The Barbary Coast and beyond...

Lola Montez- an uncanny resemblance to someone I know.

I really don't remember how it was initially described in the press conference which took place more than a year ago, but the impression I got was that the "The Barbary Coast and Beyond" was going to be an exuberant extravaganza along the lines of "The Thomashefskys" (to this day one of the most delightful performances I've ever seen). It actually sounded even more promising given the subject- the musical history of San Francisco from the Gold Rush of 1849 through Panama-Pacific Exposition of 1915, and coupled with the huge plans the San Francisco Symphony was making to celebrate its Centennial, this seemed like it would be a highlight of the season, perhaps the crown jewel in a season that has actually far-exceeded expectations. So it's with a tinge of regret I write that while the show was certainly entertaining I found its potential went largely unfulfilled.

To go back to "The Thomashefskys" for a moment (which you can see on PBS or on DVD), one of the elements that made that production so successful was Tilson Thomas himself, who was not only the ringleader, but also its most surprising performer. It made me, along with many others I've spoken with since, see MTT in a different light- who knew the guy could loosen up so much and be so endearing and funny? Glimpses come through occasionally, like when he does his impression of Morton Feldman, but for the most part "The Thomashefskys" exposed a side of MTT the audience rarely gets a chance to see and I was hoping to see more of that last night, but there were only glimpses.

The ringleader role was turned over to Beach Blanket Babylon's Val Diamond, who did a good job with it, but her persona wasn't large enough to make the evening feel like an event, nor was the presence of some pretty high caliber guests- Laura Claycomb, Vadim Gluzman, Anton Nels, Cameron Carpenter, and the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West. When a woman (Caroline McCaskey) playing a saw threatens to steal the show from the likes of these performers, something has gone awry.

Some of that was the show's narrative structure, which favored chronological order without creating a sense of significance or relevance. For the most part, the numbers went by one at a time, without much backstory given for why they were being performed beyond the anecdotal or biographical. This, coupled with the fact that the theatrical promise of such a show went unrealized, and the "multimedia" elements were little more than a slow series of still images shown on a screen above the performers, led to some pretty long stretches- Jack Van Geem's marimba solo among them.

However there were some delights- especially the stories and images about Lola Montez and Adah Menken, if not the music that accompanied them. Carpenter performed an acid-drenched version of "Star and Stripes Forever" on the organ, mostly with his feet, and Gluzman was exceptional, even with material that grew wearisome. And the choice of material was problematic- there's a reason audiences haven't heard much of this music performed in a very long time- it's simply not very good. The orchestra itself, which played well throughout, seemed to only hit its stride during a movement from the Tchaikovsky 4th. The sing-along at the end brightened things up a bit, creating an air of exuberance in the hall that was missing for most of the two and a half hour performance.

About last weekend...

Anastazia Louise

Last weekend actually began on Thursday night and pretty much ran all the way through Sunday evening. I don't recall ever cramming so much into so little time. Besides the Mavericks concerts on Thursday and Sunday, Jeremy Denk and I had cocktails on Friday night. Denk is a charming and funny guy, full of anecdotes, gossip, and questions. More I'll save for another time, but it was serious fun chatting with him. After taking my leave of him at Jardiniere I met up with Isabella and headed over to Herbst to attend the Cypress String Quartet's Call and Response program, which featured the world premiere of Phillipe Hersant's String Quartet No. 3, a piece I'm sure is going to be featured on many future programs. Cypress also performed a Haydn Quartet and Beethoven's Op.127, but Hersant's work was the highlight of the concert.

The next morning I met up with Chip Grant (founder of Urban Opera) and Barnaby Palmer over breakfast to discuss the upcoming SF Lyric Opera production of David Lang's "the little match girl passion" and from there I went with them to observe a rehearsal. The production has a palindrome structure, which the audience will be able to follow by listening to the different voices and noticing the lighting by Matthew Antaky, who recently did exceptional work on Ensemble Parallele's The Great Gatsby. I also had a chance to meet the very intriguing Anastazia Louise of Bad Unkl Sista and watch as she rehearsed her Butoh-style performance with the singers present for the first time. She said she's been absorbed in little but this project lately and it showed. She's an intense performer and I think this is going to be a moving performance. All four singers are excellent- I've heard Eugene Brancoveanu numerous times and every time I do I wonder how much longer Bay Area audiences will get to see him in small, intimate productions like these before he completely succumbs to the temptation of the larger houses for which he seems destined. Ann Moss is an exceptional soprano, and Celeste Winant, a chorale member of Philharmonia Baroque as well as Volti, also possesses a gorgeous voice. But I was particularly curious about Eric Maggay Tuan, who seems to be capable of singing almost anything. There are only three performances at the ODC theater in the Mission this weekend, and though the scale is small (the four singers double on instruments and it will run less than an hour) the return of San Francisco Lyric Opera is a major event on the local arts scene.

Later in the afternoon I attended the American Orchestra Forum at Davies, where a group of panelists including composers John Adams and Mason Bates and San Francisco Symphony's General Director Brent Assink helmed a three-hour chat on creativity in the arts, focusing on classical music, current culture, and especially, delivering content to audiences online. I didn't plan on staying for the whole thing, but it was so interesting that I did just that. They'll have another one on May 13th featuring Alan Gilbert discussing audiences (which should be highly interesting in light of the recent I Phone incident), while the NY Phil is in town for the American Orchestras series. The event is free.

Afterward I went over to the Paramount in Oakland to hear Chrissette Michelle's SFJazz gig, a show that was so poorly mixed I left my seat in the seventh row to go sit in the very back near the sound board, which only helped a little. I left after an hour, dismayed about so many things I don't even want to write about it. Making my way home through the throngs of amateurs celebrating St. Patrick's Day, I was immensely pleased not to be in a bar on this night, or even worse, to be one of those idiots actually lined up outside of a bar waiting to get in- in San Francisco (where there is a bar on practically every corner).

Sunday afternoon was the last concert of the American Mavericks Festival, which ended at 4:20, leaving me just enough time to make it a few blocks down the street to hear "A Celebration of Bay Area Music"- a concert organized by clarinetist Brenden Guy featuring musicians mostly from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (as well as Sarah Cahill, Miles Graber and Barnaby Palmer) performing a diverse program. Cahill performed John Adams' China Gates, a work dedicated to her and she brought along the original score. Also on the program were two delightful works by composer David Conte, including a highly engaging sextet. Although everyone onstage possessed a high level of talent, the show was stolen by the extraordinary violin playing of Kevin Rogers, whose solo in Ernest Bloch's Nigun- No. 2 (from the Baal Shem Suite) was stunning.

You don't really want to know what I did after that, do you? I didn't think so.

Candlelight Concert by the Monteverdi Consort this Sunday

The Monteverdi Consort, St. Mary’s Artists in Residence, is a one-on-a-part vocal ensemble specializing in choral music of the Renaissance. This coming Sunday evening, February 19th at 7 p.m., they will present a Candlelight Concert at the Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin, 2325 Union Street (at Steiner) in San Francisco.

The concert features a cappella music of Burton, Brumel, Morales, Palestrina, Roussel, and most notably, Josquin des Prez, in which the solfège syllables- ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, play a structural and often symbolic role. 

There will be a wine and cheese reception following the concert. I’ve been told that over the past few weeks some of the volunteers and staff at St. Mary’s have been caught standing just outside the door as the consort has been practicing in the church. Chip Grant, the Director of Music at the church, promises this concert is sure to transport you to another place and time. I can’t think of a better way to end the weekend.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.  The concert is free and open to the public.  (Donations are always appreciated.)  There will be a wine and cheese reception following the concert.

If you can't make this event, the next Candlelight Concert at SMV will feature The Real Vocal String Quartet, Sunday, March 18th, at 7 p.m.

Hardly Strictly Friday

There was certainly a taste of the bittersweet as I walked through Golden Gate Park and toward the gates of the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival yesterday afternoon. Last year's event was a turning point for me personally as relationships started to change with great significance that weekend. Madame Merle was no longer in the picture and my relationships with Penelope and the Femme Fatale started to take on different shapes as a result of her absence in ways that are still playing out a year later.

Originally I was going to attend it with Penelope, who always gets a Friends and Family pass, making it an extremely pleasant way to take it all in. When that changed I seriously thought about not going at all, since there is so much other music happening all over the Bay Area this weekend and the thought of the dealing with the huge crowds was a turn-off. It's hard to go back to being among the rabble. But after lounging around my apartment for a good part of yesterday, I finally got on the bike and rode it over to the park.

The festival's set-up was exactly like last year's, creating an unwelcome sense of déjà vu for me, but the glorious weather kept the shadows at bay. I made my way through the crowd (diverse by even San Francisco standards) over to the Arrow Stage to catch Southern Culture on the Skids, arriving too late to hear some of the bands I really wanted to see (Blame Sally, the Mekons, Kurt Vile among them). Singer/guitarist Rick Miller and bassist Mary Huff led the band through an hour-long set that hit high gear about mid-way through and didn't let up. Their sound reminds me of a Southern, souped-up version of the Cramps but with much better guitar playing and subject matter that hits closer to home. "69 El Camino" and "Dirt Track Date" were highlights of the set for me.

Southern Culture on the Skids

Then I made my way over the Banjo Stage to check out John Prine. The crowd was already immense in anticipation of Robert Plant's closing set which was to follow, and I didn't try to make my way close to the stage. I found a spot in the middle where I could hear okay, but the crowd was just too chatty and it was really difficult to pay attention so my mind just wandered. Prine would have benefited from being on one of the smaller stages- his music is too subtle for a crowd of 50,000 people, if not twice that many, many of whom (at least away from the front of the stage) were too busy getting stoned to pay any attention to him. There were two women sharing a fifth of Ancient Age near me which I found pretty amusing, as I've always wondered who would willingly drink that stuff. Prine's voice sounded good, but after half an hour I went and got something to eat and made my way back to the more manageable crowd at the Arrow Stage to hear Thurston Moore.

Sonic Youth was one of those bands I knew I should be paying attention to at the time but didn't- they're one of the many significant gaps in my musical experience, so getting the chance to hear Moore was something I didn't want to miss. His band included a drummer, violinist, harpist, and another guitar player (acoustic- as was Moore's) and for an hour they went through some extraordinarily heavy music considering it was all played with acoustic instruments. Most of the songs devolved into thick walls of sludgy sound and seemed out of place under the warm, sunny, late afternoon sky but that didn't prevent it from being a captivating set. He said after one song's conclusion his guitar (a 12-string) was probably way out of tune but he didn't care anymore- and it didn't matter- the next one sounded equally good. I would definitely go see another show of his and maybe the next time (if) Sonic Youth tours again I'll get off my ass and finally go see them.

Thurston Moore at the Arrow Stage

Finally, I made my way back to the sea of humanity at the Banjo stage to catch some of Plant's set, though knowing I had to get out of there relatively fast to make it to the Symphony by 7:30 I stood way off to the side. He began with a funked out, down-tempo version of "Black Dog" which sounded really great. In fact the one thing I can say about Plant and The Band of Joy is they sound better than I thought they had any right to. Usually I'm totally disinterested in what former members of bands I enjoyed in my youth are doing now, and I haven't paid any attention to what Plant's been recording since 1988's Now and Zen, and that only caught my attention because of the brilliance of "Tall Cool One" (though I'll admit the Plant/Page acoustic collaboration on "Kashmir" a few years back was pretty captivating). There's just too much music to explore and keep tabs on to keep track of whatever the members of Led Zeppelin or The Who are doing on their own 30 or 40 years after the music which made them important in the first place, unless it's a project that brings the past and present together in a meaningful way, like the brilliant documentary It Might Get Loud.

An immense crowd awaits Robert Plant and The Band of Joy

But Plant and the Band of Joy greatly impressed me, in fact I watched more of their set than I expected to, finding myself so impressed with each song that I wanted to hear what came next. Plant and Patty Griffin sounded great together, and Buddy Miller and Darrell Scott's musicianship added deep textures to each song. I was pleased they didn't lean heavily on the Zeppelin catalogue (at least while I was still there) and I have to admit they banished my skepticism that they would be something of a nostalgia act for aging Boomers who refuse to listen to anything but the music they grew up on. After a gorgeous rendition of "Thank You" I forced myself to leave, reluctantly, and wondering what I was going to miss, but there were still a few hours to go before the music of the day ended and I needed to get back to my side of town, where something entirely different was going to take place.

The People: San Francisco

Braving what turned out to be a typical San Francisco evening (cold and windy), a few hundred people gathered in front of the ZSpace building on Florida Street last night to witness the unfolding of Big Art Group's The People: San Francisco, the fourth version an event which has previously been staged in Italy, Germany and Austria. New York gets its turn next month. The production involves a live video transmission broadcast onto the side of a building while the audience watches what's taking place inside from the street outside- or from inside the building if they wish. The live feed is inter-cut with previously filmed interviews of locals discussing topics like justice, democracy, terrorism and their personal histories. The interviews take the form of a Greek chorus, commenting on the live action, which is a loose re-enactment of Aeschylus' Oresteia. It works remarkably well.


Sprayed across the large paned windows of the ZSpace building in five large blocks,  the images are distorted in a way that sometimes made the footage seem surreal and unsettling, such as when Clytemnestra murders Agamemnon, while during others it made me wish they were using a flat wall so the details were clearer. I'm not sure if that was the desired effect or if the Big Art Group was forced to work with the space they were given - a large, flat, windowless building might have worked much better visually.  From a block away the images were clear, but the audio was difficult to make out. Still, it works- the cumulative result seen from the street creates an effect which blurs the lines for the viewer, as if we're watching a documentary one can't quite trust, not because of the content, but because of how its being presented. It's Greek tragedy presented as a combination of cinema verite, reality television, and Errol Morris documentary.

Done with a cast of locals, some of whom really stand out (especially the women who portray Clytemnestra, Elektra and Iphigenia), The People: San Francisco presents a local view of how members of this community feel and think about current political and personal issues. Big Art Group's editors juxtapose this contemporary local view with the Oresteia story to illustrate the timelessness, or universality, of conflict and disorder. An off-screen director can be heard cutting off the actors and making humorous comments, keeping the production from lapsing into the didactic.

The people interviewed range from the youthful to the elderly and across racial lines, creating a true sense of community taking part in the whole and that same variety was visible in the audience as well- lots of seniors and girls in mini-skirts milled about the crowd along with the usual hipsters, aging and not, everyone freezing it seemed, but engaged in what turned to be a contemporary agora, complete with food trucks and lattes.

It happens again tonight at 8. 450 Florida Street between 17th and Mariposa. Parking is pretty easy. Tickets are $10. Presented by YBCA and ZSpace. Food and drinks begin at 6:00 PM and the performance ended at 9:20. Dress warmly.

Strike the Spiegeltent- Teatro ZinZanni to close

Inside the Spiegeltent

Sadly, word went out today that after more than eleven years, 800,000 visitors, hundreds of guest artists and 40 different shows, Teatro ZinZanni will shutter the fabled Palais Nostalgique Spiegeltent on Pier 29 after its 2011 New Year’s Eve show. 


Teatro’s current home on Piers 27 and 29 is scheduled to be a part of the upcoming America’s Cup and the Bay Area treasure is working closely with the City to locate a new permanent home. Longtime Bay Area comedian and clown Geoff Hoyle (a veteran of Pickle Family Circus, Cirque du Soleil, A.C.T. and Berkeley Rep to name a few) and blues singer Duffy Bishop, a Teatro ZinZanni favorite since 1999 who has released eight albums in addition to performing with various legends such as Bo Diddley, John Lee Hooker, Lou Rawls and Ruth Brown, will headline the final (and brand new) production, On the Air, accompanied by an acclaimed international cast beginning October 13 and closing December 31, 2011. In a storyline that echoes Teatro ZinZanni’s own struggles to remain in San Francisco, the plot revolves around the struggle to keep a local radio station on the air.


The other performers are also heavyweights I've seen in previous ZinZanni productions, which makes this final run all the more alluring. Joining the cast of On The Air is Bernard Hazens who has been thrilling Teatro ZinZanni crowds for the past four years with his one of a kind act, a dynamically choreographed combination of acrobatics, juggling and Rola Bola; Danielle Rueda-Watts, an aerial silk artist featured in the hit movie musical Chicago and the documentary of Michael Jackson’s final tour This Is It; Wayne Doba, hailed by Donald O’Connor as a “throwback to the old Vaudeville days” and Cirque du Soleil veteran Andrea Conway Doba with her physical comedy and acrobatic mischief; resident opera diva Kristin Clayton, a graduate of the prestigious San Francisco Opera Adler Fellow Program and well known for her performances of contemporary works by composer such as Conrad Susa, Jake Heggie and Peter Ash; Manuela Horn, otherwise known as the Austrian Amazon, a yodeling, dancing, acting comedic force of nature; Christopher Phi, a San Francisco native and graduate of the prestigious Notre Dame de Namur University, who showcases his handbalancing and aerial artistry; and multi-media performance artist Mat Plendl, who brings his own form of magic to the tent in the form of a hula-hoop.

Danielle Rueda-Watts: Photo by Michael Doucett

 “We are proud to trace our lineage back to the very beginnings of theater in San Francisco,” said Norm Langill, Teatro ZinZanni’s President and Artistic Director.  “From the Rowe Circus to the National Theater to the Tivoli Opera House founded during the Gold Rush, Teatro ZinZanni is one in a long line of high spirited San Francisco theatrical experiences combining the arts of vaudeville, cabaret, cirque and opera with great food and strong drink– a winning combination if ever there was on." Amen to that. This is a significant loss for San Francisco and one can only hope the City comes up with a plan to relocate the troupe. 

Norm Langill: Photo by Drew Altizer

Langill continued:"Showbiz is unpredictable, but we can celebrate an amazing eleven year run on Pier 27 and 29. I’m constantly humbled by the enthusiasm of our audiences, the talent of our performers and staff and the support from the City of San Francisco. Working together with city leaders, we are determined to find a permanent home in San Francisco– for Teatro ZinZanni is now part of the terrific fabric of cultural institutions that give this city  its unparalleled reputation for arts and culture. Our show mirrors the spirit of this city – a magical place that embraces silliness, frivolity, fun, intimacy and self expression. We’ll be back. This is home.”


There will be an "Americana” menu to complement the theme of the performances.  Understandably, ticket demand will be high for these final shows so do yourself a favor and get yours now by phone at 415/438-2668 or online at http://love.zinzanni.org. If you've seen ZinZanni before, you know you won't want to miss what may be their swan song. If you haven't seen this incredibly entertaining and talented company before, just go before it's too late.




NB: some of the copy in this post was pulled and reworded by me from a press release ZinZanni sent to me, but I wouldn't print it if I didn't think it to be true- J.M.

Gabriel Angelo

On Friday I was walking home from work and I came across this kid playing the trumpet at the corner of Stockton and Sutter. Actually I think it was a coronet.

I asked, "Are you the kid who played with Arturo Sandoval awhile back?"

The kid said yes, and proudly showed me the details on the inscribed instrument which Sandoval gave to him. This very talented young man's name is Gabriel Angelo and yes, he has a blog. I walked away and as I crossed the street he began to play "Moon River" in a way that sounds distinctly his own. At eleven years old! Keep your eyes open for him.

Go Gabriel- blow your horn, and I wish you much success and joy in your art!

You’re never too old to be a whore

That fun little epigram is Brava Theater's tagline for their delightful and warm production of Paula Vogel's The Oldest Profession, now running through April 9th. Penelope and I caught the first night of the previews, and though there may have been a flubbed line or two, I strongly recommend seeing it. This tale of five prostitutes who've been in "the life" for more than 50 years and are still working at it in their 70's, is set in New York City at the dawn of the Reagan era. These women have seen and done it all and they have no regrets about the past, even as the future begins to look more and more uncertain as their pool of clients starts to wither and die.

Photo by Stephen Engert

Mae (Cec Levinson) is the madam of the group, but the dynamics between them are more familial than business, though certainly not in the tired "hooker with a heart of gold" vein. Thankfully Vogel's sharp script contains nothing sentimental nor clichéd about the life of prostitutes but is also never judgemental. In this play the profession provides a frame through which the audience watches five women, still very aware of and engaged with their own sexuality well into their seventies, cope with getting older in a world that has no place for them.

That sounds darker than the play is, which is at turns quite funny while remaining thought-provoking. The cast is sharp and it's a real pleasure watching women at this age portraying something other than grandmothers for a change- and they do it well. 

The challenge here for the actors, at least from my perspective, is can you sell yourself to the audience as a working prostitute at this age? Tamar Cohn's Lillian and Linda Ayres-Frederick's Edna have an easy time of it- in certain lighting both of them could not only pass for much younger women, but the script makes it clear they can still deliver a good bang for buck and costume designer Michelle Mulholland emphasizes their figures in flattering ways.

The same can't be said for Levinson, Patricia Silver (Ursula) and Lee Brady (Vera), making theirs the more difficult roles in this regard. However, here's where the sophistication of Vogel's script pays off handsomely by acknowledging these women now have different worths on the street (or in the old folks home) and this is the reality of still being in the profession at this age. Ultimately, what was initially a challenge for me became wholly credible by the play's conclusion due to the strong talents of the cast.

Kudos to the entire cast, director Evren Odcikin, and special props to the alluring Angela Dwyer, whose musical accompaniment and occasional narration not only made the room feel incredibly intimate, but caused Penelope to ponder the merits of a Boston marriage.

As we left the theater, we could hear "Ring of Fire" coming from somewhere in the night air, which turned out to be a band of musicians playing on the corner outside of Pop's bar. As we stood there listening to the talented group, we overheard an accordion-carrying man say to his friends as they passed "Damn, I can't believe they have an accordion player too!"

If it's in the "paper" it must be true. Right?

And now for something completely different: According to SFGate, Britney Spears is to perform in the Castro on Sunday March 27th.

Question: will the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence be on hand and are Heklina and Peaches Christ part of the show?

Question two: Why do I feel like I need to see this?

If you have the answers, the comments section awaits.

Borders goes bust

Though it was inevitable, I still find it saddening that when the two Borders stores in downtown San Francisco close, my neighborhood will be without a sizable bookstore and will have only one place to buy music- and since that place sucks- yes, you Rasputin Records-  I'll soon have to venture out of the neighborhood to practice what was once my favorite pastime- browsing through book and record stores.

I don't have any fondness for Borders even though it was very accessible and if I was looking for something mainstream they usually had it. At least as far as books went (I did buy the Keith Richards autobiography there- heavily discounted). But it was a weak place to buy music- and I buy more music than books these days since I already own enough books to last me easily ten years, maybe 20, without ever buying another one. The problem with it, as it is for all large chain retailers, was an insufficiently knowledgeable staff and a middle of the road inventory. Which is why I, like so many other people, buy increasingly more and more stuff online- I can a) find what I want and b) read reviews about what I'm interested in and probably learn about similar things I may also like based on my interests. When's the last time you were in a large chain store and someone said "Oh, I see you're getting this Shakira cd- have you ever heard anything by BeBe or Paulina Rubio?"

Or perhaps I'm holding a book on screenwriting and they ask "Are you familiar with a series called 'Backstory'? Screenwriters on their own work. Great stuff!" Nah, that never happens anymore. Not even at the main library, which is within walking distance of my apartment and has everything I'd probably want (and for free), but I hate going to it because it's full of stinky homeless people doing nasty things.

Sigh. First it was Tower Records (a true loss). Then the independent Stacey's Books (another great loss). Then the Virgin store (no loss at all, except now there's a huge vacant building that's going to be that way for a long time to come). Now Borders. And after those doors close there's nothing left. In San Francisco- a city with an inflated sense of its own literary and musical sophistication.  As much as I love it, tiny KAYO Books is a niche store and won't ever fill the void. Once Borders closes, as you stroll the streets of San Francisco and decide you want to read a Dashiell Hammett novel or Frank Norris' brilliant McTeague after being intrigued by some darker parts of lower Nob Hill or the Polk Gulch, you'll have to go elsewhere in a vehicle to actually buy those books.

Or you could just go back home and get it from Amazon:

Marcher and Mom go to Teatro ZinZanni

I spent last Sunday night in a tent with my mother to celebrate her birthday. It wasn't just any old tent, but this gorgeous, antique “spiegeltent,"- the grandeur and charm of it can't be envisioned from its outside appearance. Once inside, we had well-made cocktails at the bar- that's right, the tent has a bar in it, which is lovely of course. After we had our drinks we were ushered into another tent, with a large performance space in the center of it surrounded by round tables, at which hundreds of people were already busily having fun amongst themselves. We were seated next to a delightful couple, and were soon joined by another.

More drinks arrived and then my mother pulled a bottle of Raffanelli ZinZanni from her purse, since it was her birthday. And then all hell broke loose. Well, not really. What actually followed was three-plus hours of some of the best entertainment I've experienced in years and a fantastic five course meal. I don't remember the last time I've laughed that much and just plain enjoyed a show as much as I did this one.

So why hadn't I ever gone to Teatro ZinZanni before? Oh, this reason and that to be sure, but I also had it in my head it would be a touristy thing- kind of like Beach Blanket Babylon, which I always enjoy when I go, but BBB is not a show I really think about seeing unless someone asks me (usually my mother) - which seems to happen once every year or two.

Now if you had told me to imagine the love child of BBB and Trannyshack raised by Kurt Weill and PT Barnum I would have immediately said "Yes! When do we go!?" But no one ever told me it was like that so I never went. Now I'm telling you, so you have no excuse not to go see it.

Again, it was my mother who wanted to go see Teatro Zinzanni. She's been asking me for years and now I feel that certain pang of the Jewish son's guilt that I waited so long to make this happen. We''ll be back though- guaranteed. And the next time it will be me asking her if she wants to go.



The current version of the show, which runs through March 4th, is called License to Kiss II, A Sweet Conspiracy. Why? I honestly don't remember and to tell the truth it really doesn't matter. The plot, which has to do with creating the perfect sweet, is really just the frame for three hours of hilarious gags, well-performed songs, acrobatics, drag, cabaret, dancing, and live music. During the evening a delicious meal is served that's choreographed to the show and delivered by the cast with stunning execution.



Kristen Clayton



Kevin Kent



And the cast is terrific. The uproariously delightful Kevin Kent is the star, but there's tremendous talent throughout the show: aerialist Kari Podgorsky, acrobat Andrea Conway Doba was a huge hit, as was Wayne Doba. Lutz Jope was a vision of Rocky Horror's Riff Raff all these years (and bottles) later. Sweden's Tobias Larsson, as the closest thing to the show's ringmaster, has a serious Adam Lambert kind of thing going on (and that's a good thing, in case you were wondering). My favorite though, was soprano Kristen Clayton, who's appeared with numerous opera companies. She came out toward the end of the evening and just floored me.



After March 4th, a new show will arrive, and if you can't make it to this one I strongly recommend you catch the next. This is a great show for locals and tourists alike- the local lady sitting next us to was there for her third time and I overheard numerous people make similar comments as we were at the bar.



There are often tickets available on Goldstar.



One last thing. Recently it was learned the company is likely to be displaced by the whole America's Cup giveaway/boondoggle. So I wanted to give you some inside information you may not know. Over the past decade, TZ has welcomed more than 1,000,000 guests into the tent.  In addition to the regular performances, they have helped organizations raise more than $2,000,000 for charitable causes by providing the tent and services at cost.  Organizations who have hosted fundraisers include Sean Penn’s Haitian Relief Organization, Huckleberry House, Bread and Roses, Suicide Prevention League, Chez Panisse Foundation, San Francisco Symphony, and more. This is over and above the thousands of tickets they have donated to countless silent and live auctions, etc.  It's not only a great theater company, but like many of the best arts organizations in San Francisco, this is a non-profit arts institution.

In addition to a series of incoming international performers, there is a core group of “performers” who serve as managers, maitre ‘d’s, box office, bartenders, wait staff, etc. Many of these employees joined the Company for what they thought was a temporary job in March of 2000. Ten years later they are a real family – so losing Teatro would be so much more than just losing the show – it would break up this incredible family of employees committed to creating the zany world of ZinZanni through service, or cooking, etc. Anyway, it would be a shame to lose these arts and service jobs in service of….creating jobs and revenue for America’s Cup and billionaire Larry Ellison.  The news on the move is this: the city is working closely with Teatro ZinZanni to explore all options and have also been in touch with America’s Cup Organizers to explore any natural tie-ins. The City seems committed to keeping ZinZanni in San Francisco.

Let's hope they do just that.

Marcher and his Mom

Dude Looks Like a Lady

So did anyone else notice Steven Tyler has undergone breast augmentation surgery or know the story behind what is going on here? This photo is unretouched and I just took it from the TV on pause. Really, wtf is going on here?

YOU- yes you!

I think this sounds really interesting and I applied. The content below is lifted from the press release I received from YBCA today:

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) announces the pilot session of YBCA: YOU, a free “aesthetic fitness” program designed to empower individuals to make arts learning an ongoing part of their lives. From March 3 through November 30, up to 100 participants will embark on a highly personalized, dynamic arts education curriculum organized around aesthetic themes and YBCA’s Big Ideas. The YBCA: YOU cohort will be given free admission to all YBCA performances, films, exhibitions and community engagement events, and encouraged to use this all-access pass as they would a gym membership. Participants will also be offered opportunities to take part in exclusive behind-the-scenes socials, artist talks and field trips.


YBCA: YOU’s education and engagement specialist, Laurel Butler, will act as an arts-focused personal trainer, assisting with individual goal development, ongoing self-assessment and final evaluation. In addition, she will organize exclusive behind-the-scenes socials, artist talks, and field trips aimed at strengthening the YBCA: YOU community and fostering the exchange of ideas among participants.


“Ultimately, we want more people having better and deeper experiences with art,” says Joël Tan, YBCA’s director of community engagement. “This pilot is about an actual live human guide connecting with individuals and small groups to experience arts and cultural events that are custom-tailored to their aspirations, desires, and educational goals. We invite anyone looking to build their aesthetic muscles to register, whether they want to learn a few pointers for their next cocktail party or attend all the openings in town and just need the motivation to do it.”


YBCA: YOU’s approach is based in Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), a research-based teaching method that improves critical thinking and language skills through discussions of visual images rather than through academic instruction. VTS is the technique currently used in YBCA’s successful Art Savvy programs. This progressive arts education method provides a supportive, dynamic setting for participants to deepen their connections to contemporary art, starting with refining their observational skills. No prior knowledge of contemporary art is necessary.


To register for the March 3 orientation, applicants must e-mail lbutler@ybca.org by 5 p.m. on February 28 with their name, age, telephone number, and one sentence on why they would like to register for the program. Participants must be at least 18 and will be selected based on their interest in collaborative arts enrichment and the ability to make a nine-month commitment to the YBCA: YOU program. Due to the pilot nature of the program, participants will be expected to provide feedback on their experience to help shape future sessions.


About the Big Ideas:
Each year, YBCA selects four Big Ideas around which to organize its wide-ranging programs. This year’s Big Ideas include ENCOUNTER: Engaging the social context; SOAR: The search for meaning; REFLECT: Considering the personal; and DARE: Innovations in art, action, audience. These ideas, which encompass art from all disciplines, are designed to focus an investigation of contemporary art and its relationship to the larger world. Using the Big Ideas as portals, YBCA has established a framework of thought that invites exploration and risk-taking, quiet reflection and active engagement.

The Crucible Revival is this weekend



Karen Fox as Athena; Photo by TheBlight.net

Regrettably, I don't think I'm going to make this, but it really looks like one of those events I'll kick myself for missing. This Friday and Saturday The Crucible will honor the departure of Founder and Creative Director Michael Sturtz with a special program called Crucible Revival, where they plan to bring back many of the most memorable performances from the past. Their press release promises an evening of "reprisals of unforgettable moments from Crucible stage shows, stunning surprises and plenty of fire from a Who’s Who of Bay Area favorites, including many Crucible friends and collaborators. Hosted by Master of Ceremonies Mark Growden, the revival promises a fast-paced, jaw-dropping lineup of music, dance and more."
This an event where you can probably believe the hype. If you can make it, check it out: Tickets are on sale now at The Crucible in-person, by phone at (510) 444-0919, ext.122, or online at www.thecrucible.org, and are $60 in advance and $65 at the door. The address is 1260 7th Street, Oakland, CA 94607

In the holiday Meat Grinder

Saturday night in the City. Holiday season is in full effect. Penelope is at the beach. The Femme is stuck in her castle. The Swede is on holiday in Syria, the Greek's gone MIA, the Minister's Rebellious Daughter is nowhere to be found and the only two people who would go see a nasty Thai flick about cannibalism ala Sweeney Todd are my next door neighbor who can't get out of a holiday party (perhaps she was just being kind) and la Divinavila, who is in L.A.. Fuck it, I'm still going, but the trek to the theater forces me to walk through the hordes downtown, tens of thousands of oblivious out-of-towners and tourists who move in slow, meandering packs weighed down by bags from Old Navy, a general sense of stupor and their obvious, oblivious awe and uncomfortableness at finding themselves in an actual City for a change. There are couples and groups and I'm consciously aware that I'm on my own, headed to see a movie called Meat Grinder. Ho ho ho.

I arrive at the venue. There's a big party going on downstairs. An usher asks me "Are you here for the Nutcracker?" I reply in the negative. I'm here to see the movie. It's supposed to start in 10 minutes.

She looks puzzled. She tells me the movie is upstairs but they haven't told her to let anyone up yet. She directs to someone who should have an answer. Turns out I'm the first one there. I get my ticket and a guy comes out and lets me into the upstairs theater. It's small, and completely empty. It stays empty, except for me, for at least another five minutes. I open up my package of Red Vines, bought at a Walgreen's on Market St.. I think I should be in a grindhouse. Why did the Strand Theater have to close? I'm a middle-aged white guy sitting alone in a theater with Red Vines and a flask on a Saturday night while there are thousands of people within a mile's radius who are shopping for loved ones, dressed up and on their way to holiday parties, celebrating "the season." It's okay- I'm in my natural element. Meat Grinder is part of series of films called Go to Hell for the Holidays and that's something I can appreciate. It's an idea I can get behind after a week where Obama completely punks out and then lets Bill Clinton stand in for him. Talk about disappointing.

Finally someone else walks into the theater, and wouldn't you know it- it's someone I know. Not well, but our jobs used to intersect and I seem to always see him at Patti Smith concerts. We have a mutual friend, Chad, who tipped me off to these screenings and I know it was this guy who told him about it. We chat for a bit about A Serbian Film, which I know via Chad he has a screener copy of which he sent via intercompany mail to a co-worker/friend and it got lost. Can you fucking imagine that? If you don't know what I mean, it's akin to accidentally forwarding a link to a kiddie porn or bestiality website to your friendly, born-again co-worker at a huge corporation via email. Some people have questionable judgement- I'm often one of them. A couple of other people filter in- a lone female who sits on the aisle (and bails about 15 minutes into the movie) and a fat bald guy and his bleach blonde female companion who look like their next stop after the movie is going to be the Power Exchange. The bald guy looks like one of Vukmir's goons in A Serbian Film. I feel like a scuzball just for being in the same place as these two.. A single white guy in his twenties shows up, looking self-conscious, and takes a seat. An Asian guy takes a seat in the row behind me and proceeds to constantly pull stuff from a paper bag loudly. Asshole. Then he proceeds to cough like he has TB. There are now eight of us. The lights go down. My mother had invited me to a family dinner and a boat parade with Christmas lights in Sausalito. I chose this instead. Like I said, my judgement is often questionable. The Asian guy keeps hacking and ruffling through his bag of tricks. I want to smack him, but I don't want TB, so I sit there passively hoping he'll shut the fuck up.

Meat Grinder turns out to be a near miss. The acting is good, the cinematography better, but the narrative of the movie is completely screwed. For horror to be effective, the audience has to undergo a sensation of mounting tension. This movie, which starts with dated footage suggesting the past ala Martyrs, goes back and forth to the point of incoherence. The audience is never really sure where we are in the story, as the idea of crafting a linear plot is anathema to director/writer/editor/cinematographer Tiwa Moeithaisong. It's too bad, because he knows how to create great individual scenes and images, but the whole is a jumbled mess that fails all litmus tests for what makes a great horror film. Or even a good one. At least that's how I saw it from my Western perspective. Perhaps there is something different in Thai culture that makes all of this not only palpable, but acceptable. It's entirely possible. Who am I to judge? I thought The Grudge and it's Japanese original, Ju-on to be barely watchable crap.

The film ends on a note of incoherence, or at least ridiculousness, and my acquaintance remains seated to watch the credits. I bail, wait a few minutes outside to hear his opinion, but decide enough is enough. I make my past the bums bedding down for the night in the doorway of the now vacant Virigin Megastore as shoppers and the bridge and tunnel crowd walk by them and pretend they don't exist. Past the Ferrari store which never has a soul in it but has manged to be there since last year, thinking I'll give my own souls a lift and look at the kittens and puppies in the windows of Macy's but there are just too many damn people there. It's a mob. I walk past the restaurants which are all packed, the couples dressed up for a once-a-year night on the town, the groups of Guidos who somehow manage to take up the entire 10 foot-wide sidewalks and I make my way back home, wondering what the fuck I'm going to eat for dinner. The Paki place across the street from my apartment is packed and I peek in the window see many tables without any food on them. Not an option.


I enter my building, where there is party going on in the lobby, which the HOA rents out for people who want to have a party in an art deco palace. It's not a party I can crash, otherwise I might out of sheer ennui and the desire to get this Bickle-esque taste out of my mouth. In the lobby is a relatively new resident I know and she has a certain hunger in her eyes as she's talking to the doorman/guard. I know that hunger like I know the back of the my hand. She looks at me, and I wonder to myself how many other men who live in this building have felt that weight, the palpable desire, of that particular, distinct gaze. It's too close to home. The elevator opens, I punch the button for my floor. it opens and I stride down the quiet hall to my apartment- the last one on the left. Entering, I'm met with complete indifference by the other occupant- a cat. Now we are current, and the tourists and shoppers should be gone, it's almost 11pm, and now it's time to get something to eat. Ho ho ho.

Update on Sunday morning: The Femme called me this and complained about the darkness of this post. It's really meant to be tongue in cheek- I mean who else but a Travis Bickle type would really go see this kind of stuff during the holiday season? Have a nice day and don't forget to smile.

A notable lack of performance anxiety

Once in awhile I think it would be interesting to move back to LA because it's become such a vibrant place in the past 10 to 15 years, at least as far as the performing arts are concerned. Then I hear about what the SF Symphony has planned for next year and that Berkeley is going to be the only West Coast stop for Einstein on the Beach in 2012 and I'm reminded of why I love living here so much.

Yeah, New York is always going to be Mecca for the arts, but at least it never snows here.

Einstein on the Beach, courtesy of pomegranate arts, copyright/photo by T. Charles Erickson 1992

Closing night reception for I Live Here: SF

Tomorrow night is the closing reception for Julie Michelle's brilliant and lovely I Live Here: SF.

If you haven't yet seen this exhibit, make it down to SOMARTS ( 934 Brannan Street,

San Francisco) between 5 and 7 pm and take in this wonderful reminder of how great it is to live in this City.

 

Julie will be on hand, so introduce yourself and find out what it takes to be a part of this ongoing project.

 

 

We do indeed live here

Julie Michelle's photography project/blog/website/experiment in cultural anthropology i live here:SF has been drawing interest since she launched it and the interest only grows as time goes on. Michelle invites San Francisco residents to write something about themselves- what brought them here, what they like about living here, their family histories, etc., and then she takes terrific photographs of these denizens in their favorite locales.

The stories and photographs come from all over the City and encompass the unique diversity found here. Young and old, beautiful and not, hipster and average Joe, she truly is capturing the essence of the City's disparate population which lives cheek by jowl in the world's largest small town.

Spots and Spotswood

Tonight there was a retrospective of her work at Somarts, a lively gallery in SOMA. It was like old home week in a way: not only were many of the subjects there, but the event had the feel of real community. All of these people came to look and read and gawk because we do indeed live here, and Michelle's project reminds us why, as if we needed a reminder- it's about the people and the places. The gallery was packed. I was pleased to see many people I knew and to meet some folks I've known of but hadn't yet gotten the pleasure of actually meeting before. It was terrific to get a chance to meet and talk with Rachel, the real persona behind the lovely blog Fog City Notes and her friends the soft-spoken Tenisha and the tall brunette who would disappear often only to return (Laura?). It was also a pleasure to meet Spots' male wingman, Brock of SFIST (but where was the lovely Melissa?), to see the fabulous Dottie again, and to run into the Tenderbloggers evarels and hiimkevin (though I'm never sure I get these identities correct), with whom I rode home on the 27 bus.

Tenderblog, btw, is greatly responsible for expanding the community of bloggers and their readers through their Tendernights events, which has another one coming up on 11/18 from 6-8 (ha ha ha- once this group starts drinking it goes all night) at KOKOs, 1060 Geary @ Van Ness. Come out and meet some folks, tell them why you should be profiled as a Tenderlocal, or show them pix of your dog or cat and get them instant fame and local love. The first Tendernight is where I met Julie Michelle (and many other great people)- and I hope to one day be one of her subjects. In the meantime, check out Somarts, which also has a fantastic Day of the Dead exhibit going on this weekend which really should be seen- poignant and personal, this is real home-grown, local, significant art. I overheard one visitor say one installation made him cry. I knew exactly which installation he meant.

 3 voyeurs

I live here: you live here- let me take a picture of you.

Thanks Julie-this was a great event and a great way to end what has been a truly remarkable week here in the City- the Giants win the World Series; we have a fantastic parade to celebrate the victory; on November 2nd we are the only state in the union that votes with anything resembling sanity; the weather has been incredible and we live here: SF!http://iliveheresf.com/. What more could one want?

Happy Hour

Yoga on the labyrinth inside of Grace Catherdral.

With live music and caring, gentle assistants to top it off.

A pleasant evening stroll through the Tenderloin. Really!

I was escorting the Femme Fatale to Muni last night. It was warm out, there were a ton of people on the street enjoying the weather, and all of a sudden the Tenderloin seemed like an (almost) bright, shiny place. This was magnified tenfold when we got to the normally disgusting, bum and junkie-filled Hallidie Plaza and found a full-fledged salsa party underway with a great band and people dancing. It was a WTF moment in the best possible way. I don't know who is responsible for this but that "Thank You!" and please give us some more!

Walking back home after sending the FF back to her castle on the Hill, I checked out this opening at the scrappy, interesting Ever Gold Gallery, featuring the work of John Held Jr., who works in a variety of mediums and seems to have a thing for rubber stamps. A lot of 50's era styling younger women seem to have thing for Held Jr. (who must have a good 10 years on me), so it was an interesting mix of people floating about. The show has some interesting, very detailed works that are well worth spending some time investigating.

The Ever Gold's hours are seen above. The gallery is on O'Farrell between Jones and Taylor. Check it out- the people who run it are good neighbors and the space is a positive newer addition to the neighborhood.