3105 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705
Fernando 510 849-2568x15, fena@lapena.org, www.lapena.org

Live Music    Kid & Family Shows    Talks & Reports Back
Films & Videos   Poetry & Spoken Word    Exhibits

All Categories - Listed Chronologically

Thursday, October 9
A tribute to the great Mexican songwriter José Alfredo Jiménez. With singer and composers Theresa Perez, Steve Taylor-Ramírez, & Alfredo Gomez. Fans of ranchera music, young & old alike, know of José Alfredo Jiménez' life and work. He's a hero in Mexico, where his stature could be compared to that of Hank Williams in the U.S. 7:30 pm $8 gen. $6 students & seniors

Friday, October 10
Aluna, a San Francisco-Bay Area multicultural ethnic and Colombian folkloric band, will present a concert a dance after the film ¡Que Viva la Montaña! (Long live the mountains). Aluna's show includes traditional Colombian music styles such as Cumbia, Puya, Bullerengue, Curruláo and Mapalé, among others, as well as all-original music and joint performances with various Colombian dance ensemble groups. Their traditional style is influenced by artists such as Totó la Momposina, Petrona Martinez and Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto. Contemporary stylistic influences include Carlos Vives, Curupira, Bloque, Distrito Especial, and Sidestepper. www.alunaband.com. 7:30 pm $15 - $25 Sliding scale.

Saturday, October 11
La Peña's Immigration Series presents The Immigrant Experience. With Mamacoatl. Better known as The BorderCrossingDiosa, MamacoAtl is the descendant of Yaqui Warriors who never gave up their right to ancestral land. Today She speaks of migration from this perspective, crossing cultural and disciplinary borders to create a new premise for who We are. Paul S. Flores' You're Gonna, a new spoken word performance telenovela written and performed by Flores, a published poet, novelist and one of the nation's prominent spoken word performers. Los Nadies bring a keen mix of politics, poetry, street party and musicianship. Their unique blend of rock, nueva trova, South American folklore and Afro-Latin rhythms truly embodies the Latin rock fusion genre. 8pm $10 adv. $12 dr.

Sunday, October 12
La Peña Community Chorus Cabaret. A musical feast showcasing the multi-talents of chorus members - and friends - with a potpourri of satire, humorous songs, and folk songs. Delicious desserts and snacks for sale so
bring your appetite too. 7:30pm $15

Tuesday, October 14
The Embassy of Venezuela presents harpist Carlos Orozco in concert. Originally from Barquisimeto, Venezuela and now living in Caracas, Carlos Orozco is the rising star of llanero music (music from the plains). The llanero harp descends from the Spanish harp and is marked by Arabic influences from the early colonists who came from the Moorish strongholds in Southern Spain. The fast tempo of the Joropo is very demanding and allows the performer to show off virtuosity and imagination. Mr. Orozco has performed widely in Venezuela and Europe where he most recently worked in several radio and TV productions by the BBC. This is his first appearance in the Western US. He will be joined by members of his trio on maracas and cuatro. 7:30pm $15 dr. $13 adv.

Friday, October 17
Orquesta La Moderna Tradición. Come hear Orquesta L.M.T. performing great Cuban dance music, from Danzón and Cha-cha-cha to Songo and Timba, as well as new arrangements of compositions by Juan Carlos Formell- you'll be dancing all night long! Come listen to some great charanga, and support the Bay Area's own, playing classic and modern Cuban dance music. 9pm $12

Saturday, October 18
ILL ONES Present: The Function. The Bay Area's Foremost Soiree of Swagger. Come and Party with the ILL ONES. A party to include several bay area hip-hop and soul acts. Doors @ 8pm. Show @ 9pm. $10 gen. $7 Student w/ID. $8 gen. before 9:30pm

Sunday, October 19
Celebrating the African roots of modern American jazz music. The Micha Patri and The Junk-Jazz Symphony breaths new life into classics by legends including John Coltrane, Bob Marley and Stevie Wonder. The show builds to a big bang with the symphony's junk finale when musical objects, or junk instruments, are passed out to everyone in the house. 6:30pm $10

Thursday, October 23
Beat Boxing like you never knew existed. This show will move you and blow you away with its ever changing variety of artists. Speak the Music Performers include Butterscotch, Soulati and Infinite from Felonious, Syzygy, Eachbox, Monkstilo, Constant Change, Cornbread, D.C., Icebox, Tim Barsky, The Genie, Maximillion & more. 8pm $10 All ages!

Friday, October 31
Halloween Dance Party with Jesus Diaz y su QBA. Afro-Cuban timba dance music. Costumes highly encouraged. Prizes for best costume! Cuban born percussionist Jesús Diaz has taken the Bay Area music by storm, and established a place in the world of Latin and Cuban style dance music. The rich musical diversity of the Bay Area, combined with the roots of Afro-Cuban music, has provided the opportunity to learn, experiment and arrive at the evolution of what QBA is today. 9:30pm $15

Los Amiguitos de La Peña / La Peña's Little Friends
Saturday Mornings Kids Shows

Every Saturday morning remember to turn off your TV, get your coffee early, and bring your kids to experience and participate in our lively and educational programs. 10:30am. Adults $5, Kids $4, family pass $12.

Saturday, Oct. 4
Derique has performed in theaters and television programs around the world. He began clowning with Circus A La Mode at the age of fifteen and then worked with the Pickle Family Circus and Make-A-Circus.

Saturday, Oct. 11
Jerry Kennedy performs blues and soul music for children.

Saturday, Oct. 18
Asheba is a singer, songwriter and storyteller from the Caribbean island of Trinidad, where he sang calypso music and played steel drum.

Saturday, Oct. 25
Bonnie Lockhart. Spiders, Bats, & Black Cats: A not-very-scary sing-along. Join Bonnie for sing-along, move-along family fun with songs about some of our favorite Halloween critters. Costumes welcome, but not required!

Theater / Solo Performances / Comedy

Sunday, October 5 HECHO EN CALIFAS 2008 FESTIVAL !
Join with students, educators, activists, and community members for an interactive arts-based Townhall Meeting on education & military recruitment. Drawing upon the traditions of Chicano Theater & Theater of the Oppressed, the members of headRush & local organizations, facilitate strategic, solution-based conversations sparked by short engaging performances. 4 - 7pm $3 - $10 Sliding scale (no one turned away for lack of funds)

Saturday, October 11
La Peña's Immigration Series presents The Immigrant Experience.
Paul S. Flores will premier You're Gonna, a new spoken word performance telenovela written and performed by Flores, a published poet, novelist and one of the nation's prominent spoken word performers. Tonight program will also present music with Mamacoatl and Los Nadies. 8pm $10 adv. $12 dr.

Sunday, October 26
Historically Hysterical: Will Durst and Bill Santiago (do the Election). Comedians Will Durst and Bill Santiago team up to break down the historically hysterical campaign of a lifetime. Down to the wire and up to the minute laughs, from these two masterfully sharp jokesters. Sure, pulling that lever is going to feel good. But at least there's never been a recount on laughs! So come enjoy the circus of it, served up by Durst and Santiago, stand-ups with something to say. 8pm $12 gen. $10 students/seniors

Films

Friday, October 10
North American premier of ¡Que Viva la Montaña! (Long live the mountains), a documentary film that follows communities in Valle del Cauca, Colombia, in their strategies and struggles to organize and advance sustainable development after a major flood takes their homes. It is a film that brings to life the political ecology of sustainable development, the principles and practices of community organizing in an environment of political repression and real life examples of alternatives to corporate globalization, found in a part of the world typically shrouded by war and drug trades. For further information and the trailer go to www.quevivadoc.com.
Discussion with the dirs. & live Colombian music by Aluna a San Francisco-Bay Area multicultural ethnic and Colombian folkloric band. Benefits grassroots organizations in Colombia. 7:30 pm $15 - $25 Sliding scale.

Wednesday, October 29
The Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA) presents: Frontiers of Dreams and Fears. Palestinian filmmaker Mai Masri traces the friendship that evolves between two Palestinian girls: Mona, a resident of Beirut refugee camp and Manar, from Bethlehem's Al-Dheisha camp. The girls finally meet at the border.
After the film there will be a report back from a delegation from Palestine. 7pm $10 - $20 (no one turned away for lack of funds)

Events / Talks / Benefits / Townhall Meetings

Thursday, October 2 HECHO EN CALIFAS 2008 FESTIVAL !
Rise up and green up! Join local and national green groups in an interactive town-hall meeting to co-create a vision for how we can strengthen our community by working together for a stable climate, food justice, green jobs, and healthy, self-sufficient and peaceful neighborhoods. 7pm $3 - $10 Sliding scale. (no one turned away for lack of funds)

Sunday, October 5 HECHO EN CALIFAS 2008 FESTIVAL !
Join with students, educators, activists, and community members for an interactive arts-based Townhall Meeting on education & military recruitment. Drawing upon the traditions of Chicano Theater & Theater of the Oppressed, the members of headRush & local organizations, facilitate strategic, solution-based conversations sparked by short engaging performances. 4 - 7pm $3 - $10 Sliding scale (no one turned away for lack of funds)

Wednesday, October 15
Amigos de Las Americas Orientation Session. Learn about volunteering in Latin America. Visit: www.eastbayamigos.org for more info. Free informational event for high school and college age students and their families to find out more about how to travel to Latin America with Amigos de las Americas and get involved for the 2008-2009 training year). 7:30pm Free (eastbayamigos.org)

Thursday, October 16
Bay Area National Latino Aids Awareness Day (BANLAAD) Please join us for an evening of music, food, & entertainment! The mission of BANLAAD is to assist in the elimination of HIV/AIDS health disparities affecting the Latino community of the Bay Area. ¡Levanta la Voz Sobre VIH/SIDA/Raise Your Voice About HIV/AIDS! 6-9pm Free

Literary Events / Poetry / Spoken Word

Wednesday, October 8 & 15
Café Poetry and open mic at the Café. 7:30pm Free.

Fri & Sat, October 24, 25
Climbing PoeTree's Hurricane Season. A multi-media show, popular education tour, and national organizing strategy that connects the issues that surfaced in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to the "unnatural disasters" disenfranchised communities are experiencing nationwide and worldwide on a daily basis. Seating is limited! 7:30pm $20 adv. $10 - $20 (sliding scale at the door)

La Peña Art Exhibits (Oct - Nov)

Theater: Sept.7-Sept.30: Remembering Chile & the journeys of migration. Maps by Lydia Nakashima Degarrod, photographs by Shy Hamilton and Megan Vrolijk. The exhibit depicts the Chilean immigrants & the places that trigger memories of the homeland. This exhibit is part of Geographies of the Imagination which will be shown at the California College of the Arts in October, 2008.

Theater: Oct. 1-Nov. 30: Immigration Struggles. Oil on canvas by Sacramento artist Ivan Rubio depicting the ongoing immigration struggles, particularly the social problems that migrant workers endure while migrating to the US.

Cafe and Lobby: Sept. 3-Sept. 29: Original Paintings & Watercolors by Ester Vines. From Temuco- IX Region of Araucania-Chile, Ester paints about Mapuches culture and cosmovision.

Lobby: Oct. 2-Nov. 29: Monigotes en el subibaja by Carmen Gogniat. The sketchy human forms made out of wire called Monigotes represent the struggle of Argentina to find its way out of chaos after the economic collapse of 2001. Cogniat, a sculptor & installation artist was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Cafe: Oct 1-Oct 31. Paintings by renowned Cuban artist, Alfredo Mords.