Sights and Sounds of Central Market: Piper’s Jewelers

August 2, 2011 in Historical by admin | No comments


Central Market between 6th and 7th street is a tableaux of transition: individuals getting their lives on track, new businesses starting up, and artists decorating vacant storefronts. Amidst this yearning for change is Piper’s Jewelers, where used items are bought and sold, and time seems to stand still.

No longer run by Mr. Piper, meet the family members that sell used jewelry, time pieces, and collectibles, and the man who was called in to repair the clock in the bell tower of Old St. Mary’s Cathedral. Read the rest of this entry »

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Sights and Sounds of Central Market: A.C.T. Costume Shop

August 2, 2011 in Arts by admin | No comments


The American Conservatory Theater, or A.C.T., is an internationally recognized theatre and school that puts on magnificent shows every year. But most people don’t know about their offices on Market Street, where they manage their massive costume collection. Read the rest of this entry »

Sights and Sounds of Central Market: Warfield Theater

August 2, 2011 in Historical, Music by admin | No comments

 

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Central Market was once the hub of big-screen entertainment celebrating seven theaters within two-blocks during the pre-television era. Today, these historic theaters, may be found in three states: abandoned, in the sex biz, or still going.

The Warfield on Market Streets is STILL going and regularly welcomes sold-out audiences. Built in 1922, the Warfield is one of the neighborhood’s few historic theaters still functioning as an entertainment venue and boasts performers such as Louis Armstrong, the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, and the Pixies.

Tune into this podcast to learn about the building and its underground speakeasy run by Al Capone. Read the rest of this entry »

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Sights and Sounds of Central Market: Hibernia Bank

August 2, 2011 in Historical by admin | 1 comment

 

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Hibernia Bank, at the corner of McAllister and Jones streets, is arguably one of the city’s most prized historical buildings. Over a century old, it survived the 1906 earthquake. But today, people pass the boarded up building without batting an eye.
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Sights and Sounds of Central Market: International Art Museum of America

August 2, 2011 in Arts by admin | No comments

 

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Until this spring, we knew almost nothing about the palatial white facade going up on at 1025 Market Street. We heard rumors of saffron-robed monks shuffling in and out – and about a live stream flowing through the building. This March, the International Art Museum of America opened its doors, revealing a surreal oasis on Central Market. Read the rest of this entry »

Nuclear Power and Media in Japan

April 24, 2011 in Public Affairs by admin | No comments

 

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Professor Hiroshi Fukurai

For Apex Express, I talked with Hiroshi Fukurai, professor at UC Santa Cruz, for a more critical look at what’s going on in Japan.

Professor Fukurai was born in Sendai, the epicenter of last month’s monstrous 9.0 earthquake. His family still lives in the region. He talked with me about the nuclear power system in Japan, Tokyo Electric Power Company’s heavy hand over the media, and Japan’s recent passage of an internet surveillance act.

Broadcast History
Apex Express 4/21/11

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Deep Roots 04: StreetSmARTS

April 18, 2011 in Arts by admin | No comments

 

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Francisco Aquino talking with youth at his mural. Photo by Michele Kraus.

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StreetSmARTS is a partnership between the San Francisco Arts Commission and the Department of Public Works that connects established urban artists with private property owners to create vibrant murals and make the property less likely to be vandalized. Since the program launched in 2010, the mural sites have seen a dramatic decrease in tagging. Listen to this podcast to learn about the program and hear an artist profile on StreetSmARTS artist Francisco Aquino, who started doing graffiti in the early days of hip-hop.

Special thanks to Paper Son for allowing us use of his re-mix, “Old Man Raps.”

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Deep Roots 03: Art in Storefronts

May 12, 2010 in Arts, Deep Roots by admin | No comments

 

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Art in Storefronts Launch. Photo by Genevieve Masse

Art in Storefronts Launch. Photo by Genevieve Masse


This episode of Deep Roots looks at Art in Storefronts, our innovative pilot program that transformed the streetscape in four San Francisco neighborhoods: Central Market, the Tenderloin, the Bayview, and the Mission. Vacant storefronts with boarded up windows became destinations for vibrant contemporary art. This summer, visit Art in Storefronts in Chinatown. The launch party is Friday, June 11 from 5-7 in Wentworth Alley.

The podcast features the voices of Art in Storefront artists Leanne Miller, Liz Maher, Malik Seneferu, Kristine Mays, Jonathan Burstein, and the husband and wife team of Kelly Ording and Jetro Martinez; State Senator Mark Leno; and people who joined us at the first round of launch celebrations.

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No Justice for Oscar Grant

November 11, 2009 in Music, Public Affairs by admin | No comments

 

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Image by Melanie Cervantes


I’ve been eager to do something with Smith & Mighty‘s song “No Justice,” ever since I first heard it while Janaka Selekta lived with me in 2002. Freedom Archives’ 10th anniversary seemed like a perfect time to work it in to a project.

Freedom Archives has over 8,000 hours of audio and video tape of some of the progressive movement’s most important voices and actions. More importantly, they keep these voices alive for people to access today through an accessible archive, revealing documentaries, and innovative projects like the Vinyl Project, an album of progressive soundbites to be used by DJs, musicians, MCs, and activists.

To celebrate their tenth anniversary, they threw a party at 330 Ritch in San Francisco. One of the giveaways was a CD made up of the many songs musicians have created using the archives along with mixes interns have created as they developed their ProTools chops and their consciousness.

I remixed this song with clips on police brutality from the Vinyl Project along with Oscar Grant footage I found on YouTube.

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Deep Roots 02: Harvey Milk in City Hall

November 6, 2009 in Arts, Deep Roots, Historical by admin | No comments

 

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The second episode of Deep Roots offers a rare look at the sculpture in City Hall of civil rights leader and San Francisco hero, Harvey Milk; its sculptor; and its meaning to the city and the community that it represents.

The podcast shares anecdotes from Milk’s friends and colleagues including: Charlotte Coleman, the first lesbian bar owner in San Francisco; Anne Kronenberg, Milk’s campaign manager; Harry Britt, Milk’s successor to the Board of Supervisors; photographer Daniel Nicoletta; Assemblyman Tom Ammiano; and Eugene Daub, the bust’s sculptor.

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