I was a tourist in the Bay Area the first time I ever attended an event at The Uptown, Oakland's little night club that could. All I remember about the act performing that night is that they were very forgettable. I remember mostly the crowd — a motley crew of fun seekers who packed the bar and theater. People stood shoulder-to-shoulder with drinks cupped near them to avoid spillage. Strangers drank a cocktail of proximity and weekend night enthusiasm that smoothed the edges and allowed them to make fast friends. Everyone seemed to be connected, together. The whole place seemed [...]