2007 - Page 152 of 521 - The Santa Barbara Independent

Theater By Charles Donelan

Ann Magnuson Brings ’80s Avant-Garde to CAF

Once upon a time in a city far, far away, where people went out every night of the week and rarely came home before five o’clock in the morning, there lived a woman who embodied the nebulous but absolutely dominant concept of cool known as “downtown.” Tonight, October 4, at the Contemporary Arts Forum, Ann Magnuson and her artistic partner Kristian Hoffman will bring the strange frisson of 1980s downtown New York to Santa Barbara, linking us to a time when the East Village was the center of an avant-garde world.

Arts & Entertainment By Indy Staff

Vote on S.B. Bands

Thousands have already tuned into independent.com/bands to check out the songs and cast their votes for which Santa Barbara band is the best. Our 20-day voting contest runs through October 17, so you’ve still got time to determine who will play in the November 1 winners’ concert at Casa de la Guerra. Remember the final decision will be based on both your votes and the opinion of guest judges. For more on the judges, see independent.com/bandjudges.

Living By Indy Staff

Capoeira Batizado

This Saturday, October 6, at 2:30 p.m., Capoeira Sul da Bahia will hold its annual Batizado at the Carrillo Rec. Center (100 E. Carrillo St.) as part of a special week of workshops. A batizado (baptism) is the annual initiation/promotion ceremony for capoeira students. This year, approximately 30 adults and children from Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Ojai will participate, including 20 low-income children from Santa Barbara’s People’s Self-Help Housing Corporation-these children study capoeira throughout the year for free, under S.B. Capoeira Sul da Bahia’s Professor Chin, learning self-discipline, respect, and physical coordination.

Briefs By Indy Staff

Judge Orders Mental Evaluation for Fake Gun-Wielding Man

Judge Frank Ochoa ordered that Ralph Kenneth Provident-the homeless man arrested for engaging in a 30-minute stand-off with police last Friday at the downtown Ralph’s for brandishing a pellet gun-receive a psychiatric evaluation.

Theater By Charles Donelan

Debra Ehrhardt Bids Jamaica Farewell

Every so often, a rare flower blooms in the theatrical garden: the organic one-person show. These performances arise out of a natural storytelling situation and not from behind the proscenium arch of traditional theater. Debra Ehrhardt’s Jamaica Farewell is a prize specimen of this very glorious and special kind of theater, and we are fortunate to have Ellen Pasternack and Albert Ihde’s Santa Barbara Theatre here in town to bring it to the Lobero. I spoke with Ehrhardt last week about the show, and the prospect of playing it for a Santa Barbara audience.

Arts & Entertainment By Aly Comingore

The Shins’ James Mercer Dissects His Rise to Fame

It’s been two hit albums and countless tour stops since the songs that graced the scenes of a little flick called Garden State were first recorded, and The Shins’ frontman, James Mercer, seems happy to put the film’s success behind him. As with many young up-and-coming talents, The Shins were approached in 2004 to be the musical accompaniment to Zach Braff’s breakout-and semi-autobiographical-big screen indie hit. And like many bands just trying to pay the bills, they signed on.

Living By Indy Staff

vol. 21, no. 090, Oct. 4-11, 2007

ON THE COVER: When California’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell reported that students’ test scores went down and that achievement gaps are due to racial issues, many people took notice. Former teacher and Indy reporter Martha Sadler takes a look at the scores and some ideas on how to close the gap in this week’s cover story, starting here. Cover image by Justin Rose

Briefs By Indy Staff

Cell Phones More Popular Than Internet

Cell phones are more popular than the Internet for purposes of mass communication and information access, according to a national study done by UCSB researchers.

Arts & Entertainment By Indy Staff

Steve Tyrell and the Hollywood Jazz Orchestra Come to Campbell Hall

UCSB Arts & Lectures brings in the crme de la crme of performing artists every year, so it’s always interesting when the coordinators add someone new, particularly in the hotly contested category of the standards singer. Steve Tyrell made the leap to frontman on the crest of his success with songs for the soundtracks of two hit movies, Father of the Bride and Father of the Bride Part II.

About Us By Indy Staff

Cool Cat

Santa Barbara native Elena Gray-Blanc has been lending her observant eye and her way with words to our arts coverage for some months, and has recently taken over Independent cyberspace with two weekly online columns. Weird Santa Barbara will be busting something strange in the neighborhood every Saturdaycheck out this week’s column on mountain unicyclistswhile Sunday’s Your Worship takes a look at spiritual centers and practices all over town.

Year: 2007