Low Cost Celtic Concerts In the Bay Area? You Bethcha!

For the next five weeks, something special is coming to the Bay Area’s back yard.  The Northern California Renaissance Faire starts its five weekend run at Casa de Fruta near Hollister on the 152 east of Gilroy.  If you’ve been to the World Famous Gilroy Garlic Festival you know where that is.  The faire site is 15 minutes east of Gilroy and only a little over an hour from San Francisco.  It takes longer to get to the Sonoma Wine Country.  http://www.norcalrenfaire.org/index.html

For the second year in a row, the Northern California Renaissance Faire is offering after-hours Celtic rock concerts that are included in your ticket price on each Saturday night of the run.

This weekend, Tempest will be playing.  September 25th will be Culanns Hounds, October 2nd, the Young Dubliners will rock the stage, October 9th Molly’s Revenge will be appearing for the first time at Casa and the season will end with the Wicked Tinkers.  These concerts take place in the Joust arena.  Gates open at 5:45pm and the concert starts at 6pm.  http://www.norcalrenfaire.org/concerts.html

Many of these bands charge $30 – $60 for a performance at various venues throughout the country.  However, for $25 an adult (and children 12 and under FREE at all times) you get a whole day of fun, entertainment and get the concert thrown in as a bonus after the faire closes.  I can’t think of a better deal for a date or for a family outing.  The cost is comparable with admission to a county fair or two movie admissions.  Honestly, your value is TONS better than watching a double feature of piranha 3-D and I’m Still Here (that masturbatory dreck about Joaquin Phoenix’s disintegrating life and “rap” career).

While you can sit in the bleachers, standing & dancing in the sand filled arena is the best.  Kids have a lot more freedom, can dance off that sugar energy and the adults can get up close with the band.  After the hour-long concert, the audience is let directly into the parking lot so exiting is easy.

I highly recommend this as a great way to spend an afternoon or a weekend ($35 for a weekend pass).  Tell them the Queen sent you!

San Francisco Theatre Festival

This Sunday is the 7th Annual San Francisco Theatre Festival in Yerba Buena Gardens, on 3rd and Mission, next to the Metreon in San Francisco.  There are 130 shows, 17 stages, over 200 actors and best of all – it’s FREE!!  Yes, you can come, sit, enjoy the shows, no charge, no pass-the-hat, just come on out and enjoy the theatre.  There are even 30 shows for kids and families.  This great event runs from 11am – 5pm.

I am going to be there promoting the Northern California Renaissance Faire – http://www.norcalrenfaire.org/ Along with Sir Walter Ralegh and other performers.

In addition to all the fun, “Manly Men in Tights”, one of the Faires shows, will be performing on the waterfall stage at 4:35pm.  Come support the boys in their show of  laughter, steel & sex appeal.

The Metreon next door has coffee options as well as many little food places for lunch such the Buckhorn, a great Mexican place, sushi, and Chinese food among other things.  In the afternoon we usually head over to the vintage carousel and ride in our outfits because we are just geeks that way.  Hey, it’s fun, it’s free, what more can you ask for a Sunday afternoon?  http://sftheaterfestival.org/

Women Making A Difference: Kick Ass Women In History: Queen Elizabeth

Today I am back doing another blog radio interview, this time about Queen Elizabeth.  I will be steaming live at 3:30pm PST.  As always, this 30 minute show will be available for free download from iTunes.  DeAnna Radaj is a great host and this proves to be a really fun show.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/makeadifference

From the website:

In our continuing quest to feature women pioneers, kick a** women who’ve made a difference in for not only their generation of women but for following generations and she-heroes that we don’t know much about…in this episode we learn about Queen Elizabeth I-the Virgin Queen. Elizabeth’s reign is known as the Elizabethan era, famous above all for the flourishing of English drama, led by playwrights such as William Shakespeareand Christopher Marlowe, and for the seafaring prowess of English adventurers such as Francis Drake. Some historians are more reserved in their assessment. They depict Elizabeth as a short-tempered,[4] sometimes indecisive ruler,[5] who enjoyed more than her share of luck. Towards the end of her reign, a series of economic and military problems weakened her popularity to the point where many of her subjects were relieved at her death. Elizabeth is acknowledged as a charismatic performer and a dogged survivor, in an age when government was ramshackle and limited and when monarchs in neighbouring countries faced internal problems that jeopardised their thrones. Such was the case with Elizabeth’s rival, Mary, Queen of Scots, whom she imprisoned in 1568 and eventually had executed in 1587. After the short reigns of Elizabeth’s brother and sister, her 44 years on the throne provided welcome stability for the kingdom and helped forge a sense of national identity.[2] Our guest is Deirdre Sargent.