MUSIC

Asian Pacific Culture Night feat. Justin Nozuka

Friday, 6:30 p.m., $10

Freeborn Hall

Asian Pacific Culture week will conclude with a variety show featuring Asian cultural groups and special guests. See audience favorites Davis Chinese School, Bakuhatsu Taiko Dan, Soran Bushi, Popping Club, M.A.I The Prophet and more. Get your tickets soon; the price goes up to $15 at the door.

Pacific Guitar Ensemble

Friday, 8 p.m., $10

Davis Art Center, 1919 F St.

An 11-string archguitarist is part of the Pacific Guitar Ensemble, led by San Francisco Conservatory of Music Guitar Department chair David Tanenbaum. The ensemble plays music from all over the world as well as classical pieces.

Bocca Do Rio

Friday, 10 p.m., $5

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, 129 E St.

Chill out to the sexy sounds of Bocca Do Rio’s Brazilian samba and reggae beats. The group promises to provide great music for dancing and listening on Sophia’s laid-back patio.

Funk Night feat. Seamoose, 7 Come 11

Wednesday, 9:30 p.m., $3

Tacos & Beer, 715 Second St.

It’s Tacos & Beer’s weekly Funk Night, and this time Santa Cruz’s 7 Come 11 will join Seamoose for a chill night of music and $1 beers. 7 Come 11 is a trio that plays guitar, drums and … organ. But this isn’t church music – the group pays homage to rock greats like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath.

AT THE MOVIES

Pulp Fiction

Friday, 8 p.m., free

East Quad

If you don’t know what they call a Quarter Pounder in France, or even if you do, you’ll definitely want to catch the Entertainment Council’s free quad screening of Pulp Fiction on Friday, which kicks off the Spring Quad Movie series.

THEATER/MONDAVI

Buddy Guy

Friday, 8 p.m., $17.50

Mondavi Center, Jackson Hall

Five-time Grammy winner Buddy Guy is legendary for his masterful blues guitar style. A major influence to greats such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn, Guy continues to produce exciting and innovative music.

The Tao of Isms

Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m., $10

Pamela Trotsky Dance Workshop, 2720 Del Rio Pl.

Davis dance studio Pamela Trotsky Dance Theater and The Third Stage present a unique contemporary dance piece set to writings by Trokanski and music by popular artists. A wide range of ages and styles will be represented in each piece.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Friday and Saturday at 8:15 p.m., Sunday at 2:15 p.m., $9 to 18

Davis Musical Theater Company Performing Arts Center, 607 Pena Dr.

Can’t get to New York City to see Daniel Radcliffe star in this musical classic about making it to the top of the business world? Not to worry, because the Davis Musical Theater Company is now showing its own production of the hit show. DMTC is an all-volunteer theater company of actors and musicians from all over Northern California and of all ages.

The Edge Performance Festival

Tonight-Sunday, times and prices vary

Main Theater, Lab A and Arena Theater, Wright Hall

The exciting Edge Performance Festival continues tonight with more Main Stage Dance performances. On Friday and Saturday, catch Undergraduate One Act Plays at 8 p.m., a Festival Cabaret on Friday at 11 p.m. and a midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Saturday.

ART/GALLERY

Poetry Night Reading Series: Gillian Wegener, Gerald Fleming

Tonight, 8 p.m., free

John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 First St.

Gillian Weneger, an English teacher from Modesto’s Oakdale Junior High, has had poems published in the Grove, RUNES, the Ledge, Central Valley Poets Journal, and more. Gerlad Fleming has published a book of poems, Swimmer Climbing Onto Shore, as well as books for teachers. He also edited and published the literary magazine Barnabe Mountain Review.

ROBIN MIGDOL can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

The often somber tones and jargon of politics wouldn’t make such great material for comedy, right? Wrong.

Capitol Steps is evidence enough that when you pair up witty references and uncanny impersonations of politicians to lyrics and songs, it can be a golden recipe for uncontainable laughter. The troupe will perform at the historic Crest Theatre in Sacramento on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Described as a musical political satire group from Washington D.C., Capitol Steps features songs derived from relevant headlines and events. They have performed for every president since Ronald Reagan and have been acknowledged by former president George H.W. Bush, who said, “The Capitol Steps make it easier to leave public life.”

“They perform skits, sing satire, and mock just about everything that does not make sense in the news,” said Robert Emerick, owner and director of Crest Theatre. “All of their material is straight from the headlines.”

It all began at a Senate office Christmas Party back in December of 1981 when staffers for Senator Charles Percy decided to incorporate comedy into their line of work. Among these founding members was Elaina Newport, who currently produces and writes more than half of the sketches for Capitol Steps.

“We were making fun of politicians – the very people who employed us – so we figured someone would tell us to stop, or fire us, or both,” Newport said. “But no one did, and we’re still performing.”

Thirty years later, Capitol Steps continues to go after politicians on both sides of the political spectrum.

“Although over the years the cast has changed, of course, we’re still going after politicians on both sides of the aisle,” Newport said. “It’s a little odd, being in this line of work.  I write about half of the material, so if I wake up in the morning and hear a story on the news, my first thought is not about whether it is good for the world, or bad for the world, but ‘Is it funny?’ and ‘What rhymes with it?'”

Capitol Steps has recorded over 31 albums since they began, including their most recent album, Desperate Housemembers. Wednesday night’s performance will include many songs from their newest release, including sketches about recent headlines in which they recreate the real-life characters.

The comedy sketches take on heavy topics, like the oil spill addressed by President Barack Obama, as well as other news featured in the popular media, such as interviews with actor Charlie Sheen, who has dominated many headlines.

“And the woman who plays Sarah Palin in our show might also play Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi,” Newport said.  “So, she’s changing wigs really fast, and for Nancy Pelosi she has to freeze her face!  That’s my favorite role because you can get a big laugh just doing the whole Botox thing. We also have a duet between Charlie Sheen and Muammar Gaddafi – who’s crazier? You decide! And songs about pretty much everything in the headlines.”

Along the lines of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” or Jon Stewart’s “Daily Show,” or even NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” Capitol Steps channels the timely humor of political mockery. But, according to the Washington Post, Capital Steps has an even better grip on the department of satirical humor.

“The show is constantly changing to keep up with the latest headlines, but unlike ‘SNL’ and ‘The Daily Show,’ the actors and actresses in this show sing their satire. The show features songs that would make Weird Al Yankovic proud,” said Amy Orndorff of the Washington Post in 2008.

This show will mark Sacramento’s Crest Theatre’s first show under the new management of Emerick, who is a UC Davis alumnus. Emerick believes the theater is the perfect place to host a live performing act such as Capitol Steps.

  “The music is satirical, the skits are hilarious, and all of the events are current,” said Emerick. “They are really looking forward to performing in front of a Sacramento audience.  After all, how often do you replace a bodybuilder-actor-governor with a rerun that none of us are old enough to remember, including me? California offers a lot of material for mockery.”

For more information about Sacramento’s Crest Theatre or how to purchase tickets, visit www.thecrest.com, or visit www.capsteps.com for more information on Capitol Steps.

UYEN CAO can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

‘Through poetry, we enter the soul of the city’ are the words that pop out the most on The Davis Poetry Book Project’s website. These words are the driving force behind a project that is working toward publishing a book of poems about Davis written by anyone who has been moved by the city.

All are invited to submit their original poems to be published in the book.

Allegra Silberstein, the current poet laureate of the city of Davis, was inspired to create a book of poems about Davis in 2001, after Sacramento produced its own book of poems.

“I thought it was a great idea and [that] I would love if Davis did the same thing. I believe poetry is a way of getting into the soul of a city. Poetry can be the other voice of a person or a city,” Silberstein said.

The project launched this year with Silberstein as the project leader and contest judge. The launch of the project was made possible with a grant from the city of Davis, which Silberstein didn’t anticipate but is grateful for.

“I received a generous grant from the city which was just amazing,” Silberstein said. She declined to state the exact amount of the grant.

Silberstein will be working with Danyen Powell, a local poet who is the leader of the Tuesday night poetry workshops in Davis, and Dr. Andy Jones, a local poet as well as a University Writing Program professor at UC Davis, to select the poems that will be printed in the anthology.

Silberstein says that each judge has different criteria when it comes to picking which poems they want to include in the anthology. The finished book will be about 60 pages long.

“The poems we’ll pick will have an “a-ha, yes” moment that awakens a response in you. It doesn’t matter what it’s about. You read that poem and you say “Yes!” It’s a kind of recognition you know when you read it,” Silberstein said.

Briony Gylgayton is the project manager and webmaster. She is also a poet and was recently featured with local poet Traci Gourdine in a poetry reading series titled “The Other Voice.” Silberstein inspired her to begin working with The Davis Poetry Book Project.

“I became involved with the project because I think it’s a worthwhile endeavor. Poetry is often marginalized, and this anthology will allow more people to realize its value and enjoy its specific art form,” Gylgayton said. “Because the poetry will celebrate Davis, members of the Davis community may be more willing to give poetry a chance, as the subject matter will already be familiar to them.”

Silberstein hopes that when the books are published by a local printing company, people far and near will be able to learn more about Davis.

“I’m hoping a lot of people will buy the books to give as gifts to enhance the appreciation of the city. The city is so beautiful and more people should know about its appeal,” Silberstein said.

Gylgayton agreed and said that’s not all they hope to achieve with the books.

“Once the anthologies are printed, we hope to bring them to local schools, to introduce students to poetry in an accessible and relatable way, as well as to introduce them to their community by way of a meaningful, personal medium,” Gylgayton.

Brandon Jackson, a sophomore English major, thought the project was unique and ingenious.

“I think it’s a great way to publicize local artists. There is plenty of talent in Davis to showcase,” Jackson said.

Silberstein believes that anybody can be a poet, which is why anyone can submit poems to the book. Poems have the uncanny ability to speak to any subject.

“There is a poet in everyone. If they’re inspired to write, just write it. Sometimes, people who don’t think they’re poets come out with the most amazing things,” Silberstein said.

Currently, the project has already received some submissions, and there is still room for anyone to submit their work.

More information about the project and submission can be found at davispoetrybook.com.

MICHELLE RUAN can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

One of the most active cultural clubs on campus, the Asian American Association, will hold its annual film festival May 3 to 13. All students are invited to submit their own films to be screened at the festival.

All UC Davis students are welcome to submit their original films. Students are encouraged to be creative with their work, and the only criterion is that films must be five to eight minutes long. Films can be submitted by e-mailing aaaffdirectors@gmail.com or posting to YouTube and e-mailing a link. All films are due May 1.

– Robin Migdol

Artist: Jessie J

Album: Who You Are

Label: Universal Republic Records

Rating: 3

Already a huge hit in her native U.K. and well-received after her first “Saturday Night Live” performance, it seemed as if Jessie J was destined for a huge hit with her debut album Who You Are. For all the hype, the resulting product has been disappointing.

Filled with songs hailing girl power and backed by overproduced beats, Jessie J could have been a huge hit in the ’90s bubblegum pop era. But in today’s Top 40 her sound is unoriginal and forced, with overly familiar beats that can’t compare to the onslaught of new sounds contemporary artists are fighting to bring to the airwaves. Her lyrics claiming that “nobody’s perfect” have been heard before, and with both a cheerful song called “Rainbow” and the explicit club banger “Do It Like A Dude,” it’s possible that Jessie J has yet to figure out who she really is as an artist.

This isn’t to say Who You Are is not without some standout tracks. The gospel-infused “Mamma Knows Best” is a showstopper display of Jessie J’s vocal talents, and she especially shines on the acoustic live tracks “Big White Room” and “Who You Are.” Jessie J has major vocal ability and songwriting talent when she allows herself to get emotional and personal, and could have a bright future as a singer/songwriter if she (or her record label) gives up the overproduced pop tracks.

Give these tracks a listen: “Big White Room,” “Who You Are” (Live Acoustic Version), “Mamma Knows Best”

For fans of: Keri Hilson, Nicole Scherzinger, Jason Derulo

– Anneta Konstantinides

Artist: Vivian Girls

Album: Share the Joy

Label: Polyvinyl

Rating: 4

Infiltrating the minds of youthful lovers, thinkers and everything in between, Vivian Girls knows how to capture the great essence of infectious pop.

As a New York-based girl band, Cassie Ramone, Katy “Kickball Katy” Goodman and Fiona Campbell make up a feisty trio – rattling up a storm of echoing drums and seemingly unfiltered vocals. All three girls sing and play their own instruments. Pretty kick ass, no?

Share the Joy, their third album since 2008, showcases a lot of the Vivian Girls’ signature popularity in the indie rock/pop scene. There is no shortage of frazzled guitar lines or fun spoken narratives in between sung lyrics. “Dance (If You Wanna)”reveals the Vivian Girls’ great harmonies and the band’s ability to make “you wanna” just sway along to the catchy tune of constant drums.

Give these tracks a listen: “Dance (if you wanna)”, “Light In Your Eyes,” “The Other Girls”

For fans Of: Best Coast and Dum Dum Girls

– Uyen Cao

Artist: TV On The Radio

Album: Nine Types of Light

Label: DGC Records

Rating: 4

From the very beginning of Nine Types of Light, the album has a romantic tone, which is a slight shift from TV On The Radio’s previous albums. The rhythmic and vocal quality of the songs gives this romantic undertone to the entire album.

The lyrics of the songs make the album calm and happy and very accessible to all listeners. This is especially apparent in “Will Do” and “You,” clearly the most romantic songs in the album. The simplification of the band’s sound makes them more mainstream. We see less anger and craziness in this album and more focus on romance than on politics. It is clearer and more concise.

The album is very positive, which is indicated most by “Killer Crane.” With its gorgeous simplicity and calmness it is the clearly the heart of the album. Upbeat songs such as “Caffeinated Consciousness” and “Repetition” trace back to the band’s earlier songs but without the sadness and anguish present in older songs. Both are upbeat, catchy tunes.

The two songs that are slightly disappointing are “New Cannonball Run” and “Forgotten.” Some critics might dislike this album for not being as epic and will dislike the lack of variety. However, this is just a minor negative aspect of an otherwise terrific and splendid album.

This album clearly indicates that TV on the Radio is still producing hits and will continue to surprise us. The changes from previous albums have not made them any less appealing. It keeps us curious and waiting for more.

Give these tracks a listen: “Will Do,” “You,” “Killer Crane”

For fans of: Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, Radiohead, Prince

– Paayal Zaveri

The Bechdel Test goes something like this: In a given movie, 1. Are there at least two female characters? 2. Do they talk to each other? and 3. Do they talk to each other about something other than a man?

Think back to some of your favorite movies. Chances are, they fail the Bechdel Test miserably.

Inspired by a comic strip by Alison Bechdel called “Dykes to Watch Out For,” the test is a fascinating exercise in gender stereotypes in the media. According to the Bechdel Test’s website, out of 2,101 movies in its database, only 50 percent meet all three criteria. 12 percent meet two criteria, 26 percent meet one and 12 percent pass none of the tests.

To illustrate how the test relates to actual films, let’s take one of the most popular movies of 2010: Inception. Yes, there are two female characters – Ariadne (the architect) and Mal. Do they talk to each other? Yes, in fact, when Ariadne follows Cobb into his dream to visit Mal. Finally, do they talk about something other than a man? Well … no. It’s a brief exchange, but it definitely revolves around Mal and Cobb being lovers and Mal accusing Ariadne of not understanding their need to be together.

You get the idea. A 50 percent success rate doesn’t sound too bad, but the criteria are ridiculously simple. The movie doesn’t need to be about women or deal with female-oriented issues – there just have to be women present, who talk to each other about something, anything, other than men. If Inception, which challenged conventions and dazzled the imagination more than any other film in years, couldn’t pass, chances of more traditional, “regular” narratives succeeding are disappointingly slim.

Try and figure out why the film industry still perpetuates gender stereotypes so blatantly and you’ll probably come up empty-handed. It’s simply a result of deeply entrenched social and cultural traditions thousands of years in the making, and in the grand scheme of all the visual arts, film, which is just approaching its 100th birthday, is still a baby. Complete gender equality is even farther behind. It may take another 100 years for 60 or 70 percent of films to start passing the Bechdel test.

But that’s no reason to shrug our shoulders and accept it as something we can’t change. Most of us will never have the opportunity to write or produce our own gender-equal films, so all we can do is support those who do. Instead of seeing the 500th James Bond flick next summer, check out that indie drama that tells a Bechdel-approved story.

One step in the right direction took place last week right here in Davis at the sixth annual Davis Feminist Film Festival. A sold-out crowd enjoyed dozens of films made by women or featuring strong female characters, ranging from documentaries to animated shorts and even music videos. It was a great night of film, not because the movies were free of men, but because, for once, they weren’t free of women.

ROBIN MIGDOL can’t wait to watch HBO’s “Mildred Pierce,” which passes the Bechdel test, and season two of “Boardwalk Empire,” which seems to wear its (mostly) failing grade as a badge of honor. Hey, nobody’s perfect. E-mail arts@theaggie.org.

Students interested in arts administration and nonprofit management are invited to apply for the Mondavi Center’s Aggie Arts internship.

Interns will gain hands-on experience in the Mondavi Center’s operations, focusing on programming, marketing, fundraising and arts education. At the end of the internship next spring quarter, interns will also have the opportunity to market and produce their own performance.

Applications will be accepted through May 6 via the Student Employment Center at financialaid.ucdavis.edu/Jobs/. Search for job I.D. 736383.

– Robin Migdol

At some point during their childhood, almost every kid dreams about being in a rock band and becoming a rock star. Here in Davis, a rock-and-roll program called RockBand University gives kids the chance to fulfill their rock star dreams.

The program was started in 2008 by Mike Clements, a guitar instructor at Watermelon Music. He heard about a rock band camp that a music store in Washington, D.C. used to have and was inspired to start his own program in Davis.

After a few ups and downs, he was finally able to start it in the summer of 2009, and it was a massive hit. Parents wanted to keep the program going after the first summer session, so Clements gathered up his resources and RockBand University was formed.

Clements says that the main thing Rock Band University teaches the students, ages 10 to 18, is how to play in a band with other people. They learn about stage presence and musical equipment and techniques.

“A lot of my students couldn’t get themselves into bands and it was hard for them to be motivated without something like this hanging over them, and now that I’ve seen the kids in band, I know it was a good idea,” Clements said.

Each session in RockBand University lasts for six weeks. During those weeks the students are matched up based on their musical abilities and put into bands. During each session, they are expected to learn three to four songs, which they perform in a concert at the end of the six weeks.

The 2011 spring session concert was held last Sunday at the Brunelle Theater.

This concert is the most exciting part of the program for many of the students. That was certainly the case for students Tazio Capozzola and Sam Goodman.

“This is the best experience I’ve had, especially getting to play on stage. It’s really cool,” Capozolla said.

Capozolla and Goodman, along with another friend, formed a band that they named Tanak. All three of the band members are 12 years old. They have been a part of RockBand University for two to four years and have been playing their respective instruments for much longer. They had six weeks to practice the three songs they performed at the concert.

A unique aspect of this program is that the kids have a lot of say in what songs they choose to perform. Clements and fellow instructor Evan Daly give them suggestions and recommendations for which songs would work for each specific band. However, the kids have a lot of freedom in choosing songs. Clements said that his main guideline for songs is that they fit in the allotted time; other than that kids can pretty much choose anything they like.

Julie VanDam, whose son Carson Janke performed on Sunday, said she feels it is very important to let the kids decide what they want to play.

“So much of their life consists of other people telling them what to do, so this is a way to keep them interested in music and motivate them. Performing is very confidence-building, which is important,” VanDam said.

A big part of the experience of RockBand University is learning how to have a rocking stage presence. For many of the kids, it helped to have their family and friends in the audience cheering them on while they performed.

“I have a bunch of family that came to watch me today. I get to show them my talent and all the stuff I’ve learned, which is really cool,” said Goodman.

Parents were equally thrilled to be able to watch their children perform and see all their hard work pay off.

“I obviously love watching my son but it’s really fun to watch all the other bands as well, there are a lot of talented kids,” VanDam said.

Almost all parents feel that the program has greatly increased their children’s musical abilities and given them more confidence with their musical talent. This session was the first time parents Dianna and Mark Jenson have been involved with RockBand University. They have been very impressed with the program so far and have seen progress in their son Bryan’s musical talent and range.

“Our son’s been able to learn some music he wouldn’t have picked up on his own. He’s been playing Green Day songs, which he loves, but he wouldn’t have started playing them on his own,” Mark Jenson said.

A big reason for the program’s success is the dedication of the instructors. Clements states that the direct student-teacher access he gets out of the program is the best part for him.

“There are a lot of teachable moments that pop up and I capitalize on every one of them. Seeing the kids come out of their shells and grooving around a little more, getting more creative, just giving them a little more confidence all around is the best thing about the program,” Clements said.

This program is geared for any kids with musical experience who are curious about what it is like to be a part of a rock band. RockBand University is accepting applications for their next session until April 26, and the session starts on May 1. For more information on signing up and the program in general, visit rockbanduniversity.com/.

PAAYAL ZAVERI can be reached at arts@theaggie.org