MUSIC
Folk Music Jam Session
Friday, May 10, noon, free
Wyatt Deck, UC Davis Arboretum
Bring your acoustic instruments, fiddles, guitars, banjos, mandolins, squeeze boxes, etc. to play during the lunch hour. All skill levels are welcomed, and listeners are invited. This event happens almost every Friday.

Left Coast Chamber Ensemble
Saturday, May 11, 2 p.m., $20/$8
Vanderhoef Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center
The UC Davis Department of Music presents Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, made up of Jerry Simas on the clarinet, Anna Presler on the violin, Tanya Tomkins on the cello and Eric Zivian on the piano.

Curtis 20/21 Ensemble
Sunday, May 12, 2 p.m., $38/$19
Vanderhoef Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center
The Mondavi Center presents Curtis 20/21 featuring Curtis President and violist Roberto Diaz and Curtis students. The ensemble is the Curtis Institute of Music’s contemporary music ensemble. The group offers a different look at works that continually maintain the ability to surprise audiences.

POETRY
Poetry Reading Thursday
Thursday, May 9, 7:30 p.m., free
Logos Books, 513 Second Street
This is the last poetry evening of the Quinton Duval Poetry Series this year. Katherine Hastings and Iris Jamahl Dunkle will read, and attendees can purchase books and poetry collections signed by the authors at the end of the evening. Light refreshments will be served, and there will be an opportunity to chat with the poets and other guests.

ART/GALLERY
2nd Friday ArtAbout
Friday, May 10, 5 to 9 p.m., free
Downtown Davis
This monthly evening features open galleries and artists’ receptions at businesses, galleries and other art-friendly locations in Downtown Davis. Events occur year-round, are free and are open to the public. Many of the venues include receptions, refreshments and opportunities to meet artists. The schedule of the evening can be found at davisdowntown.com.

DANCE
Les 7 Doigts de la Main
Sunday, May 12, 3 p.m., $49/$24.50
Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center
Les 7 Doigts de la Main (The Seven Fingers of the Hand) presents PSY, a performance that delves into the underworld of the human psyche. Psychological issues are contrasted with circus arts language to bring out the humor, beauty and commonality of various disorders. The power of the individual to rise above problems is featured while characters find strength, courage and joy, all while flying through the air.

OTHER
Author event: A Troublesome Subject: The Art of Robert Arneson
Thursday, May 9, 4 p.m.
Nelson Gallery
A Troublesome Subject: The Art of Robert Arneson by Jonathan Fineberg is the focus of Thursday evening’s lecture, book signing by the author and reception at the Nelson Gallery. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.

— Elizabeth Orpina

In 1969, a small group of art students on our campus organized an event called “The Art Happening,” channeling the spirit of the times into a celebration of love and creativity known today as the Whole Earth Festival. In the same year, on the other side of the country, a weekend-long celebration of peace and music informally named “Woodstock” became a pivotal moment for our society.

Forty-four years later, Whole Earth is proudly playing host to two emissaries of that larger happening, who remain forever linked to it through their era-defining music.

Barry “The Fish” Melton, best known as co-founder of the seminal ’60s rock band Country Joe and the Fish, will be one of the big names present on Saturday evening at the festival’s main stage. This will mark the second time Melton has visited the event in capacity as a musician, having graced the stage at the first festival circa 1971.

He has long played a prominent role in the local area, retiring in 2009 from the position of Yolo County Defender. His upcoming campus performance is yet another reason to claim him as an upstanding community member.

Melton will be playing alongside the immensely popular blues-rock band, Canned Heat, whose 1969 performance of the hit song “Goin’ Up the Country” was immortalized in the Woodstock motion picture. Colin Borges, a member of the local band Tha Dirt Feelin, is particularly excited about Canned Heat’s performance, and with good reason.

“I’m hoping to play flute on stage with Canned Heat on ‘Going Up the Country,’” said Borges, who has been practicing the song with friends in the last few weeks. “The ‘back-to-nature’ lyrics and driving tempo really get us into the festival spirit.” In addition, Borges will have song sheets available for audience members keen to join in.

The sense of anticipation around the musicians and their important cultural legacy is reflected on the choice of theme for this year’s festival, the enigmatic but evocative phrase “Time is Art.”

“Art is timeless and is an expression of belief, conviction and dedication to a cause, springing from the mind of the interpreter,” said festival director and fifth-year sociocultural anthropology major Brett Lemke in an email interview. “This year we are taking the festival back to its roots with two timeless bands from the Woodstock era that transcend labels.”

Lemke has also worked closely with Canned Heat as a web designer, biographer and tour manager, making the group’s appearance at Whole Earth possible.

Saturday’s performances will be a highlight of the weekend and prove that the festival is a vital celebration of music, art and community. Skip Taylor, the longtime manager for Canned Heat, provided a closing word for this standout event at 2013’s Whole Earth Festival.

“Personally, I do hope that as many folks as possible come out to enjoy a band that is still at the top of their game and take this opportunity to watch and listen to four of the best musicians anywhere in the music industry, in any genre of music today. And, as one of the founders of Canned Heat, Bob “The Bear” Hite, who is now playing the blues in heaven, used to say, ‘Don’t Forget To Boogie!’”

ANDREW RUSSELL can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Students will be given the opportunity to feature their films on the big screen at the 13th annual UC Davis Film Festival. This two-night event at the Varsity Theatre presents short films by UC Davis undergraduates and recent graduates, providing an opening night party at Vini Wine Bar, live entertainment, a raffle and awards for students with best films.

Each year, between 60 and 80 films are submitted, and only about two dozen are selected by professors to be featured at the festival.

“The festival’s purpose is to celebrate film and to show Davis and our community that student film can be very well-produced. Our students on this campus have so much creativity and talent, and to have a chance to show their work at The Varsity is amazing for all of our submitters,” said Jessie Philipps, executive student producer and fourth-year communication major.

The creative works range in length, style, genre and approach. Technical director and third-year technocultural studies and English double-major Kathleen Stilson said the films students submit fall under a variety of genres.

“There are no categories for submission, so people can submit whatever genre they’d like, and this is done for the purpose of creativity. We have a lot of good talent and we get many different types of films,” Stilson said. “There are dramas, animations, claymations, experimental films, documentaries, commercials, live-action — it’s all over the map.”

Over the years, the Film Festival has seen film styles evolve due to changing technologies, film techniques and popular taste of the time.

“As time goes on, I’d say that different types of films have become more frequent, like documentary and live-action films. There used to be a lot more experimental film and individual projects and I think now it has become a lot more of a collaboration where people are using production crews,” Stilson said. “It’s interesting to see how the film community has grown and evolved.”

The event first began through the Department of Theatre and Dance and has since expanded, collaborating with the art studio and technocultural studies departments.

However, this is the first year that the UC Davis Film Festival is run by a student organization. Philipps said that this allows the group to grow a stronger presence on campus.

“This year, we’ve expanded our outreach and gained many sponsors for the event. Although it’s a UC Davis production, it’s also a community event, and we wanted to outreach to the broader region, like Woodland and Sacramento,” Philipps said.

Vini Wine Bar in downtown Davis will be hosting an opening night event, providing discounted wine for audience members. Thanks to sponsorships, the event will include awards for the best films and a raffle for audience members. Prizes vary, from Rocknasium passes, Whole Foods and Yolo Berry gift cards, to cooking classes at the Davis Food Co-op and more.

“This year is going to be much bigger than last year’s event. We’re going to have a red carpet, media coverage, performers outside the theater and a party at Vini Wine Bar on opening night. We’re setting the festival up to be one of the major events on campus. This year’s event is the precedent and it’s only going to get bigger,” Stilson said.

Not only will this festival entertain audiences, but it also provides rare opportunities for students and it can possibly inspire future artists.

Emilio Rychard, assistant student director and fourth-year film studies and philosophy double-major, noted the importance of such an event for both students who hope to follow a career in film and those who merely enjoy filmmaking as a pastime.

“I’m excited for the students to have a chance to make films and present them at the Varsity Theatre. Maybe they’re aspiring filmmakers, and now they have the opportunity to show their work on a big screen as undergrads,” Rychard said. “Those who are selected and who win awards show effort, drive and talent that will take them far in their careers.”

The UC Davis Film Festival runs from May 22 to 23 at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 for one night and $10 for both nights and can be purchased at The Varsity Theatre or at the UC Davis Film Festival booth in front of the Memorial Union.

CRISTINA FRIES can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.