East Bay Express | Rachel Swan

The Anti-Rapturenew

Oakland atheists brace for Judgment Day.

East Bay Express | Rachel Swan | 05-18-2011 | Religion

A Break for Charles Bradleynew

At 62, the soul singer finally releases his debut album.

East Bay Express | Rachel Swan | 05-09-2011 | Music

Tags: Daptone Records, The Budos Band, Sharon Jones, Charles Bradley

Kind of Bluenew

Will the Bay Area's jazz scene ever live up to its ambitions?

East Bay Express | Rachel Swan | 05-04-2011 | Music

Tags: Oakland, Jazz

Rashida Clendening Launched Her Career in Jungle, but Found Her Voice in Soulnew

Only in the last five years did Rashida Clendening (aka Audio Angel) become one of the go-to singers for local groups like Spaceheater (recently rechristened the Evan Francis Group) and the Jazz Mafia. Before that, she was knee-deep in the jungle and drum 'n' bass scenes.

East Bay Express | Rachel Swan | 04-21-2011 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Audio Angel, Beatropolis, Ex-Pyramids, Franco Nero, Funk Revival Orchestra's Tribute to Roy Ayers, General Fuzz, High Sierra Music Festival, Jaswho?, Jazz Mafia, Mike Irwin Johnson, Rashida Clendening

Hecklers' Ball: How Comedians Deal with Their Worst Foesnew

Dispensing with hecklers has always been a touchy issue in the stand-up community.

East Bay Express | Rachel Swan | 04-21-2011 | Comedy

Tags: Brent Weinbach, Emily Heller, Marcella Arguello, Chris Garcia, Joe Klocek, hecklers

A Sliggitay Legacy: An Ex-Harvard Student Decides to Get Basednew

The ex-high school president turned to music as a way to vent his frustration. He stopped studying, and instead started writing rhymes and smoking trees, which is probably the genesis of all great rappers.

East Bay Express | Rachel Swan | 04-14-2011 | Profiles & Interviews

The East Bay's Local Licksnew

This week we review Luvplanet, Kyoshi Foster, Ian Franklin, and Books on Tape.

East Bay Express | Rachel Swan | 04-14-2011 | Music

Punks Versus Hipsters: The Battle Royalenew

How the East Bay Rats got two Oakland subcultures into the boxing ring.

East Bay Express | Rachel Swan | 04-14-2011 | Sports

The East Bay's Local Licksnew

This week we review Shareef Ali & The Radical Folksonomy, Unko Atama, The Fresh & Onlys, and Nodzzz.

East Bay Express | Rachel Swan | 04-12-2011 | Music

Tags: The Fresh & Onlys, Nodzzz, Unko Atama, Shareef Ali & The Radical Folksonomy

Mutual Adoration Glues The Submarines' Latest Album Togethernew

Most songs on Love Notes/Letter Bombs occur as call-and-response conversations, which render the listener into an eavesdropper — The Submarines might be singing about sunshine, but their lyrics still sound intimate.

East Bay Express | Rachel Swan | 04-07-2011 | Reviews

Tags: The Submarines, Love Notes/Letter Bombs

A More Enterprising Foreign Legionnew

Prozack Turner and Marc Stretch grew up, but they're still full time B-Boys.

East Bay Express | Rachel Swan | 03-28-2011 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: DJ Design, Foreign Legion, Keith Griego, Marc Stretch, Prozack Turner, DreDisco Volante

Louis Katznew

If These Balls Could Talk

East Bay Express | Rachel Swan | 03-17-2011 | Comedy

Tags: Louis Katz, Moshe Kasher, Comedy Central Records, Mary Van Note

Raashan Ahmad: For What You've Lostnew

Raspy-voiced Raashan Ahmad is one of those dyed-in-the-wool B-boys who really means it when he name-checks the five elements, or uses the word "peace" as a salutation.

East Bay Express | Rachel Swan | 03-10-2011 | Reviews