I was stumped on finding leads on the 8 arrested the other night, and this account really makes what happened last Friday worthy of further investigation.

UCB LIVE WEEK 12/11/09: BOOTS RILEY SHOW

730PM Folks begin to re-gather on the steps of Wheeler Hall. Cold rain.

8PM Microphone or blow-horn passed around, attendees share thoughts. Topics include capital, pigs, love. At least one student who was arrested in the early morning of 12/11 describes her experience to a crowd of approximately 50 people. Audio and transcript available at http://studentactivism.net/2009/12/12/a-student-account/.

815PM Someone hands out blankets.

830PM March from Wheeler steps through campus (some flares and chanting) and up Euclid Avenue, taking a left on Ridge Road. Leaders quiet the crowd and direct it down a wide ramp into the large underground garage of Casa Zimbabwe, a Berkeley Student Co-Op at 2422 Ridge Road. Three or four large, painted banners are hung between concrete pillars: “Behind Every Fee Increase / A Line of Riot Cops.” (Why not rhyme with “Police”?)

9PM Approximately 100-150 attendees. Music begins. Roberto Miguel addresses the audience, thanking them for their involvement and actions, and starts playing acoustic guitar, accompanied by a drummer. A second (rapping) vocalist joins on one song.

930PM Boots Riley takes the stage. Speaks encouragingly of the protests, occupations, and the need for genuinely public education. Performs “Underdogs” (1998), “ShoYoAss” (2006), “Laugh/Love/Fuck” (2006), and maybe a fourth song. Accompanied only by Miguel on acoustic guitar (playing Spanish and American folk riffs), Boots moves heads with narrative, butts with flow. Shares a few of his own dance moves. Wildly impressive performance considering the lack of rhythm section. (A few grainy photos and a few seconds of video footage available on request.)

10PM Miguel plays another anti-folkish tune about wanting to kill people while Boots sits alongside him on stage. Boots speaks politics again: the show isn’t over—this show will be over soon but the bigger show will continue. Shiney Things takes the stage, plays angry disco-rap-punk (maybe). Serious beats from a guy on the synths wearing a purple “Santa Cruz RAGE” sweatshirt. Even more folks dancing.

1030PM Fourth and final act, Masters of the Universe, begins playing. My friend and I leave.

11PM Reportedly: The music stops and between 40 and 80 concert attendees march the streets to Chancellor Birgeneau’s house. Police end up arresting eight members of this group on a variety of charges.

MORNING (12/12) The final hour of the night of protest is labeled an “attack” by university officials (and, ludicrously, a “type of terrorism” by Schwarzenegger). That is obviously not an accurate description of the productive happenings at Wheeler Hall this past week (12/07-12/11) or of the off-campus events from 830 to 11PM on 12/11. So far, it sounds as if it’s not even an apt description of what the vast majority of the midnight marchers were up to on Friday. But if it is, so be it.