Over at Amoeba Music Berkeley, 2008 has been a year full of thrilling instores and special events. Keep reading to check out about some of the hand-picked highlights:

In February, hyperactive punk band the Black Lips stopped by for an energetic instore appearance. You can see all the pictures from this event on our website here. You can also watch an interview and performance from their Amoeba Hollywood appearance right here.

"I thought there would be maybe a couple of hundred people here and that it would be a pretty good event but, damn, I didn't think there would be this many people here and that it would this great a party. Hell yeah!," exclaimed Dan K -- one of the many attendees at last Friday's East Bay Express party.

The Oakland biker/hip-hop artist (who a few years back had a feature on him in the East Bay Express) was excitedly shouting over the music coming from the main stage at the Oakland Museum of California, where the independent East Bay weekly was hosting its "Old School" themed "Best of the East Bay" free party. Meanwhile, behind him, one of the hella fun night's many performers, longtime Berkeley ska group The Uptones (pictured above), ripped into their appropriately old school hit "Out to Sea."   

"Crazy....in a good way," laughed Amoeba Music's Naomi about the scene. She and fellow Amoebite Rachael were kept extremely busy tending to the long line of music fans who patiently waited for their turn to spin-to-win prizes including CDs, DVDs, and lots of Amoeba swag, including bags, hoodies, and turntable slip mats. (Amoeba was one of the main sponsors of the event.) A little later, headlining act Flipper was scheduled to sign autographs at the Amoeba table.

Since its inception Amoeba Music has received numerous awards for its three locations, Berkeley, San Francisco, and Hollywood, with the latest award going to the Berkeley Amoeba store which was voted "Best Record Store" by the East Bay Express in their recent annual "Best of the East Bay" edition.

"There is NO place like Amoeba, not even in New York," wrote the accompanying text for this award, which was all the more significant since it was in the "Readers' Choice" section & hence was based on what a wide cross-section of Express readers sincerely think about Amoeba Music.

To help celebrate this latest award for the store, Amoeba will be part of the big party this Friday (July 11th) from 7PM until midnight at the Oakland Museum of California at 1000 Oak Street, where all of the winners in the East Bay Express'  recent "best of the East Bay" awards will be honored. If you go - and you should - be sure to stop by the Amoeba Music booth where you can say wassup and register to win free prizes,

The actual theme of this party is "Old School" and hence such classic acts from from back in the day as Flipper and The Uptones -- the longtime East Bay ska outfit who formed back in 1981 when most of its members were still attending Berkeley High School. Below is a video clip of the Uptones nowadays with them performing "Skanking Fool"  a year ago at the Metro in Oakland - a location currently closed.  Others performing at this big mixed arts event include Dyloot (Deep Voices) and Destroyer.

Self-described "flower-punk" rockers the Black Lips, whose live shows are a thing of legend, are doing an instore concert at the Berkeley Amoeba Music Friday Feb 8th, at 6:30PM.

And my strong advice is, if at all possible, get yer ass over to the Telegraph Ave. store for this great opportunity to see this amazing Atlanta, GA band up close and personal deliver (for free) their familiar yet totally unique sound - a raw supercharged blend of retro garage rcok, punk, blues, country, and more.

Their live shows have become a thing of legend because of their raw energy onstage and their crazy unpredictable rock'n'roll behavior  which to date has included such things as band members kissing, getting naked, vomiting, and urinating - to name but a few of their bad boy antics - all of which have rightfully earned the Black Lips' live shows such a reputation that some fans just show up to witness whatever wildness might unfold.

But considering they will be performing in a store maybe they will tone it down. But then maybe not. They don't even know.  But what is sure is that the music will be kick ass. So  just be sure show up at Amoeba Berkeley at 6:30PM (earlier to get a good spot).

 For more info and specific details of their Berkeley show click here.  Meantime check the three live Black Lips concert clips below - all from the past year - including at a house party in Austin during the SXSW (poor audio but great energy), in Tijuana, Mexico, and at an instore at another record store (Criminal Records in ATL) this time last year.

    MARTY DOWERS
    AMOEBA MUSIC, BERKELEY:


AMOEBLOG: How did you end up working at Amoeba Music, Berkeley and what is your job there?

MARTY:   I was working at a record store in Hawaii and wanting to move back to the Bay.  My sister inquired as to if Amoeba or Rasputins were hiring. Turned out they both were. I never heard back from Rasputins, but Marc (Weinstein)  said come on out for an interview. This was just as the San Francisco store was opening -- so some of the Berkeley buyers moved over there, and there was a spot for me.


AMOEBLOG What makes working at Amoeba different to other jobs you've had?                          

MARTY:  I've been in the 'industry' since 1980, but always wholesale -- one stops, rack jobbers. The store in Hawaii was the first retail job. Going from that little store front shop to Amoeba was quite an experience. Amoeba has become an institution!

 
AMOEBLOG: Best place to  grab a bite nearby Amoeba Berkeley?

MARTY:  Good luck. Where's the Japanese ramen?


AMOEBLOG:  What's the best record of all time?

MARTY: (laughing)  Obviously that's a very difficult question. It depends on mood, genre, etc. But how about this :  Who's That Lady (from '64) by the Isley Brothers.- a perfect single!