MADELEINE PEYROUX According to the Freight & Salvage, Madeleine Peyroux “continues to challenge the genre lines of jazz, venturing into the fertile fields of other contemporary genres with unfading curiosity.” Her work on her new album, Anthem, casts “a sober, poetic, and at times philosophical eye on the current state of the world.” There are still tickets available (at time of writing) for Peyroux’s Friday and Sunday performances. Saturday is sold out. Friday, Oct. 4, 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m., Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison St.
MOONLIGHT POUR Artworks Foundry, a West Berkeley bronze sculpture foundry, is holding its “sometimes-annual” Moonlight Pour on Saturday night. The after-dark bronze pour is the draw, but there are also an art show, artist’s talks, fire dancers, live music and plenty of food and drink. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the two pours are scheduled for 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, 5 p.m. to midnight, Artworks Foundry, 729 Heinz Ave.
SMALL PRESS The nation’s only literary nonprofit book distributor, Small Press Distribution, will celebrate its 50th anniversary Saturday at the Berkeley Art Center. Established in 1969, the company, which has distributed more than 400 indie publishers, has a long history of “bridging connections between underserved readers and a broad coalition of essential but underrepresented authors.” At Saturday’s event, attendees will have a chance to hear from readings from poet Samantha Giles, novelist Owen Hill — co-curator of events at Moe’s Books — and writer J.K. Fowler, founder of Nomadic Press. A community reception and celebration will follow. Saturday, Oct. 5, 3 p.m., 1275 Walnut St.
PEOPLE’S PARK Tom Dalzell, author of the recent Heyday Press book, The Battle for People’s Park: Berkeley, 1969, will be speaking about the park on Sunday at the Berkeley Historical Society’s exhibition, People’s Park – Fifth Years. Dalzell, known to Berkeleyside readers for his “Quirky Berkeley” contributions, compiled hundreds of photographs and numerous eyewitness accounts to provide the most complete documentation to date of the events of 50 years ago. Also speaking on Sunday will be Robert Thompson, who was a National Guardsman in Berkeley at the time. Sunday, Oct. 6, 2 p.m., Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St.
VOTING RIGHTS As we’re all transfixed by high crimes and misdemeanors in Washington, DC, the dirty work of eroding voting rights and election integrity is happening in many states. So the two-day conference of the National Voting Rights Task Force this weekend at the South Berkeley Senior Center is urgent and timely. More than 20 nationally recognized leaders in the election integrity movement will be speaking in panels and workshops at the conference under the banner “The Coming 2020 Election Crisis: In Paper We Trust.” Tickets are available for both days or single days, with a variety of discounted tickets for educators, students and seniors. Saturday, Oct. 5 and Sunday, Oct. 6, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., South Berkeley Senior Center, 2939 Ellis St.
Don’t miss these other events covered on Berkeleyside:
Big Screen Berkeley: ‘Midnight Traveler’ and ‘Struggling’
The Carnatic blues of Ross Hammond and Jay Nair
