As a high school student in New York, young Carol Joan Klein changed her name to Carole King. She set out to become a songwriter at age 16, but got pregnant and married her songwriting partner, lyricist Gerry Goffin at 17. And at age 18, in 1960, she [...]
In 2011, Guerneville poet and web site editor Michael Rothenberg came up with the idea of staging poetry readings all over world on the same day, coordinated via the Internet. He called the project “100 Thousand Poets for Change.” While the idea grew that first year to include [...]
The 1970s star who turned rock and roll into shock theater, Alice Cooper, will perform at 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 25, at Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. At his concerts, the rocker charmed snakes and cavorted with mangled mannequins onstage, inspiring the NY Dolls, KISS, Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch [...]
Sonoma County’s contemporary dance fans have two chances to see local performances by the internationally recognized Axis Dance Company of Oakland. Axis, known for choreography that integrates dancers both with and without physical disabilities, will perform at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, at the Glaser Center, [...]
When the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West plays Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, you might spot a familiar face onstage. Senior Airman Isaac Lamar of Santa Rosa plays saxophone with the band. He’s a 1998 graduate of Piner High School and also received an [...]
The 48 Hour Film Project, a global filmmaking competition, comes to Santa Rosa this month. At the kickoff for the two-day event on Aug. 16, registered teams will convene from 6 to 7 p.m. at Depot Park in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square. Each team will receive a movie genre, a [...]
The Rodney Strong concert series presents eight-time Grammy-nominated saxophonist Dave Koz on Aug. 17. The concert starts at 5 p.m. at the vineyard, 11455 Old Redwood Highway, just south of Healdsburg. Mindi Abair, Gerald Albright and Richard Elliot also will perform. Koz’s new CD, "Dave Koz and Friends [...]
The Italian pop opera trio, IL VOLO, plans a nationwide U.S. Live Nation tour from Aug. 25 to Sept. 29, which will bring them to Sleep Train Pavilion in Concord at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27. The group features Piero Barone, 20, Ignazio Borschetto, 18, and Gianluca Gioble, [...]
What is art? Whether it’s oil on canvas or actors on stage, dancers on their toes or comedians doing stand-up, Press Democrat staff writer Dan Taylor covers the fine and lively arts in Northern California. Meet the people, go behind the scenes and get ahead on what’s coming up.