all played live. There was also a makeover courtesy of temporary mall guests 6%DOKIDOKI, the winner of which got a return ticket to Tokyo courtesty of Japan Airlines. Other events included the premier of the movie 20th Century Boys, with a special appearance by one of the film's stars, actress Takako Tokiwa, and a fashion show by Baby The Stars Shine Bright and Alice and the Pirates.

Joseph Schell

The first of many eye-catching garage doors on Lilac Alley.

​San Francisco is full of graffiti, so when I received the assignment to photograph artsy garage doors around town, I didn't really bat an eye. But as I soon found out, it took a bit of searching (I won't lie, I actually had to zig-zag through several neighborhoods, combing the streets for graffiti), digging online and turning an attentive eye on my daily city travels. I also found there is an extensive little-seen community that keeps tabs on walls, alleys and buildings all around the city -- and they know exactly what's going on where in the street art world. This is a somewhat closed community that guards their privacy and don't like people asking questions. After dealing with an unwilling few, several talked.

For wall murals and alley art, S.F.'s Mission District really is the central hub of activity. One could put together a very interesting art walk centralized around the massive amount of color, expression and creativity found in the Mission alone.

Enjoy.

EKAphotography

J-Boogie's Dubtronic Science

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As astute readers of local alt. weeklies may have noticed, there's little love lost, if at all, between the SF Weekly and its cross-town rival, the Guardian. It's safe to say the two papers are at odds, and always will be. But while it's unlikely that the Weekly's annual Music Awards show or Best of SF parties will ever be recognized by the other weekly and its cohorts, it's only fair to give credit where credit is due--especially when a free party featuring local music is involved.

Tonight at Mezzanine, the Guardian presents its annual Best of the Bay shindig, which this year features a pretty cool lineup: Sila & the Afrofunk Experience, J-Boogie's Dubtronic Science, Sellassie, Stanley Frank, and the Fresh & Onlys, plus dance performances by the Lusty Lady Dancers and Project Em, DJ sets by Paul Paul & Lucky, and Master of Ceremonies Broke-Ass Stuart. Say what you will about the Guardian's predictable pseudo-lefty leanings and their Quixotic crusades for pet peeve issues, but this show is free before 9 p.m. We're not advising that anyone get there after 9 pm, when admission is $10, but we don't have a problem if you want to go gratis. More info is here.

EKAphotography

Collar-Poppin' time: Lyrics Born

​It's probably safe to say that in its 72-year history of free concerts, no one has ever 'popped their collar' onstage at Sigmund Stern Grove. Score another milestone for Lyrics Born.

Hey DJs, and wanna-be DJs! I know you just got (Serato/Traktor/other vinyl-emulation software) last month and your laptop sets are in full freakin' effect for rockin' super-fresh mash-ups at house parties.

But what I really wanna know is, how's your skratch technique? You can crab, flare and juggle blindfolded with one hand behind your back, correct?

Wait, what's that you say? You thought flares were only used for roadside emergencies? Crabs are something you overheard your older sister say she had? And juggling is something you've seen clowns do at the circus?

No sweat, son. All-universe turntablist DJ QBert has your back. The original Invisibl Skratch Pickl, Dr. Octagon collaborator, former DMC World Champion, and animated movie auteur recently opened up a virtual school of scratching, Qbert Skratch University, which breaks down everything you always wanted to know about how to make that wiki-wiki-wiki sound, but were afraid to ask.

QSU's curriculum consists of "his entire method and everything he's learned in the last 20 years," and includes video lessons in Vinyl Skratching, Digital Skratching, a "Training Dojo," and Master-level classes, plus tips on setup and gear. Registration is $60 for three months, and according to QSU staff, the school currently has students from over 20 different countries. To register, click here; sample lessons (including the basic "Baby Skratch," the Flare or "two-click Orbit skratch," the "Tazer," and the "Swipe Family") are here.

Is that your typewriter or are you just happy to see me?

All tied up and nowhere to go? Have a closetful of spandex and PVC? Tired of just watching grainy BDSM clips on the Internet? Like playing Dungeons and Dragons - minus the Dragons? Interested in exploring your wild side?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, you'll probably feel right at home at Saturday's Marquis Fetish Ball at Supperclub. It's a virtual Disneyland for the corset-and-cuffs/latex-and-leather set, what with a performance by bondage babe and author Midori, a live model casting, beats by DJ Netik, an aerial performance by Evacide , live drawings by Suzanne Forbes, a fetish performance by Satine Phoenix and Athena Fatale, a fashion show by Blacklickorish Latex Design, a "play dungeon," theme rooms, a raffle, and MC the Baroness.

Attendees are advised to come "dressed to thrill" in fetish attire and must be 21 years or older. If that sounds like your ideal Saturday evening out, here's your link for kink.

The Bicycle Film Festival in San Francisco
Multiple locations: See here.
Joyride Art Show: Market Street Gallery - 1554 Market Street
Ever gold Gallery - 441 O'Farrell
Better than: Critical Mass
Also see: The Film Festival Trailer

It's the stuff of nightmares: A clear fall afternoon in Manhattan. Van driver opens his door. Door hits bicycle. Bike and rider get shoved into passing bus. (The story takes a hairpin...) Bike rider, former SF denizen Brendt Barbur, eventually dusts off injury and indignation turns the experience - and his insurance settlement - into a teachable moment. That was the inauspicious genesis of the Bicycle Film Festival. The festival became a way for Barbur to earn more respect - and personal space - for his fellow two-wheelers while sharing his love of the bicycle culture. Now in its 7th year and an international event (Lisbon, Copenhagen, Tokyo, Stockholm, London, etc.) that draws 250,000 people, the BFF just landed in San Francisco for its five-day run.

Barbur envisions the event as an arts and cultural celebration. As such, in every city the festival starts off with a concert called Bikes Rock! "The DJ's and bands we have at Bikes Rock! and our other events are also bikers. So it's just another way to get people excited about riding their bike." I heard that the local shows Tuesday and Wednesday night at the Independent hit just the right note of freedom and fearlessness with two sold-out concerts by the Italo/Japanese trip/pop band Blonde Redhead. (Gave up my tickets to take my dog to emergency.) BFF publicist Jill Meisner described the trio's tight set as "Maybe the best concert I've ever been to."

Hypnotic & Harmelodic: Ornette Coleman

SFJAZZ has announced its 27th season, which kicks off October 10 with a Thelonious Monk birthday party and ends November 21 with a "Double-Barreled Blues Bash" featuring Keb' Mo and Solomon Burke.

Highlights include October 22's show, "Afro-Cuban Keystones," with the Omar Sosa Quintet and the John Santos Sextet; October 28's "Meeting of the Minds" with Bela Fleck, Zakir Hussain, and Edgar Meyer; Dee Dee Bridgewater's "Tribute to Lady Day" on October 30; and November 8's "the Essence of Expression" with Ornette Coleman. For a complete list of performers click here or here.

Q: when is a puppet show not just a puppet show?
A: When the puppets referred to are the Puppet Folk Revival Band.

On July 31st, CellSpace hosts the West Coast concert debut of Rockin' Puppet Mayhem: the Puppet Folk Revival Band. Described in their PR as "an unholy blend of the puppetcraft of The Muppets performing a morphed version of faded and jaded rock survivors like Metallica and Spinal Tap--all sprinkled with the very blue banter of Red Orbach, an English-speaking Israeli version of South Park's Cartman."

Alrighty-then.

The spectacle of five life-sized puppets who appear to play their own instruments while performing satirical, Tom Lehrer-on-opiates originals (often ad-libbed) and pop culture covers has already been a huge hit in Israel, where PFRB originates from. But not only will PFRB's performance be something special (especially strange, at the least), it also marks the first musical concert ever presented by the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. Watch a video of PFRB performing Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" here, Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" here, and David Bowie's "Space Oddity" here.  For more info, click here.

Chris Hardy

Ailyn Pérez as Violetta Valéry

Better than: Sex (work).

It figures, doesn't it, that it was Rhett Butler -- that manliest of men -- who opined that reputation is something people with courage can do without.  Change "people" to "men," add italics for emphasis, and you'd have the take-away lesson from Verdi's La Traviata.  (That, and young soprano Ailyn Pérez is brilliant -- more on that shortly.)  Its heroine -- one of the more fully realized female roles in traditional opera -- is hardly lacking in courage. But when reputation is reducible to sexual purity, and that purity or its lack determines your place in the world, reputation suddenly seems tyrannical rather than dispensable.

The plot, as my date for the evening observed, falls into the time-honored camp of "let's kick this [lady] around for three acts and then watch her die." Violetta Valéry, a Paris courtesan with one hell of a bad cough, accepts the romantic advances of upper-crusty Alfredo Germont, and all is dandy until papa Giorgio Germont shows up to remind Violetta that she is -- how to put this politely -- a whore. Angst and noble self-effacing gestures ensue, the cough gets worse, and by the time Germont père comes round to the notion that whores are, like, people too, Violetta's on her deathbed. Uplifting stuff.

Picky Studio

The $109 T-Shirt

And now, a Fashionista Alert (courtesy of KBLX DJ Sterlng James): High-end (as in $109 t-shirts) urban couture house Picky Studio is the featured designer in "Picky 4 Life," a fashion show and fundraiser for non-profit group Fashion Arts & Youth Enterprise going down tonight at Roe restaurant at 6 p.m.

The event, produced by Charleston Pierce, also features jewelry by Michelle Lochin-Wiggins and Lina Shatara, choreography by Ronnie Reddick, and music by DJ Rauchad Reed (we're thinking it's probably house music, but you never know). Suggested donation is $20.

Wassup, World: Markus James and the Wassonrai

To travel around the world this weekend, all you have to do is hop on BART and come to Berkeley.

The annual Berkeley World Music Festival happens Saturday, June 6, with various ethnic music specialists and purveyors of global rhythms in an around the Telegraph Avenue area--as well as a full-on concert showcase in MLK (aka Provo) Park, headlined by Zimbabwean world music legend Thomas Mapfumo. The concert showcase also features Freddy Clarke's Wobbly World, Markus James and the Wassonrai, Stephen Kent, and Julia Chigamba & the Chinyare Ensemble, while the Telegraph players include Moh Alileche, Sukhawat Ali Khan, Helene Attia Quartette, Dr. Loco, and the Black Olive Babes. There's also a craft bazaar and a poetry festival. Best of all, the entire festival is free--no passport or visa required, either. More info is here.

EKAphotography

Acoustic Yogi: Michael Franti

Nothing's more peaceful than yoga. And nothing's more powerful than music. If that sounds like an appealing combination to you, then you'll want to be at the appropriately-named Green Ballroom of the SF War Memorial & Performing Arts Center on June 6 for a full day of - you guessed it - yoga and music, with proceeds benefiting the free Power to the Peaceful concert in Golden Gate Park.

The day begins with a morning yoga session (bring your own mat), led by Sianna Sherman and Diana Vitantonio, accompanied by live acoustic music by Michael Franti. After a short break, Franti returns for another set, with special guests TBA, DJs, a silent auction and "yummy finger foods." Suggested donation: $40 for yoga, $50 and up for afternoon gala. More info is here and here.  Oh, and save this date: Sept 12 -- when PttP returns for its 11th edition.

Maker Faire
Sunday, May 31
San Mateo County Expo Center
Photos by Sam Prestianni

Better Than: watching Star Wars with my robot girlfriend.

Freaks and geeks welcome! That was the unofficial motto of the 4th Annual Maker Faire, Make magazine's premier showcase for do-it-yourselfers of all stripes who live to build unusual, beautiful things and sometimes blow them up.

Burning Man regulars were there, of course, from Acme Muffineering with their giant bicycle-powered cupcakes, to the visionary techies responsible for daring to imagine the Electric Giraffe, a 1700-pound, 17-foot-tall, skeletal replica of everyone's favorite zoo attraction. Also on the local freak front, pyromaniac Charles Gadeken (of Flaming Lotus Girls fame) torched the hell out of an outsized rusty blossom, while the mad scientists of Steampunk and Kinetic Steamworks brought their trademark machine sculptures to life via the power of very hot air.