DESIGNED OBSOLESCENCE They’ve performed in nudist colonies and on Prairie Home Companion. They issued a series of 10-inch 78rpm recordings long after the format had vanished. And they count R. Crumb as a co-founder. The Cheap Suit Serenaders bring their “unapologetically outmoded tastes” to the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse on Friday, Jan. 10 at 8 p.m. On ukuleles, Hawaiian steel guitars, fiddles, cellos, banjos, mandolins, accordions and musical saws, Robert Armstrong, Allan Dodge, Rick Elmore and Tony Marcus serve up a “giddy blend of up-tempo Hawaiian stomps, ragtime, Italian polkas and more.” Tickets are $26.50 in advance, $28.50 on the door. Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, 2020 Addison St.
THOSE DAMN YANKEES This weekend sees the production of the baseball-themed musical comedy Damn Yankees being performed by students in the Berkeley Playhouse TeenStage Program (grades 7-12) at the Berkeley Playhouse on College Ave. In this modern retelling of the Faust legend, a passionate Washington Senators fan sells his soul to the Devil in order to be transformed into their star player and lead his beloved team to a victory against those damn Yankees. The show, which is based on the novel, The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, features memorable songs such as “Heart,” and “Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets.” Shows are Friday Jan. 10 at 7:00 p.m.; Saturday Jan. 11 at 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.; and Sunday Jan. 12 at 12:00 p.m. Berkeley Playhouse, 2640 College Ave., Berkeley. Visit Berkeley Playhouse for full details.
TRANSLATING WHALE SONGS On Friday Jan. 10 at 7 p.m., Howard Steven Pines will be at Books Inc. on Fourth Street to share Part I of The Torch of Prometheus trilogy, The Whale Song Translation. Inspired and informed by a Silicon Valley career adapting digital voice and modem technology for communication devices, Pines’ novel delivers thought-provoking “breakthroughs” about language and intelligence in earth’s other big-brained beings, and explores the intertwined existential crises of humans and whales. Books Inc., 1760 4th St., Berkeley.
EGRETS PHOTO SHOW Continuing until Jan. 30 is “The Secret Lives of Egrets” art show at the City of Berkeley Center Street Gallery at 1947 Center St. The photographs are the work of Berkeley fine art photographer Gerry Traucht, and show egrets seen in Aquatic Park on the Berkeley lagoon. As the show’s organizer’s put it: “The white egrets gather here fall, winter and early spring displaying their ancient, astounding dances, rituals, hunting practices and create a sight of stunning visual music, dance and poetry.” The show was curated by Rinna Flohr, curator for the City of Berkeley Center Street Gallery. Visitor hours are normal business hours Monday through Thursday. For information or high resolution images of artwork contact Rinna Flohr at(510-849-3111 or at expressionsgallery@msn.com
SPEEDO CUP Cal’s women’s water polo team opens its season by hosting the California Speedo Cup at the Spieker Aquatics Complex on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 11 a.m. The Bears face Pacific in the opening match, before Stanford take on Pacific at 1:30 p.m. Cal’s next home match isn’t until Feb. 15. Cal senior Ashley Young, last year’s leading scorer with 36 goals, is co-captain of the squad, which has been bolstered by two Olympians in the freshman class: Roser Tarrago, who won a silver medal in London playing for Spain, and Dora Antal, who helped Hungary to the bronze medal match, before falling to Australia.
Check out Berkeleyside’s event calendar for many more events, and make sure to post your own community happenings.