TonaLaura hasn’t seen the inside of a venue in months, but that hasn’t stopped their music
Pianist Laura Klein and guitarist Tony Corman’s repertoire encompasses bossa nova standards, American songbook gems, bebop anthems and original compositions.
Arts
Top Stories
This Berkeley ‘wonderland’ of a shop imagines a second life for trash, as art
Artist and business owner Frida Godoy crafts fantastical creations from recycled materials at Reuse Arts and Crafts.
Books
Review: ‘The Admirals’ discusses Chester Nimitz, head of the US Pacific fleet and long time Berkeleyan
The joint biography looks at Chester Nimitz, William Halsey, William Leahy and Ernest King.
Book review: From Aya de Leon, a brilliant thriller that exposes the FBI’s illegal tactics
Set in the East Bay, a young Black FBI lawyer is told to investigate a small group of eco-activist teens led by a charismatic Black man. Is the group really dangerous?
Book review: ‘Driven’ traces development of self-driving cars, saga of the Berkeley man who stole industry secrets
Anthony Levandowski will serve 18 months in prison for stealing files from Google for his own autonomous car company.
New book, ‘Island Visions,’ offers some California wonder while we’re all staying close to home
This beautiful, dynamic “untextbook” about the California Channel Islands was spearheaded by the two founders of Berkeley’s Pedal Born Pictures.
Theater
Shotgun Players at 30 has turned crisis into opportunity
Lockdown be damned! The Berkeley theater group has forged ahead, renovating its stage and planning a new season designed to bridge the chasm between streaming and live theater.
Josh Kornbluth’s ‘Citizen Brain’ from Shotgun Players is engaging and enlightening
The solo-performer tells a fascinating story about how his beloved stepfather’s Alzheimer diagnosis and the election of Donald Trump changed his life in surprisingly positive ways.
Aurora Theatre’s world premiere audio play ‘The Flats’ is ingenious
The three-part audio drama is a prime example of how to create an engaging theatrical experience despite the limits imposed by our Covid-ridden world.
Music
Hot jazz from Berkeley’s Cal Performances with the very cool trumpeter Bria Skonberg
She delivers jazz standards, vintage pop songs, finely wrought originals, and alchemical jazz renditions of songs by John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Queen.
Guitarist Robbie Basho, a rare bird in Berkeley
A new Robbie Basho box set offers a window into the music of a brilliant and troubled artist. Plus: Catch a livestream of soul singer Destini Wolf tonight.
Movies
Small Screen Berkeley: ‘Dear Comrades!’ and ’17 Blocks’
Reviewed: ‘Dear Comrades!’ parallels recent events in the United States, while ’17 Blocks’ follows the life of one DC family over 20 years.
Here are some treats from SF Indiefest 2021, streaming through Feb. 21
If you haven’t already checked out the excellent ‘Small Time,’ you still have another week — but the festival has other great movies to watch too.
Small Screen Berkeley: ‘A Glitch in the Matrix,’ ‘Small Time’ and ‘Notturno’
While not perfect, ‘A Glitch in the Matrix’ is thought-provoking; ‘Small Time’ is a journey worth taking; while fans of Gianfranco Rosi will want to check out ‘Notturno.’
Visual arts
Berkeley bids adieu to the controversial Big People statues
The statues stood on the pedestrian bridge over I-80 for 12 years. It will take 3 days to remove them.
Berkeley has started removing the Big People statues on the I-80 pedestrian bridge
The ‘”love-em” or “hate-em” art pieces will be gone by Tuesday.
Recent stories
Dorothea Lange’s legacy lives on through a fellowship at UC Berkeley
On Feb. 22 the Cal J-School presents, “Photographer Dorothea Lange and the Berkeley Connection: 40 Years of Lange Fellowship Winners.”
A new film documents the struggle of restaurant workers who rely on tips
Albany-based filmmaker Abby Ginzberg’s documentary “Waging Change” spotlights the movement to change the federal tipped minimum wage of $2.13 an hour.
Doors and murals: In Berkeley, creative expression helps process the pandemic
These Berkeleyans are crafting beautiful messages outside their homes — sharing information and offering hope.
The Sit List: 5 ways to celebrate February holidays and more
This week, join a Lunar New Year celebration, see local Black artists for Black History Month, join a global book festival, date a shark and more.
Part 2: Your favorite places, inspired by Berkeley Rep’s Place/Settings
They include the once bustling scene on Telegraph Avenue, a sign in a pool hall, Totland, Berkeley Iceland, Lake Anza and, of course, the Codornices slide.
The Sit List: 5 events to spark your creativity
This week, attend a festival of women authors; learn how to dye naturally; witness a powerful play about Nelson Mandela; watch a pastel art demo; take a dive ‘Into Africa.’
Your favorite places, inspired by Berkeley Rep’s Place/Settings
They include the now-closed pier, the UC Berkeley eucalyptus grove and the tunnel between Codornices Park and the Rose Garden.
The Sit List: 5 Berkeley events to broaden your horizons
Learn about birds’ nests; listen to works by women composers; discuss what’s fact vs fiction in the disinformation age; view flower art; and watch online performance.
Small Screen Berkeley: ‘Identifying Features’ and ‘Mayor’
Reviewed: There’s no time for the sentimental in ‘Identifying Features,’ a good film with a great score; while ‘Mayor’ tells the story of the popular mayor of Ramallah, Musa Hadi.
In brief
Safeway on Shattuck is dry after its liquor license was suspended
Alcoholic Beverage Control suspended the Safeway store’s license after it sold alcohol to minors three times within two weeks.
Reviewed: ‘Some Kind of Heaven’, ‘Acasa My Home’, and ‘I Blame Society’
A documentary about ‘America’s Friendliest Hometown’ and one about a family of hunter-gatherers living next to a major European metropolis. Plus: a dash of black comedy.
The Sit List: 5 events in Berkeley to end the week
Laugh with comedians, drink wine with the novelist Jonathan Lethem, learn about Berkeley’s food history, declutter your closet, watch a documentary about maternal mental health.
