The University Writing Program will offer presentations given by nationally and internationally known writers as part of the Conversations With Writers Series. The series intends to bring together faculty, students and members of the Davis community to encourage and preserve the art of writing.

“Students have been inspired by our speakers’ stories of how they got into serious writing and have succeeded,” said professor of writing and University of Writing Program director Chris Thaiss. “They also learn practical strategies for getting published and persevering in the craft.”

The following are highlighted presentations for the ongoing quarter.

Conversations With Writers Series: Michael Krasny & Maggie Sokolik

As the host of KQED’s award-winning public affairs radio program, “Forum,” Michael Krasny’s powerful presence and measured style are some of the program’s outstanding characteristics. Krasny has expanded “Forum’s” scope through his interviews and discussions on local and national news and politics.

It’s also worth noting that Krasny has been a public radio host for over 20 years- Krasny acted as a radio host on San Francisco news and talk radio station, KGO 180 AM from 1984 to 1992 prior to joining “Forum” in 1993.

Krasny will be promoting Sound Ideas, a reader that acknowledges a wide variety of linguistic backgrounds that compose today’s college lecture halls and the needs of this increasingly diverse population. Joined by co-author Maggie Sokolik, Krasny can be expected to give insight into the craft of print journalism in context with his book in addition to his extensive experience in radio journalism and broadcasting.

Michael Krasny and Maggie Sokolik will be giving a presentation on his latest novel Sound Ideas from 6 to 8 p.m. in King Room at the Memorial Union on Apr. 23.

Conversations With Writers Series: Paul McHugh

As an author and journalist, Paul McHugh informs while entertains and his topics are solid in their foundations. McHugh is a regular contributor to The New York Times and The Washington Post but garnered wide recognition in the 1990s for heading the investigative reporting team that exposed the malfeasance involving the Asilomar Conference Center of Monterey, California.

McHugh can be expected to speak about the fast-paced world of investigative reporting and journalism, both of which play central roles in his most recent book, Deadlines: A Novel of Murder, Conspiracy, And The Media.

Paul McHugh, award winning author, former co-editor and main feature writer for The San Francisco Chronicle will be speaking from 4 to 6 p.m. at 126 Voorhies on May 18.

Davis Senior Series: Donald Meisenheimer, Mount Rushmore: American Icon

In contrast with The Conversation With Writers Series, the Davis Senior Series is designed to reach out to community members through large presentations on a variety of subjects. Subjects listed for the rest of the year range from digital photography to native California plants.

Donald Meisenheimer, University Writing Program lecturer, became interested in Mount Rushmore’s illustrious history and will share his interest and engage the audience during his upcoming presentation.

“Mount Rushmore was carved by Gutzon Borglum, a founding member of the KKK,” Meisenheimer said. “My presentation focuses on not only Gutzon’s early years and sculptural works, but the 14 years he spent carving Mount Rushmore, a monument internationally recognized as a symbol of American democracy.”

Donald Meisenheimer will be giving a presentation on Mount Rushmore at the Davis Senior Center from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on May 15.

For more information on these events and more, visit writing.ucdavis.edu/events.

AMBER YAN can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

In between Picnic Day favorites like the Doxie Derby, parade and chemistry magic show, it can be easy to miss the action at the event’s six entertainment stages around campus. But Picnic Day wouldn’t be complete without taking in a free outdoor concert or two. Here’s a handy guide to each stage’s lineup, previewing a few of the acts that are definitely worth checking out.

East Quad (Main Stage)

The largest and most prominent stage on campus, the East Quad’s Main Stage, will host 13 acts. Vanessa Ng, Picnic Day entertainment director, said that her intent was to create a cultural and diverse atmosphere at the East Quad stage.

“I would say it’s more family-friendly,” she said. “We were trying to find new groups around Sacramento and the Bay Area. Just something different – [several] more cultural groups, so we have more diversity.”

Just a few of the groups scheduled to perform are Makosa, an Afro-beat band made up of current and former UC Davis students, New Star Chinese School and Bakuhatsu Taiko Dan, the campus taiko drumming club.

“We have a group called Sapo Guapo, a Latin salsa band from Vacaville, and there’s a mariachi group called Mariachi Tanantzi. They’re a family band – three children and their mom and dad will be playing,” Ng said. “I’m looking forward to all of the groups on Main Stage.”

Silo Stage

At the Silo, expect to see an eclectic lineup of musicians representing jazz, folk, rock and roll and a cappella.

Married UC Davis professors Charles Oriel and Julia Simon call themselves Chicken and Dumpling and are looking forward to playing their acoustic blues music for their biggest crowd yet.

“We play in a band called Black Cat Bone,” Oriel said. “Julia plays drums and I play guitar. We decided to form an acoustic duo on the side and do very stripped-down versions of the songs we were doing in the full band.”

Oriel said he’s looking forward to showcasing his musical talents to his students.

“It’s always fun for the students to see us in a context that’s very different from the classroom,” Oriel said. “It’s sometimes surprising to them that we have such a hobby on the side.”

Rock and roll tribute bands Custom Neon and Who Dunnit are also excited to perform for the Picnic Day festivities.

“We’ve played the last three years and it’s a blast,” said Who Dunnit’s Rob Elmore. “This year we’re going to keep it simple.”

“I grew up in this town. I love Picnic Day,” said Custom Neon member Dave Walters, who negotiated with the Picnic Day committee for an extra-long set. “We’re playing two or three Beatles songs, Eagles, Cars, Kinks. Picnic Day is a free gig, but we’re totally stoked to do it and we love Davis.”

ARC Stage

Several independent bands, as well as two dance groups, will perform in front of the ARC. Expect to see the UCD Dance Team, Life on Mars, CJ and the Canyons, Goodbye Gadget and UCD alum Jon Webber, among others.

“We’re calling [my style] West Coast country,” said Webber, who graduated from UC Davis in 2008. “It’s a fusion of Toby Keith, John Mayer but not as pretentious, Taylor Swift with balls, Jason Mraz but less esoteric.”

Webber said he is looking forward to returning to his Davis roots before embarking on a national tour and starting work on his first album in Nashville.

“Being able to play at Picnic Day in Davis, where I found myself and my own music career, is a real blessing,” he said.

Wellman Stage

Wellman stage will host a variety of UC Davis organizations and children’s groups, including The Spokes, UC Davis Gospel Choir and the Davis Swing Kids.

And if you thought rock bands were only for grown-ups, the performance by local band Hotwire is sure to prove you wrong. Made up of three sixth graders and one seventh grader, Hotwire has surprisingly classic taste.

“We all kind of have our own inspirations,” said guitarist and lead singer Brady Corcoran. “Drummer [Riley Donahue] likes AC/DC, I like Pearl Jam, guitarist [Cole Morse] likes Nirvana and the bassist [Theo Farnum] likes Weezer.”

“One of our favorite songs to play is ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’ by The Clash,” he added. Hotwire also performs original compositions.

Also performing is Kenny Eng, a 2007 UC Davis graduate and a talented singer-songwriter who recently opened for Jason Mraz. Comparing his style to Jeff Buckley and John Mayer, he said that being a music major at Davis helped him improve his musicality and songwriting.

“I really loved my time at Davis and I really loved the community that I was involved in,” Eng said. “I hope [Picnic Day] feels like homecoming.”

In addition to the above stages, the Grandstand Stage in front of Hunt Hall – hosted by KDVS 90.3 FM – has an impressive lineup of bands from Davis as well as Yoshitake from Japan and LA’s Halloween Swim Team. The Mondavi Stage in Vanderhoef Quad will also present performances by student and alumni groups including the Gamelan Ensemble and The Samba Group.

For more information, visit picnicday.ucdavis.edu.

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

On tour promoting Megafaun’s most recent album, Gather, Form and Fly, drummer Joe Westerlund took some time off from doing laundry in Omaha, Nebraska to do an interview with The Aggie. The band is heading to the West coast after a successful tour so far, and they’re making a stop in Davis at Sophia’s Thai Kitchen next Monday, Apr. 19. Tickets are $5 dollars for ages 21 and up. For more information about the show, visit sophiasthaikitchen.com.

Is it hard to recreate the sound of your albums onstage, or do you try to make the live performance a completely different experience?

In the beginning, we started to intentionally make our records so that we could play them live. Mainly, we recorded more instruments than we could play at the same time, so we definitely recreated things on the record that we couldn’t produce live. But it forced us to be more creative with how we present those songs in a live setting. I think from doing that, the songs become their own pieces that separate from the recordings. So we really have to adapt our recordings to a live setting – which is something about our band that we really enjoy.

If you were stranded on a desert island, and could only have one album in your iPod, what would it be?

Oh man … In this instance right now, I’d take Cumbia and Jazz Fusion by Charles Mingus. That’s a record that just turned me on. The three of us all met at a jazz camp, and this was one of the first jazz recordings that I listened to. It also didn’t just sound like jazz, it was this whole world of music opening up to me. It just spoke to me on many different levels, emotionally. So if I took that record on a desert island, I’d have a good spread of emotions to have access. I’d also probably need something to lift my spirits, and this would definitely do it.

What’s the meaning behind Gather, Form and Fly – how is it different from your first album?

It’s sort of in the title. With our first album (Bury the Square), we’d worked with Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) who led us through most of the recording process. That record was more about us learning about the studio techniques and what we could create with it. Gather, Form and Fly is the first run of us really recording by ourselves. It was a time for us to focus on songwriting a little bit more as well; this became a priority. We were gathering all the materials we had set out in Bury the Square and sort of reshaping them into something that is more accessible to people.

How often do you play shows in college towns? What do you expect from the audience next week here in Davis?

All the time! We all went to college, so the experience is familiar. We’ve played big campuses, but also small little strange ones as well. And there’s always a very different vibe whenever we play in college towns; people come ready for an experience – and not just a club. They’re ready to let go and release the stress of studying and academics. We always have a lot of fun because there’s much more energy.

What kind of musical background did you come from, and how has it influenced Megafaun’s sound?

Our background is all pretty similar since we’ve been playing together since we were all 16. We always had a band that was our own where we wrote our own songs and music. This was the number one thing in our lives. Even though we all attended jazz camp, and were all really informed about it, we realized at an early stage that we wouldn’t be playing in a symphony or anything. We’ve studied a lot of different things from African music to experimental music. And there’s so much variety to the types of music we listen to – which is why our music sounds the way it does. Our goal is to take our influences and expose and express them in our own kind of demented way.

What are the best and worse things about touring?

Once, we were in Toronto and had a banjo and guitar stolen from our car. It made us take more precaution and now we have these huge hockey puck locks on our van. The toll booth would always give us trouble, and it’s just like how crossing a border can get pretty nerve wrecking. The best thing? So many good things have happened lately. I’ll just stick to this tour specifically, and say that the people opening for us have been absolutely overwhelming. It’s been hyper-emotional for us. To be in a position where we have talented folks come play a set of music for us is just incredible.

Who are some of your favorites so far?

Some of our influences include Sharon Van Etten. All three of us were completely floored by her presence and performances. Charlie Parr has done three of the last shows with us – and he’s definitely someone we’ve been influenced by. It’s a very humbling experience to have people we’ve looked up to for a long time come to open for us. Breathe Owl Breathe, who we’re playing with in Davis, is just amazing. They’re going to push us in a direction that we haven’t visited in a while. This is a positive band that is just very spiritual and inclusive of the audience.

What does the future hold for Megafaun?

There’s so much on the horizon. This is the first year that we’ve have everything pretty much planned out. We’re releasing a new record soon, and we’re playing most of these songs at shows. We’re trying to get all the record stuff done by the time we get to California. We just recorded a six-song mini album. The sixth song is a really long track that we’ve layered instruments over. We’ll try to release that over the summer so that people will start learning the songs and can sing along. We’re also in this other side project called GAYNGS – it’s with a friend of ours from Minnesota who is just a brilliant producer. And then we’re heading to Europe in August. This is our busiest year yet, and we’re all really excited.

To receive updates on Megafaun as they tour, visit Megafaun.com – or follow them via twitter at twitter.com/Megafaun.

VANNA LE can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

While the economy is forcing other UC radio stations to take budgetary hits, KDVS 90.3 FM manages to stay virtually unscathed with the help of listener donations – donations made during the station’s annual weeklong fundraiser.

“We are the one exceptional station that has evaded all budget cuts,” said Michael Mastrangelo, senior history major and programming director. “And this year will be a testament to prove we can keep doing that.”

Starting Monday, KDVS will ask listeners all week to donate to the station. Kevin Corrigan, a senior history major and general manager of KDVS, said donations from this annual fundraiser make up almost half of the budget, with the rest coming from ASUCD funding.

“It’s the one week we turn to our listeners and ask for their support,” he said.

KDVS hopes to fundraise $60,000 this year – the same amount the station raised both last year and the year before it.

Corrigan said that every year, an average of 1,250 people donate about $50 each. These donations primarily go towards KDVS payroll.

In exchange for donations, KDVS offers premiums or gifts. Premiums range from a T-shirt or CD to a four-hour recording session at the KDVS studio, depending on how large the pledge amount is. All donations are tax deductible.

Businesses in the community are very supportive and often donate gift certificates to be used as premiums as well, said Sharmi Basu, senior political science major and publicity director.

“Usually the value of what we’re giving away is higher than the actual donation,” she said.

For example, a $120 pledge can let football fans experience an Oakland Raiders game in the legendary black hole seating section. The pair of tickets is a $122 value for season ticket holders.

KDVS volunteers will be on call 24 hours a day for the fundraising week, in order to talk listeners through the donating process. Listeners can also donate online at fundraiser.kdvs.org, where they can navigate through a webstore of premiums and use a credit card.

If not enough donations come in, KDVS will have to find the money to sustain the radio station elsewhere. KDVS employees may have to end up paying for whatever is lacking, Basu said.

“If it didn’t come with donations, we’d have to find it somewhere,” she said. “We know the economy is bad, so our goal is bare minimum of what we need to go another year.”

KDVS is also putting on several events in honor of the fundraising week.

Indie folk group Megafaun will be playing at Sophia’s Thai Kitchen the first night of the fundraiser, where 25 percent of admissions will go to KDVS as well as $5 from every CD sale, Basu said.

Dead Western and Ghost to Falco will be playing at 802 Villanova Dr. on Thursday and Canadian bands Defektors and Vapid will be playing at 918 Douglas St. on Saturday. KDVS will be asking for donations at these shows.

JANELLE BITKER can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

The Mondavi Center can add yet another classic American icon to the long list of talented performers they have procured.

On Apr. 22 at 8 p.m. in Jackson Hall, the famous Arlo Guthrie and Co. will perform for one night only as part of the “Guthrie Family Rides Again” tour. Guthrie will perform with his wife, four children and seven grandchildren. This is the first time they will all be performing together on stage.

The concert will also include some of Guthrie’s storytelling ability, intermittent between the songs.

Guthrie is a world-renowned country and folk singer who debuted in the late 1960s and the early 1970s. Not surprisingly, he originates from some pretty famous country roots. His father, Woody Guthrie, composed the All-American tune, “This Land is Your Land,” and Guthrie Jr. inherited his father’s passion for country music.

Guthrie’s creative love for this genre of music evolved into something incredibly appealing to the American public, transforming him into a legendary icon.

“[Guthrie] has had an enormous influence on almost every musician that feels a responsibility to encouraging social justice in America,” said Jesse Drew, professor and director of the technocultural studies at UC Davis.

Drew will be speaking with Guthrie and Jeffrey Callison, a host from KXJZ 90.9 FM radio on a panel on April 21. The panel will be held in Vanderhoef Studio Theater at 5 p.m., and is free of charge. According to MondaviArts.org, the panel will talk about “Woody Guthrie’s extraordinary legacy and the protest tradition in American popular music, then and now.”

Drew is also working on a documentary film on the political relationship between what is today called “folk” and “country.”

“[Guthrie] has had a profound influence, for example, in inspiring Bob Dylan and an entire generation of musicians and songwriters,” Drew said.

Tocalino added that Guthrie’s songs, “like so much of the best music, are timeless.”

“What’s amazing about [Guthrie] is that he’s maintained his popularity without a lot of radio support,” Tocalino said.

Not only were his songs inspiring and original, but his worth ethic was as well.

“He’s one of the first indie musicians,” Tocalino said. “He started his own label, Rising Son records, in 1983, and has released all of his records on Rising Son, as well as recordings by many of his talented children.”

During Guthrie’s reign in the 1960s and 1970s, he released several songs to promote the movement against the Vietnam War.

Drew said Guthrie’s main message was “that poor people can make a difference in the world if they fight together.”

“His release of ‘Alice’s Restaurant’ was a biting critique of both U.S. justice and the war in Vietnam,” Drew said.

“Alice’s Restaurant,” released in 1968, met critical acclaim. It, along with several other famous selections from Guthrie’s past, will be performed at the concert. Tocalino said Guthrie and family will also play some of Guthrie’s best-known songs like “City of New Orleans” as well as new songs written by Guthrie family members with his father’s original lyrics.

The Mondavi Center still has some tickets remaining but expects the show to be packed. Tickets start at $17.50.

BRITTANY PEARLMAN can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Marking the sixth consecutive year in which the staff team and relations commission of Davis has partnered with United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF), three selected documentary films will be featured in this year’s film festival at the Varsity Theatre on Sunday.

Utilizing the medium of film and cinematography, the festival aims to enlighten and inspire audiences. This year, the City of Davis and UNAFF brings greater issues of human rights, sustainability and justice to the forefront.

“I think the individual impact [with films] is so great. Film and what we see is only a fraction, but what they convey is the deep-seeded problems and solution,” said Verena Borton, officer of United Nations Association-Davis. “Actually seeing and hearing these issues has more of an impact in our modern day world.”Soldiers of Peace, Milking the Rhino and The Sari Soldiers illustrate the greater theme of how human energy and active decisions can create social and economic change on a global scale. Each of the three films was chosen among a large collection submitted to UNAFF founded in Stanford.

“We filter and watch the films together with the commission and UNA Davis representatives and choose the films that would logistically work best for the festival,” said Kelly Stachowicz, deputy city manager for Davis. “We chose films that, while they certainly deal with heavy issues, have an uplifting message of hope or progress.”

The first featured documentary film, entitled Soldiers of Peace, focuses on the current challenges facing sustainability in regards to climate change and management of resources, such as the accessibility to water. Narrated by actor Michael Douglas, the film takes the audience on a journey around the world, from Nigeria to Kenya to Columbia, and examines how different conflicts of individuals and groups can work together to find resolutions.

The second film, Milking the Rhino, examines two of the oldest cattle cultures on earth – the Maasai tribe of Kenya and Namibia’s Himba. The films take two conflicting worlds, the new and modern and the traditional way of life, and juxtapose them to one another. Examining the effect of ecotourism, Milking the Rhino reveals how the paradigm of an ancient culture conflicts with the need to globalize to Western expectations.

The final film featured in the festival is The Sari Soldiers. The film takes place in Nepal over the span of three years through the eyes and experience of six Nepalese women. These females struggle to find a way to cope and find resolution through the democratic revolution that takes place on a larger political scale.

Mandip Rai, a native from Nepal and member of the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship program in Davis, will be a guest speaker at the festival. Rai expresses how he feels students and audiences would benefit from the festival.

“This film festival illustrates how a country as small or economically not as important, such as Nepal, can give people living here in the States exposure to worlds they have not seen,” Rai said. “There are people, struggles and wars that are left unmentioned. Therefore, people can become more appreciative for opportunities they take advantage of here.”

Whether audiences come to watch the films to be purely entertained, or enlightened, the involved staff say there is definitely something to gain from the festival.

“As an individual, we can take action against something they think needs to be addressed, fixed or righted,” Stachowicz said. “There are creative approaches to conflicts and economic needs. I hope people will be inspired as well as question what they see. Just because we choose the films, doesn’t mean everything they see in the film is something they agree with. There are many different sides to each of the films. It’s a jumping off point to reach out to people”.

For more information about the festival and the featured films, visit unaff.org.

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

When the Pulitzer Prizes were announced on Monday, two atypical winners received awards in the journalism category. ProPublica, an online investigative news organization, and Mark Fiore, an online cartoonist, won prizes in a category historically dominated by print media. What happened?

Journalism’s shift to new forms of media is no longer news. But contrary to what pundits might suggest, journalism itself isn’t witnessing its own demise as the Internet takes over media outlets. It’s witnessing a complete overhaul, and slackers will indeed get left behind.

And by honoring these two recipients, the Pulitzers are effectively recognizing online media’s significance in today’s world. The once-feared and unmapped realm of the Internet isn’t news to us anymore – newspapers and society alike should be accustomed to new demands of the changing industry by now.

People are starting to abandon their dependence on print media, and if they haven’t yet, they soon will. Take Apple’s iPad, for example. Though the iPad’s usefulness is still in a nascent stage, it is slowly moving the e-reader market away from its esoteric Kindle-dominated status and into the ubiquitous realm of its iPod and iPhone cousins. Once Apple releases more functional generations, the iPad and its competitors will certainly take control of print media market.

Figures like Fiore know this shift all too well.

“I hope I’m a pioneer and not an anomaly,” Fiore told NPR’s “All Things Considered” on Tuesday. “And I just think the significance of it is that it shows that people are actually starting to realize that all news doesn’t have to come across on paper.”

Fiore won a Pulitzer for his editorial cartoons, which are featured on SFGate.com. His work, which Pulitzer judges called a “high standard for an emerging form of commentary,” typically expresses liberal messages through short, sarcastic segments. It’s incredibly basic – SFGate.com’s player doesn’t let the viewer pause or stop during the cartoons, and Fiore’s work is nothing more than simple Flash animation.

But either way, Fiore’s work is poignant – which arguably earned Fiore his prize. Fiore, who nominated his own work for the prize, is not employed by SFGate.com and syndicates his work himself.

ProPublica, the other recipient, is a respected non-profit organization for news and investigative reporting, received the award for its story on ill-fated doctor decisions during Hurricane Katrina. It was also a finalist in two other categories.

Many old-school staff writers resent the movement toward these independent organizations, who often steal the thunder. These writers, comfortable with their salaries, health care coverage and retirement plans, don’t like seeing the outsourcing of their trade as their colleagues get the ax – often on a weekly basis. Others, laid-off and estranged, sometimes end up joining the organizations themselves.

This is true for the Los Angeles Times, who did not receive any Pulitzers this year. Their website, though recently revamped, pales in comparison to the websites of the New York Times or the Washington Post. Their staff faces dramatic cuts and layoffs on a regular basis, and it’s easy to imagine a tense feeling among those who still remain.

This shift is inevitable, and since it’s finally being recognized as valid, newspapers should pay attention to their celebrated competitors.

JUSTIN T. HO wishes major newspapers would adapt without tearing themselves apart with lay-offs and cuts, because he doesn’t want to be stuck with pundits that find communist symbols in their own stool. He also realizes he’s being terribly obvious. E-mail him at arts@theaggie.org.

Artist: Bonobo

Album: Black Sands

Label: Ninja Tune

Rating: 4

In recent years, more downtempo electronic artists are appealing to concert audiences by procuring and sustaining the perfect medium between laptop-produced music and live instrumentation. However, Simon Green – better known as Bonobo – has been going about in this fashion since early last decade, stemming all the way back to his Tru Thoughts debut, Animal Magic, in 2001.

Green’s fourth LP Black Sands shares similar instrumental characteristics with his past releases, while propagating new electronic soundscapes nestled among busy beats and hyperactive rhythms. Though the album is not a significant departure from the Bonobo narrative, its achievement is that it holds our attention without transporting us through profligate derivations and maintains a sense of artful sophistication.

Give these tracks a listen: “Kiara,” “1009”

For fans of: Daedalus, Fink

– Simone Wahng

Artist: Megafaun

Album: Gather, Form and Fly

Label: Hometapes

Rating: 4

Formerly of the band DeYarmond Edison (with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon), Megafaun’s incredible sophomore album Gather, Form and Fly features a breathless multi-instrumental soundscape.

The album’s bluesy guitar rock and harmonious vocals are organized around a consistent and penetrable aesthetic that is remarkably beautiful. “Kaufman’s Ballad” is replete with psychedelic banjo riffs and the band trio’s soulfully hypnotic vocals. The entire track is wanderlust and haunting at the same time. “Darkest Hour” leads you into a bizarre ballad of blues that is fully equipped with layering melodies and rhythmic patterns of water drops. It’s weird – yet strangely comforting.

The entire album is comparable to a walk through woodsy landscapes with North Carolina’s thick-bearded folkies. Clearly, Megafaun is a band unafraid of bringing the inventive glory of experimental music into new realms of blues, country and folk.

Give these tracks a listen: “Kaufman’s Ballad” and “Columns”

For fans of: Bon Iver, Akron/Family, The Avett Brothers

– Vanna Le

Artist: 800Beloved

Album: Everything Purple

Label: Moodgadget

Rating: 4

Following up after their 2009 release of Bouquet, 800Beloved’s Everything Purple gently interweaves dream-pop with small hints of shoe-gaze and alternative rock to delicately craft a charming second Moodgadget release. Endearing lyrics are pleasantly paired with dreamy lo-fi melodies and soft rhythms – swimming through a sea of softly textured and articulated sounds.

Tracks flow from one to the next in a hallucinogenic conglomeration of layered resonance and reverberations. Everything Purple presents a delicately wavering sequence of sweet love songs and gently immerses listeners into a spiraling, carefree delirium. So loosen your grip on Teen Dream and try Everything Purple on for size.

Give these tracks a listen: “Everything Purple,” “1992”

For fans of: Office

– Simone Wahng

MUSIC

The Speed of Sound in Seawater, Buff Clout, Golden Arm, Jesus and the Rabbis

Friday, 9 p.m., free

The Bomb Shelter, 720 Anderson Road

Experience the Bomb Shelter, an actual 1960s underground bomb shelter built in the backyard of 720 Anderson Rd. that now plays host to musicians around the country thanks to the concrete bunker’s natural reverb. Concerts don’t get more intimate than this.

Jake Mann and the Upper Hand, Mist and Mast, J. Irvin Dally

Friday, 10 p.m., $3

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen

San Francisco-based singer-songwriter Jake Mann headlines Sophia’s, joined by Berkeley acoustic band Mist and Mast and Sacramento’s J. Irvin Dally. Use this opportunity to chill out before the next day’s Picnic Day craziness.

San Kazakgascar, The Universal Steve, Smoke Shovelers

Saturday, 5 p.m., free

Delta of Venus Café

In honor of Picnic Day, Delta of Venus gets the night’s music off to an early start with a patio show by Middle-Eastern/Indian-inspired group San Kazakgascar. Also on the program are The Universal Steve and Smoke Shovelers.

KDVS 90.3 FM Annual Fundraiser

Monday through Sunday, Apr. 25, recommended donation $25

fundraiser.kdvs.org

Campus radio station KDVS, which operates solely on ASUCD fees and independent donations, gets its annual fundraiser off the ground on Monday. Students and community members are encouraged to make a donation of $25 or more. For a $25 donation, students will receive a free premium package of music, T-shirts, books, DVDs and more. Go to fundraiser.kdvs.org to make your donation.

THEATER/MONDAVI

Baaba Maal

Today, 8 p.m., $12.50

Mondavi Center, Jackson Hall

Mixing music from his native Senegal with pop, R&B and other styles, Baaba Maal is one of the most refreshing artists performing today. His show tonight will feature tracks from his latest album, Television.

UC Berkeley Gamelan Sari Raras

Friday, 7 p.m., $9

Mondavi Center, Vanderhoef Studio Theater

Now this sounds like one of the coolest college performing groups I’ve ever heard of. UC Berkeley’s Gamelan Sari Raras, made up of current and former students, puts on shadow puppet plays, accompanied by traditional Javanese instruments. If the performance is half as neat as it sounds, this should be a memorable evening.

Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra

Friday, 8 p.m., $25

Mondavi Center, Jackson Hall

With more Grammy nominations that Michael Jackson, the Saint Louis Symphony is one of the great musical acts of our time. The symphony will play Rouse’s Rapture and Adams’ Dr. Atomic Symphony, among other works.

UC Davis Symphony Orchestra

Saturday, noon, free

Mondavi Center, Jackson Hall

Take some time out of your Picnic Day festivities to enjoy Haydn’s Cello Concerto in D Major performed by the always-impressive Symphony Orchestra. And hey, it’s also a rare opportunity to take in the fabulous atmosphere and acoustics of the Mondavi Center’s Jackson Hall absolutely free of charge.

Empyrean Ensemble: Program III

Sunday, 7 p.m., $9

Mondavi Center, Vanderhoef Studio Theater

The UC Davis ensemble-in-residence has an intriguing lineup for this concert, including Eric Moe’s Jozaphine Freedom featuring video by Suzie Silver and Jesper Nordin’s In the Midst of Trespassing for violin, percussion, and electronics.

AT THE MOVIES

Persepolis screening

Monday, 6 p.m., $9

Mondavi Center, Vanderhoef Studio Theater

Persepolis continues the Mondavi Center’s Graphic Novel film series. The 2007 film, based on Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novels, tells the story of the coming-of-age of a young woman in revolutionary Iran. Featuring exquisite black-and-white animation and the voice talents of Sean Penn and Gena Rowlands, the film has been hailed as an instant classic.

ART/GALLERY

Launch Party for new book by poet Indigo Moore

Today, 7 p.m., free

John Natsoulas Gallery

Poet Indigo Moore, along with Brian Tso James and Marilyn Nelson, will read from his new book, Through the Stone-Cutters Window. Modern dancer Robert H. Johnson will also perform.

“Matrix vs. Möbius: An Art Historian’s Guide to Recycling”

Tuesday, 4:10 p.m., free

Art 210D

The Art History Department’s Spring Lecture series offers a discussion about art’s role in the recycling of materials and culture led by art history professor Simon Sadler. Turns out recycling isn’t just for bottles and cans!

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