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Photo: Pat Mazzera with Lori Eanes |
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MUSIC
ROOSTER’S ROADHOUSE
Live 20-Piece Jazz Band
In what may be one of the best-kept secrets in Alameda, Bob Enos and the Soundwaves have been quietly building up a loyal following as they literally spill off the stage from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. every Wednesday at Rooster’s Roadhouse.
In-the-know music lovers come out weekly to hear Enos, who started the group in 1959, and his 20-piece band play jazz standards and Enos originals, including the song “Lynn,” written for his wife.
“It’s very nice playing in Alameda,” says Enos, whose band includes a few local players. “People here just go nuts.”
“This is the only place in the Bay Area where you can go to hear a 20-piece big band for free,” adds Rooster’s manager Bob Nunes.
Rooster’s co-owner, Alameda resident Joselyn Valenzuela, says the former auto garage and bait shop has undergone many transformations and many names since becoming a nightclub in the 1970s. Now the 18-and-over club hops with live music most nights and serves tasty pub food, cocktails and beers on tap. Music ranges from jazz to heavy metal, with local talent and special guests, such as members of the bands Night Ranger and .38 Special, on the stage.
“We get diverse crowds; it depends on what the band brings in,” Nunes says about the large space. “We are the only real nightclub in Alameda—we have the lighting, the sound and the space.”
So if you love to dance and hear great music, check out Rooster’s Roadhouse, and with the recent addition of a new dance floor, the joint should be jumpin’.
Open Tuesday through Saturday, live music Wednesday through Saturday. Admission varies. 1700 Clement Ave., (510) 337-9190, http://groups.msn.com/roostersroadhouse.
JULIE'S COFFEE 7 TEA GARDEN
Live Folk Music
For a great cup of coffee and free live music, head to Julie’s Coffee & Tea Garden on Tuesday nights, where both the coffee and the music are truly organic. The cafe also displays art by local artists, hosts community workshops on health and stress reduction topics and focuses on bringing in great live folk music.
“It is sometimes a struggle for local artists; I’m not sure why this is,” says Alameda resident Julie Baron, who opened the cafe in 2005. “It is important to us to promote local artists.”
One of those artists, Alameda-based mandolinist Paul Kotapish, has been making Julie’s a regular gig since joining local favorites Sylvia Herold and Chuck Ervin more than a year ago.
“It is a great venue. There are no microphones, and you play direct to the audience,” says Kotapish about the live music night, which Herold pioneered. “And it’s all ages; my kids were even here.”
The informal, up close and personal nature of the performance—where a busy cappuccino steamer and clinking coffee cups add to the musical rhythm—is part of the charm at Julie’s.
The chance to interact directly with the public inspired Baron to get out of the coffee and tea wholesale business and open her successful organic cafe on a block with corporate coffee heavyweights Starbucks and Peet’s Coffee & Tea. “I wanted to be directly connected with the customers instead of in a warehouse,” Baron says. “I’m loving the change.”
Judging by all the loyal customers and the live music events, it appears she isn’t the only one.
Open daily, live music 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday. Free. 1223 Park St., (510) 865-2385, www.juliestea.com.
VENUES
Concerts at the Cove, (510) 523-5955, www.westalamedabusiness.com.
Summer evening concerts at Crab Cove.
John Patrick’s, 1813 Park St., (510) 522-5105.
Live music on most nights.
Barceluna at Kelly’s of Alameda, 1313 Park St., (510) 769-1011, www.kellysofalameda.net.
Open mic nights every Wednesday and live music Thursday-Sunday.
Lost Weekend Lounge, 2320 1/2 Santa Clara Ave., (510) 523-4700.
DJ music Thursday, Friday, Saturday; occasional live music.
McGrath’s Pub, 1539 Lincoln Ave., (510) 522-6263, www.mcgrathspub.com.
Open jam sessions/open mics 8 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
Live bands most Friday and Saturday nights.
Lucky 13, 1301 Park St., (510) 523-2118.
Occasional DJ and live music.
New Zealander, 1400 Webster St., (510) 769-8555, www.the-newzealander.com.
Jazzmen Terrence Brewer and Brandon Essex at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday; Lost Cats at 6:30 p.m. Saturdays.
Peanut Butter Jam Festival, (510) 523-5955, www.westalamedabusiness.com.
This September festival features music, art, gourmet food and wine on Webster Street.
Peralta College Jazz Ensemble Concert, Oakland Public Conservatory of Music, 1616 Franklin St., (510) 836-4649.
Students from Glen Pearson’s College of Alameda jazz class perform big-band music 2 p.m.-5 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday.
Speisekammer, 2424 Lincoln Ave., (510) 522-1300, www.speisekammer.com.
Live music Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
PERFORMANCE
ALAMEDA CIVIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
Theatrical Productions
For 10 years the Alameda Civic Light Opera has brought Broadway-caliber productions to Alameda’s Kofman Auditorium, including this year’s productions of Jesus Christ Superstar, Guys and Dolls and Aida.
Executive Artistic Director Jeff Teague, who has worked in various roles with ACLO since its inaugural season, says the goal is to stage quality Broadway productions that feature a creative and fresh vision.
“We produce classic Broadway theater and new works, and the range includes everything from family-friendly productions to more mature content,” Teague says. “We include a wide range of shows.”
Alameda actor and Guys and Dolls cast member Michael Thomas agrees that ACLO sets the bar high. “The productions are very high in quality, and there is a lot of integrity,” Thomas says. “People compare us to other local shows, and they say ours are better.”
This year ACLO has been able to raise the quality level even higher by making smart use of limited resources and giving its professional theatrical artists and production crew and cast more time to work by moving the set shop and rehearsal space to a staging area at the former Alameda Naval Air Station. The whole operation moves to the Kofman just days before opening night.
But the innovative programs designed to teach theater to youth—including the Kid’s Camp and Lippert Internship for Theater Students—are what make ACLO so special, Teague says.
“We set up programs so we are always training and introducing the next generation to theater,” Teague says about the camps, internships and classes that include many Alameda youngsters. “They are great skills that students can take with them whether they go into theater or not. This is the element that sets us apart.”
As a premier East Bay theater destination, ACLO brings another benefit to Island residents and businesses. “The theater is important to Alameda, as people make it a complete destination for dinner, drinks and dessert,” Teague says. “And the actors always stop to eat before they come here.”
Regardless, Alameda has become the place to go to feed an appetite for theater and so much more.
July, August, September. $27 to $31. Box Office,
1415 Park St., (510) 864-2256, www.aclo.com;
Kofman Auditorium, 2200 Central Ave.
VENUES
Altarena Playhouse, 1409 High St. (510) 523-1553, www.altarena.org.
The oldest continually operating theater in the Bay Area.
Kids Take the Stage, 1361 Park St. (510) 864-7061, www.kidstakethestage.com.
Classes, camps and productions teach children performing arts skills.
ART
FRANK BETTE CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Community Art Gallery
When German immigrant and Alameda resident Frank Bette died in 1999, he left behind a vast collection of poetry, art and handmade furniture in his Victorian home and shop as well as a handwritten will with some pretty clear instructions about what to do with it all. He willed that no individual should own his collection of art and that his house should become “a place where creative people could have meetings, readings, showings and other doings.”In 2003 this is exactly what happened as Bette’s house was opened to the public and now hosts monthly art shows, poetry readings and musical events as well as several galleries and classes.
“Art is everywhere and in everyone,” says Debra Owen, who became the executive director in 2004. “Our mission is to weave art into the community and the community into art.”
This summer, the center did just that as it gave 40 artists just five days to capture Alameda landscapes using Bette’s favorite outdoor painting style know as en plein air, French for “in the open air.”
“I got excited about the whole concept,” says Alameda resident Jim Kennedy who purchased USS Hornet Island, the winner in the Best of Show category. “The painting is just beautiful.”
“It was great to see the city through the eyes of others,” Owen adds.
Mike Sheppard, president of the center’s board, is passionate about art in Alameda and considers the center a great community resource. “Art should act as an element of a healthy community,” he says. “The center is a place to come and feel welcome at whatever level or age group you are at.”
Sheppard adds that most people only knew Bette through his mastery of furniture refinishing and repair and that most didn’t know about his extensive work as an artist in multiple mediums. In that sense, “Frank is a metaphor for all of Alameda,” he says.
Now that all of Alameda has access to art through the center he helped create, one fact is clear and has become the center’s motto: “It is what Frank would have wanted.”
Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Free. 1601 Paru Street, (510) 523-6957, www.frankbettecenter.org.
VENUES
First Friday Open Galleries, (510) 523-5955, www.westalamedabusiness.com.
Local art galleries and businesses display art and host a free opening night reception on the first Friday of each month. Participants include Vines Café & Gallery/Thomsen’s Garden Center, Open Arts Gallery, The Marketplace, Starbucks, JavaRama Coffee House, Julie’s Coffee & Tea Garden, C’era Una Volta, Spellbinding Tales and the Frank Bette Center.
Art Yowza, 1617 Encinal Ave., (510) 521-2671, www.artyowza.com.
Art classes and programs for kids, teens and adults.
Lucky Ju Ju Pinball and Art Gallery/The Neptune Beach Amusement Museum, 713 Santa Clara Ave.,
(510) 205-9793, www.nbam.org or www.ujuju.com.
Programs, classes and art on display year-round.
Park Street Art & Wine Faire, (510) 523-1392, www.shopparkstreet.com.
This weekend summer fair showcases arts and crafts, fine wine and micro-brewed beers.
DANCE
FRIDAY NIGHT WALTZ
Veterans Memorial Building
About six years ago Scott Gamble’s favorite Stanford-based dance class started to become very popular, and, although it was great for the class, it meant that Gamble had to seek out a new venue to pursue his passion. He quickly decided to stage his own dances and classes and for the past two years has brought high-energy dance events to the spacious Veterans Building in the form of Friday Night Waltz.“It is a clean, wholesome way to have fun and a great way to meet people,” says Gamble about the monthly events that feature waltz, polka, one-step, swing, Lindy, samba and tango dancing. “The style of dance is very appealing; there is an emotional connectivity that is formed with your partner during dance.”
Mike Silpa, who lives in Oakland and works in Alameda, agrees. “Waltzing is the most fun you can have in public,” he claims.
Events are usually attended by more than 100 dancers of all ages who quickly fill the large wooden dance floor grouped in small spinning circles. More experienced pairs zip along the outer edges, leaving the inexperienced to the center. A DJ—who occasionally leaps off the stage to join the dancers but breaks just in time to start the next song—spins the various styles of music. A full night offers as many as 45 dances.
The uninitiated can take a one-hour lesson before the dance session, and those with two left feet are often surprised to see how fast they can get in the swing of things. Instructors include Tom Hill and Richard Powers, a member of the Stanford Dance Faculty and well-known expert in American social dance.
Hill, who works as a computer programmer, says dancing is a great way to de-stress after a full day of using just his brain and fingers. “My body is still fresh,” Hill says. “I’d much rather be out dancing than at home playing World of Warcraft.”
Gamble agrees, adding that waltzing is “addictive,” and is a great place to bring or meet new friends. “You can dance with as many partners as you would like,” he says. “It is a lot of fun to dance with so many people in just one night.”
Instruction starts at 7 p.m., the dance begins at 8 p.m. and goes to 11 p.m. $11 for instruction and dance; $8 for dance. 2203 Central Ave., www.fridaynightwaltz.com.
ZYDECO MUSIC AND DANCE
Alameda Eagles Hall
One of the most diverse, energetic and unexpected scenes in Alameda takes place every Friday night at Alameda Eagles Hall where more than 200 people of all ages gather to kick up their heels on a well-worn wooden dance floor and hear authentic live zydeco music.“Outside of Louisiana we are the hottest zydeco dance scene,” says organizer “Louisiana Sue” Ramon, a Cajun country native now living in Sacramento. “Whether from Germany, Denmark or Sweden, if people are near Alameda, they come here to dance.”
Ramon has watched the event steadily grow in popularity since its inception 11 years ago and says Alameda, or the “Isle of Zydeco” as she calls it, is a natural fit for the event.
“Alameda is culturally diverse and yet not as congested as the city,” Ramon says.
According to dance instructor Dana DeSimone, cavernous Eagles Hall is the perfect venue. “It works well. Eagles is a funky, old place with a lot of character,” he says. “Zydeco is a down-home music and dance style that fits well in this old building.”
Oakland resident Carol Lyons got hooked on zydeco this year and is a regular. “A friend introduced me to this,” she says. “It is the only place to come for zydeco, and the bands are always great.”
Contrary to what most believe, the Bay Area does have a large Cajun scene. On any given night, zydeco luminaries—such as Bay Area resident and 1982 Grammy winner “Queen Ida” Guillory, whom many credit with introducing them to the excitement of Cajun music—may be in the audience.
“Zydeco is hard-driving accordion music that is really fun and accessible and a lot of fun to dance to,” says DeSimone, also a Queen Ida convert. “It’s no Lawrence Welk thing.”
Ramon says the idea for the dance event came after she moved to the Bay Area from Louisiana in the 1980s and found that she “missed home so bad. I just wanted to get people up and dancing.”
Every Friday night, that is exactly what she does.
Instruction starts at 8 p.m., the music and dancing begins at 9 p.m. and goes to 12:30 a.m. $13 to $18. Alameda Eagles Hall, 2305 Alameda Ave., www.louisianasue.com.
VENUES
USS Hornet, 707 Hornet Ave., (510) 521-8448, www.uss-hornet.org.
Some swing dances and other special-occasion dances.
Mastick Senior Center, 1155 Santa Clara Ave., (510) 747-7500, www.mastickcenter.com.
Varying dances and a 1 p.m.-4 p.m. dance every third Monday.
LECTURES
Books Inc.
Author Events
For a chance to learn a little bit about anything and everything, check out the author events at Books Inc., a rotating series of evening lecture events where authors (sometimes local) talk about their recently published works and answer questions.
One such local author and photographer, Barbara Traub, spoke and showed photos from her new book, A Decade of Burning Man: Photography from Desert to Dream, about the annual counterculture event many call the new American holiday.
“Photography can be a lonely experience,” Traub says. “It is nice to get out from behind the camera and talk to the public.”
While some listeners were actual “burners,” or Burning Man participants, others were just curious about the festival and viewed the presentation as an opportunity for learning.
“The community is looking for things to do, and Park Street is the center of life in town,” says Joshua Fuchs, the Books Inc. events coordinator. “It is a completely different culture in Alameda, but we still have access to all the great things.”
The author talks—among them the children’s event The Junie B. Jones Stupid Smelly Bus Tour and a visit from the stars of America’s Test Kitchen—generally pack the store.
Fuchs says Books Inc. tailors events toward the community and cites that sensibility as leading to the success of the 2-year-old Park Street branch, one in a chain of 10 Bay Area stores dating back to 1851.
“We spent our first year getting a sense of what the community wants to read,” Fuchs says about the busy schedule of lectures, children’s events and book club meetings. “We are not a corporate place; we are for the community, and we will not last if the community does not respond.”
Judging by recent community response, Books Inc. may have many more chapters to write in Alameda.
Open daily 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Free. 1344 Park St., (510) 522-2226, www.booksinc.net.
VENUES
Alameda Museum Lectures, 2324 Alameda Ave., (510) 521-1233, www.alamedamuseum.org.
Monthly lecture series on local topics.
Spellbinding Tales, 1910 A Encinal Ave., (510) 523-1105, www.spellbindingtales.com.
Monthly mystery readings on every third Thursday and other occasional readings.
