Calendar Northern California

Updated April 22, 2008

May 1-31, 2008 S M T W Th F S 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

1 MAY---thursday:
CENTRAL:
• May Day poetry reading by Ana Elsner and Jane Radis, open mike follows, Bird & Beckett Books & Records, 653 Chenery Street, SF, free, 7:00 (415/586-3733, www.birdbeckett.com)
• Poetry for Water, a fund raiser for clean water in villages in northern Kenya, featuring author Dave Eggers talking on the writing life, author Maxine Hong Kingston, poetry with best-selling anthology editor Roger Housden, improv performance artist Nina Wise, music and more, emcee author Beth Lisick, David Crosweller, founder of the London global charity Wherever the Need presents a slide show on the project, Cowell Theater, Herbst Pavilion, Fort Mason Center, SF, $30, 7:00 (www.fortmason.org/boxoffice, http://rogerhousden.com)
• Lunch Poems poetry reading series presents the annual student reading by winners of the Academy of American Poets, Cook, Rosenberg, and Yang Awards, students nominated by UC Berkeley's Creative Writing faculty, and representatives from student publications, Morrison Library in Doe Library, University of California, Berkeley, free, 12:10-12:50 (poems@library.berkeley.edu, http://lunchpoems.berkeley.edu)
• The Holloway Series presents a poetry reading by Lytle Shaw, The Lobe and Cable Factory 20, University of California, Maude Fife Room, 315 Wheeler Hall, Berkeley, free, 6:30 (510/642-3467, http://holloway.english.berkeley.edu)
• Poetry at the Albany Library presents featured poet and translator Chana Bloch reading from Blood Honey, open reading follows, Albany Library, 1247 Marin Avenue, Albany, free, 7:00-9:00 (510/526-3720, www.aclibrary.org)
• Oakland S.O.U.P. presents featured readers and open mike, hosts Selene Steese and Paula Farkas, Day of the Dead Cafe, 3208 Grand Avenue, Oakland, 7:00 (510/ 868-8705)

2 MAY---friday:
NORTH:
• WordTemple Poetry Series presents a reading with Rose Black, Clearing, Joseph Zaccardi, Vents, and Armando Garcia, Copperfield's Books, 2316 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 7:00 (707-578-8938)

3 MAY---saturday:
CENTRAL:
• Poetry Flash presents a Sixteen Rivers Press poetry reading with Dan Bellm, Practice, Terry Ehret, Lucky Break, and Gillian Wegener, The Opposite of Clairvoyance, Cody's Books, 2201 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, 7:00 (510/525-5476, www.codysbooks.com)
• The Poetry Center presents a celebration and tribute for The Collected Poems of Philip Whalen, the late Philip Whalen was one of the most creatively radical poets of the San Francisco Renaissance of the 1950s and beyond; this event features editor Michael Rothenberg, with poets Bill Berkson, Clark Coolidge, Diane di Prima, Norman Fischer, Dave Haselwood, Joanne Kyger, Michael McClure, David Meltzer, Leslie Scalapino, and Anne Waldman, Koret Auditorium, San Francisco Main Library, 100 Larkin Street, SF, free, 2:00-4:00 (415/557-4277, www.sfpl.org,www.sfsu.edu/~poetry)

4 MAY---sunday:
CENTRAL:
• The Music of the Word/La Palabra Musical, hosted by poet/percussionist Avotcja and Eric Aviles, featured readers, open mike, Sofrito, A taste of la Isla del Encanto in the East Bay, 3451 International Blvd. at 35th Avenue, Oakland, no cover, 3:00-4:30 (510/533-3840, www.Avotcja.com)
NORTH:
• CD Release Performance of Sweet Tongue, Poetry & Music by poet Sher Christian and John Christian on keyboard and other instruments with a reading by special guest, former Sonoma County Poet Laureate Terry Ehret, open mike follows, John Christian's elegant water sculptures will also be on display on the patio, The French Garden Restaurant, 8050 Bodega Avenue, Sebastopol, no cover, 2:00-4:30 (707/824-2030, www.frenchgardenrestaurant.com)

5 MAY---monday:
CENTRAL:
• Poet and pioneer of the Chicano spoken word movement Juan Felipe Herrera reading from 187 Reasons Mexicanos Can't Cross the Border: Undocuments 1971-2007, his new collection of selected poetry, prose, and performance writings, live words and music with the Shambhalla Cruisers: Francis Wong, John Carlos Perea, The Poetry Center, San Francisco State University, HUM 512, 1600 Holloway Avenue, SF, free, noon (www.sfsu.edu/~poetry)

6 MAY---tuesday:
CENTRAL:
• Philip T. Nails presents the Red Light Open Mic, featured poetry and performance, Amnesia Bar, 853 Valencia, SF, 7:00 (415/970-0012, www.amnesiathebar.com)

7 MAY---wednesday:
CENTRAL:
• Bird & Beckett Book Club, call for book title, Bird & Beckett Books & Records, 653 Chenery Street, near Glen Park BART, SF, free, 7:00 (415/586-3733)
• Yoshi's presents Beat poet Michael McClure performing with Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek, saxophonist George Brooks (plays with Summit, Etta James), bassist Rob Wasserman (plays with Lou Reed, Rickie Lee Jones), and drummer Jay Lane (plays with Charlie Hunter, Bob Weir) for a evening of elegant improvisation, American haiku, and jazz-drenched dharma boogie, Yoshi's San Francisco, 1330 Fillmore Street, SF, $18/$22, two shows: 8:00 and 10:00 (415/655-5600, sf.yoshis.com/sf/jazzclub, www.mcclure-manzarek.com)
• Saint Mary's College of California presents a reading by writer Marilyn Abildskov, author of The Men in My Country, a travel memoir, and nonfiction writer Michael Gardner, Saint Mary's College of California, Soda Activity Center, 1928 Saint Mary's Road, Moraga, $3/students free, 7:30 (925/631-4457, www.stmarys-ca.edu/mfa)
• Alameda Island Poets featured reader and open reading sponsored by Alameda Island Poets Chapter, California Federation of Chaparral Poets, hosted by Alameda Poet Laureate Mary Rudge, Alameda Main Library, 1550 Oak Street at Lincoln Avenue, Alameda, free, 7:00-9:00 (510/523-5980, www.fameinalameda.com)

8 MAY--thursday:
EAST:
• California Lecture Series presents memoirist and short story writer Tobias Wolff, This Boy's Life, reading from his latest, Our Story Begins, Crest Theatre, 1013 K Street, Sacramento, $25, 7:30 (916/737-1300, www.californialectures.org)

9 MAY--friday:
CENTRAL:
• The de Young Poetry Series presents a walking and poetry reading tour of the American Gallery with poets Robert Hass, Brenda Hillman, Bill Berkson, and Maxine Chernoff, de Young Museum of Fine Art, Koret Auditorium, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, SF, $12/$8 FAMSF members, advance ticket purchase recommended, 7:00-8:30 (tickets: 866/512-6326, www.museumtix.com; information: 415/750-7634, rbaldocchi@famsf.org)
• Small Press Traffic presents a reading by poet Miranda Mellis, The Revisionist, and founding editor at The Encyclopedia Project, and poet Dawn Lundy Martin, A Gathering of Matter/A Matter of Gathering, cofounder of Third Wave Foundation, a national organization for young feminists, Timken Lecture Hall, California College of the Arts, 1111 Eighth Street, SF, $5-$10 sliding scale, SPT members, CCA faculty, staff, and students free, 7:30 (415/551-9278, www. sptraffic.org)
• Last Word presents a reading by Lizz Bronson and Tim Donnelly, open mike follows, co-hosted by Dale Jensen, Ralph Dranow, Diana Q., Grace Grafton, Nefeli Caffe, 1854 Euclid Avenue, near Hearst, Berkeley, free, 7:00 (510/841-6374)

10 MAY--saturday:
CENTRAL:
• Judy Wells and Dale Jensen read their poetry, open reading follows, Frank Bette Center for the Arts, 1601 Paru Street, at Lincoln, Alameda, 7:00 (510/523-6957, www.frankbettecenter.org)

11 MAY--sunday:
CENTRAL:
• "The Berkeley Poetry Revolution of 1968," a poetry reading by Hugh Fox, Richard Krech, Charles Potts, and John Oliver Simon to commemorate a time when poets and their words ran amok through the streets of Berkeley, Bird & Beckett Books & Records, 653 Chenery Street, near Glen Park BART, SF, free, 4:30-6:30 (415/586-3733, www.birdbeckett.com)
• Life-long Press reading featuring contributors to their literary magazine Back Room Live, featuring writers Janet W. Hardy, The Ethical Slut: A Guide to Infinite Sexual Possibilities; poet Sara Mumolo, co-editor of Sorry for Snake, a poetry journal; memoirist Lukas Champagne; Jack Morgan, co-editor of Sorry for Snake; poet V.E. Grenier, editor-in-chief of Life-long Press, Pegasus Books Downtown, 2349 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, free, 7:30 (510/649-1320, www.pegasusbookstore.com)

12 MAY--monday:
CENTRAL:
• Word Dancing features poets Bill Vartnaw, Kim Shuck, and Bill Mercer, open reading follows, hosted by Jeanne Powell, It's A Grind Coffee House, 1800 Polk Street, SF, free, 7:00-9:00 (415/441-1272; host: 415/928-8904)
• Sidecar Theatre and Idiolexicon present the 505 Poetry Series, two poets and musician or ensemble each second Monday, Boxcar Playhouse, 505 Natoma Street, SF, $7-$15 sliding scale, 8:00 (www.idiolexicon.com/505)
• Poetry reading with Charles Potts, John Oliver Simon, and Richard Krech, together again in Berkeley after forty years, Moe's Books, 2476 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley, free, 7:30 (510/849-2087, www.moesbooks.com)

13 MAY--tuesday:
CENTRAL:
• Lit & Lunch presents "Turkish Writing Today," with Sidney Wade and Erdag Goknar, two leading translators of Turkish authors from Yahya Kemal to Orhan Pamuk, 111 Minna Gallery, Minna Street at 2nd Street, SF, gourmet lunch available by pre-order online, see Web site, free, 12:30-1:30 (415/512-8812, www.catranslation.org)

14 MAY---wednesday:
CENTRAL:
• Poetry reading with Elaine Sexton, Bird & Beckett Books & Records, 653 Chenery, Glen Park, SF, 7:30 (415/586-3733, www.birdbeckett.com)
• Andew Sean Greer, The Story of a Marriage: A Novel, set in 1953 San Francisco, in conversation with Barbara Lane, JCCSF Director of Lectures & Literature, Jewish Community Center San Francisco, 3200 California Street, SF, $10/$8 members, 8:00 (415/292-1200, www.jccsf.org)
NORTH:
• Sunset Poetry by the Bay, as part of the Marin Poetry Festival, presents poet Adam David Miller, Ticket to Exile, a memoir, reading from his poetry and prose, open reading follows, benefits Marin California Poets in the Schools and the High School Poetry Program of the Marin Poetry Center, Northpoint Coffee House, 1250 Bridgeway, Sausalito, no cover, 7:00-9:00 www.northpointcoffee.com)
EAST:
• Poetry reading featuring students of Elaine Starkman's writing classes on the theme of "Spring, renewal," sponsored by OLLI/Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Cal State Extension, 5400 Ygnacio Valley Road, top of the hill, Concord, free, 2:00-3:30 (Elaine.starkman@gmail.com)

15 MAY---thursday:
CENTRAL:
• David Meltzer reads his poetry with pianist Theo Saunders, Bird & Beckett Books & Records, 653 Chenery, Glen Park, SF, 7:00 (415/586-3733, www.birdbeckett.com)
• Oakland S.O.U.P. presents featured readers and open mike, hosts Selene Steese and Paula Farkas, Day of the Dead Cafe, 3208 Grand Avenue, Oakland, 7:00 (510/ 868-8705)
NORTH:
• Marin Poetry Festival presents a reading by Ellery Akers and Thomas Centolella, benefits Marin California Poets in the Schools and the High School Poetry Program of the Marin Poetry Center, Falkirk Cultural Center, 1408 Mission Avenue, San Rafael, 7:00 (http://isledesk.com/Festival)
SOUTH:
• Creative Minds Speaker Series presents robotics Ph.D., author, and columnist Daniel H. Wilson, Where's My Jetpack?, San Jose Museum of Art, 110 South Market Street, San Jose, $18/$14 members, 7:30 (408/521-4012, CreativeMinds@sjmusart.org)

16 MAY---friday:
CENTRAL:
• Small Press Traffic presents "Student Writers from the Bay Area," featuring emergent writers from writing programs UC Berkeley, California College of the Arts, Mills, New College, San Francisco State University, St. Mary's, University of San Francisco, and more, Timken Lecture Hall, California College of the Arts, 1111 Eighth Street, SF, $5-$10 sliding scale, SPT members and CCA faculty, staff, and students free, 7:30 (415/551-9278, www. sptraffic.org)
NORTH:
• Marin Poetry Festival presents Four New Poets with New Collections with Rebecca Foust, Terry Phelan, Prartho Sereno, and Joe Zaccardi, benefits Marin California Poets in the Schools and the High School Poetry Program of the Marin Poetry Center, ArtWorks Downtown Gallery, 1337 Fourth Street, San Rafael, 7:00 (http://isledesk.com/Festival)
• Sonoma County Library Poetry Grand Slam Finale, with emcees Len Gambin and Armando Garcia-Dávila, open mike with a three-minute limit precedes poetry slam, bring three poems, three minutes per poem, contestants may not participate in both the open mike and the poetry slam, five slam judges will be selected from the audience, Central Santa Rosa Library, Santa Rosa, 7:00 (707/545-0831, www.sonomalibrary.org/programs)

17 MAY---saturday:
CENTRAL:
• Progressive Reading Series benefit, one of a series of ten readings, third Saturday monthly through the election, in support of a progressive congressional candidate, The Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd Street, SF, $10-$20 sliding scale, 7:00 (415/647-2888)
NORTH:
• Marin Poetry Festival presents a Poetry Picnic with California Poets in the Schools Reading featuring the spoken word stylings of Verso Al Fresco and poetry workshops for kids of all ages, benefits Marin California Poets in the Schools and the High School Poetry Program of the Marin Poetry Center, Robin Sweeny Park, Caledonia and Litho Streets, Sausalito, noon-4:00 (http://isledesk.com/Festival)

18 MAY---sunday:
CENTRAL:
• The Music of the Word/La Palabra Musical, hosted by poet/percussionist Avotcja and Eric Aviles, featured readers, open mike, Sofrito, A taste of la Isla del Encanto in the East Bay, 3451 International Blvd. at 35th Avenue, Oakland, no cover, 3:00-4:30 (510/533-3840, www.Avotcja.com)
NORTH:
• Marin Poetry Festival presents a poetry reading featuring Robert Bly, Eavan Boland, and Jane Hirshfield with music of the Middle East, benefits Marin California Poets in the Schools and the High School Poetry Program of the Marin Poetry Center, sponsored by Dominican University, The Marin Poetry Center, Poetry Flash, Book Passage, at Dominican University campus, Angelico Hall, 50 Acacia Avenue, San Rafael, admission, 7:30 (tickets: 415/927-0960x239, http://isledesk.com/Festival, or e-mail PoetNews@sonic.net)
EAST:
• Ina Coolbrith Circle meeting, featured and open reading, social hour, Orinda Community Church, Fellowship Hall, 10 Irwin Way, Orinda, 2:00 (www.coolpoetry.org)

19 MAY--wednesday:
CENTRAL:
• Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid discuss their travel/cookbook Beyond the Great Wall: Recipes and Travels in the Other China, Moe's Books, 2476 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley, free, 7:30 (510/849-2087, www.moesbooks.com)

20 MAY---tuesday:
CENTRAL:
• Philip T. Nails presents the Red Light Open Mic, featured poetry and performance, Amnesia Bar, 853 Valencia, SF, 7:00 (415/970-0012, www.amnesiathebar.com)

21 MAY---wednesday:
CENTRAL:
• An Unpredictable Evening with poet August Kleinzahler, author of six books of poetry including The Strange Hours Travelers Keep, 2004 Griffin International Poetry Award-winner, and Cutty, One Rock: Low Characters and Strange Places, Gently Explained, prose, Jewish Community Center San Francisco, 3200 California Street, SF, $10/$8 members/$5 students, 8:00 (415/292-1200, www.jccsf.org)
• City Arts & Lectures presents author Witold Rybczynski, Lost Harvest and The Look of Architecture, in conversation with Roy Eisenhardt, Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Avenue, SF, $19, 8:00 (tickets: 415/392-4400, www.cityarts.net)

22 MAY---thursday:
CENTRAL:
• Fourth Thursdays' Eminent Authors' Birthdays' Open Reading, all welcome to read excerpts from favorite authors with birthdays in May, Bird & Beckett Books & Records, 653 Chenery Street, near Glen Park BART, SF, free, 7:00 (415/586-3733)

23 MAY---friday:
CENTRAL:
• Small Press Traffic present a poetry reading by Jennifer Firestone, Holiday, co-editor of the anthology Letters to Poets: Conversations About Poetics, Politics, and Community, and Matthew Shenoda, Seasons of Lotus, Seasons of Bone, and Somewhere Else, a 2006 American Book Award-winner, Timken Lecture Hall, California College of the Arts, 1111 Eighth Street, SF, $5-$10 sliding scale, SPT members, CCA faculty, staff, and students free, 7:30 (415/551-9278, www.sptraffic.org)

25 MAY---sunday:
CENTRAL:
• Poet contributors reading celebrates the Petaluma Poetry Walk 10-Year Anthology: 1996 to 2005, edited by Geri Digiorno and Bill Vartnaw, Bird & Beckett Books & Records, 653 Chenery, Glen Park, SF, 2:00 (415/586-3733, www.birdbeckett.com)
• Walker Brents III discusses literature, Bird & Beckett Books & Records, 653 Chenery Street, near Glen Park BART, SF, free, 4:30 (415/586-3733)
NORTH:
• Poetry, Pints & Prose reading series, last Sunday of each month, featured poet, open mike follows, Finbar Devine's Irish Pub, 145 Kentucky Street, Petaluma, 6:30 (PoetryPintsandProse@aol.com)

26 MAY---monday:
EAST:
• Davis Bookclub discusses The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford, The Avid Reader, 617 Second Street, Davis, 7:30 (530/758-4040, www.avidreaderbooks.com)

27 MAY---tuesday:
CENTRAL:
• Philip T. Nails presents the Red Light Open Mic, featured poet with Kirk Lumpkin, Amnesia Bar, 853 Valencia, SF, 7:00 (415/970-0012, www.amnesiathebar.com)
• Poetry at the 33 presents a reading by Ed Mycue, open mike follows, Keane's 3300 Club, 3300 Mission Street at 29th Street, SF, free, twenty-one and up, 7:00 (415/826-6886, www.3300club.com)

28 MAY---wednesday:
CENTRAL:
• Bay Area Writing Project: Writing Teachers Write presents a reading by Autumn Stephens, editor of two anthologies of women's writing: Roar Softly and Carry a Great Lipstick and The Secret Lives of Lawfully Wedded Wives, and poet Carol Dorf, former editor of Five Fingers Review, every fourth Wednesday, Nomad Café, 6500 Shattuck Avenue, at 65th, Oakland, free, 5:00-6:30 (www.bayareawritingproject.org)

29 MAY---thursday:
CENTRAL:
• Poetry reading with Ron Johnson, White Ghost Dance, Bird & Beckett Books & Records, 653 Chenery, Glen Park, SF, 7:00 (415/586-3733, www.birdbeckett.com)
NORTH:
• Writers Read presents a poetry reading by Jan Allegretti, open mike session follows, refreshments, Colored Horse Studio, 780 Waugh Lane, Ukiah, donation requested, featured reading 7:00, open mike 8:15 (707/275-9010, 707/462-4557, coloredhorse.com)

30 MAY---friday:
CENTRAL:
• Small Press Traffic presents a two-day, three-panel event, Aggression: A Conference on Contemporary Poetics and Political Antagonism, organized by Chris Chen, Cynthia Sailers, and Stephanie Young, the panels focus on rethinking poetic theory and practice and oppositional poetic communities, new technologies, race and the idea of an avant-garde, and the fault lines within and among the Bay Area Experimental poetry communities during the 1970s and 1980s, Timken Lecture Hall, California College of the Arts, 1111 Eighth Street, SF, $5-$10 sliding scale, SPT members, CCA faculty, staff, and students free, 7:30 (for details, see www. sptraffic.org)
SOUTH:
• Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana Open Mic, last Friday of each month, MACLA, 510 S. First Street, San Jose, $3-$5 sliding scale, 8:00 (408/998-ARTE, www.maclaarte.org)

31 MAY---saturday:
CENTRAL:
• Small Press Traffic presents a two-day, three-panel event, Aggression: A Conference on Contemporary Poetics and Political Antagonism, organized by Chris Chen, Cynthia Sailers, and Stephanie Young, the panels focus on rethinking poetic theory and practice and oppositional poetic communities, new technologies, race and the idea of an avant-garde, and the fault lines within and among the Bay Area Experimental poetry communities during the 1970s and 1980s, Timken Lecture Hall, California College of the Arts, 1111 Eighth Street, SF, $5-$10 sliding scale, SPT members, CCA faculty, staff, and students free, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 (for details, see www. sptraffic.org)