Los Angeles may have its share of free tickets to talk show tapings, but Oakland's got a cooler and more intimate freebie. Every first Saturday of the month, people bring blankets and crowd into the tiny backyard of a place called Pearl (suspiciously located on a very residential block) just a couple of blocks away from MacArthur BART to watch Oakland Nights . . . Live!!! Hosts Julie Crossman and Jeremy Dalmas describe their variety show thusly: "It's half Johnny Carson, half Pee-Wee's Playhouse, all Oakland."
There's usually a broad mix of people and professions, but this month's edition seems particularly comedian-heavy, including the pro-feminist work of Cameron Vannini ("I'm a nice guy. Sure, I hit women, but whatever.") and bilingual hilarity from Chris Garcia, who has a knack for knowing what Spanish songs to sing in English and vice versa. (Seriously, just try singing "La Bamba" in English, or Radiohead's "Creep" in Spanish.)
Christi Ginger is on hand with her recurring Tech Talk segment. There's a guest disc jockey (DJ Real), and a house band, the Dreamers (who also play May 22 at Vitus).
Laughs, tunes, and even free cookies -- this could be a cheerful way to cap off a not-so happy week in Oakland.
Oakland Nights ... Live!!! starts at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday (May 5) at Pearl, 3911 Clarke (at 40th St.), Oakland. Admission is free.
