Arts & Entertainment

'Beyond Idol' Youths From Alameda County To Perform in Oakland

By Bay City News Service

Talented young performers who are part of the Alameda County foster care system will be singing at the famous Yoshi's jazz club in Oakland tonight. The final eight performers, who are all part the county's foster care system, advanced to the finals of "Beyond Idol" after auditions in September at Laney College in Oakland.

The top contenders -- the youngest is 18, the oldest 21 -- are performing at Yoshi's Oakland venue at 7:30 p.m. All of them are transitioning out of the foster care system, contest organizer Ryan Peters said. Yoshi's owner and namesake Yoshie Akiba will attend the show along with local singer, songwriter and producer Brandon McFarland, known as 1-O.A.K. Nikki Thomas, a KBLX radio personality, will host the event. The eight contestants are performing in three different categories: hip-hop, spoken word and vocals. The group was selected from a pool of 16 and the performance at Yoshi's is the winners' showcase. A panel of judges comprised of local poets, spoken word performers, singers and other artists, mentors and educators, selected the top performers. Each of the winners will receive a $200 cash prize along with a $25 gift card from Guitar Center. The event is one of the programs organized by Beyond Emancipation, an Oakland-based group that helps young adults transition out of the foster care and juvenile justice system by providing, career, family and other life skills support. The Beyond Idol competition is in its second year at the club located at 510 Embarcadero West. "It's a unique event and a unique program," Peters said. Tickets for tonight's grand finale are available at http://www.yoshis.com/oakland/jazzclub/artist/show/3769. Proceeds from the tickets and other donations made at the club will go to Beyond Emancipation.


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