ALVIN AILEY The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is celebrating its 50th year (!) at Cal Performances, with three different programs, including three West Coast premieres. “True to form, the company continues to build bridges between its august past as a pioneering force of African-American cultural expression and its current role as a catalyst for addressing today’s most pressing social issues by both honoring classic repertoire and encouraging the vision of a new generation of choreographers.” The new work includes veteran Ailey dancer Jamar Roberts’ blues-steeped Members Don’t Get Weary, and Spanish choreographer Gustavo Ramirez Sansano’s Victoria. Artistic director Robert Battle’s Mass will also be performed for the first time on the West Coast. Friday, April 13, 8 p.m., Saturday, April 14, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sunday, April 15 3 p.m., Zellerbach Hall.
BAY FESTIVAL The City of Berkeley’s annual Bay Festival is on Saturday, with a range of hands-on educational and recreational activities, all focused on protecting the Bay and its wildlife. There’s live music throughout the day and a variety of food vendors. Participants can take a sailboat ride, paddle a dragon boat, or build with recycled materials in the adventure playground. Saturday, April 14, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Shorebird Park, 160 University Ave.
FRANKIE COSMOS New York singer/songwriter Greta Kline, who performs as indie pop band Frankie Cosmos, recently released her third studio album, Vessel. She’ll be performing on Saturday at the UC Theatre. Here’s what they say about the new album: “On it, Kline explores all of the changes that have come in her life as a result of the music she has shared with the world for the past half-decade, as well as the parts of her life that have remained irrevocable.” Saturday, April 14, 9 p.m., UC Theatre, 2036 University Ave.
PAPER SONS Paper Sons: A Memoir, by Dickson Lam, is set in a public housing project in San Francisco and explores his transformation from a teenage graffiti write to a high school teacher working with troubled youth. At the same time, it uncovers the secret violence in his immigrant family’s past. Lam will be speaking at Eastwind Books on Sunday. Sunday, April 15, 3 p.m., Eastwind Books, 2066 University Ave.
LITTLE BUFFALO Little Buffalo, the musical powwow between songwriter Eric Burkhart and a stable of talented players, singers and creative collaborators, performs at The Back Room on Saturday. Here’s what they say: “If you can imagine original tunes that fall somewhere between country, acoustic rock, folk and blues, with a nod to the sounds of Tulsa, New Orleans and Funky Kingston, then you’ll be somewhere in the neighborhood. Some might call it Americana… you can call it whatever you like.” Saturday, April 14, 8 p.m., The Back Room, 1984 Bonita Ave.
Don’t miss these other events covered on Berkeleyside:
‘A Different Long Stretch of Earth’ is certainly different
Big Screen Berkeley: More San Francisco International Film Festival; rare Ingmar Bergman
