Another recent victim of visa problems entering the US to perform, UK based and Sri Lankan singer/rapper and designer M.I.A. has apparently overcome her American immigration issues this time around and will be performing all scheduled shows including a highly recommended free instore at Amoeba Music, Berkeley (2455 Telegraph Ave.) this Saturday at 2pm!

Yes, the scheduled Saturday afternoon show with the artist often associated with Diplo is due to kick off at 2PM but, as regulars to Amoeba Berkeley already know, space is somewhat limited when it comes to in-stores at the East Bay location so get there early if you want to secure a good vantage point - especially for this artist who will most likely attract a large turnout.

Expected during the performance, which will be followed by a meet-and-greet/signing session with the artist who just celebrated her 30th birthday last week, will be her performing tracks from her last album (the critically acclaimed 2005 Arular which launched her unique blend of hip-hop, ragga, grime, and baile-funk Stateside) and her soon-to-drop new album "Kala" (due out August 21st)  featuring the song Boyz. (check out the colorful, mutli-cultural music video for this new single below -scroll down past "Continue reading") 

Good word has it that if you buy either the vinyl 12" or CD version of the new M.I.A. single at Amoeba Berkeley on Saturday that you will  receive a certificate good for two bucks off the ablum "Kala" when it drops in August plus a limited edition bandanna designed by the musician/designer herself (while supplies last). For full details/restrictions, click here. 

So what happens to Amoebites (people who work at Amoeba) after they stop working at Amoeba Music and move on in their lives?  And does their time spent at the music store impact or influence them in anyway later on?  These questions and a lot more are answered in this interview (the first in a series) with a former Amoebite, who is now a Brooklynite, named Nick Lesley who worked at all three Amoebas (Hollywood, Berkeley, San Francisco) before moving out to NYC two-and-a-half years ago. In California Nick played in the bands Vholtz, The Oma Yang,  and Felicia & Coctopus with whom he appeared on Amoeba Music Compilation Vol. V on the track "Whiskey Dick." Currently Nick is a student at Brooklyn College, updates several websites, and plays in several bands including Necking whose lineup includes Dong-Ping Wong and Josh Graver. He books shows at the cool Brooklyn living space (Dead Herring House) he shares with other artists (they had a giant show there just last Saturday night). For income Nick now works at a funky, fun  lil spot in New York City's  Lower East Side called the Cake Shop which is part record-store, part cafe, and part music club.  It was there that I caught up with the former Amoebite recently and asked him about  the differences between East and West coasts, about his studies, his music, and his life - before and after Amoeba.

In case you haven't already clicked on the link on Amoeba's homepage to the fourth annual World Music Weekend Festival happening over the next couple of days in Berkeley here's the dealio. It's a really cool unique weekend (June 2 & 3) global music festival that runs from noon til 9PM both days and features a rich wide range of artists playing music from all corners of the earth. And best of all it's FREE!  In all there will be 28 acts performing such diverse genres as Cajun and Zydeco, North African, Middle Eastern, 1930's Tex Mex, and Balkan. The performances will happen on street corners, in cafes, and in People's Park where Amoeba Music will present a concert with performances from the Congoloese dance music ensemble Samba Ngo, plus Yasir Chadly, Bouchaib Abdelhabi, and Stephen Kent who meld Moroccan traditions with didjeridu, and the always wonderful Brass Menazeri whose specialty is brass music from both Serbia and the Greek/Macedonia region - all delivered via their unique instrumentation: trumpets, clarinets, trombone, and tuba.

    For an exact lineup of artists performing and for full details click here or simply, when you get to the event, pick up a printed free festival schedule at the information booth on Telegraph & Haste - near Amoeba.