FRIDAY, DEC. 29 

“Life on Earth” The documentary by David Attenborough, a chronology of the flora and fauna of the Earth over 3,500 million years, at 7:30 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Donation $5. www.HumanistHall.net 

Circle Dancing, simple folk dancing with instruction at 7:30 p.m. at Finnish Brotherhood Hall, 1970 Chestnut St. at University. Donation of $5 requested. 528-4253.  

SUNDAY, DEC. 31 

New Years Eve Circle Dance Party at 8 p.m. at Hillside Church, El Cerrito. Simple folk dancing done in a circle. No partners or dance experience needed. No alcohol. Donation of $5 appreciated. 528-4253. www.circledancing.com 

“Toward a Unified Theory of Religion” with Sarah Lewis of the GTU at 9:30 a.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, One Lawson Rd., Kensington. 525-0302, ext. 306. 

Tibetan Pilgrimage Tom Mead on Tibet’s sacred sites at 6 p.m. at the Tibetan Nyingma Institute, 1815 Highland Pl. 843-6812. www.nyingmainstitute.com 

MONDAY, JAN. 1 

An Evening of Argentine Tango Dinner at 6 p.m., lessons at 7 p.m. at Lake Merrit Dance Center, 200 Grand Ave. at Harrison, Oakland. Tickets are $25-$30. 326-6415. 

TUESDAY, JAN. 2 

Snowshoeing Basics with Cathy Anderson-Meyers at 7 p.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 527-4140. 

Free Legal Assistance the first Tues. of the month at 6 p.m. at the Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. Advance registration required. 526-3720, ext. 5. 

Family Storytime at 7 p.m. at the Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave. 524-3043. 

Confetti Arts Day at Habitot Children’s Museum Art projects using left-over New Year’s confetti, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 2065 Kittredge St. Cost is $6. 647-1111. 

New to DVD “Little Miss Sunshine” at 7 p.m. at the JCCEB, 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237. 

Discussion Salon on “Delight” at 7 p.m. at JCC, 1414 Walnut.  

St. John’s Prime Timers meets at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. We always welcome new members over 50. 845-6830. 

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 3  

Winter Break Movie Series for Teens will show “Spiderman 2” at 3 p.m. at Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge at Shattuck. 981-6133.  

Red Cross Blood Services Volunteer Orientation from 10 a.m. to noon at 6230 Claremont Ave., Oakland. Advanced sign-up is required 594-5165.  

Walk Berkeley for Seniors meets every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at the Sea Breeze Market, just west of the I-80 overpass. Everyone is welcome, wear comfortable shoes and a warm hat. 548-9840. 

THURSDAY, JAN. 4 

Teen Book Club meets to discuss favorite picture books at 4:30 p.m. at the Claremont Branch Library, 2940 Benvenue at Ashby. Bring a book to share. 981-6107. 

FRIDAY, JAN. 5 

Impeachment Banner Fridays at 6:45 to 8 a.m. on the Berkeley Pedestrian bridge between Seabreeze Market and the Berkeley Aquatic Park, ongoing on Fridays until impeachment is realized. www. Impeachbush-cheney.com 

Report on Lebanon with Dr. Paul Larudee on his visits during the summer of 2006, at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph the Worker Church, 1640 Addison St. Free. 845-4740. 

“Who Killed the Electric Car?” A documentary and presentation by the Sierra Club at 7:30 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Donation of $5 acccepted. www.HumanistHall.net 

Red Cross Blood Drive from noon to 6 p.m. at MLK Student Union, UC Campus. To schedule an appointment go to www.BeADonor.com (code UCB) 

Circle Dancing, simple folk dancing with instruction at 7:30 p.m. at Finnish Brotherhood Hall, 1970 Chestnut St. at University. Donation of $5 requested. 528-4253. www.circledancing.com 

SATURDAY, JAN. 6 

“The Mosque of Paris: A Forgotten Resistance” Documentary film and presentation on how the Muslim community of Paris saved Jews in Nazi-occupied France. Discussion with Dr. Annette Herskovits who survived the the Holocaust as a child in France. At 7 p.m. at Berkeley UU Fellowship Hall, 1924 Cedar at Bonita. Sponsored by the UU Social Justice Committee. 528-5403. 

Movies that Matter “The Last Temptation of Christ” at 6:30 p.m. at Neumayer Residence, 565 Bellevue St. at Perkins, Oakland. Free. 451-3009. http://joyfulharmony.org  

Freedom from Tobacco Quit Smoking Class from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and runs for six Saturdays. Option of free acupuncture included. For information call 981-5330. quitnow@ci.berkeley.ca.us 

Sickle Cell Presentation and Discussion at 3 p.m. at the African American Museum and Library, 659 14th St., Oakland, in conjunction with the “Can We Spare Some Change? - A Change in Attitude” Exhibition. 637-0200. 

Sunset Walk in Emeryville Meet at 3:30 p.,m. behind Chevy’s Restaurant at the small parking lot for an hour walk through the Marina. Rain cancels. Wheelchair accessible. 234-8949. 

Luna Kids Dance Open House from 1 to 3 p.m. at Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, Studio C, 2640 College Ave. 644-3629. 

The Berkeley Lawn Bowling Club provides free instruction every Wed. and Sat. at 10:30 a.m. at 2270 Acton St. 841-2174.  

Petite Pooches Playgroup for small dogs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., one block north of Solano on Ensenada at Talbot. 524-2459. 

ONGOING 

Help with Medicare Part D Enrollment Seniors who need to enroll in the prescription drug plan, or change their plan can get help and advice at Berkeley Senior Centers. Appointments required. Call 1-800-434-0222.  

Peace Action West, a local non-profit which promotes peace and justice, is looking for volunteers to do data entry, stuff envelopes and other tasks. Locates across from the Berkeley Bowl. 849-2272, ext. 104. 

CITY MEETINGS 

Downtown Area Plan Advisory Commission meets Wed. Jan. 3, at 7 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7487.

FRIDAY, DEC. 29 

THEATER 

“Amahl and the Night Visitors” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m. at Masquers Playhouse, 105 Park Place, Pt. Richmond. Tickets are $10. 232-4031. 

Aurora Theatre Company “A Little Cole in Your Stocking” at 8 p.m., Wed.-Sat., at 2081 Addison St., through Dec. 30. Tickets are $25. 843-4822. 

Shotgun Players “The Forest War” Thurs.-Sun. at 8 p.m. at the Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave., through Jan 14. Sliding scale $15-$30. 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Ralph Nader on continuing the themes of “The Good Fight” at at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Alex Pfeifer-Rosenblum at 8 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $10-$12. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Dick Conte Trio at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Swing dance lesson at 8 p.m. Cost is $11-$13. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

David Grisman Bluegrass Experience at 5 and 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $29.50-$30.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Mark Robinson Quartet at 9 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

Dave Lionelli and Jamie Jenkins at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

That Man Fantastic, Ramon & Jessica, Sligo Rags at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $6. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

All You Can Eat, Born/Dead, Drain the Sky and others at 6 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $10. 525-9926. 

Chris Zanardi Quartet, jazz and groove, at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Frost Bite, RBL Posse at 7 p.m. at Oakland Metro, 201 Broadway, Oakland. All ages. Cost is $10. 763-1146. www.oaklandmetro.org 

Lord Loves a Working Man, The Struts at 8:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. 451-8100. www.uptownnightclub.com 

McCoy Tyner Quartet at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, through Sun. Cost is $35. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

SATURDAY, DEC. 30 

CHILDREN  

Elmwood Theater Matinee Benefit for local schools showing “Wallace & Grommit: Curse of the Wererabbit” at 10 a.m. and noon, and noon on Sun. Cost is $2. Sponsored by Elmwood merchants. 843-3794. 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Black Tie Botanical Experience” Botanical watercolors by Bay Area artists. Opening reception at 3 p.m. at Esteban Sabar Gallery, 480 23rd St., Oakland. Exhibit runs to Jan. 29. 444-7411. 

FILM 

“924 Gilman” Screening of the documentary in celebration of the music venue’s 20th anniversary at 2 p.m. at 924 Gilman St. 525-9926. 

THEATER 

International Comedy Showcase with comedians from Africa, China, Labanon, Scotland, India and Iran at 8 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattucks Ave. Cost is $13-$15. 849-2568.  

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Tanaora at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Workingman’s Ed at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $11-$13. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com  

Stephanie Crawford, jazz, at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

Clifford Lamb Trio at 9 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

Paul Mooney Sat. at 7, 9 and 11 p.m. and Sun. at 7 and 9 p.m. at Black Repertory Group, 3201 Adeline St. Tickets are $40-$100. 652-2120. 

The Loud Family, Anton Barbeau, Fainting Goats at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $7. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

California Flight, Mike Marshall at 9 p.m. at Oakland Metro, 201 Broadway, Oakland. Cost is $10. All ages. 763-1146. www.oaklandmetro.org 

Cyril Guiraud Trio, jazz, at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

924 Gilman’s 20th Anniversary with Social Unrest, El Dopa, Black Fork, and others at 6 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $10. 525-9926. 

SUNDAY, DEC. 31 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

San Francisco Chamber Orchestra New Year’s Eve Celebration, dedicated to the memory of Maestro Edgar Braun at 8 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 2345 Channing Way. Free. 415-248-1640. 

Jesus Diaz and his Bay Area Cuban All Stars at 9:30 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $25-$27. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Bobby Cespedes & Her Trio with John Santos at 7 and 10 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $50-$75, includes traditional Cuban dinner. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Will Durst “Big Fat Year End Comedy Show” at 8 p.m. at Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College Ave. Tickets are $15-$17. 925-798-1300. 

High Country at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $26.50-$27.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Disappear Incompletely at 9 p.m. at Jupiter. Cost is $10. 848-8277. 

New Year’s Eve Flamenco Fiesta at with dinner and performances by Yaelisa and Caminos Flamencos Company at Cafe de la Paz, 1600 Shattuck Ave. Tickets are $50-$145. 287-8700. 

Jazz Fourtet at 10 p.m. at Albatross, 1822 San Pablo Ave. Cost is $10 843-2473. www.albatrosspub.com 

Balkan Bash with Edessa, Ziyia, Joe Finn at 8 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $20. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Kings & Queens New Years Bash at 8 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low, 2284 Shattuck Ave. Tickets are $20 in advance from ticketweb. 548-1159.  

Zadell at 9:30 p.m. and Jason Martineau at 6:30 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

California Flight, Baby James at 9 p.m. at Oakland Metro, 201 Broadway, Oakland. Cost is tba. 763-1146. www.oaklandmetro.org 

Antioquia, Sinclair at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $10. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

McCoy Tyner Quartet at 9 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, through Sun. Cost is $100. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

MONDAY, JAN. 1 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Christina Hutchins, poet at 7:30 p.m. at Montclair Women’s Club, 1650 Mountain Blvd., Oakland. Cost is $5. 276-0379. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Parlor Tango with Odile Lavault on bandoneon at 7 p.m. at Le Bateau Ivre, 2629 Telegraph Ave. 849-1100. 

TUESDAY, JAN. 2 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Courtableu, Cajun/Zydeco at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cajun dance lesson at 8 p.m. Cost is $10. 525-5054.  

Ellen Hoffman Trio and Singers’ Open Mic at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $5. 841-JAZZ.  

Hammond B-3 Organ Group at 8 and 10 p.m. Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $6-$10. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

Philips Marine Duo, jazz, at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave. 548-5198.  

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 3 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Whiskey Brothers Old Time and Bluegrass at 9 p.m. at Albatross, 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473. www.albatrosspub.com 

Calvin Keys Trio at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $7. 841-JAZZ.  

Moh Alileche at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Film “From Kabylia to California” at 8 p.m. Cost is $10. 525-5054.  

Joe Cardillo at 9:30 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790.  

Saoco at 9:30 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low, 2284 Shattuck Ave. Salsa dance lessons at 8 p.m. Cost is $5-$10. 548-1159.  

Paul Maousos at 8:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $5. 451-8100.  

Christian Scott, trumpet, at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $10-$16. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

THURSDAY, JAN. 4 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Whitework Embroidery” at Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles, 2982 Adeline St. Runs through Feb. 5. Hours are Mon.-Sat. noon to 6 p.m. Free.  

THEATER 

Azeem’s “Rude Boy” opens at 8 p.m. at The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way and runs Thurs.-Sat. through Jan. 27. Tickets are $15-$22. 800-838-3006. 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Tracy Koretsky, poet, at 7 p.m. at the Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. 526-3720, ext. 17.  

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Amha Baraka at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $10. 525-5054.  

Irene Sazer’s Real Vocal String Quartet at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761.  

Noel Jewkes & Junqueyard Jazz Cats at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ.  

Sylvia Herold & Euphonia at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave. 548-5198.  

The Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble of San Francisco at 8 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $10. 849-2568.  

Jeffrey Luck Lucas, Alela Diane, The Hobbyists, at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $8. 841-2082. 

Matt Lucas at 9:30 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub. 647-1790.  

Maria Muldaur at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $10-$16. 238-9200.  

INTERNATIONAL COMEDY SHOWCASE 

South Berkeley’s La Peña Cultural Center will host an “International Comedy Showcase” at 8 p.m. Saturday, featuring comedians from Africa, China, Lebanon, Scotland, India and Iran. $13-$15. 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568. 

20th ANNIVERSARY BASH FOR 924 GILMAN  

924 Gilman, Berkeley’s venerable member-run punk rock venue, will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a 6 p.m. show Saturday featuring a number of bands, including Solcial Unrest, El Dopa and Black Fork. All ages welcome; no alcohol, no drugs, no violence. $10. The celebration will be preceded by a 2 p.m. screening of 924 Gilman, a documentary about the venue.  

525-9926. 

CELLULOID CLASSICS IN EL CERRITO 

The Cerrito Theater continues its weekend series of classics from yesteryear with After the Thin Man (1936), the second film in the classic Thin Man series starring William Powell and Myrna Loy as a crime-solving couple. The series was based on the novel The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett and shows at 6 p.m. Saturday and at 5 p.m. Sunday. 10070 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito. www.picturepubpizza.com. 

CHAMBER CONCERT IN MEMORY OF A MAESTRO 

The San Francisco Chamber Orchestra will perform a special New Year’s Eve concert in memory of Maestro Edgar Braun at 8 p.m. Sunday at First Congregational Church in Berkeley. Admission is free. 2345 Channing Way. (415) 248-1640.

Backstage, opening today at Shattuck Cinemas, is a story of obsession and fantasy, depicting the relationship between a pop star and one of her fans, a teenage girl who has come to idolize the singer to the point of zealous obsession. 

Much of the plot may seem over the top, but director Emmanuelle Bercot based her screenplay on actual fan letters written to pop stars, fashioning these missives into a screenplay that attempts to explore the strange dynamic between the trappings of fame and the marketing of celebrity and the desperation of the young, impressionable consumer who becomes irresistibly drawn to the unattainable.  

If the film seems at times to indulge too greatly in an adolescent world, to dwell on the clichés of the pop star lifestyle, it is important to remember that this is deliberate, that the film is essentially telling the tale through the eyes of a star-struck girl who has romanticized and glorified every facet of her idol’s existence. She is hardly an objective observer; rather she provides a filtered lens that colors the action with her own dreams, desires and pain. 

Lauren, the star, is self-centered and melodramatic. She sees her success as something of a trap and her self image as a reluctant celebrity, combined with her troubled romantic life, send her into wildly inappropriate bouts of self pity. But Lucie, the young girl who worships her and, through a chance encounter, becomes her confidant, interprets this drama even more dramatically, seeing Lauren as a martyr, as an artist on a grand scale, and thus any impediment to Lauren’s happiness and artistic success is seen by Lucie as a force of evil intent on destroying a goddess.  

The casting, by Antoinette Boulat and Bercot, is excellent. Emmanuelle Seigner has just the right aura, bringing to the role of Lauren great beauty and ferocity as well as vulnerability and emotional instability. And Isild le Besco plays Lucie with the appropriately ungainly movements of a budding adolescent, the stark, frightened, deer-in-the-headlights expression of a girl forever lost, and the sensual, maniacal, glassy-eyed gaze of a slightly unhinged fan seeking to forever bind herself to the object of her obsession. Supporting roles are often filled by non-actors who hold the same occupations as their characters; the security guard is played by a security guard, the record executive played by a record executive, etc., and the technique succeeds in bringing a certain veracity to the film’s otherwise heightened realism. 

There are a few missteps however. Bercot created an entire album of original songs by Lauren and often relies a bit too heavily on them to carry the film’s emotional weight, with too many shots drowned out by music and too many scenes simplistically explained by Lauren’s lyrics. And her use of symbolism can be simplistic and heavy-handed as well. One of Lauren’s possessions, for instance, is a stuffed deer, meant to capture the nature of her own existence: innocence captured, killed, stuffed and always on display, a lifeless commodity used to adorn a hotel room just as posters of Lauren adorn the bedroom walls of teenagers all over France. Had it only appeared once, or perhaps only in the background, it might have been a more subtle and effective symbol. But Bercot features it so prominently it almost becomes a parody of the use of symbolism. In one scene Lauren appears is profile alongside the profile of the deer, just to make sure we don’t miss the connection; and in another shot, Lucie is seen caressing the deer and nearly kissing it. 

But again, we are seeing this story through the eyes of a deranged fan, so perhaps these awkward moments can also be attributed to her skewed perspective. And ultimately that is where Backstage has its greatest success, in the presentation of that perspective. For whatever its faults and however silly its characters may sometimes be, viewers who remember the more dramatic fancies of their adolescence will recognize some degree of truth in Lucie’s delusions and the burden they inflict on the adults around her. 

BACKSTAGE 

Starring Emmanuelle Seigner and Isild le Besco. Directed by Emmanuelle Bercot.  

Written by Jerome Tonnerre and Bercot.  

115 minutes. Not rated. In French with English subtitles. Playing at Shattuck Cinemas. 

Photograph: Isild le Besco plays a teenage girl who becomes the friend and confidant of the object of her obsession, a glamorous pop star played by Emmanuelle Seigner, in Backstage.

Cuban singer extraordinaire Bobi Cespedes and her trio will be joined by Bay Area Latin music luminary John Santos on percussion for two shows and dinner, 7 and 10 p.m. New Year’s Eve at Anna’s Jazz Island on Allston right off Shattuck. Validated parking at Allston Way Parking across Shattuck next to Ross. 

“John produced three of Bobi’s records,” said club founder Anna De Leon, “But I don’t think they’ve ever performed together live before. She was always working with Conjunto Cespedes, which she co-founded, and John was with his Machete Ensemble, or recording or working with stars like Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri or Cachao.” 

Conjunto Cespedes, the 12-piece group Cespedes cofounded in the ‘80s, disbanded a couple of years back; Santos, Grammy-nominated several times, just put Machete Ensemble to rest a month or so ago after 21 years, citing the difficulties of keeping a big band well-rehearsed and booked, as well as the current official cultural scene, which he characterized as a war on the arts. 

The two former big band leaders can each boast a wealth of experience. Bobi Cespedes has garnered a higher profile in recent years with Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum and the Bembe’ Orisha Orisha bands, but her career as a Yoruba-Lucumi priestess is four decades long, and has taken her all over the world, delivering lectures and performing rituals. Conjunto Cespedes was a leader in combining traditional Afro-Cuban music and poetry with modern horn arrangements. 

John Santos has also pioneered in the fusion of newer and more time-honored Latin and Jazz forms in music and dance, leading his Machete Ensemble and other groups in memorable shows, such as Cuban bassist, the very original Cachao, in his East Bay appearance in the 90s. 

Anna’s Jazz Island, which opened a year ago last summer, is an improved edition of the previous Anna’s on University—improved in terms of size (almost twice as big), acoustics, a full bar and proximity to BART. 

“The old place was sold out every weekend,” De Leon said, “but I wanted to have a room where I could book groups of greater stature, groups with bigger followings; where I could have a grand piano, and where I could have as much truly acoustic music as possible. Normally, we don’t mic the piano, drums or horns, just the bass, singers and instruments like a flute. And I love it! We use a Bose system, not conventional speakers. And I like being less than a block from BART.” 

Coming up at  

Anna’s Jazz Island  

Saturday, Jan 6: Babatunde Lea and his band “on Three Kings’ Day!”  

Saturday, Jan. 13: Lloyd Gregory (familiar from The Fifth Amendment). 

Friday, Jan. 19: Pamela Rose with a group including a Hammond B-3 as well as Danny Caron on guitar, “Charles Brown’s old bandleader.” 

Friday, Jan. 26: The polished husband and wife team, singer Bobbe Norris and pianist Larry Dunlap. 

2120 Allston Way. 841-5299. www.annasjazzisland.com. 

If you want to hear great music New Year’s Eve but don’t want to go far from home there are fantastic options right here in Berkeley covering a wide range of styles, from kid friendly world music to a jazz combo that specializes in cover versions of the music of Radiohead. 

The intimate setting of La Peña Cultural Center is the perfect place to hear the Cuban jazz of Jesus Diaz and his Bay Area Cuban All-Stars. Diaz is a Cuban-born percussionist and vocalist who has worked in the past with Carlos Santana and Dizzy Gillespie. 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568. www.lapena.org. 

If you are looking for a sound that is more in the Americana genre then you’ll want to check out the bluegrass band High Country at the Freight and Salvage. The bill also features bluegrass duo Dix Bruce and Jim Nunally. The Freight’s New Year’s celebration offers silly hats, a buffet, and sparkling apple cider at the stroke of midnight. 1111 Addison St. 548-1761. www.thefreight.org. 

Ashkenaz is featuring Balkan music with early start time of 7:30 p.m. so that families with kids can come and enjoy the festivities. The bill features Edessa, one of the Bay Area’s premier Balkan music bands, performing along with Greek music specialists Ziyia. Scandinavian and Cajun fiddler Joe Finn will also perform. 1317 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com. 

Jazz enthusiasts may want to check out Jupiter, the downtown brewery, which will feature Disappear Incompletely, an electro-jazz ensemble that performs jazz arrangements of the songs of alternative rock band Radiohead. 2181 Shattuck Ave. 843-8277. www.jupiterbeer.com. 

At Anna’s Jazz Island you can hear the Cuban music stylings of Bobi Cespedes and her trio featuring John Santos as a guest percussionist. Cespedes’s music is in the style of the Buena Vista Social club and she has a warm and sultry voice that has been compared to that of Cesaria Evora. 2120 Allston Way. 841-5299. www.annasjazzisland.com. 

The Starry Plough in South Berkeley will feature Afro Cuban rock band Antioquia and the rock band Sinclair. As owner Mike Naina summed it up, “It is going to be a rockin’ night.” 3101 Shattuck Ave. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com