Happy birthday, Allen Ginsberg

Timeless as the man is in literary and American history, the great Allen Ginsberg would have turned 83 this year. Preferring sexual liberation and social reform to the same old status quo, Allen will forever be known as the lovable and hairy hedonist that helped bring the 1950s to its knees. Yes, it’s hard to comprehend Carlo Marx and the rest of the On the Road gang being nearly one century old, I know, but the Beat generation is still alive and well in Sacramento. Hosted by downtown’s very own lit lord, B.L. Kennedy, The Best Minds of My Generation will feature many of Ginsberg’s greatest hits read by a multitude of the area’s most artistic voices and music from the Downtrodden Saints. This just might be the best birthday party of 2009—and it’s for a dead guy. Now that’s what I call beat.