Listen & Be Heard Weekly Archives

A guru groans,          ?Äúplop the root of all evil          into the catchall as you leave          then unwrap the self-existing,          it?Äôs lightsinking time. Words          hang wormishly in your disposition,          puckered, weak-voiced,          around the pip of your brain          like tadpoles merging into frogs.?Äù

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The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged) Take 3 professional actors, some current topic events, improvisational humor mixed in with Shakespeare, and you come up with a show that entertains both non-Shakespeare and Shakespeare fans alike. Rob Currier, co-founder of the Marin Shakespeare Company (MSC), directed “The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged)” at the Forest Meadow [...]

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I have heard discussions, offered some ideas, sometimes argued, probably been too opinionated (a family trait) mused about and imagined the future in downtown Vallejo. It’s a popular subject, because the Now is a place we’re all ready to move on from. Some of the whispers in the wind traveling up and down the quiet [...]

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I’m back from vacation and ready to go back to work. I would like to welcome you to another week of self-discovery and universal understanding. Your forecast of major transit this week will begin on Friday when Mars, the planet of personal drive and physical energy, at 18¬∫ Taurus, will sextile Uranus, the planet of [...]

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Old Thyme Deli 960 Grant St #B Benicia 707 747-9715 Open 10 a.m. ?Äì 3 p.m. Monday through Friday When I explored the Arsenal, the artist community of almost 100, in Benicia during a recent Open Studio, the sign, Old Thyme Deli, caught my eye. I wondered, what feeds Art in Benicia? It took awhile [...]

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In a benefit for the Petaluma Poetry Walk on July 1st, San Francisco Poet Laureate and visual artist Jack Hirschman and his wife, poet and visual artist Agneta Falk read at Petaluma’s Phoenix Theater after opening act, Baba Shibambo, played a short set of South African Marimba Dance Music. Agneta Falk, the internet tells me [...]

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Justin Scheuer of Sonoma portrays more than 40 characters in the one-man show “Fully Committed” presented by the Ross Valley Players through Aug. 19 at the Barn Theatre, located at the Marin Art & Garden Center in Ross. Photos by Ron Severdia Meet Sam, and 40 other various characters, who take the stage in an [...]

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Will the film Live Free or Die Hard finally be the end of the John McClain action series? I guess the box office will have the ultimate say. This latest edition shows that Hollywood can still come up with new bad guys and fresh ways to kill movie characters. An ex-government software engineer decides that [...]

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I?Äôm dating myself by discussing Duke by Genesis. Originally released in 1980, Duke marked a shift in the Genesis sound scheme, followed by commercially successful releases like Abacab, Genesis, and The Invisible Touch. In a way, Duke was a break out album for Phil Collins as the disc included his first solo songwriting efforts as [...]

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The musical signature of Rickie Lee Jones is that slurred style of singing she uses. On her latest CD, The Sermon on Exposition Boulevard, Ms. Jones and her band take the listener on a lyrical and spiritual journey.¬? The background of The Sermon on Exposition Boulevard is notable. The idea was launched by Lee Cantelon. [...]

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Better known for his so-called crunk style, Vallejo native E-40?Äôs My Ghetto Report Card is a collaboration with the best and brightest from the Hyphy movement. Helmed by controversial producer Lil Jon, the lyrics are explicit, with minimal production and a ponderous beat. The lifestyle commentary on My Ghetto Report Card covers everything from drugs [...]

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The history of the Transformers is long and lush. One segment of the giant robot wave of the 1980?Äôs, the Transformers stood alongside others like Macross and Mobile Suit Gundam. As usual, such trendy animation as Japanese giant robots made its way to the American market. In part because of a company called Hasbro (ever [...]

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The latest CD from the prolific Lila Downs is titled La Cantina. At first impression, the title suggests a romp through cover songs performed in the style common to bands that appear in Mexican cantinas. Instead, the listener is treated to fresh interpretations of the canciones rancheras ballad. Accordions, harps and poetry recitations are added [...]

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