The new Easy Leaves video for the song “Get Down,” directed by Sebastian Nau, is a sweet little tribute to the band’s Sonoma County roots. I’m not sure where the video was filmed (maybe Petaluma?), but there’s lots of shots of lush and rolling emerald hills, grazing cows, tractors, and craggly live oaks. The premise is simple. Main band guys Kevin Carducci and Safe Fifield wake up to a day of drudgery in the fields when all they want to be doing is playing music with their friends and drinking Lagunitas beers until the wee hours of the night. It’s a simple paen by these 2011 NorBay Award Winners to the joy within “an ocean of smoke and wine.”
The Easy Leaves bring their North Bay Americana to the Great American Music Hall on January 4th. More info here: http://www.theeasyleaves.com/
In the late ’70s and much of the 1980s, when people wanted to play the latest video games, they didn’t turn on the TV and fire up the PlayStation. They went down to the nearest video arcade, dropped some quarters into the blinking, blurring, electronic-music-making machine of their choice, and were transported—right there in public—into a world of space invaders, centipedes, Pac-Men, paperboys and asteroids. Today, the once-thriving arcade biz has been driven to near-extinction by the multibillion dollar, often-internet-driven home-video-game business, providing an endless stream of interactive entertainment for the lonesome formats of television, laptops, tablets and cell phones. But there are still a few places to play your favorite game in public, alongside others who still appreciate the noisy thrill of the live arcade experience. Video Bob’s Starbase No. 1 Arcade, in downtown San Rafael, is a good, old-fashioned, bells-and-whistles mom-and-pop operation, not unlike the one nostalgically portrayed in the hit animated movie Wreck-It Ralph. One of the last dedicated arcades in the Bay Area, Star Base Arcade, run for years by Bob Allbritten, is a splash of newfangled video magic with the pleasantly retro charm of days gone by. 1545 Fourth St., San Rafael, 415.459.7655.—D.T.
The 25 Days Project is an online series through the month of December spotlighting some of our favorite local businesses. Read more about the project here, and about our commitment to shopping locally here.
I’ll never forget the night I packed the final batch of my things in my station wagon and drove away for the last time. She even made me take the cat, which I guess was fair. It was 1999, and I was single again, driving to my new one-bedroom apartment. Might as well learn to cook, I thought, as I pulled into G&G Supermarket. Starting with something easy—I think it was stir-fry—I asked an employee for tips about kimchi. Quickly, I learned that everyone working at the store had ideas on cooking, and was happy to help craft my clueless ambition into edible dinners for one on a nightly basis. Those dinners are now for two—whoops, three, actually!—but they’re still bought at G&G. They’ve got a huge selection, great prices and scads of lesser common items that continue to pique my imagination after 13 years. Markets that take your whole paycheck try to seem home-spun with handwritten signs and folksy decor, but G&G’s vast collection of vintage promotional items and signs from the 1980s (the Virginia Slims conveyor belt splitter!) are proof that the Gong family has been embedded in the community for generations. And, they occasionally sell weird things, like antique telephone wire insulators (see photo). You ain’t gonna see that at Safeway, that’s for sure. 1211 W. College Ave., Santa Rosa, 707.546.6877; 701 Sonoma Mountain Pkwy., Petaluma, 707.765.1198.
The 25 Days Project is an online series through the month of December spotlighting some of our favorite local businesses. Read more about the project here, and about our commitment to shopping locally here.
Since it was founded back in 1988, Bedrock Music has been an oasis for central Marin music lovers caught in the bustle of the Miracle Mile. Boasting an impressively wide genre selection for such a slight store, the store has gem-heavy vinyl bins that sometimes reveal 45s from Phil Collins, Cyndi Lauper and other random ’80s pop stars. It’s owned by Four Winds West, a transitional nonprofit providing vocational training to at-risk young adults, so you know your dollars are going to a better place. The greatest contrast with corporate culture is undoubtedly their shift to Bedrock Music and Video a few years ago. With a focus on art house and foreign films in addition to popular titles, they’ve filled a desperate need for a DVD rental store in North Marin, especially after the recent closure of the beloved Movie Star Video in Ignacio. Unlike the big, red-slot-machine-looking thingie at every supermarket in the world—with its deceptively low daily rental price—Bedrock carries the latest TV shows on DVD. They’ll even give you an extra day or two if you need it, free of charge. Who can watch a whole season of Boardwalk Empire in a weekend, anyway? 2226 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.258.9745.—David Sason
The 25 Days Project is an online series through the month of December spotlighting some of our favorite local businesses. Read more about the project here, and about our commitment to shopping locally here.
SF Symphony conductor Michael Tilson Thomas says hello
The San Francisco Symphony’s opening night performance at Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center was beautiful and exciting. Each player in the symphony is fantastic individually, and together under the baton of the rockstar of the classical world, Michael Tilson Thomas, the orchestra elucidated every ounce emotion in the evening’s music program. Weill Hall, the acoustic gem and main hall of the GMC, plays gorgeously to this. The premier acoustic space seems to widen the ear canal, allowing for more sound to be heard at once than ever thought possible. The pieces on this night showcased this clarity.
Richard Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks (Op.28) begins with a sneaky little theme, proceeding to take the listener through all sorts of jollity but always with the sense of danger right around the corner. After all, a little mischief never hurt anyone, just don’t get caught. The clarinetist in this piece has a challenge, playing extremely high notes, the highest the instrument can make. I ran into a much loved SSU music professor during intermission, and he suggested this piece was specifically chosen for tonight to showcase the acoustics of the hall. I couldn’t agree more. The fast runs in the higher registers translated not into harsh overtones, but velvety notes that were easily followable in the clarity of the space. When the merry prankster does get caught (and executed), the low bass and drum notes were ferocious, vibrating my loose pant legs (or was that just my legs trembling from the tremendous magnitude of unamplified sound?)
The only sound that hasn’t made me gush so far in this hall is the low mid frequency. It can sound a bit muddled, especially with piano. On opening night with superstar Lang Lang at piano, his dexterous Mozart performance was lost a bit in this register, and parts of the SF Symphony performance were not as sonically brilliant in this area during faster sections. It sounds as though this frequency takes longer to develop than others in the hall. But really, this is splitting hairs. It’s not a problem so much as an observation. MTT and Yefim Bronfman take a bow
Yefim Bronfman’s playing on Beethoven’s 5th piano concerto (Emperor) was superb. It was not flashy or self-indulgent but more bold and heroic like the piece itself. Though it did not have the passion one would imagine of Beethoven himself pounding the ivory keys, demanding more from his instrument than ever thought possible, it was not lacking for emotion, either. Whether it was just my ears or the players adjusting to the space, during the first five minutes it felt like the piano was just a hair too soft. But soon after, everything settled in. From then on it was pure ecstasy, like listening to a fabulous recording on the best audio system, but it was real, and it was happening right in front of us. I was reminded of this when, during a quiet moment just before the piano flourish at the end of the final movement, a cell phone, ironically with the “piano” ringtone, went off somewhere in the building. This only made enhanced the experience for me with its reminder that it was taking place in reality.
Also performed this evening was “Pandora,” which the SF Symphony had just performed for the first time the night before. This 20-minute piece for strings written by SF Symphony assistant concertmaster and violinist Mark Volkert in 2010 again showcased the heavenly acoustics of the main hall with several solos and double basses playing extended low notes, vibrating the floor in some cases. It is a 21st century work, to be sure, but it is more accessible than some newer pieces. It’s a story piece with a concrete narrative following the Greek myth of Pandora, and can be followed without too much confusion and with beautiful imagery. Volkert was in the audience and came up from his seat to shake hands with MTT after the piece. Both looked quite pleased with the result.
The sad truth of a generation hooked on mp3s is they will rarely experience a full acoustic experience in music. Earbuds are a terrible listening device, reproducing, at best, about two-thirds of the human hearing spectrum. The best mp3 is 25 percent of the data of a full recording compressed into the middle of the frequency spectrum where our ears are tuned to listen more easily. Without getting too technical, let’s just say the sound is flat and lifeless. The main hall at Sonoma State’s Green Music Center is the anti-mp3. It is pure sonic expression, giving music a forum to be heard as it was intended by its creator and perhaps even enhancing it through the warmth of the acoustic environment. Though their home, Davies’ Symphony Hall in San Francisco, is stunning in its own right, I wouldn’t be surprised if members of the SF Symphony prefer playing in Weill Hall. This was the first of four SF Symphony performances at the Green Music Center for its 2012-2013 season, and hopefully next season features even more.
Calistoga Inn experienced a fire in late August, and locals are awaiting its renovation while reflecting on owner Rosie Dunsford. “Rosie has had memorial services for many Calistoga locals who have passed over the years,” JoLe server Cooper Lenhart explains, adding that she also “takes in all the misplaced drunkards.” The electrical fire did $500,000 worth of damage and affected 70 employees, and the inn’s closing clearly effects the community at large. Special events shower the calendar of the inn’s regular holiday schedule: from Fat Tuesday to New Year’s Eve, the inn’s lovely patio serves meals aplenty, and don’t forget the annual Pauper’s Feast close to Christmas. Last year, the menu included a choice of lamb, chicken or vegetarian, rosemary bread, and chocolate peppermint cake for dessert. All for $16, with caroling to boot. Lenhart goes on: “She always takes care of the town. Calistoga Inn is the local fun-loving place of Calistoga. The whole town is dying for them to re-open.” 1250 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga. 707.942.4101.—Elise Guillot
The 25 Days Project is an online series through the month of December spotlighting some of our favorite local businesses. Read more about the project here, and about our commitment to shopping locally here.
Nicki Minaj may have won best rap/hip-hop artist at the American Music Awards, but her brand of party-down, sexed-up hip-hop isn’t all that’s out there. Personally, I like my hip-hop in the form of Dead Prez, who came out of New York in the late ’90s and stepped onto the national radar with the 2000 album Let’s Get Free. Fronted by M-1 and Stic, the group’s revolutionary spirit comes through in lyrics like “Would you rather have a Lexus or justice?” from the album’s breakout hit “Hip Hop.” (The song so impressed Dave Chappelle that he used the instrumental version as entrance music on The Chappelle Show.) And then there’s “Malcolm Garvey Huey,” which calls out Mumia, Fela Kuti, Malcolm X, Bobby Seal, Huey Newton, Marcus Garvey, Stanley “Tookie” Williams and Nehanda. Now that’s deep. Dead Prez play on Saturday, Dec. 8, at Aubergine. 755 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. $20—$25. 9:30pm. 707.861.9190.
These days, seeing the word “fuck” on an album cover is about as exciting as watching Taylor Swift date a Kennedy, but back in 1969, it could send a band straight up shit creek without a paddle. That’s exactly what happened to ’60s San Francisco band Sons of Champlin and their double album Loosen Up Naturally. According to a Champlin roadie, the offending word was surreptitiously written into the album art proof by a scorned woman looking for revenge. When Capitol Records discovered the hidden “fuck,” it was too late—Loosen Up Naturally had already returned from the printer. Legend has it that the job of scratching out each and every fuck fell on two lowly temps, paid for by the band. Let’s assume Sons of Champlin have recovered when they play on Friday, Dec. 7, at the Uptown Theatre. 1350 Third St., Napa. $35. 8pm. 707.259.0123. —Leilani Clark
Sonoma County’s local music scene continues to grow, and this week, the Redwood Empire Food Bank benefits from this talented pool at the release fundraiser for ‘Real Music: A Taste of Sonoma County, Vol. 2.’ Hosted by Oliver’s Market, the lineup features a true who’s who of local musicians on three different stages, including the Highway Poets, Doug Jayne, John Courage, Buzzy Martin, Baby Seal Club, Alison Harris and the Barn Owls, B. C. Fitzpatrick, Jill Cohn, Frank Hayhurst and the Real Music All Star Band, Josh Windmiller with the All-Star Hoot Band, Tony Gibson, McKenna Faith and the David Thom Band. All proceeds go to the Redwood Empire Food Bank, and it all goes down on Friday, Dec. 7, at the Sebastopol Community Center. 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. 7pm. $10 plus a can of food. 707.795.9400.
Snoop Dogg, AKA Snoop Lion recently did a Q&A session on social networking Internet aggregator site Reddit.com (they’re called AMA–Ask Me Anything–and President Obama did one just before the election), answering hundreds of questions, far more than other celebrities, with 10-words-or-less answers. What catches my eye is the answer to “How weed do you smoke in a week?” with a simple “81 blunts a day x 7.”
This is why I love the Internet. The ensuing discussion includes calculations of just how much weed that actually is. One person says 22 pounds per year, and is promptly reprimanded for calculating “matchstick-sized blunts.” The actual amount for Snoop-sized blunts, assuming two grams per blizzle, is 130 pounds a year. The post is then corrected further to equate to 131.98 pounds.
This breaks down to one blunt every 12 minutes, assuming eight hours of sleep per 24 hours. But obviously, Snoop does not smoke all of those on his own, Snoop is a giver and has a large crew. He might take just one hit of any given blunt, but that still counts.
Sure, the rap legend changed his persona and made a record of reggae with no rapping whatsoever on it, which just dropped a single on Youtube. But the questions didn’t really focus on this, and Snoop, to his credit, didn’t really push it that much. He just answered questions, no matter how obscure, for hours. Other vital Snoop-formation:
– Snoop-approved munchies include: pistachios, Fritos BBQ Twists and Red Vines
– The only people to smoke HIM out are Willie Nelson, Wiz Khalifa and B-Real
– Snoop’s favorite stoned album is Curtis Mayfield’s “Superfly”
– OG Kush is Snoop’s favorite strain of marijuana
– He prefers Cadillacs to trains
– Snoops’ favorite performance was on the Arsenio Hall show.
– Snoop enjoys soccer and plays FIFA 2012
– He was weed-free about five years ago for 164 days straight.
– Snoop enjoys kung-fu movies.
– His guilty musical pleasure is K-POP
By the way, Mr. Dogg/Lion is playing at the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma on Dec. 15 ($70) and the Uptown Theater in Napa in Dec. 14 ($60). Bring some BBQ Twist Fritos and see if he wants to chill after the show.
The new Easy Leaves video for the song "Get Down," directed by Sebastian Nau, is a sweet little tribute to the band's Sonoma County roots. I'm not sure where the video was filmed (maybe Petaluma?), but there's lots of shots of lush and rolling emerald hills, grazing cows, tractors, and craggly live oaks. The premise is simple. Main band...
In the late ’70s and much of the 1980s, when people wanted to play the latest video games, they didn’t turn on the TV and fire up the PlayStation. They went down to the nearest video arcade, dropped some quarters into the blinking, blurring, electronic-music-making machine of their choice, and were transported—right there in public—into a world of space...
I’ll never forget the night I packed the final batch of my things in my station wagon and drove away for the last time. She even made me take the cat, which I guess was fair. It was 1999, and I was single again, driving to my new one-bedroom apartment. Might as well learn to cook, I thought, as...
Since it was founded back in 1988, Bedrock Music has been an oasis for central Marin music lovers caught in the bustle of the Miracle Mile. Boasting an impressively wide genre selection for such a slight store, the store has gem-heavy vinyl bins that sometimes reveal 45s from Phil Collins, Cyndi Lauper and other random ’80s pop stars. It’s...
The San Francisco Symphony’s opening night performance at Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center was beautiful and exciting. Each player in the symphony is fantastic individually, and together under the baton of the rockstar of the classical world, Michael Tilson Thomas, the orchestra elucidated every ounce emotion in the evening’s music program. Weill Hall, the acoustic gem and main...
Calistoga Inn experienced a fire in late August, and locals are awaiting its renovation while reflecting on owner Rosie Dunsford. “Rosie has had memorial services for many Calistoga locals who have passed over the years,” JoLe server Cooper Lenhart explains, adding that she also “takes in all the misplaced drunkards.” The electrical fire did $500,000 worth of damage and...
Nicki Minaj may have won best rap/hip-hop artist at the American Music Awards, but her brand of party-down, sexed-up hip-hop isn’t all that’s out there. Personally, I like my hip-hop in the form of Dead Prez, who came out of New York in the late ’90s and stepped onto the national radar with the 2000 album Let’s Get Free....
These days, seeing the word “fuck” on an album cover is about as exciting as watching Taylor Swift date a Kennedy, but back in 1969, it could send a band straight up shit creek without a paddle. That’s exactly what happened to ’60s San Francisco band Sons of Champlin and their double album Loosen Up Naturally. According to a...
Sonoma County’s local music scene continues to grow, and this week, the Redwood Empire Food Bank benefits from this talented pool at the release fundraiser for ‘Real Music: A Taste of Sonoma County, Vol. 2.’ Hosted by Oliver’s Market, the lineup features a true who’s who of local musicians on three different stages, including the Highway Poets, Doug Jayne,...
Snoop Dogg, AKA Snoop Lion recently did a Q&A session on social networking Internet aggregator site Reddit.com (they're called AMA–Ask Me Anything–and President Obama did one just before the election), answering hundreds of questions, far more than other celebrities, with 10-words-or-less answers. What catches my eye is the answer to "How weed do you smoke in a week?" with...
