Thursday Throwback: Marvin Gaye Live in Oakland

On December 14, 1974 Marvin Gaye sang the National Anthem at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum before the Raiders beat the Dallas Cowboys 27-23 in front of a national television audience. Marvin donned his iconic red beanie in the Bay Area’s temperate 53-degree weather and blessed America with its self-affirming anthem. He looked at ease, but earlier that year, on the very same field, Marvin Gaye had confronted some of his biggest demons by returning to the national spotlight… live in Oakland, CA.

When Gaye’s frequent collaborator, Tammi Terrell, collapsed on stage in 1967, Marvin began suffering from stage fright. And when she died of a brain tumor two and a half years later, he refused to tour despite pressures from his label. But with money problems and the huge success of 1973’s Let’s Get It On, Gaye was forced to return to the stage. And so it was that on January 4, 1974 he treated 14,000 fans (paying as little as $5 for entry) at the Oakland Coliseum to a beautifully orchestrated 52-minute set.

Whatever fears he had weren’t apparent as he blessed those in attendance with a melancholy, soulful and sultry set of his more recent work (and a medley of his older hit tunes). A transcendent spirit swept over the Coliseum that night as Gaye not only remerged from the shadows, but also recorded a live album. Marvin Gaye Live! would go on take the #1 spot on the R&B charts and pique at #8 on the pop charts. It also birthed a slow-burning version of “Distant Lovers” that elicited Beatles-esque shrieks from the female fans in attendance. Thanks to that response, that rendition of “Distant Lovers” became a staple in Gaye’s repertoire until his death in 1984.

Download “Distant Lovers,” but do yourself a favor by purchasing the whole Marvin Gaye Live! album. It provides an amazing glimpse into the spirit of a troubled man with soaring gifts from above. Oakland knew he was back that night, and the rest of the world would soon be let in on the secret.

DL: Marvin Gaye: "Distant Lovers Reprise (Live in Oakland)"

Rest In Peace Marvelous Marvin Gaye. It’s still on.

Video: Iamsu!: "All I Ever Wanted" & "Gucci Gucci"

Iamsu is without a doubt one of the top lyricists in the Bay Area right now. And with the Rich City sophomore’s HBK Gang about to take over Summer Jam, he’s released a couple new visuals worth checking out. “All I Ever Wanted” is a one verse continuous shot, set against a Lake Merritt sunset. The stark glowing contrast is simple, but fitting for his reflections on his underdog status. He knows that things are changing and demonstrates that he’ll be minding his grind till his success is assured. 

Su’s “Gucci Gucci” freestyle is one the strategies he’s employing to get there. Beasting on a mainstream beat is pretty standard practice for emcees, but Su makes the track sound made for him. The video finds him cooking and sparring with rapid-fire punch lines and wordplay, and Daghe+Digital’s manic post-hyphy gigging takes this joint to a whole new level.

Be sure to download his Young California mixtape and, if you’ve been under a rock, watch the video for the biggest song out of the Bay this year, “Up!” after the jump. 

Video: Raphael Saadiq: "Movin' On Down The Line (Don't You Go Away)"

Raphael Saadiq does not miss when it comes to dope videos and gorgeous costars. On “Movin’ Down The Line” he splices footage of his recent globetrotting with his return to the arms of his girl. The quick cuts make you realize how grueling touring is, but also how amazing it is to hold court with thousands of adoring fans on a weekly basis. "This song is really close to my heart, and the video reflects my entire journey as a musician, and life on the road," Saadiq told Boombox. "Not even my family get a chance to view me this way. 'Movin' Down the Line' captures the best feeling ever, in your soul, heart and mind."

Aside from the glimpse into his personal time on the road, it’s the drop-dead beauty of his partner, and the on screen intimacy they create, that makes this video pop. This type of music video takes the loaded title of ‘vixen’ away from the female protagonist, and reminds us that actual love can exist in present day R&B. Does any one know her name? I think I have a crush.

Shout out to one of Oakland’s favorite native sons!

Sports: The Referees Vs. The Raiders

The other day on Twitter the infamous Tuck Rule came up. If you’re a Raider fan, you are all too familiar with the Tuck Rule. During the Raiders and Patriots 2002 AFC play-off showdown, I was at the opera. Well actually I was in the lobby listening to the game on my walkman. As time wound down, Charles Woodson forced Brady to fumble, Biekert recovered and we were home free! Until we weren’t. Naturally, the referees had to conjure up a never before used rule to screw the Raiders out of their chance at glory. The aftermath had me sprawled face down on the marble floor of the Scottish Rite Temple’s lobby.  

When I recently went in search of video for it, I found out that the Tuck Rule had been named the second most controversial call in NFL history. The first? You guessed it, the Immaculate Reception. This is all evidence of the Raiders biggest rivalry to date. Not a rivalry against a team they face off with once a year, but rather a crew of zebra striped mercenaries that they have to negotiate every week, the referees. Without further ado, I present to you the #1 and #2 most controversial NFL plays of all time.

Do you think the Raiders got screwed? Or is it all hype?

This Is Why I Love Oakland

Photo Credit: Kola Shobo

“Oakland now is like a great old blues singer. She knows how to moan and cry, but the bad times behind her make her know how to savor the good times. Maybe she's got some scars, but when she gets cooking she can still shake things up, and she can sing the pants off the young ones coming up that don't know her savvy -- there's no soul in Walnut Creek!

The old-time Oaklanders, and the port, and the big corporations building new skyscrapers downtown, are like instruments in the band, and all together now we're blowing some pretty good jazz.”

- Anonymous

Props to j s i g h t for shooting a little footage with his phone and Kola Shobo for giving us a glimpse of this Lake Merritt 4th of July gathering through his lens.

The Rebirth of West Oakland's 16th St. Train Station

Photo Credit: Chris Willis

One of Oakland’s many gifts is its architecture. There are art-deco gems like the Paramount, the Baghdad-inspired Fox Theater, the flat iron building, Tribune Tower, Preservation Park and The Dunsmuir House, just to name a few local landmarks, but our building prowess doesn’t end there. In fact, given the architectural diversity of Oakland, if our film department stepped up, we could be known for shooting movies just as much as we’re known for shooting people. 

Want a modern down town? Got that. Need a fully operative 19^th century historic district? Done. An expansive waterfront? A bustling port? Beautiful Victorians? Tasteful craftsmen bungalows? Gentrified lofts? Destitute slums? urban lakeside splendor? Ethnic enclaves? Oceans, bays, mountains or rivers? You name it, we got it.

One such Oakland jewel that needs some polishing however, is the now defunct terminus of the Transcontinental Railroad, Southern Pacific’s 16^th Street Train Station.  This building was once the hub of all western travel, but now stands as a shell steeped in neglected history. A developer is looking to open hundreds of homes in the area, and though he has pledged to keep the train station as a focal community place, we all know how "inclusive" development in West Oakland has been in the last decade. 

Thankfully, there is an opportunity for community members to contribute their ideas of how this once glorious space should be repurposed. I'm skeptical of the degree to which community voices will be heeded, but if we don't participate in the process, then our voices will just be apathetic "Monday morning quarterback" ramblings. Before you put in your two cents however, come check out the space in the flesh!

Check out this Channel 7 news piece (above) for details on how you can contribute your ideas and come to check it out live in the flesh on Thursday from 5:30-8pm. You can tour the station, record memories of the station, listen to live music and spoken word, dine at local sustainable food trucks, taste East Bay wines, do kids' activities, and more.

As the juxtaposing photos below illustrate, the station was once quite spectacular, help us return in its former grandeur.

Thursday, July 28th 2011; 5:30-8 p.m.
16th Street Station, 16th and Wood Streets

Debbie Does My Dad (In a Kilt). Bay Area Playwright Performs in Scotland

Debbie Does My Dad is the coming of age story of a kid whose dad spent the 70s and 80s cumming on camera. Bay Area playwright Bobby Gordon tells the story of growing up with former porn star Richard Pacheco as a father, struggling through awkward sexual encounters, and ultimately striving to create his own new model of manhood where a man can be sensitive without being weak.

That kind of conscious man is a staple of the Bay Area, so it’s great to see the Berkeley native acting as an ambassador for than movement. And he's soon to be an international ambassador of the Bay Area as a whole. Debbie Does My Dad, which most recently did a two-show run in Los Angeles, is on its way to Scotland for a 21 show run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the LARGEST theater festival in the world. 

Video: Maya Songbird: "Lust"

Maya Songbird is not your average R&B chick. She is spunky, artsy, alternative, large and in charge of her own brand of experimental soul. Her renowned single “Lust” was remixed by Canadian producer Brittlestar and now boasts an Angela Carroll directed video as well. The eerie melody and haunting visuals portray her as a fiercely indie artist with a dark streak. Chances are this is the flavor of dubstep soul we can expect from her forthcoming album Castro Kid. Stay tuned!

Video: Pop Lyfe on America's Got Talent

With the fiscal troubles of Oakland Public Schools came the fall of arts departments district wide. When I was a freshman at Oakland Tech we lost our performing arts academy, and unless you went to Skyline, similar fates probably befell your public high school too. Within this context Oakland’s rich musical history faces a rough road. Thankfully The Town is clawing its way back. The community effort to rebuild the performing arts department at Oakland Tech has been impressive and the Oakland School for the Arts charter has become a mainstay for talented youth in search of a more creative education.

From this rebirth, the youth band Pop Lyfe has emerged. Led by the son of Tony Toni Tone’s Dwayne Wiggins and headed by the powerful chameleon Khelani Parrish, the dynamic sextet has been performing around Oakland for a few years now. This summer marks their biggest opportunity yet, as they will be in Las Vegas to represent for Oakland on the new season of America’s Got Talent. They killed their audition (below) and did it in true Town fashion. 

Faced with Piers Morgan’s suggestion that Parrish drop her band, the spunky lead singer told him he wouldn’t say that after seeing an electric set from them. When he made it further apparent that he wouldn’t pledge his support if she wasn’t solo she responded, “I don’t go without my brothers,” prompting a huge standing ovation from the impressed audience. Despite Morgan’s nay saying, the group made it through auditions and will be taking the stage in Vegas. For those of you who have seen them get down, you already know that these kids can play. Tune in and cheer them on this summer. 

Video: Chick Hearn Interviews Chris Mullin

Chris Mullin is one of the greatest Golden State Warriors of all time, but his first couple years in the league left something to be desired. After overcoming a slow start and a bout with alcoholism however, Mullin went on to become an All-Star, a member of the gold medal winning 1992 Dream Team and a Hall-of-Famer, thus making him the NBA’s poster child of new beginnings.

This 1989 interview with legendary Lakers announcer Chick Hearn takes place during the turning point in Mullin’s career, and the year before Tim Hardaway was drafted to complete Run TMC and their subsequent string of play off appearances. His Brooklyn rogue is prominent, but it is his renewed focus, humbleness and dedication to his craft that shine through in this segment.

Props to our friends over at Warriors World for digging up this gem and naming the 6’ 7” white boy as the starting 2 guard on their all-time Golden State squad. 

New Music: Marcell William: "My Baby"

My Baby is a different sound for Marcell William. On first listen, I wasn't sure that it was in fact Mr. Third Voice. I was expecting something more along the lines of Trigga Trey bedroom songs. If you've seen Marcell make girls scream at The New Parish, you know why. Written by Esinchill, the latest DopeOnly-backed track is decidedly adult. It has a fun bounce. It's two-step friendly. And it's an R&B song that, gasp, isn't overtly sexual.

There will be no grinding in dark corners of local clubs. It's not panty dropping music. It's not baby making music. And in a music landscape where those things are the norm (unless you're trying to pull off R&B thug), I'm thinking "My Baby" is a step in the right direction. A step away from the crowd. Even if it's only for this one song. 

DL: "My Baby" by Marcell William

Music Video: Schwayze & The Cataracs: "Love Letter"

The Cataracs are fresh off tour with Usher, and no doubt loading their muskets before unleashing another barrage of fire at the airwaves. Prior to hitting the road though, they recorded and filmed a video with Schwayze entitled “Love Letter.” True to its word, it’s a cute overture dedicated to that girl that catches your eye and makes you pine in the most Middle School of ways. And so it is that Cyrano, Campa and Schwayze all take a cut at writing a love letter to their respective crushes. Shout out to puppy love