The Fox Oakland: A glimpse of past & future

Contributed by Bobby Gordon

There are things worth saving. This was one of those things.

For all of us who were born after 1970, the giant "Fox Oakland" sign on the outside of the Fox theater had always been like a glimpse into a once vibrant past. A reminder that downtown Oakland must have had a heyday a long time ago. A time when a lively nightlife bustled beneath Downtown's neon lights. But the extinguished marquee and the shuttered theater made it clear, we do not live in that time.

At least we didn't until last week.

There hadn't been regular shows in the venue since the 1960s and any shows since the 1970s. But after recent renovations, the Fox Theater reopened its doors on February 5th and has been enjoying packed houses with audiences as eager to see the venue as whatever band is playing.

Walking in to the grand old theater I understood why. From the bright lights of the marquee to the ornate decorations of the interior, the Fox Oakland is breathtaking.

Hats off to the team that did the renovations. They did a phenomenal job. Of particular note, were the exotic glowing statues that sat tall on either side of the stage and the intricate illuminated ceiling.

I had a great teacher that once told me that you win over people with pleasure, not by telling them what they should care about. Being in that theater was an immense pleasure, and after such a rich visceral experience, I believe in the importance of holding on to our cultural landmarks more than I could have any other way.

A big part of that pleasure was supplied by Michael Franti and Spearhead. There may be no other artist living today with such a positive message that can also have you dancing until you fall over from exhaustion. A Northern California native himself (he's from Davis), it felt fitting to have the stage filled by his dreads, his sound, and his unparalleled love of bass heavy music.

Oakland's problems are not solved. This means nothing for the challenges of our public schools, City Hall's failures, or issues of police brutality. But this does mean something very big. The Fox Oakland is a destination. A major one, in an area that really needs a major destination. With all of the stories of struggle and failure lately, this is an important one of success.