BAY RISING TOUR 2012 – Recap! – Please check links for articles, pics, video, and ways to get involved in future events.

Bowerbird Photography 2012. www.bowerbirdphotography.com

Bay rising Press and Stories:

From Justin Ancheta’s Perspective – Recap: (Please email booking@soulgraffiti.info – to share a personal story and add it to the collection on this page)

What an amazing tour! We estimate that we went about 250 miles around the bay in 9 days with a crew of 12-18 people at all times. E-bikes, Cargo bikes, and normal bikes with saddle bags, circled the bay counter clockwise. We started the trip with a ceremony by our friend Luis at Glen Park Canyon. Then half way through met with native’s of this land at Glen Cove to discuss the injustices of what this culture has done to the balance of earth and life on earth in this area. We asked for forgiveness and asked for healing. The irony of this moment is that we are supporters of the Bay Trail that will connect safe trails for bikes and pedestrians around the bay. We found out that in Glen Cove, the Bay Trail is coming through sacred indigenous tribal land where all 7+ tribes would convene in peace, as well as bury their dead. The graves are being dug up and landscaped for the new park, restrooms, and Bay Trail that will be coming through the area. We came at a time when half the renovation was already under way. This is after a 100 day occupation strike that happened with the native people asking for their land not to be desimated. As well, keeping the buried with respect and under ground, digging only 12 inches of top soil if they do landscape. They have already dug 5 feet. This story told with such heart by an elder of the land to us made tears stream down my face. I was sad to hear that the war against indigenous peoples and ways of life are still under way. It is now being done with lawyers and paperwork. Maybe less bloodshed in the past 3 decades, but still the same unfair practices. I cry out to all the people that know their roots and realize that we are all earth people, struggling to stay connected to the earth world as society draws us in with technological advances, ideas of the future. We cannot forget where we get our water, air, earth, and fire from. The struggle will continue to persists until the majority see’s the reality that we must live with the earth, not just on it. I am still an advocate for the Bay Trail, but I would rather oust a corporation then to decimate a sacred burial site of a people that once new how to live in this area in more harmony with their bioregional.

We continued on changed by the Glen Cove experience, all sharing the common thought that we must unite to fight against our land being taken over by greedy and socially and environmentally harmful practices. The trip gathered momentum at this point, realizing that this counter clockwise motion around the Bay was not just a symbol for change, but part of a ceremony, a healing that we hope can reverberate for many years to come, from ourselves as well as you. We are grateful to all the peoples generosity around the bay, feeding us, housing us, supporting our visions. In San Rafael it was great to see the local community come together once again. The Arizmendi Bakery hosted us and came out in full swing dancing and showing support. We finished the tour with a lot of momentum at the Sea Horse in Sausilito, Rupa & The April Fishes hit up San Quintin, and then the Independent. More picture links and video will be added to this story as they are collected. If you have any photo’s or video you would like to share, Please email booking@soulgraffiti.info to add them to the recap. The story of Bay Rising is yet to unfold. The consciousness and ideas that may flow between us and from us all is still happening. To all that have ridden with us, we’d like to hear your revelations and ideas and recaps of what you saw and what you dreamed along the way. We are all ever so grateful for the love and support that surrounds and will continue to pursue the life of true liberty and justice for all creatures, plants, rocks, elements, and beings where we live. Please stay in touch. Au Revoir.

Thank you to:

Antonio M – for teaching us the water song, and helping us connect to the land that we all live on. So grateful to have you along the entire trip. Your support and vibe held us strong together.
Luis shaman – For blessings on our journey and greeting us at the end.
Ryan Romona – Press Junkie – For your support in PR and getting the word out that we are putting leg power into this local effort.
Ariel and Sam Soto-Sover – For their photo at Dolores and getting the word and image of Bay Rising out there.
Rez – For leading us down the Peninsula and being such a cool dude as we go.
Billy Cool – for hosting us at his home in San Jose and setting up the Bike Party show. thank you.
San Jose Warehouse – Friend at Philworks – Thank you for allowing us to sleep in your abandon warehouse.
Dan Fabricant – for making an epic food run in Fremont, and playing amazing tunes into the night with all of us. Bringing the vibes!
Tarun Marya – For your amazing pizza, soup, salad, and sustainable cooking efforts in Oakland. Without people that are truly doing the ground work like you, the message of sustainability would be lost. You are the change brother.
Jonathan Youtt – The Place For Sustainable Living – For hosting us at The Place For Sustainable Living in Oakland. Thank you for your kindness.
Tiffany Margulici from East Bay Regional Park District – For getting the paperwork through for our shows in East Bay Parks.

David & Lakshmi – Dominguez Family – For all the support from Glen Cove and home. Thank you for the food runs, and cheering us on during the last stretch.

Maria D’angelico  & the SF Parks Alliance – For helping us get the insurance covered for numerous shows around the Bay.

Scott Possin from East Bay Regional Park District – for hosting us at Miller Knox Park in Richmond

Brian Dayton and Marcia of Richmond Spokes – for hosting us in Richmond with PR help, food, housing, and love.
Daryl @ Bridge Space Storage – for hosting us for a night and a roof over our head.
City of Martinez – for hosting our outdoor concert in the city square, and the Boys and Girls club for use of the gym for sleeping and showering. Very grateful.
Minoo – Safa’s Mom – For some of the most amazing cooking and food and ambiance on the tour. Thank you for your kind love backyard dinner. We are ever so grateful.
Neil and Mary – Ohlone People Project – Thank you to all who came and supported the ceremony and for speaking and teaching us the history of this land and the truth and struggle behind indigenous rights in the Bay Area.

Wounded Knee and Chief Tony Cerda – Thank you for your words and ceremony of healing at Glen Cove. We have been forever changed through that moment of connection to the people and lands history
Scotts Parents – Courtney and Lois Hughs – We came to your home when it was raining. We walked in to food prepared, a warm house, and a hot tub. Ever so grateful. Thank you so deeply.
San Rafael Farmers Market – Arizmendi folk – Thank you for your great food and support and dancing and getting us into a good vibe and scene in San Rafael. Hoping for many more with you.
Jelani and Shannon – Bike Works – San Enselmo – for housing us in your epic bike works space, waking up to your bike catered sunshine and music spot, along with the jams into the night made for one of the warm moments for us as a group. Thank you for being a part of it all.

Verne and Cyno Bryant & the Galilee Harbor Crew – We are ever so grateful to know that such a community exists in such an area. Your kindness and warmth exude from the boats and area you live. I will remember your warmth and kindness.
Sea Horse in Sausilito – Mauro – For hosting one of our last shows of the tour. We hope to continue a relationship that supports the local business as well as the touring artists of the bay area.
San Quintin Prison – For hosting Rupa and the April Fishes and opening your doors to allow for such healing to happen within the prison gates. I hope to see more healing such as this and outreach to the people that need it most. Thank you for allowing.
Scott McDowell – For being our guide around the bay with your trustee map skills and biking skills of the area. For your amazing sound skills and ability to flow with such a crazy idea of bringing a sound system around the bay in such a way.

Mark Sullivan – For his love and support in tour preparation at Conrad Beach. Thank you.

David and Lakshmi Dominguez – For food and love support along the way. Ever so grateful.

Video Support – Tupac, Chon, Marco, Michael Zeligs. Thank you for helping us gather the footage necessary to get the story out into the world.

Sonya and Blake – For there awesomeness and support along the way. Thank you!

Paul Freedman from Rock The Bike – Thank you for your genius DC pedal power awesomeness and coming to help in San Jose and being epic phone support at Stanford. We love you.

And to the riders and friends that joined us in parts – David Ancheta, Helen, Michael Zeligs, Rez, Nio, Cello Joe, Daniel Fabricant,

Last but not least, To the Musician/riders of Bay Rising – Rupa Marya, Gabe Dominguez, Justin Ancheta, Aaron Kierbel, Safa Shokrai, Miriam Speyer, Jesse Weber, Patricio Angulo, Leaf, Mafi, Alisa Rose, Misha Khalikulov, Mario Silva, – Your stories and revelations from this tour, I pray that you take them into your hearts and share them with the world and help create a future here and abroad that can align better with justice for all things.

A Bicycle Music Tour Featuring Rupa & The April Fishes With SHAKE YOUR PEACE!

April 19th through April 28th

After four years of touring heavily around North America, Europe and Asia by way of planes, trains and automobiles, San Francisco’s global mashup band Rupa & the April Fishes have co-organized a human-powered tour of the SF Bay Area together with local bicycle music touring veterans SHAKE YOUR PEACE! In celebration of Earth Week 2012, these two groups will present the BAY RISING TOUR – pedaling their bicycles 200 miles around the entire perimeter of the San Francisco Bay, presenting concerts with a bicycle-powered sound system that converts the leg-power of volunteer pedalers from the audience into electricity to run the sound system. Both of these SF-based bands trace the origins of their unique sound to the resilience of the human spirit, facing challenges with bridge-building, savvy, rambunctious energy and an uncompromising sense of YES!

The purpose of the tour is to give both of the bands, and those who join them on their rides between show stops, an opportunity to learn about the dynamics of the San Francisco Bay Bioregion in an adventurous, sociable, and direct way.  The tour is inviting cyclists of all skill levels to join the bike rides between the tour stops; and because each of the band members will be hauling up to 100 lbs of musical equipment behind them on bike trailers, no one is likely to be left behind.

The 10-stop tour will include performances in traditional music venues and guerilla art spaces. The bands will head south from San Francisco to kick it off on April 19th at Stanford University and will proceed counterclockwise around the Bay.  Key stops include the SJ Bike Party, the Center for Sustainable Living in Oakland, a teach-in with local elementary schools examining water quality in Richmond, a ceremony at Glen Cove paying homage to the original Ohlone inhabitants, a dance party up in Sausalito and a show for prison inmates at the San Quentin Penitentiary. The tour will conclude with a Saturday night concert at the Independent on April 28th in San Francisco, where folks can bring their bike helmets to the merchandise table to receive a free poster by SF artist Hugh D’Andrade.

Rupa & The April Fishes are currently working on their third studio album, “Build” with acclaimed composer/producer Todd Sickafoose (Ani DiFranco), due out in Fall 2012.

SHAKE YOUR PEACE! is a San Francisco-based band founded by lead singer Gabe Dominguez known for their ebullient live performances, radical ecological & social justice politics, and bicycle-based music tours.  The band plays a new style of music he calls “Whup” – a celebratory and political dance music style combining: Afro-Latin rhythm, bluegrass fiddle, black gospel choir-style harmony, call & response, and spirit invocation, and Dominguez’ own anarchistic take on the American folk and pop/rock music traditions. SHAKE YOUR PEACE! is also currently in the studio working on their debut album.

APRIL 19th–Depart SF by BIKE–PALO ALTO–Stanford Synergy Collective at 8 pm! 550 San Juan St. Sliding scale donation-$1-25

APRIL 20th–SAN JOSE—SJ Bike Party. Live pedal-powered music presented in the middle of the ride. Time and route information posted here the week before the ride: www.sjbikeparty.org

APRIL 21st–FREMONT – Earth Day Celebration–Meet up at Fremont Earth Day grounds at Washington Hospital 2500 Mowry Avenue Fremont at 3pm for group ride to pedal-powered show in outdoor setting.

APRIL 22nd–OAKLAND – Earth Day Dinner/Show at the Sustainable Living Center at 1121 64th Street, Oakland. Dinner provided by HomeGrown Farms. Dinner at 6pm, Show at 7pm. $20 for show with dinner, $10 for show alone. ALL AGES SHOW.

APRIL 23rd–RICHMOND–Keller Beach 1085 Dornan Drive, Richmond CA – 4 pm – After School – Bike to School Earth Week -Riparian Bike tours presents Water quality science before the show.

APRIL 24th–MARTINEZ–City Center–The Beaver Liberation Front Show! Bring the kids. . .FREE 6pm

APRIL 25th GLEN COVE (VALLEJO) – 1pm. Ceremony at the GlenCove occupation site honoring the first human inhabitants of the SF Bay , the Ohlone, and inviting their presence into our present day awareness.

APRIL 26th–SAN RAFAEL—dance party at the Downtown San Rafael Farmer’s Market (http://www.sanrafaelmarket.org/), Co-presented by Arizmendi Bakery. @ the plaza in front of Arizmendi Bakery: 1002 Fourth St. Music from 6-9pm. Bring tips. All ages.

APRIL 27th–SAUSALITO at The Seahorse. Doors 8pm, Show 9pm. Tickets $15
305 Harbor Drive, Sausalito, CA

APRIL 28th–San Quentin Penitentiary. Private Show. Sorry.

APRIL 28th–SAN FRANCISCO–Homecoming celebration at THE INDEPENDENT. It will sell out. Get your tickets NOW ! http://www.theindependentsf.com/event/98329/