Fellow blogger Chris Trenchard shares more about two of this week's greatest live music shows: Ariel Pink and Björkhere. For more of what's going on in the Bay Area this week, here's our roundup:
Conversation
Eating Nose-to-Tail: The Whole Animal Movement
The cuts you once fed to your dog are now being reinvented by the greatest chefs and butchers for the more adventurous American appetites. "Top Chef Master" Chris Cosentino and SF's own Ryan Farr are among the iconic individuals who will lead a panel discussion of this movement. Check out Craigslist for any VIP tickets to catch the post-dicussion demo and butchery class.
When: 6:30 p.m., Tues. 5/21
Where: Commonwealth Club, 595 Market St.
Music
Devendra Banhart
The Texas-born Venezuelan singer-songwriter has matured as an artist with his eighth album, Mala. Recorded entirely at his previous home studio in LA, Banhart takes out his trademark trilling falsetto and replaces it with vocal fluidity and even two songs in Spanish. Even though he may be evolving as an artist, his iconic past is sure to be featured in his only SF performance.
When: 8 p.m., Tues. 5/21
Where: The Regency Ballroom, 1300 Van Ness Ave.
Conversation
Revive and Restore
The science of today is bringing back the life of yesterday. "De-extinction" is the aim of the Long Now Foundation's "Revive & Restore" project, spearheaded by Stewart Brand (one of last year's Hot 30). Tickets for this talk may be extinct, but the there will be a walk up line for unclaimed seats.
When: 7:30 p.m., Tues. 5/21
Where: SFJAZZ Center, 201 Franklin St.
Performance
Love & Taxes
A romantic-comedy that unites two seemingly opposite forces—love and paying taxes. A procrastinating legal secretary falls in loves with a school teacher, who realizes that in order to truly have love, he must embrace his duties as a citizen. The mastermind behind this playful piece, Josh Kornbluth, is reviving his hilarious spectacle for a special benefit for Z Space's 20th Anniversary.
When: 8 p.m., Wed. 5/22 - Thurs. 5/23
Where: Z Space, 450 Florida St.
Performance
Philip Glass at 75
The Philip Glass Ensemble celebrates the 75th birthday of its iconic musical leader. As part of the four-day fête, the ensemble will be playing live with two films, for which Philip Glass composed the original scores: the 1946 neo-romantic La Belle et la Bête and Godfrey Reggio's documentary Koyaanisqatsi. On selected concert dates, there will be a post-performance Q&A with the maestro himself.
When: 8 p.m. Thurs. 5/23 - Sat. 5/25 & 7 p.m., Sun. 5/26
Where: YBCA, 701 Mission St. & Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave.
Music
Cold War Kids
The Long Beach natives are on tour again with the release of their fourth studio album, Dear Miss Lonelyhearts. The band continues to musically evolve with their new bass-driven and instrumentally layered tracks to support lead singer Nathan Willet's one-of-a-kind warble. There are still tickets for their only SF show, so get on it.
When: 8 p.m., Thurs. 5/23
Where: The Regency Ballroom, 1300 Van Ness Ave.
Art
"Beat Memories: The Photographs of Allen Ginsberg"
The legacy of Allen Ginsberg lies in his controversial poem Howl. But it turns out that Ginsberg could tell stories in pictures as well as in words. In the new exhibition "Beat Memories," the poet's extensive photography comes to light, capturing what he called "certain moments in eternity," including his everyday life and friends WIlliam S. Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, and Neal Cassady. Among the 80-plus images on view in this exhibit are handwritten inscriptions by Ginsberg himself.
When: Thurs. 5/23 - Sun. 9/8
Where: Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission St.
Performance
Performance Research Experiment #2: Paradox of the Heart (Phase 1)
Gravity's newest performance piece explores exactly what a performance can make its audience feel and how. This live-performance-science-experiment brings together an Iranian neuroscientist and two prominent performers, Jess Curtis and Jörg Müller, in the creation of live art on the human body.
When: 8 p.m., Fri. 5/24 - 5/26
Where: CounterPULSE, 1310 Mission St.
Celebration
CELEBRATE50
Rev. Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani brought their vision of love, compassion, and community to San Francisco 50 years ago, and this Friday the SF Giants and GLIDE are hosting a tribute. The VIP tickets include lower box seats to Friday's game, access to the party space, free eats & drinks, and a limited-edition bobblehead of the unconditional love duo. What a way to start the long weekend!
When: 4:45 p.m., Fri. 5/24
Where: AT&T Park, 24 Willie Mays Plaza
Performance
Dear Elizabeth
Renowned collaborators, Sarah Ruhl and Les Waters, continue their legacy with the West Coast premiere of their love and longing driven play. Three decades of letters sent across continents and oceans between friends, Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell, are brought to life on stage in this intimate portrayal of two poets finding companionship in their correspondence.
When: 8 p.m. Fri. 5/24 - Sun. 7/7
Where: Roda Theatre, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley
Music
Kings of the Mic Tour
The authentic roots of hip hop are brought to the stage in the form of two-time Grammy-winner LL Cool J and legendary hip-hop golden-era artists Ice Cube, Public Enemy, and De La Soul. Mountain View is as close as these Kings plan to come to the Bay Area, so be sure to get your tickets.
When: 7 p.m., Sat. 5/25
Where: Shoreline Amphitheatre, 1 Amphitheatre Pkwy., Mountain View
