Friday, November 14, 2008

Warhol’s Jews: Ten Portraits Reconsidered

October 12 - January 25, 2009

Contemporary Jewish Museum
736 Mission Street (between Third and Fourth streets)
San Francisco, CA 94103
415.655.7800

Hours
Open daily (except Wednesday): 11 AM- 5:30 PM
Thursday: 1 PM - 8:30 PM

Adults: $10
Seniors (65 and older) and students with a valid ID: $8
Members and youth 18 and under: Free
Thursdays after 5 PM: $5 for all visitors (free for children 18 and under and Members)

About the Exhibition

Andy Warhol’s extraordinary series, Ten Portraits of Jews of the Twentieth Century, portrays a pantheon of great Jewish thinkers, politicians, performers, musicians, and writers. Included in the series are such celebrated figures as Sarah Bernhardt, Louis Brandeis, Martin Buber, Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, the Marx Brothers, Golda Meir, George Gershwin, Franz Kafka, and Gertrude Stein. This exhibition is the first time Warhol’s original paintings have been shown on the West Coast as part of a major exhibition about the series and the individuals it portrays.
First shown at The Jewish Museum, New York in 1980, Ten Portraits was met with both critical response and praise. While many were skeptical of the artist’s intentions, others applauded his new language of color, geometric shape, and sharp line. The series represents an important and influential body of work as well as an homage to these extraordinary figures of the twentieth century.

The exhibition was organized by the Contemporary Jewish Museum with guest curator Richard Meyer, professor of Art History at the University of Southern California. Warhol's Jews debuted at The Jewish Museum, New York in spring 2008.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Blondie Live in Concert!

February 25, 2009

The Fillmore

1805 Geary Boulevard
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 346-6000


Doors at 7:00pm
Show at 8:00pm

Tickets on sale on 11/16/08 at 10:00am
www.ticketmaster.com
www.blondie.net

Inducted into the prestigious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, Blondie emerged as the great pop icons of New York's celebrated late '70s new wave punk scene by defying easy categorization. They wrote great rock hooks and brilliant, ironic lyrics. They had the hippest clothes and the coolest hair. Debbie Harry went from the pages of Punk magazine to being on the cover of just about every mainstream publication on the newsstands.

In 2008, EMI will celebrate the 30-year anniversary of Blondie's Parallel Lines with a re-release of the iconic album that gave the band their first #1 hit in the U.S., "Heart of Glass," and went on to sell over 20 million copies - an extraordinary feat achieved only by an elite club of artists. The reissue contains all the original classic tracks, along with instrumental versions, some vintage recordings previously available only on vinyl, plus exclusive video content. The timeless band that broke records and crossed boundaries with their unique style and music will hit the road again for a tour that will take them across the U.S. and Europe from summer through the end of the year. Debbie is rightfully proud of the band's hard work and accolades: "The guys have gotten really good at what they do. I mean, they always were good players and songwriters, but I think now you could say they're accomplished."

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Double Dutch in the Mission

3192 16th St
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: (415) 503-1670

Cross Street: Guerrero Street
Hours: Daily 5pm-2am

Photographs of school kids playing double dutch or break dancing on urban streets and a collection of vintage ghetto blasters line the walls and are a throwback to those innocent, youthful days. Dark walls, a contemporary mirrored bar and neon chandeliers add a modern dimension. Facing the bar are frosted tables and leather seats that provide comfy seating. Hip-hop and R&B tunes play throughout without overwhelming the space.

In addition to the wall of world-class liquors and spirits, Double Dutch has 12 beers on draft and Hip Hop Happy Hour goes from 5-7 daily.

I've spun at this bar and it's always a fun place to lay down some old school hip hop. If you are looking for hip hop the Double Dutch is one of many spots in the mission to check out.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Limon Rotisserie

1001 South Van Ness Ave
San Francisco, CA 94110
Phone: (415) 821-2134

Cross Street: 21st St.

Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 12pm-10pm
Fri 12pm-11pm

A stripped-down but somehow souped-up version of the Mission favorite Limon, Limon Rotisserie is cheaper and arguably better than its predecessor, although it does have one glaring problem: too many people might find out about it. Generous servings of Peruvian-style tapas like the citrusy, spicy ceviche, juicy carne a la parilla and crispy chicharron de pollo are all less than $9, and three of these plates between two people are filling. Also a deal are the towering pitchers of Goldilocks-grade sangria (not too sweet, not too strong--just right) at about $4 a glass. The space is simple, elegant and uncluttered, and street parking is easy, although keeping this place a secret may not be.

A whole, marinated, rotisserie-style chicken, plus two large sides for $15.50 is more than enough for two and easily one of the best deals in the city. The sangria is pitcher-perfect, and hard-to-find Peruvian beers are also available. All of the tables are handsome wooden two-tops, which can be pushed together to accommodate groups of up to 12.

User Review of Limon Rotisserie

Quality and Price!

For $9.50 I had a relaxed atmosphere, half of a rotisserie chicken with two side dishes. Impeccably clean, and waiters that are attentive to your every need. The side dishes are quite tasteful, with a string bean melody that is plentiful and tasty, yuca fries that surpass your typical American french fries. The half chicken is perfect for two and a third side dish would bring the meal down to less than $15, a deal for the ambiance and quality. The chicarron chicken is tasty and and excellent side dish if fried food is not an issue.
Pros: Clean, well priced, ambiance, and friendly service
Cons: None

Monday, November 10, 2008

Toy Boat Cafe in the Richmond District

401 Clement St. (Cross St. 5th Avenue)
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 751-7505

Hours:
Mon-Thu 7:30am-11pm
Fri, Sat 8:30am-12am
Sun 8:30am-11pm


Serving up countless confections and some gourmet sandwiches, this colorful cafe is an eyeful and mouthful. An old-fashioned coin-operated mechanical horse is a focal point amid the shelves of vintage toys and cartoon action figures. Specialty sweets include ice cream (green tea, cappuccino-chocolate crunch, dulce de leche), Chocolate Lovin' Spoonful cake, frozen bananas, and tiramisu.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Qbert at the Independent

The Independent
628 Divisadero St.
San Francisco, CA 94117

Friday, December 26, 2008

Doors Open 8:30pm
Show at 9:00pm

$20.00 General Admission http://www.ticketweb.com/

"DJ Q-Bert (b. Richard Quitevis) first emerged in the underground turntablist scene as a member of San Francisco's Invisibl Skratch Piklz (with D-Styles, Yogafrog, MixMaster Mike, and Shortkut). Along with other Bay Area groups like the X-Men and the World Famous Beat Junkies, the Piklz were determined to re-establish the DJs place in rap music. Looking backward into rap's past and forward into its future, Q-Bert and the Skratch Piklz championed a move away from the empty showmanship DJing had become toward the essential elements of technique and musicianship. Q-Bert in particular embarked on a mission outside the rap community, to dispel misconceptions about the DJs art through teaching and preaching the gospel of the turntable..." -AOL Music

Saturday, November 8, 2008

The Stable Cafe

2128 Folsom St.
San Francisco, CA 94110
Phone: (415) 552-1199

Hours:
Monday-Friday 8am-3pm


Stable Cafe - for breakfast or lunch or just something to munch.
Fresh Baked Pastries
Mouthwatering Daily Panini's
Breakfasts & Lunch Specials

Stable Cafe is where you can get excellent coffee (drip or espresso), grilled sandwiches, soups & all-American sweets prepared by Jen Musty of Batter Bakery. The space, a converted carriage house, has all of the charm of a former barn, with wide rough plank floors and exposed beams, thoughtfully modernized so that it's flooded with light and has a cozy loft that overlooks the room below. Also of note for you industry people: attached to the cafe is Mission Creek Kitchen, which is a commercial kitchen available for use. Come into Stable Café today for their daily breakfast and lunch specials as well as their fresh pastries your taste buds will thank you.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Orgone this Saturday Night at the Boom Boom Room

Saturday, November 8, 2008

1601 Fillmore (at Geary)
SF, CA 94115

Doors at 8pm
Show at 9:30pm

$15 http://www.boomboomtickets.com/

Orgone (members of Breakestra and Dap Kings) is one of the funkiest out there and my buddy Devin plays trumpet for them. Would love to see you all out there. Please pass this along to your friends. It should be a great show.

DO NOT MISS THIS BAND!
UBIQUITY RECORDS Retro-Soul Sensation. . .

*ORGONE*
(New & Funktified Retro-Soul Dynamite Stax Style...!)

plus:
*DJ K-OS*

*ORGONE*...Sounding much like a cross between The Dap-Kings and Breakestra (with whom they share several members), L.A.'s Orgone keeps the hotness of the recent retro-soul revival coming; lead singer Fanny Franklin fits in very nicely between Sharon Jones and Amy Winehouse. As befits the band's name, Orgone's sound is quite organic, rooted in soul, funk, boogaloo, and jazz, with a classic appeal that's nevertheless contemporary...the entire album is one non-stop groove. If smooth, soulful funk with jazzy arrangements makes you sweat, you just found your new favorite band.
- XLR8R

By the time the listener gets to the nasty, distorted, finger-popping, ass waggling Crabby Ali -- where the deep brewed, second-line New Orleans old-school funk goes head to head with the gloss of L.A.'s Tower of Power styled horn charts -- it feels like the party's just getting started.
- All Music

Orgone recalls acts like Fela Kuti, Trouble Funk, and War, but with a heavy dose of disco, as on Killion's Dialed Up, where the deep groove and diva vocals are so authentic, they could be samples.
- The Onion / A.V. Club

Their music is terrifically unfussy, big slabs of grizzled R&B, greasy as fatback and thick as a very particular kind of smoke. At their best, they recall the majesty of Sly & the Family Stone; opening track Who Knows Who is all bleary horns and broken-heart vocals, It's What You Do is a tight, itchy jam. There's still a riot goin' on, and Orgone is at the front of the crowd.
- eMusic

It's easy to imagine The Killion Floor both igniting mass partying and stoking libidos for more intimate gatherings.
- OC Weekly

One of the funkiest singles we've heard on Ubiquity Records in years...
- Dusty Groove

A real force to be reckoned with on the funk scene...
- Jazzman

If this is any indication of how good their album will be we're in for a treat.
- Fat City Records

These guys are on a roll.
- Turntable Lab

If you thought disco–real soulful disco–could never come back, think again.
- XLR8R

Orgone first appeared on Ubiquity with their cover of "Funky Nassau" (on Rewind Volume 4), which became a ubiquitous DJ fave worldwide. We're now proud to present their first full-length album called The Killion Floor.

The Los-Angeles-based band's reputation amongst the funk and soul fraternity is backed-up by an impressive and quickly growing resume that is expanding their reach. This includes landing a spot in an Adidas campaign, touring with major-label crew Little Brother, and going out as backing band for The Pharcyde, Plantlife (including a BBC performance for Jools Holland), Tone Loc, and New Orleans funk legend Eddie Bo at the Hurricane Katrina benefit. Members of Orgone also feature in the make-up of Ubiquity acts Connie Price and Breakestra and perform regularly at the Root Down in LA.

At the core of the band is a rhythm section comprised of close friends who have played together for over 15 years. Growing artistically as a unit they function as one organic and intuitive whole and, while they enjoy the comparisons to hot acts of the moment like Amy Winehouse, or funk staples like Sharon Jones or Breakestra, they're quick to point out that Orgone is unique, "We draw from a wider musical and production palette than a lot of the '60's inspired music that's making a resurgence," explains band-member Sean O'Shea. "It's not intentional; it's simply a reflection of the music and production aesthetics that we love." The Killion Floor backs this up by taking the listener on a musical journey from the sound of Los Angeles to horn and percussion driven Lagos, and from a New York club to the raw sounds of New Orleans.

Lead singer Fanny Franklin joined the groups' recordings after they saw her perform with Dakah, the 30-piece hip hop orchestra. "We felt she was the best soul singer in town," says O'Shea. "We asked her to record "Funky Nassau" and that led to us working together regularly." Franklin delivers monster performances that will surely put an end to her relative obscurity on tracks like the Memphis-drenched "Who Knows Who," the laid-back and cosmic "Said and Done," and the apocalyptic sound of "Do Your Thing." ... more"

I Get Lifted" is a version of the track Harry Wayne Casey (K.C.) and Richard Finch (later known in life as KC and the Sunshine Band) produced for George McCrae. Los Angeles vocalist Fanny Franklin shines on vocals riding an irresistible cosmic-flavored tune that settles nicely somewhere between live disco and spacey soul. Franklin has appeared on recordings by Dakah and sang alongside Macy Gray. She is the de-facto Orgone vocalist to appear on tours and as the main vocalist on the upcoming album.

On the flip is an instrumental inspired as much by Roy Ayers as Fela Kuti. "It's What You Do" will appeal to fans of the bands previous recordings like "Hambone" and "Funky Nassau."

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Blitzen Trapper at The Independent

December 2, 2008

The Independent
628 Divisadero Street
San Francisco, CA
415.771.1421


Tickets on ticketweb.

http://www.myspace.com/blitzentrapper

Doors are open! Check out the new California Academy Of Sciences in Golden Gate Park

55 Music Concourse Dr.
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, CA 94118
415.379.8000

Regular Hours:
Mon - Sat 9:30am - 5pm
Sun 11am - 5pm

Adult $24.95
Child (6 & Under) - Ticket Required * $0.00
Child (7-11) $14.95
Youth (12-17) $19.95
Student 18+ (ID required) $19.95
Senior 65+ (ID Required) $19.95

It's as if the new Academy brings the whole universe under one roof - an aquarium, a planetarium, a natural history museum and more! The 412,000 square foot structure is not only physically impressive, but it just may be the greenest museum on the planet, with a 2 ½ acre Living Roof, an expansive solar canopy, an extensive water reclamation system, and walls insulated with recycled blue jeans.

I remember coming to the Academy of Sciences as a young kid and always having a great time! My favorite exhibit was always the Earthquake exhibit - can't wait to see what they have now!

DJ WEJ

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Vintage 415 Opens New Bar

The Aventine

582 Washington Street
415.981.1500
www.aventinesf.com
Mon - Fri 10am - 2am
Sat 5pm - 2am

Full Bar

Ozomatli at the Fillmore

A Live Nation Concert Presents...

Ozomatli
December 11, 2008

Doors Open at 7pm/Show at 8pm

The Fillmore
1805 Geary Boulevard

General Admission $26.50
Tickets available at www.livenation.com