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This weekend in Oakland

on January 20, 2012

Community events and activities for the weekend of January 20-22, 2012. Got an event we didn’t know about? Please add it in the comments!

Friday January 20

Machine: A Fire Opera
Doors at 7:30, show at 8:30 pm
The Crucible, 1260 7th Street, Oakland

A rock opera that combines industrial arts, percussion and, of course, fire. Show runs Jan 18 – 21. More info and ticket prices here.

Swan’s Market TGIF Pop-Up Party
6-9 pm
907 Washington Street, Oakland

A new weekly pop-up market featuring food and drink from local vendors.

Author appearance: William Gibson
7 pm
Diesel, A Bookstore 5433 College Avenue, Oakland

William Gibson discusses and signs Distrust That Particular Flavor. More info here.

Live Drawing Series
6 pm
Actual Cafe, 6334 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland

Local artists will draw live, and their works will be on sale for $5 – $45. More info here. 

Rock Paper Scissors volunteer orientation
12:30 – 1:30 pm
Rock, Paper, Scissors Collective, 2278 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland

Learn about the art space’s programs and how you can get involved. More info here.

NightSchool: Recess
7 – 11 pm
Chabot Space & Science Center, 10000 Skyline Blvd, Oakland

A special monthly night at the observatory, this time on the theme of “recess” and featuring dodgeball, glow-in-the-dark frisbee golf, solar cars, playground games, plus access to the regular observatory attractions including telescope viewing and a live Planetarium show. Ages 18 and over. Admission $15, $5 for members. More info here.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Doors at 7 pm, curtain at 8 pm
Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland

The classic Frank Capra film about American politics, featuring Jimmy Stewart. Tickets $5. More info here.

Field of Stones, Shotgun Harlot, Bad Boy Eddy, The Road Vikings
Stork Club, 2330 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland

Admission $8. More info here.

El Ten Eleven
Doors at 8 pm, show at 9
The New Parish, 579 18th Street, Oakland

With RACES and Mwahaha. Ages 18 and over show. Tickets $9-12. More info here.

45 Sessions
9:30 pm
Disco Volante, 347 14th Street, Oakland

A deejay session on 7″ vinyl. Free.  More info here.

Steve Freund
Cafe Van Kleef,  1621 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland

Chicago-style blues. More info here.

Robben Ford
Yoshi’s Oakland, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland

Jazz and blues guitarist Robben Ford begins a three-night stand at Yoshi’s. Show continues through January 22.  Times and ticket info here.

Hella Gay
9 pm
The Uptown, 1928 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland

Electronic/dance. Admission $7. More info here. 

Saturday January 21

Oakland Running Festival practice run
8 am
Rockridge BART station

A practice run on the course for the 2012 running festival, which will be held in late March. Participation in the practice run is free, but reservations are requested. Course ends at the Fruitvale BART station. More info, as well as course details for the full and half marathon, here.

We Are The Global 99%: We Say No to Occupation – Decolonize!
7 -9 pm
East Side Alliance: 2277 International Blvd, Oakland

An open mic night on the topic of Occupy Wall Street. More info here.

The Oakland Standard: Living Concrete
11 am – 5 pm
Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland

Live mural painting by Oakland street artists Ras Terms, Safety First, Resta, and Tecka on the museum’s wall, featuring live DJ music. More info here.

Reception and Artists’ Talk: Mary Curtis Ratliff and the artists of Interlocking Terrain
4-6 pm
Mercury 20 Gallery, 475 25th Street, Oakland

The artists speak about their most recent works installed in the gallery. More info here.

Seed Library Grand Opening
3-5 pm
Cesar Chavez Branch: 3301 East 12th St., Suite 271, Oakland

A new part of the library will let users borrow seeds for planting, then return others at the end of the season. Visitors will learn how to borrow and save seeds. More info here.

Arroyo Viejo Creek Crew Work Day
10 am – 1 pm
Oakland Zoo Creek Restoration Site on Arroyo Viejo Creek

Volunteers can help clean up the creek near the zoo. Bring gardening gloves. More info here.

Deaf Youth Arts Theater Workshop
10 am – 1 pm
Rock, Paper, Scissors Collective, 2278 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland

A theater workshop for kids ages 8-12, run by workshop facilitators who are deaf and use American Sign Language. Limited to 12 students, registration recommended. More info here.

Gabriel Iglesias
7 pm
Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland

Comedian Gabriel Iglesias combines storytelling with parody. Tickets $42. More info here.

Hooray for Everything, Neighborhood Brats, Cat Party, La Corde
Stork Club, 2330 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland

More info here.

Zen Road Pilots
Doors at 8 pm, show at 9
The New Parish, 579 18th Street, Oakland

With Harvey Mandel and the Snake Crew. Ages 18 and over show. Tickets $10-15. More info here.

Hot Einstein
9 pm
Disco Volante, 347 14th Street, Oakland

Rock, soul and R&B. $5 cover. More info here.

Jan Fanucci
Cafe Van Kleef,  1621 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland

Blues, rock and R&B. More info here.

Embyronic Devourment, Short Fuse, Malevolent, Cyanic, Newtdick, Decimatus
7 pm
Eli’s Mile High Club, 3628 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Oakland

More info here.

Hammers of Misfortune, Giant Squid, Dimesland
10 pm
The Uptown, 1928 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland

Tickets $12-14. More info here.

Vanessa Lowe & Gods + Others
7 pm
Actual Cafe, 6334 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland

More info here.

Saturday Affairs
9:30 pm – 1:30 am
Paradiso, 2272 Telegraph Avenue

Deejays B Bailey and J Pro. More info here.

Sunday January 22

OMCA History Guild Talk: A Conversation with Belva Davis
1:30 pm
Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland

Journalist Belva Davis, host of “This Week In Northern California” speaks about her career and her new book Never in My Wildest Dreams: A Black Woman’s Life in Journalism. More information and ticket prices here.

Lunar New Year + DIY Day
Jack London Square, 98 Broadway, Oakland

The Jack London Square farmers market offers a few special events for the Lunar New Year including Qi Gong lessons, an orchid care workshop, an introduction to Asian produce, and Chinese lantern making for kids. More info, including event times and locations, here.

Roger Rocha and the Goldenhearts
7 pm

Disco Volante, 347 14th Street, Oakland

Featuring Girl named T. Free. More info here.

Rock N Roll Madness Fest
5 pm
Eli’s Mile High Club, 3628 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Oakland

Featuring Bare Wires, Union Atama, Deadbeats, Adults, Glitz, Shop Talk. More info here.

Ongoing Art Exhibits

A Walk in the Wild: Continuing John Muir’s Journey
Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland

A new interactive exhibit opens August 6 and highlights the legacy of the famous California naturalist and combines, art, science and natural history. Exhibit continues through January 22, 2012. Museum admission required. More info as well as museum hours and ticket prices here. To read Oakland North’s coverage of the exhibit, click here.

Educating Oakland: the History of Oakland Public Schools, 1852-1982
Main Library, 125 14th Street, Oakland

Photos, documents and other artifacts showing life at Oakland schools, their architecture, and news from the school system over more than a century. Show runs January 15 – March 31. More info here.

Femme Cartel
Actual Café, 6334 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland

A new mixed media show from an all-women’s art and performance collective, featuring photography, drawings, textile art, sculpture and more. More info here.

Between Wind and Water
Vessel Gallery: 471 25th Street

Mixed media and paper cutouts. Exhibit runs through February 18. Read Oakland North’s previous coverage hereMore info here.

Water/Color
Slate Contemporary, 473 25th Street, Oakland

No watercolors; instead, artists in other media including photography and oil paints render works on the subject of water. Show runs through February 25. Read Oakland North’s previous coverage hereMore info here.

Up in Arms
Roscoe Ceramics, 473 25th Street, Oakland

Strange and distorted sculptures of babies. Show runs through January 29. Read Oakland North’s previous coverage here. More info here.

The SF Bay: A Media Morphology
Krowswork Gallery, 480 23rd Street, Oakland

A multimedia installation by Sonja Hinrichsen and Chris Treggiari that explores the Bay Area through topography. Show runs through February 11. Read Oakland North’sprevious coverage hereMore info here.

Portraits from Oakland
PHOTO, 473 25th Street, Oakland

Portraits of First Friday visitors. Show runs through February 18. More info here.

Question Bridge: Black Males
Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland

A multimedia installation featuring videos of black men engaging in question and answer dialogue about black male identity in America. Show runs through April 22.More info here.

Spaces of Life: The Art of Sonya Rapoport
Mills College Art Museum: 5000 MacArthur Boulevard, Oakland

Interactive works from 1980-2010, including a “conceptual visit” to Rapoport’s Berkeley home and studio. Exhibit runs through March 11. More info here.

We All Float Down Here
Open Sundays 1 – 5 and by appointment
MacArthur B Arthur, 4030 Martin Luther King Blvd

Collaborative Works by Alison OK Frost and Elwyn Palmerton. Exhibit runs through January 29. More info here.

DIVINE: A Miscellany of Timeless Works
Mercury 20 Gallery, 475 25th Street, Oakland

Berkeley artist Mary Curtis Ratliff examines feminine beauty in both ancient times and modern pop culture. Exhibit runs through February 11. More info here.

Interlocking Terrain
Mercury 20 Gallery, 475 25th Street, Oakland

An exhibit curated by Charlie Milgrim explores the connections between artificial and natural environments. Exhibit runs through February 11. More info here.

Space, Time and Architecture
Weekends, 1-4 pm or by appointment
Royal Nonesuch Gallery, 4231 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland

New mixed media works by Luca Antonucci and Cybele Lyle including printmaking, collage and photography. More info here.

Ongoing community weekend events and gatherings

Get ‘er Done Day and Community Potluck
Sundays noon – 6 pm, 6 – 8 pm
A PLACE for Sustainable Living, 1121 64th Street, Oakland

Volunteers can work on a variety of tasks including carpentry, seed planting, plumbing work and more to benefit the center. Followed by a “Souper Sunday” community potluck dinner; bring a vegetarian dish or something to add to the “stone soup.” More info here.

Wildlife Theater
Saturdays at 11:45 am and Sundays at 1:45 pm
Oakland Zoo: 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland

Every Saturday, hear a story and meet an animal with the Oakland zoo staff.  On Sundays, there are more animals to meet and a chance to learn cool nature facts.

Toddler Storytime

Saturdays 10:30 – 11:30 am
Oakland Main Library, Children’s Room, 125 14th Street, Oakland
and Rockridge Branch Library, 5366 College Avenue, Oakland

Every Saturday, children ages three and under can listen to stories, sing songs, and enjoy family play time. More info here.

Piedmont Avenue Branch Knitting Group
Saturdays, 3 – 4 pm
Piedmont Ave. Branch, 160 41st Street, Oakland

Weekly knitting get-together and help session.

Open Spinning/Knitting Gathering
Every second Saturday of the month, 10 am – 1 pm
A Verb for Keeping Warm, 6328 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland

A free get-together to work on knitting, spinning or fiber arts projects, with complimentary coffee and tea. More info here.

Scrabble Club
Third and First Saturday of every month, 1 – 4 pm
It’s Your Move Games and Hobbies: 4920 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland

The club meets two to three times a month and hold a monthly tournament.  Cost: $1 to join the club and $25 for six games at the tournament.  More info here.

MTC Community Garden Hoe-Down
Saturdays 9 – 11 am
Memorial Tabernacle Church: 514 58th Street, Oakland (enter through the driveway)

Come join the weekly garden work party!  Whether you are a novice or an expert, all levels of gardening are welcome. Bring your gloves and gardening tools.

MTC Let’s Walk Together program
Second and fourth Saturdays, 8 am – 10 am
Memorial Tabernacle Church: 514 58th Street, Oakland

A twice-monthly group walk through different Bay Area parks and trails. Meet at the church and carpool to the week’s location. More info here.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous
Sundays 8:30 – 10 am, Thursdays 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, Summit Campus, Merritt Pavilion
350 Hawthorne Avenue, Oakland, in the “Fir Room.”

A program based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. There are no dues, weigh-ins, or fee, but pre-registration for this free program is required. The program is provided through Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and Jewish Family and Children’s Services of the East Bay. Call (510) 523-4361 for more information.

Chemical Dependency Workshop
Saturdays 10 am – 12 pm
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center’s MPI Treatment Services: 3021 Summit Street, 5th Floor, D Wing, Oakland

Whether you are dealing with alcohol or drug abuse yourself, or helping a family member or friend through the addiction, everyone is welcome at Alta Bates’ Dependency Workshops.  Call 510-652-7000 for more information.

Farmers markets

Old Oakland Farmers Market: 9th Street between Broadway and Clay, Oakland

Fridays 8 am – 2 pm, year-round.  More info here.

Kaiser Permanente Oakland Farmers Market: 3801 Howe Street, Oakland

Fridays 10 am – 2 pm, year-round.  More info here.

Grand Lake Farmers Market: Splash Pad Park at Grand Avenue and Lake Park Avenue

Saturdays 9 am – 2 pm, year round.  More info here.

Phat Beets Produce Market: 5717 Market Street, Oakland

Saturdays 9 am – 2 pm.  More info here.

Temescal Farmers Market: 5300 Claremont Avenue, Oakland (at the DMV)

Sundays 9 am – 1 pm, year-round.  More info here.

Jack London Square Farmers Market: Webster & Water Streets, Oakland

Sundays, 9 am – 2 pm, year-round.  More info here.

Got an Oakland event to share for next weekend’s events listing? Send info including address, time, and ticket price for events taking place in Oakland to staff@oaklandnorth.net.


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