Sean Hurd

‘Pale kid’ Watsky raps fast — and returns to the Bay

Tony Robles
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In 2007, then 20-year-old George Watsky and his band at the time, Invisible Inc., rented out Slim’s nightclub in San Francisco and put themselves on stage as the opening act. Sadly, Watsky spent years repaying back the loan that he lost on that show. 

Flash forward five years to the present, and on Sunday, July 29 the now 25-year-old under the stage name “Watsky” will be headlining a show at Slim’s, presented by Slim’s itself. Watsky’s performance in San Francisco is part of a 22-city national tour, which kicked off on July 1 in Tempe, Ariz. and wraps up July 31 in LA (including three shows in London, England after the national tour ends).

The last time SFBG covered the Bay Area native and alumna of San Francisco’s University High School was back in 2008 when he was dominating the world of spoken word. He had recently been crowned champion of the National Brave New Voices competition and had made an appearance on Russell Simmons’ HBO show, Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry.

Since then, up until a couple weeks ago, Watsky has been at college campuses across the US, performing his highly demanded spoken word poetry. But in 2009, Watsky showed fans another side to his creativity with the release of a studio rap album titled Watsky.

I spoke to Watsky over the phone about his current rap success while Watsky and his band were en route to Illinois, for a show in Chicago the following night. “I’ve been rapping since before I started doing poetry,” said Watsky. “I’ve been doing my best to get my rap out there parallel to my poetry career it’s just taken a while to catch on to an audience.”

Well it finally caught on in 2011, when Watksy put out a Youtube video that launched himself into Youtube stardom, titled “Pale Kid Raps Fast”. The video went viral, spreading to teenagers’ computers quicker than it took for their Cup Noodles to settle. It quickly amassed millions of views (over 20 million to date), multiplied Watsky’s subscribers 20 fold, and earned him an appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show.

For Watsky, the success of “Pale Kid Raps Fast” couldn’t have come at a better time. “That video came about in a time when I was really frustrated,” said Watsky, who had just moved to LA and was trying to make it as an actor, but with little success.

“When I came back to LA after Christmas I decided I was going to take matters into my own hands.” And that’s exactly what he did. Watsky boiled down all of his talents into a single video; adding elements of humor, lyrical skill, and impressive speed. “Everything just kind of came together” said Watsky “[Pale Kid Raps Fast] came out of a sense of what are kids looking for that could be shared around and can show them exactly who I am and maybe peak their curiosity to look into my other stuff.”

Along with his Youtube videos, Watsky continued to build a solid fan base with releases of mixtapes like his first in 2011 titled, A New Kind of Sexy. He followed in early 2012 with the release of a bluegrass/hip-hop EP, tag teaming with his bandmate Kush Mody titled, Watsky and Mody. And in June of this year, Watsky released his most recent mixtape, Nothing Like the First Time, which coincided with his national tour.

He’s been enjoying the support and energy he’s been receiving from his diverse audiences on tour. “I do have a young element to my fan base but I also have a bunch of older people coming out too and a lot of these kids’ parents actually like my music also. They’re anywhere from 15-years-old to 45-years-old,” he said, adding that some of the older audience members come to his shows because they’re fans of his poetry or saw him on Def Poetry Slam. “Even some English teachers come to my shows and tell me they use my work in their classroom,” he said.

Watsky offers a style that can’t really be defined. And often times critics who seem to have only heard a sample of Watsky’s work or even just seen a headshot, tend to throw him into the category of “white rapper” or the “Frat rap scene.”

“First of all, I was never in a fraternity,”  Watsky joked. “I think the easiest way to go is to lump me in there with the other white rappers that are breaking right now. It’s accurate; I mean I am a white rapper.”

“But I’m different than Mac Miller, I’m different than Kreayshawn, I’m different than Bo Burnham, I’m different than Chris Webby in ways that I could go on about for a long time – and they’re all different than me. And it’s not like one of us is better or worse than the other, it’s just that we are speaking to different groups of people based on our experiences.”

Watsky is different. He offers something unique and genuine. “The one thing that I try and make sure that I always come back to is that [my music] is honest,” said Watsky. “When I go back to my earlier stuff, sometimes I feel like it’s not entirely me like my voice doesn’t sound like how it does in conversation. I always want people who listen to my poetry to feel like they are listening to the exact same person when they listen to my music and vice-versa and I think what’s really important to me is that I’m always coming across exactly as myself and that I’m not putting on any airs.”

You would think that after 48.5 million total Youtube views, two appearances on The Ellen Degeneres Show, two appearances at VidCon, and a profile on Last Call with Carson Daily, life would have changed dramatically, not really. “To be honest my day-to-day lifestyle didn’t change a whole lot,” said Watsky. “[It] didn’t change much at all until we hit the road. Until two weeks ago I didn’t see any real change in my life except for the increase in Youtube hits.”

After a decade of trying to make it on to the national scene, Watsky isn’t looking for a shortcut. Shortly after the video went viral, T-mobile offered Watsky a quarter of a million dollars to do a fast rap commercial. He turned down the deal.

Luckily for Watsky, the patience has paid off. In mid-May he was selected to perform at the 2012 Rock The Bells Festival in August, alongside hip-hop heavy weights like Nas, Jadakiss, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Kendrick Lamar, and Kid Cudi. “I’m thrilled,” Watsky said. “It’s going to be great because I’m the kid who was at Rock The Bells three years ago, fours years ago as an audience member. It’s totally unreal to be crossing over to the other side of the stage.”

At the moment, the stage Watsky is most looking forward to is the one at Slim’s. “I’m really excited to come back to San Francisco, it’s the show on the whole tour that I have been really excited about more than any other,” said Watsky.

My final question to Watsky was, what can we expect from a Watsky concert? A live five-piece band, songs from all of his projects, a little spoken word, and a lot of fun. Said Watsky, “Expect to be entertained and have a good time because we are going to put our all into it.”

Watsky
With Dumbfoundead, the Breezy Lovejoy Band
Sun/29, 9pm, $16
Slim’s
333 11th St., SF
www.slimspresents.com

Tim Lincecum Bobble Head Day comes to AT&T Park. Giants fans get their Freak on.

Andrew Lam
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“They’re taking torture to a new level.”

Such were the words of Giants manager Bruce Bochy after his team’s exhilarating 10th inning 2-1 walkoff win versus the visiting Houston Astros on Saturday night. Although it might not have been the best fielded game or the offensive show of force the Giants have been longing for, the team escaped with a win thanks to the bat of trade deadline acquisition Jeff Keppinger. 

But before the night’s climactic finish on the field, a different kind of celebration took place, just off it. It was Tim Lincecum Bobblehead Day at AT&T Park.

Giants fans impatiently lined up for their chance to get a miniature model of their beloved freak. Thousands of fans dressed in orange and black crammed their way into lines that surrounded every inch of the ballpark. 

The 25,000 bobbleheads available vanished within minutes of the gates being opened. If you didn’t line up at least two and a half hours before the game, you probably missed out on the action.

One of the die-hard fans anxiously waiting his opportunity to receive his figurine was Robert Novoa. A 52-year old San Francisco native, Novoa has been a Giants fan since 1963 and has memories of the Giants teams of the ‘60s and legends like Willie Mccovey and Willie Mays. He arrived in front of the Willie Mays gates six hours before the start of the Saturday night’s ballgame, but he was still all smiles at the prospect of scoring his one-of-a-kind Tim Lincecum bobblehead. “[Lincecum’s] the best there is right now. He’s got a unique way of pitching the ball. You have to watch him,” he said. 

But though the pregame chaos was pure Lincecum, the night’s on-field spotlight shined on another Giant. To a roaring, sold-out crowd, left handed pitcher Eric Surkamp took the mound, making his major league baseball debut. Prior to Saturday night’s game, Surkamp played for the Giants’ minor league team Richmond Flying Squirrels. 

“It was awesome. You dream about it your whole life. And for it to finally come true, is amazing,” he said.

The rookie pitched six solid innings, striking out four and allowing just one earned run. Surkamp, who admitted that he couldn’t feel his legs at the beginning of the game, was able to rid himself of the pre-game jitters and put on quite a performance in front of his friends, family, and 42,000 Giants fanatics. “The kid was impressive tonight,” said Bruce Bochy. “He comes in a packed house, pitching his first game. Believe me you’re nervous, you’re amped up, but he never showed it and looked very comfortable out there. I thought he did a great job.”

With the ups, come the downs. Outfielder Nate Schierholtz was placed on the 15 day disabled list with a bone fracture on his right foot; adding to the never ending list of injury ridden Giants. This marks the twenty-fifth time the Giants have used the disabled list, the most in the majors.

The win versus the Astros was the Giants second straight consecutive victory, something they hadn’t done since August 13th. However, they still remain three games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks who beat the San Diego Padres 3-1.

“Hopefully we’ll get on a roll here, keep this thing close, and get this offense clicking”

The Giants will look for production from right fielder Carlos Beltran to provide some offensive prowess for the ball club. Since returning from the disabled list and missing thirteen games, Beltran has been impressive; going 7-for-16 with a .438 average. Beltran went 2-for-4 on Saturday with a run batted in during the first inning.

Up next the Giants look to capitalize on a three game series against the struggling Chicago Cubs, and then will await the arrival of the Arizona Diamondbacks for a crucial weekend series.  

Game Note: On Sunday The Giants lost to the Astros 4-to-3 in eleven innings, and are now four games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West Division.

 

 

Giants fans and offense take a snooze at AT&T Park

Andrew Lam
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Giants fans and offense take a snooze at AT&T Park

On yesterday’s clear and sunny Wednesday afternoon, the San Francisco Giants played in front of a sold-out crowd for their sixtieth straight home game in a row. 

But even the 42,000-plus fans in the bleachers couldn’t ignite the recently gone-limp bats of the 2010 world champs. The Giants lost the matinee by a lopsided score of 9-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates, a team who before arriving in the Bay had lost 10 games in a row. 

There was no joy for Giants fans — until the evening’s post-game special event, that is.

But first, the game itself. Starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez continued to struggle to find his rhythm since returning from the disabled list on August 1 (he had tendinitis in his left bicep). Sanchez only pitched four and one-third innings, giving up five runs and four earned runs and allowing four walks in the mere four innings he pitched.

“I don’t think it was a very good outing, to be honest,” said Giants skipper Bruce Bochy at the post-game press conference. “[Sanchez] hurt himself. The pitcher sets the tone for the game and it wasn’t a very good one today for him.”

This was an abysmal home showing for the defending champs. In the last 10-game stretch, the Giants have produced a losing record of 3-7, ceding three straight series in a row to the Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, and as of yesterday, the Pittsburgh Pirates. The last time the Giants did that was in May of 2008.

The team’s even lost its first place spot in the National League West Division to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who beat the Astros Tuesday night. 

The Giants’ struggles can easily be credited to the lackluster performances displayed by the team’s offense. It’s a problem that Bochy is having issues resolving. “I wish I had an easy answer for that, they just have to get it going (offensively) — I don’t know how else really to say it. We had our chances to get back in the game. You keep going out there and working on it,” said Bochy

The team was missing its key trade deadline acquisition Carlos Beltran, who did not play for the third straight game due to a strained wrist, which he suffered during Sunday’s game against the Phillies. Outfielder Nate Schierholtz also did not play in Wednesday’s game.

But with all the offensive vacancies, Bochy says that he will not alter the lineup for Friday’s series opener against the Florida opener. “This is our club; we’ve got guys that have been around. They’ve got to figure it out,” said Bochy. Friday marks the start of a 10-game road trip for the G-men. The team will make crucial stops in Atlanta, Florida, and Houston. 

Said Bochy, “When you’re in something like this you think, gosh are we going to come out of it? And we will, and I think our offense will as well.”

But the day was not entirely ruined by baseball. After the game, bases and ground chalk were traded in for giant inflatable slides and tents. The ninth annual Giants slumber party was held Wednesday evening — sold-out, as always — right inside AT&T Park. 

Friends and families filed onto the makeshift campground immediately after the game ended, unloading tents, sleeping bags, flashlights, and teddy bears for the night’s festivities. 

They got to participate in a scavenger hunt throughout the stadium, they rambled through the dugouts, they scored autographed paraphernalia, and kids and parents settled down with a screening of Despicable Me projected on the ginormous high definition scoreboard.

All in all, not your average backyard overnighter — $200 per person (including a ticket to the game) has a way of putting AT&T Park in a whole different light. But how can you put a pricetag on home team happiness?

Beyond the stats: San Fran Preps and its crucial coverage

Andrew Lam
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“It’s decision time,” says Jeremy Balan, founder of San Fran Preps, a high school sports website that covers all thirty athletically competitive high schools in San Francisco.

He’s not talking about a nail-biting second half of a soccer game. Unfortunately for Bay Area high school athletes and their supporters, his site needs help to keep up its coverage of prep athletics.

Balan came to the Bay Area two years ago after moving from Southern California, where he worked as a stringer for local newspapers. Once in the Bay, he got a job as a freelancer for the Examiner covering everything from motorcycle races to University of San Francisco baseball. 

But a year and a half ago, Balan realized the lack of attention that San Francisco high school sports was receiving.

“No one was covering high school sports in the city,” said Balan. “San Jose, the East Bay, and Marin cover their high school sports well, but there was this void in San Francisco.”

Into that void he stepped, putting his all into a website which now publishes one-to-three stories a day spanning San Francisco high schools, from the Davids to the Goliaths. 

“Nobody’s covering San Francisco high school sports on a day-to-day basis,” he says. “That’s what we do. We are a local newspaper, just online.” 

The site covers almost every high school athletics — basketball, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, softball, swimming, track, golf. Besides being the only site of its kind, San Fran Preps allows for fans, followers, friends, and family the ability to comment on stories, providing a valuable community forum. People can have heated discussions over a player they wanted to make the all-city list, or compliment the site for recognizing an athlete and telling his or her story.

Not only has San Fran Preps allowed fans a chance to follow their favorite high school teams and check out the latest standings; it’s a key source of recognition for local talent that goes beyond a mere stat line.

Just ask 18-year old Colombia University-bound Noah Springwater. Springwater, a graduate from SF’s University High School, was one of the top Bay Area basketball players this past season. He was selected to San Fran Preps’s all-city first team this year. 

“For players, [San Fran Preps] allows for public recognition that encourages and excites local athletes, while at the same time promoting engagement from fans and students around the city,” Springwater wrote to the Guardian. “Without San Fran Preps, student-athletes are not able to receive the recognition they deserve for their accomplishments. As many students take more pride in their athletics, San Fran Preps promotes the kind of attention that excites the city and keeps everyone interested.”

When the San Francisco Chronicle recently cut back on their local high school sports coverage, San Fran Preps was there to pick up the slack and even boost public interest in high school athletics. Over its year and a half in business, Balan says the site has been able to increase the level of competition throughout San Francisco sports. 

“The thing I’ve seen improve over the years was pride and competition. It perks up the players and coaches when they see one of our reporters and know that their game will be covered on our website.” 

The site don’t restrict coverage to elite schools like Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory or Saint Ignatius College Preparatory. Smaller schools with populations equaling a fraction of the more well-known athletic powerhouses receive play also.

“If we were to leave, the big schools would get a little coverage, but the smaller schools wouldn’t,” Balan says. “We cover all the high schools, not just the big, popular ones. Those stories need to be told and should be told. Otherwise, they are slipped under the rug. Thirty people covering a professional sports team and writing that story is great, but being able to tell that one story nobody knows about has a certain appeal.”

The first year of San Fran Preps, Balan ran the site without making a dime, living off of his student loans. “San Fran Preps is my baby, something that I created. It’s hard trying to make the site sustainable, let alone a full time job.” 

But now, he’s arrived at a crucial moment. Balan is trying to raise money for a seed investment to turn San Fran Preps into a non-profit organization through Kickstarter. He’s confident that he’ll succeed in assembling the necessary funds, if current fundraising levels stay at their current encouraging rate. “If we keep going at this pace we’ll make it,” he says.  

“We have put an injection of interest into the community about San Francisco high school sports” says Balan. San Fran Preps has covered buzzer beaters, penalty shoot outs, and walk-off home runs — but can it make its own last-second shot before the August 15th buzzer sounds? Hint, hint: it might need an assist.

Head to www.sanfranpreps.com for information on how to donate to the site’s fundraising drive.

 

State of apprentice

Andrew Lam
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culture@sfbg.com

CAREERS AND ED In these transition times of underemployment, the internship has become the new entry level position in many industries. Sad but true. So listen up, future interns: look out for you. You’re not benefiting much if all you’re doing is unpaid paper pushing. Here is a list of internships that’ll have you making memories while also helping you gain some great field experience.

 

GENEVA CAR BARN AND POWER HOUSE

A new community center in the historic building across the street from the Balboa BART Station is in the works. Programs there will focus on training underserved youth for careers in the creative industry. Get in on the action with an internship for the digital story-telling program: interns will work as teachers assistants to help children find their voice through multimedia projects. Interns will work one-on-one with kids, helping them with their writing, trouble-shooting technical difficulties, editing projects, and helping to come up with ideas for ways to help or improve the class. The internship is open to high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

www.genevacarbarn.org

 

ALCATRAZ ISLAND

Who wouldn’t want to intern where Al Capone got locked up? At this National Parks Service internship, participants serve as information experts, providing information about the prison island 1.5 that lies waterlogged miles from the city. Interns get to roam around Alcatraz, helping tourists with directions and additional information and demonstrating the uses of antique prison equipment. They’ll have access to behind-the-scenes tours and other activities on “the Rock.” Sounds great for those working on their public speaking skills — or History Channel nuts, of course. Open to college students only.

bss.sfsu.edu/calstudies/nps

 

KQED

As you may be aware, public media is in need of some good PR these days. Come to its aide — you can train for your sterling career in hype with this public station’s communications internship. The lucky mouthpieces picked will assist with outreach, plus research and write for KQED’s monthly printed program guides. You’ll prepare press clippings, plus scout out print and broadcast media press contacts for program pitching. It’s too late to apply for the winter term, but apply by November for the January start of the spring term internship.

www.kqed.org

 

SAN FRANCISCO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY

If SF’s human zoo isn’t cutting it for you, get your internship fill of some other animals. For wannabe zoologists it doesn’t get any better than being an intern at the San Francisco Zoo. One of its internships involves working in the ZooMobile outreach program, for which interns help bring small animals places like schools and libraries to teach lessons about wild life. You’ll get hands-on experience with the ins and outs of zoo operations. The internship starts in September, lasts through June, and is open to college-age students and older folks. Allergy-prone candidates keep looking: all interns must be able to tolerate dust, hay, and animal hair-dander.

www.sfzoo.org

 

KNBR 680/1050

Looking into a career in radio or sports broadcasting? Why not work with the station that covers the Golden State Warriors and the defending National League baseball champions? KNBR 680/1050 offers an internship for those who are interested in radio programming. Though they’re required to do some clerical work, interns get the opportunity to assist KNBR’s programming department with scheduling, research, production, studio assistance, and event coordination. This internship is for college students, who can earn college credit for the position.

www.knbr.com

Straightening out planking

Andrew Lam
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Straightening out planking

The newest international pastime involves lying face down on the ground with the ultimate goal of remaining as stiff as possible. I’d lump it in with parkour, mosh pits, and the car and phone booth stuffing competitions from the late 1950s and early ‘60s on account of its baffling physical appeal. For those of you unaware of this global craze and perhaps had no clue as to why Rosario Dawson was lying on a table on Jimmy Kimmel Live… they call it planking.

Although planking’s popularity has taken off this summer in the U.S, the trend goes back as far as 1994. It stayed under the radar as an underground hobby in Australia and Europe forever before its newfound seismic popularity.  

A written description of planking sounds neither amusing nor enticing. The goal of the practice is to find the most complex, unorthodox structure around and “plank” atop it, making sure to assume proper planking position — stiff as a board, arms at your sides. Planking is driven by a particular kind of oneupsmanship. Anything from fences to basketball hoops, forklifts to flagpoles, (yes flagpoles) plankers manage to find a way to remain as stiff as possible while their buddies quickly snap a photo of their latest feat. The higher the physical risk the better. 

But are bragging rights worth your life? 

On May 13, a man was arrested in Queensland, Australia for allegedly planking on top of an Australian police car. And sadly on May 15, a 20-year old Australian man made worldwide headlines after his failed attempt to plank on  a building’s balcony seven stories high resulted in the trend’s first casualty.

But for many, planking is nothing but clean harmless fun. Ryland Webb, an 18-year old from San Francisco, not only likes planking’s fun times — he also uses it as an opportunity to make a statement. 

Webb says he first started planking out of curiosity. “The first time I planked was with some friends on a long afternoon. We didn’t really know what to do so we gave [planking] a shot.”

While in Portland, Maine, Webb says that he used planking as a way of interaction. “We were in a different city and we viewed planking as an alternative way to interact with the natives. You really don’t know a place until you pretend you’re a board on its horizontal surfaces.”

“As times progressed we started to view the activity as our own innocent way of fucking shit up,” Webb says. “Planks began to be fashioned either to provoke reactions from bystanders, or symbolize some abstract form of youth rebellion.” He and his friends planked bike racks, benches, cars, newspaper stands, and fences.

And it’s not a trend if famous people aren’t doing it. Basketball players like Dwight Howard and former Golden State Warrior Gilbert Arenas, as well as mainstream artists like Katy Perry, Chris Brown, and Usher have all taken a plank now and then. 

But since planking’s breakout, there has been a growing amount of critics wary of the game’s origins and intentions. Some believe it to be an insulting representation of the horrific stacking of slaves atop wooden planks which took place during the Middle Passage. The idea of planking has sparked outrage from many; including Alvin Nathaniel Joiner IV, better known as rapper Xzibit, who tweeted “Planking is THE dumbest shit ever. #Planking was a way to transport slaves on ships during the slave trade, it’s not funny. Educate.”

It’s hard to say what the true intentions of planking really are. The game which has taken on many various monikers in the past, including “the lying down game”, “playing dead”, “extreme lying down,” and “facedowns.” 

But it does appear that the trend is sticking around, for the moment at least. Don’t be surprised if — on your next coffee run or hamster walk — you see someone lying face down atop of a bike rack or a public mail box. Planking may just be one of those things we’ll have to take lying down.

 

A skate day for creative community

Andrew Lam
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At last, a weekend with weather resembling an actual summer vacation. With Saturday’s moderate temperature, a soothing breeze, and clear skies I was in a great mood to head to Tha Hood Games at the African American Art and Culture Complex (AAACC) on July 23 (click here to see our event preview). The vast majority of my experience with skateboarding has been watching the X Games religiously every year, so you could say that the bar was set high for day’s skating.

I didn’t have a problem finding the Western Addition venue; all I had to do was follow the heart-pounding, bass-pumping beats coming from the event’s speakers. Mistakingly anticipating a small crowd as I rounded the corner of Buchanan Street, it turned out the party had already started. A crowd stretched out in front of the AAACC for a lock down Fulton Street: skaters, parents, fans, everyone excited to check out the fun that was visible through the parking lot fence.

Not to be deterred by the onlooking SFPD police vehicle, the energy in the parking lot turned skate park was infectious. It appeared that every skateboarder in the city had turned out for the Games. 

Tha Hood Games was the kickoff event for an exhibit that will be on display in the AAACC’s Sargent Johnson Gallery through next year. Eye-grabbing smaller paintings and murals on helmets, car hoods, and other surfaces, all highlighting the past works of Tha Hood Games, which was created to give Bay Area youth a chance to showcase artistic talent in a positive skating environment. Saturday’s opening reception and fashion show were held following the parking lot open skate, which was held in tandem with music performances and a live mural painting.

But the skating was what caught my eye. The downhill orientation of the Complex’s parking lot acted as a natural drop-in for boarders who’d use it in their descent towards the various obstacles and quarter pipes that awaited them at the bottom. Boarders could grab a drink from vitamin water sponsors when thirsty, a bite from Gussie’s Chicken and Waffles booth when hungry, and if their board took a hit, visit the deck doctors stationed at, yes, another booth.

The crowd snapped to attention when the emcee and founder of Tha Hood Games, Keith “K-Dub” Williams announced that pro skater Nyjah Huston had arrived at the AAACC parking lot. Huston was the youngest-ever competitor in the X Games when he made his debut during the 2006 X Games at age eleven. Now, he was being ambushed by a group of skaters that ranged from youngsters to people twice his age. 

For a high-schooler like myself, to see a ‘5”7 17-year old admired on a ten-foot scale was really gratifying. For the skaters in attendance, Huston was the person to be: they were standing in front of a skateboarding prodigy. 

But the most the most rewarding part of the day was the sight of people of all ages coming together to enjoy a day of skateboarding. Literally, I took an informal poll. Whether it came out of the mouth of Williams or I overheard it from other attendees, the catch phrase of the day was clear: “this is just a beautiful sight.” 

Grab your deck, Tha Hood Games riding out tomorrow Sat/23

Andrew Lam
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Grab your deck, Tha Hood Games riding out tomorrow Sat/23

Mini ramps in front of murals, skate shoes stomping around, multiple forms of media sharing the spotlight for tomorrow (Sat/23)’s all-day multimedia art exhibit at the African Art and Culture Complex. Thanks to Parks and Recreation and an East Bay youth creativity non-profit you can shoulder your deck and head to Tha Hood Games exhibition.

Founded in East Oakland in 2005 by Keith “K-Dub” Williams & Ms. Barbara “Adjoa” Murden, Tha Hood Games was created to give “youth a creative platform to share their talents,” according to the group’s website. Tha Hood Games has ramped up 30 skate events and youth art festivals all over the Bay Area, in Las Vegas, Long Beach, and at the X Games.

The group’s events highlight the talents of Bay Area youth skateboarders. In an interview with the San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center, Williams said that, “Tha Hood Games gives youth an opportunity to showcase and nurture their skills in skateboarding, music, dance, and the visual arts in their own communities. This exhibition is our way of sharing our journey visually, and spotlighting our family of creative people and the many youth, cities and communities we have visited.”

So of course, there’s gonna be art on Saturday — the exhibit features murals and paintings on helmets and car hoods. There’s gonna be skateboarding – a temporary park’s been erected in the parking lot of the the African Art and Culture Complex that’ll be open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Also included will be live performances, live art, skate demos, and vendor booths.  Pro skater and associate of Tha Hood Games Karl Watson will be in attendance, as will be pro skater Nyjah Huston. An opening reception in the art gallery will take place from 5-7 p.m., and a fashion show  from 7-9 p.m.

 

“Tha Hood Games: Kids, Community, Comrades”

Sat/23, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., free

African Art and Culture Complex

762 Fulton, SF

(415) 292-6172

Facebook: Tha Hood Games Exhibition

www.aaacc.org


 

The Fillmore’s clip, cut, and snip: Reggie Pettus of New Chicago Barbershop No. 3 speaks

Andrew Lam
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35 years ago, if you were to step through the doors of New Chicago Barbershop No. 3 you’d probably find Reginald “Reggie” Pettus standing behind his classic barber’s chair. Today, Pettus can still be found in the shop on Fillmore Street, an area that has seen seismic changes in its community. Pettus and the shop are a part of the Fillmore’s African American past, but he wants people to know that the shop is part of the present, too.

Born in Mobile, Alabama, the now seventy-one year old Pettus came to the Fillmore District in 1958, when he enrolled at City College of San Francisco. “Half of my family was in Mobile, Alabama, the other half was in San Francisco, so when I graduated from high school I wanted to come out here to go to school, so that’s what I did,” said Pettus in a Guardian interview one summer afternoon at his shop.

Known for its doo-wop beginnings and its present day rhythmic hot spots, the Fillmore District is the place to be when it comes to absorbing San Francisco’s jazz culture. Home to the historic Fillmore theater, and popular jazz club Yoshi’s San Francisco, the Fillmore District brings in people of all ages and colors to enjoy its good times. But if you’re looking to get a handle on some parts of Fillmore history, you won’t find it in the clubs. 

1551 Fillmore: The place to be for a beard trim, haircut, and some neighborhood history

Pettus has been working in The New Chicago Barbershop No. 3, a business originally opened on Ellis Street by his uncle James “Mack” McMillan in 1968, for thirty five years. Another branch (Chicago Barbershop No. 2), is located on Divisadero Street.

Pettus said that he’s been a professional barber for thirty seven years, but has been cutting hair since he was a young adult, including the time when he served in the Air Force from 1960 to 1964. “I’ve always been [a barber]. When I was in high school I cut hair, when I was in the service I cut hair. So when I got out of the service and came to California, my uncle, he had a barbershop so I went to school and became a barber, a legal barber that is.”

This year marks the forty-forth year of business for the barbershop, a success that Pettus credits to the staff’s welcoming customer service. “We open on time; we treat all the customers the same way, whether they’re Willie Brown or somebody that has come off the street. The way we treat people. That’s why we’re still here.”

Nevertheless, the barbershop has faced tougher times as the years have progressed. Pettus described the current business flow to be “fair”. “It’s holding on, put it that way.” He was adamant about the reasons for the ongoing decrease in clientele for the shop. He said that during the mid ‘70s, redevelopment came in and tore down most of the buildings around the Fillmore (the neighborhood had been slated for redevelopment since 1948 by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency and by 1956, 60 blocks were included in this designated blighted area). As a result, most of the middle-class African American population had moved out of the Fillmore by the ’70s, resulting in a drop in business for the barbershop. “When they moved down, our business moved down,” said Pettus.

After the redevelopment, Pettus said that the makeup of the neighborhood had shifted. “Way back in the day it used to be mostly Afro Americans, Italians, and Asians. Now, after they tore all the buildings, then brought everything back, you got quite a few Koreans and Caucasians in comparison to Afro Americans.” 

“We’re the only Afro Americans on this block,” Pettus said. He takes pride in the fact that the shop has stuck around, but at the same time Pettus knows that it’s evidence of the lack of representation of African American businesses in the Fillmore District.

When asked what he’d change if he could tackle one aspect of the Fillmore’s future, Pettus responded “I would put more emphasis on having more Afro American people come back into the area, and let them know that we are still here too.”

Through the hardships that the New Chicago Barbershop No. 3 has faced, it has always been able to fall back on what it does best — cut hair. One of Pettus’s fonder memories was when Willie Brown came to the shop during his time as mayor. Over the years the shop has served as barbers to local stars, visiting celebrities – and the everyday residents of the Fillmore.

As many of the shop’s neighbors come and go, the New Chicago Barbershop No. 3 carries on as the Fillmore District’s spot for a cut, clip, or snip. But its owner is humble about its importance in the neighborhood. When asked about what separates the barbershop from other businesses on Fillmore Street, Pettus jokingly answered, “We’ve been here the longest.” 

Now retired, Pettus, who continues to live in the Fillmore,  and still makes frequent stops to the shop on 1551 Fillmore Street. 

Said Pettus, “I still do the same thing; I still deal with mostly the same people, and I enjoy it, I enjoy it.”

 

New Chicago Barbershop No. 3

1551 Fillmore, SF

(415) 563-9793

www.newchicagobarbershop.net

 

Behind the backflip: The story of a street-performing family

Andrew Lam
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You can’t miss the acrobatic stylings of Orion, Alex, and Meisje Griffiths — also known as the Sardine Family — on a sunny day on the corner of Jefferson and Powell Streets. If the bold, baggy, crimson-colored pants don’t catch your eye, there’s something about the energetic English accents pumping out of the subwoofer that have a way of pulling you in.

Pier 39 rarely disappoints when it comes to street performers at this time of year. Cloudy days be damned, if it’s technically summer, a big heart with any kind of creative curiosity won’t be able to pass through tourist town without being reeled in by one of the different acts along the congested sidewalks. But who are these performers? How’d they wind up performing on city street corners? Who did I just give my money to?

Three second generation acrobats, along with longtime friend Kevin, make up the Sardine Family, a traditional circus act which weaves in plenty of comedic punch lines, showmanship, and charisma. And they deliver one hell of a street show. I was able to sit down with Orion Griffiths and get the story of how the Sardine Family set their clown shoes on the streets of San Francisco.

Orion, Alex, and Meisje are the three youngest of eight children. “We’re a circus family,” says Griffiths. “My mom and dad did street shows in Europe. My dad started doing street shows 34 years ago. I actually started real street shows when I was thirteen. I’ve been doing this for 17 years.” The 23 year old’s voice carries evidence of his parents’ home in the United Kingdom. “I’ve done [street shows] all around the world. I’ve done street shows like this in 46 countries.”

Originally from Europe, the three Griffiths emigrated from England to Massachusetts in 2004. They moved to San Francisco last year to attend acrobatics school and perform their street show at Pier 39 as a means to pay for their school’s tuition costs. 

Both Orion and Alex have been working on their current street performance, “for the past 10 years,” says Orion. “If you’ve got circus skills and you come out here, you probably will just flop, because it’s more about the talking, it’s got nothing to do with the skills you are doing. Even if you are doing double back flips on the street, nobody cares.” 

One of the highlights of the Sardine Family act is the moment each performer showcases their trick specialty. They perform stomach-wrenching rag doll backbends and dancing handstands. They juggle on top of a nearly ten foot tall unicycle and reel off aerial backflips. It’s amusing to see a family of tourists about to pass by suddenly do a double take, looping back to join the crowd that has already assembled around the Sardine Family. The act is flawless and the family’s chemistry creates an environment so natural and comfortable that everyone wants to hang out for the next trick. 

How do they do it? Orion and Alex, the two emcees of the performance, are constantly feeding off the audience and vibing off of each other, making sure the audience is entertained in between tricks. And even after the 10 years of hard work that the Griffiths have put into the act, Orion is neither fazed nor offended when the typical passer-by — well, passes by. “That’s part of street performing. They’ve got their own thing to do — they don’t need to care about a street show.” Griffiths went on to say, “I don’t even get upset when somebody watches the whole show and doesn’t put money in the hat.”

But if you want to give them something, that’s great too. Towards the end of one show both Orion and Alex jokingly say, “If you’ve got a dollar to donate, great. Five dollars, even better. If all you’ve got is a quarter…keep it. You need it more than we do.” 

As far as making a living off street performing? “It’s very, very hard,” Orion answers. “You can’t always make a living, you have to have a side job. We’ve made it out alright because we’re pretty good at it, but a lot of these [other street performers] have to get a side job. They do it for the love of it.”  

When asked about the people who criticize and continue to question the credibility of street performers like the Sardine Family, Griffiths responds “I love it.” However for the most part, he says that the Sardine Family has been well received by the people of San Francisco. “They love us, we’re English. San Francisco is a great place”

But let’s be clear: all those lifts, juggling balls, and tumbles — the Sardine Family performs in hopes of getting closer to a dream. 

“Our dream is to start a circus, and that’s why we’re here in circus school. We’re looking for a group or an organization that would fund our show to start a circus. Once more people meet us and see what our story is and here about our background, hopefully they’ll be on board with it,” Griffiths says.

“We’ve been doing this our whole lives, all for the same dream. We’ve been training for years. We’ll probably train another year to get our act right before we try and start a circus.”

But at the end of their flips and tricks on the day I stopped to watch, the Sardine Family says something that makes their godly acrobatic routine a little more grounded – maybe even a little more relatable, in this town of artists. 

“We’re not hustlers, we’re performers. We do this because we love it.”

 

Catch Blacklicious for three bucks (and stay dry)

Andrew Lam
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Catch Blacklicious for three bucks (and stay dry)

It’s gonna be a gloomy night after a rainy day in San Francisco. I guess I’ll sit on the couch, get my popcorn ready — and catch a live concert with one of conscious hip-hop’s greats. Tonight (Tues/21) at 10:30 p.m. you can catch NorCal hip-hop duo Blackalicious for a live 30 minute concert for just three dollars.

 

Have you ever gotten mad at the fact that your favorite boy band or heavy metal group never plays in the Bay Area? Now these artists can come to you – er, on your laptop. That’s the concept of StageIt.com, a website that brings live shows and performances to your computer screen – at really, really affordable prices. 

One of tonight’s headliners is Blackalicious, a group whose 2005 release The Craft continues to define feel-good hip-hop acrobatics. Founded in 1992 by rapper Gift of Gab and San Francisco native DJ and producer Chief Xcel, the group is representative of the DJ-rapper combo favored during the days of old school hip hop. 

And not only are the duo’s tiny figures going to be rhyming and scratching in pixelated form across your stream –  if you need to hear “Feel That Way,” touch a button and send in your request – there’s even an opportunity to chat with the artists. And if at the end of the show, you were impressed with how the two were able to overcome the weirdness of watching an “intimate” show online, you can even tip.

The site highly touts its ability to give fans the “behind the scenes” experience –  in fact, as the StageIt website says, it’s not “about broadcasting concerts online. It’s about sharing the amazing moments that happen in between.”

For only three to five dollars per show — many of the artists allow fans to pay what they can – that’d be a real good bargain. 

 

Blackalicious live from Beta Records

Tue/28 10:30 p.m., $3

www.stageit.com

Fighting for control: A digital DJ throwdown this weekend at Public Works

Andrew Lam
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Fighting for control: A digital DJ throwdown this weekend at Public Works

This Sat/25, San Francisco will serve as host to an event that will have Guitar Hero extremists falling off their couches. Fresh off its success from its two year anniversary show in January, a group dedicated to showcasing live electronic musicianship is taking over Public Works, this time for the West Coast Championship Controller Battle, where electronic controllerists will battle it out in hopes of achieving a piece of controller glory.  

“It’s not a typical show,” says Rich “Rich DDT” Trapani, a producer of the event and co-founder of LoveTechSF. Trapani hopes that the controller battle will “bring the community [of electronic musicians] together and serve as a place to inspire each other.”  

For those not familiar with controllers: think completely digitalized turntables that mash up music with the help of computer hardware. They come in all shapes and sizes, each one fitted out with different types of knobs, switches, keys – some even have multicolored arcade game buttons that wouldn’t be out of place on an old Pacman or Frogger game system. 

With a controller, you can have the force of a drum kit at the mercy of your fingertips. A kick drum at your index finger, a snare at the ring finger, a hi-hat at the middle finger, and a snare at the pinky. It’s a heady sight, controllerists going at their machines – but don’t worry if you get stuck at the back of the club on Saturday. Trapani says there will be a video crew all over the clashing digitalists covering the action and projecting it on large screens for all to see. 

“People are learning a lot from the creative innovation and musicianship in this small period of time to really gain an understanding of what it means to be an electronic musician,” says Trapani. The controller battle will be a one-on-one throw down, tournament style elimination. Known and new electronic musicians from up and down the West Coast will be given two and a half minutes to electrify the audience — and judges panel — with their new and inimitable sets. 

LoveTech is working collaboratively with Controllerism.com and the Slayers Club DJ collective to produce this controller battle royale. 

“It’s going to be something that drives home the point that San Francisco is at the vanguard of music culture,” says Matt Haze, a Slayers Club DJ who will be spinning at the controller battle Saturday night. 

Also scheduled to perform at the battle are popular controllerists Ean Golden, and the electronic musician dubbed “the godfather of controllerism”, Moldover (co-founder of Love Tech and founder of Controllerism.com). The celebrity judges panel includes Zach Huntting Akazappan (Laptop Battle), J.Tonal (The Flying Skulls), and Laura Escude (Electronic Creatives).

 

West Coast Championship Controller Battle

Sat/25 9 p.m., $6 presale/$10 at the door

Public Works

161 Erie Street, SF

www.publicsf.com

Facebook: West Coast Championship Controller Battle

 

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