Hello party people! It’s officially the 199th day of the year! That’s as good of a reason as any to celebrate, by partaking in any of the following weekend-worthy activities:
Made and Found Instruments with Thingamajigs
As it turns out, bamboo, tin cans, buckets, postage tape, pinecones, and soda straws are the stuff of great instruments. So say the folks behind Thingamajigs, an arts organization devoted to throwing to the wind everything you thought about music — starting with reimagining the tools used to make it in the first place. And starting on July 21, the Thingamajigs Performance Group will be artists-in-residence at Berkeley Art Museum, collaborating with poet Sasha Hom to investigate the ideas of “Migrations, Maps, and Labyrinths” in a month-long series of performances, talks, workshops, and open rehearsals. Join them this Sunday, July 21, at Berkeley Art Museum to play some “thingamajigs,” build your own, and listen to the artists perform some of their own compositions. 12 p.m.-2 p.m., $7. BAMPFA.Berkeley.edu/ — Azeen Ghorayshi
Evangelista
Vocalist, songwriter, and poet Carla Bozulich has fronted some of the most groundbreaking bands of the past three decades, and yet she continues to make music in relative obscurity. Although her Los Angeles band The Geraldine Fibbers released two major-label albums, earned praise from Spin as one of the “most vital artists in music today,” and helped launch the career of guitarist Nels Cline, the band’s bluesy punk-country sound never quite resonated with a mainstream audience. When the Fibbers dissolved in 2003, Bozulich released the critically acclaimed The Red Headed Stranger, a reimagining of Willie Nelson’s 1975 album, Red Headed Stranger. Shortly thereafter, she formed the solo project Evangelista, using samplers, guitar, and orchestral string instruments to create emotionally charged, avant-garde music with the confrontational punch of punk. The group — which now includes Oakland bassist Tara Barnes and keyboardist/sampler Dominic Cramp, as well as occasional guests like Oakland guitarist Ava Mendoza — has developed an overseas fanbase, due partially to the fact that Bozulich resides primarily in Europe. To prepare for her band’s upcoming European tour, however, Bozulich has temporarily relocated to the East Bay and will make two rare appearances: at The Night Light, where special guests, a dance party, and visual art will accompany the music; and at Hemlock Tavern on Saturday, Aug. 17. Fri., July 19, 9 p.m., $10. TheNightLightOakland.com — Whitney Phaneuf
