The Scene: Free Live Music in San Francisco

Hey, gang! This Sunday is Radio Alice’s Summerthing! For those of you who either are not from or are new to the Bay Area, Radio Alice is a local radio station that plays largely Top 40 pop-style music, and every year, they take over Speedway Meadow in Golden Gate Park and put on a free concert for anyone who wants to come listen. And the awesome thing about this concert is that (a) the weather’s almost always amazing and fabulous, and (b) they get some surprisingly big-name artists to participate! This year’s line-up  includes Lifehouse, Kris Allen, One eskimO, and Thriving Ivory.

Seriously.

No…seeeerrriousssly!

Plus, there’s always a ton of vendors with grubbin’ food (garlic fries, anyone?) and fun activities to be had. This year includes an art station where you can get your Creative on, and photo booth station where you can get a free picture to commemorate the day.

A couple of things to know: dogs and kids are welcome! Yippee! That being said, please pick up after your pet(s) and youthful dependent(s) — for everyone’s sake! Plus, for those of you who are concerned that the welcoming of canines and children will lead to lame-o family fare, know that there generally are SEVERAL beer and wine and margarita stations, so adults get to play, too! Just make sure you add some water to the mix — trust me, even if it’s a little overcast, that sun will dry you out much faster than the local Irish pub. Which brings me to this: for God’s sake, wear some high SPF sunscreen, people! Trust me on this one! (I nag ’cause I love.)

And, finally, even though this concert is free — and I mean, it’s truly free; no passing the hat or not-so-subtle suggestions from your emcee to help out these poor, not-so-starving musician/artist types — Radio Alice will have a booth where you can find out more information about the San Francisco Parks Trust, the featured non-profit organization for this year’s concert. Not to get all politico on y’all, but seriously! Can we please all agree that having parks that are free and well-maintained and have not just a dedicated and much-appreciated volunteer staff but also a highly skilled and reasonably paid professional staff is a good thing?

*sigh*

O.K., that’s enough outta me. So, please, take advantage of this free concert! It’s a great time had by all in one of the city’s most beautiful outdoor areas with a surprisingly kickin’ sound system. I truly cannot recommend this enough (unless, y’know, you really hate these artists; then stay home — haters!). Peace, babies!

Hey, gang! We’re baa-aack! I’ve missed you guys so much — you have no idea! But enough with the mushy stuff; down to business. Here are a couple things happening this Tuesday which caught The Scene’s eye. Check’m out!

LIVE:

Artist/Event: Seed of Crowell
Genre: Acoustic/Alternative/Pop
Venue: Cafe Royale, 800 Post St. (@ Leavenworth)
Time:  8:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: This band’s flavor is definitely acoustic, with bare-bones instrumentation and clean-yet-mournful vocals. And occasionally there’s a bit if gypsy style thrown in. Note that they hail from Berkeley, so for you East Bay’ers, if you like what you hear, seek’m out!

Artist/Event: “Flower”
Genre: DJ/Pop
Venue: Knockout S.F., 3223 Mission St. (@ Valencia)
Time:  9:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: Featuring DJs Will Ivy and Moses of Honey. The sound is reminiscent of early 80s Euro-Pop and pretty catchy. They self-describe as Psych-Rock. You decide.

DJ:

Artist/Event: “Alcoholocaust”
Genre: DJ/Hard Core/Punk/Rock
Venue: Argus Lounge, 3187 Mission St. (@ Valencia)
Time: 9:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Anything Else? Featuring DJs What’s His Fuck and The Wizard. Part of the draw of this party is that these guys aren’t just DJs; they’re also trivia game hosts! That’s right, there’s a chance to win free cans of Tecate! Just be the first to correctly guess the name of the song that’s being spun before it’s over, and you win a free drink ticket.

NOT QUITE FREE:

Artist/Event: 16 Volt, Chemlab, Left Spine Down, Slave Unit
Genre: Cyberpunk/Drum ‘n’ Bass/Electro/Experimental/Industrial/Metal/Punk/Rock
Venue: DNA Lounge, 371 11th St. (@ Folsom)
Time: Doors @ 8:00 p.m., Show @ 9:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: This is one of the stops on the MIDI Ghetto Tour being headlined by 16 Volt and Chemlab, and featuring local favorite Slave Unit (based out of Oakland). Tickets are $10 if you buy them in advance or $15 at the door. And no doubt this goes without saying: this show’s gonna be kick-ass, especially if you like experimental alternative rock music that pulses through your bones. Alas, The Scene will be working. But if you go, post your pictures over at our Facebook fan page!

As the week begins to slowly make its way towards the usual bacchanalian festivities, tomorrow night (i.e. Thursday) is shaping up to be a veritable cornucopia of musical delights, which is why we all love playing in the city in the first place, right? Right! So, here are my picks:

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25th:

LIVE:
Artist/Event: Noise Pop Happy Hour Concert featuring Social Studies, The Old Fashioned Way, and Shark Toys
Genre: Indie/Pop/Post-Punk/Punk/Rock
Venue: Bender’s Bar & Grill
Location: 806 S. Van Ness Ave. (at 19th St.)
Time: 5:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: This line-up is kinda crazy-good. That being said, although it’s technically a concert, it’s also a happy hour show, so get there early and stake your claim to your bar stool.

Artist/Event: Concerts at the Presidio featuring S.F. Conservatory of Music String Musicians
Genre: Classical
Venue: Golden Gate Club
Location: 135 Fisher Loop
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Anything Else?: The musicians will be junior high school and high school students studying with the Conservatory’s preparatory division. The program features string instruments, which (yes) includes the usual assortment of violins, violas, cellos, etc., but will also include some classical guitar work. And, finally, while the admission is technically free, there is a suggested donation of $5.

DJ:
Artist/Event: Living Room Sessions with DJ Mark Sires
Genre: Dance/DJ/Electronic
Venue: Mars Bar & Restaurant
Location: 798 Brannan St (at 7th St.)
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Anything Else?: As you may have guessed by the venue’s name, this is primarily a restaurant that just happens to have a great local DJ spinning tunes. That being said, this is a happy hour dance party that takes place on a monthly basis, so getting up to shake your groove thing is not at all prohibited!

NOT QUITE FREE:
Artist/Event: Go Kart Mozart, Riot Professor, The Illness, Endroit
Genre: Alternative/Experimental/Indie/Jam Band/Metal/Progressive/Rock/Visual
Venue: Anu
Location: 43 6th St. (between Jessie & Stevenson Sts.)
Time:  8:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: Cover is $5. Anu is mostly known for its dance music parties and yummy drinks. Keep in mind that the venue is kind of long and narrow, and there’s not a ton of seating, so be prepared to stand. Also, beverages can be a little pricey, but the ambience is kickin’ and the staff is friendly, so it’s all totally worth it.

So, just so you know, there’s a ton of music happening right now in the city! Tomorrow night (Tuesday) is the official opening night for Noise Pop 2010, which is, oh, I dunno — awesome! There are going to be so many bands in the area, it’s a live music lover’s wet dream. All of that being said, there’s plenty of non-festival shows to go around — trust me! So here’s a few for your listening pleasure:

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23rd:

LIVE:
Artist/Event: West Coast Songwriters Competition (S.F. Division)
Genre: Singer-Songwriter/Blues/Roots/Americana/Rock/Folk
Venue: Cafe Royale
Location: 800 PostStreet (between Hyde & Leavenworth Streets)
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Anything Else?: Every month, the West Coast Songwriters organization holds ten songwriting competitions up and down the West Coast. Performers pay $5, but audience members get in for free — what a deal!

Artist/Event: Graham Connah
Genre: Jazz
Venue: Revolution Cafe
Location: 3248 22nd Street (between Bartlett & Mission Streets)
Time: 8:45 p.m. — 11:30 p.m.
Anything Else?: Graham Connah is actually a pretty hugely accomplished artist, and it’s kind of amazing that he’s playing this free show. Go. See. This. Show.

DJ:
Artist/Event: “Brazilian Wax” (DJs Carioca & Fausto Sousa)
Genre: Bossa Nova/International/Latin/Samba
Venue: KoKo Cocktails
Location: 1060 Geary Street (between Polk Street & Van Ness Avenue)
Time: 9:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: $5 Sagatiba Cachaca specials all night!

NOT QUITE FREE:
Artist/Event: Benvenue, Audiodub, Hello Monster
Genre: Alternative/Metal/Pop/Reggae/Rock/Ska
Venue: Bottom of the Hill
Location: 1233 17th Street (between Texas & Missouri Streets)
Time: 9:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: Cover is $8, and there’s plenty of street parking in this area. Also, if you buy your tickets in advance online, you can pick them up at the will call window. (Doors open at 8:30 p.m.)

Hey, gang! So, this week — as in, Post-Valentine’s Day Week, now get your ass out there and rock out to work off all of that freakin’ wine and chocolate! — we have a veritable cornucopia of aural treats for your Live Music pleasure! Here are some highlights for tomorrow, and I will be covering the rest of the week in a separate post on Monday:

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH:

LIVE:
Artist/Event: The Pick’s 3rd Monday Bluegrass Jam
Genre: Bluegrass
Venue: Amnesia
Location: 853 Valencia Street (between 19th & 20th Streets)
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Anything Else?: Apparently, this is sort of the opener for a for-charge show at the same location. The Pick-Up show starts at 6:30 p.m. and is free, but if you stay, you can pay $5 to see three excellent bluegrass and roots bands as part of the San Francisco Bluegrass & Old-Time Festival. FYI, I did try calling the venue to confirm both shows, but apparently their phone is not currently functioning.

Artist/Event: Glenn Farr & Friends
Genre: Celtic
Venue: The Chieftain
Location: 185 5th Street (between Natoma & Howard Streets)
Time: 9:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: This venue is kind of tight on space, so get there early, and order some grubbin’ Irish pub food while waiting for the band to start.

DJ:
Artist/Event: “Punk Rock Sideshow”
Genre: Punk
Venue: Hemlock Tavern
Location: 1131 Polk Street (between Hemlock and Sutter Streets)
Time: 10:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: Often this weekly DJ-driven punk rock party will have a live band earlier in the evening. Sometimes the live shows are free, sometimes they’re not. This week there is a live show scheduled to start at 9 p.m. that carries a $6 cover, and features Oceanography, The Pentacles, and mumble mumble.

NOT QUITE FREE:
Artist/Event: Golden Boy, Chris Von Sneidern, Curtains For You
Genre: Alternative/Indie/Pop/Power Pop/Rock/Swing
Venue: Thee Parkside
Location: 1600 17th Street (between Carolina & Wisconsin Streets)
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: Nope!

Once again, we have managed to travel past the middle of the week, and it is now time to dust off our toe-tappers and make plans to go see some of the glorious free live music that this variegated city has to offer! Here are some of The Scene’s picks for this weekend (and pay special attention to Saturday’s killer line-up at Pissed Off Pete’s, and then Sunday’s one-of-a-kind pedal steel extravaganza at The Riptide): 

Friday, January 8th

Who: Kally Price
What: Vintage Blues, Vintage Jazz
Where: Revolution Cafe, 3248 22nd Street (between Bartlett & Mission Streets)
When: 8:45 p.m. — ?
Anything Else?: Kally Price hails from Oakland, and is known for her vintage blues and jazz vocal stylings.

Who: Jimmy Ryan Quintet
What: Jazz
Where: Bird & Beckett Books, 653 Chenery Street (between Carrie & Diamond Streets)
When: 5:30 p.m. — 8 p.m.
Anything Else?: This is part of Bird & Beckett’s “Jazz in the Bookshop” series.

Saturday, January 9th

Who: Lighter Thieves / Rottencore / Of The Other
What: Rock, Punk, Alternative
Where: Thee Parkside, 1600 17th Street (between Carolina & Wisconsin Streets)
When: 3 p.m. — ?
Anything Else?: This is Thee Parkside’s regular Saturday Happy Hour show, which is all ages, and features drink specials; later that night (at 9 p.m., to be exact) will be their “Dinner and a Movie” event, where they’ll be screening The Hangover, and will have $5 burgers and $2 PBRs!

Who: Lucabrazzi / The Jibbers / Capp Street Girls / Bite
What: Industrial, Punk, Rock, Blues, Garage, Southern Rock, Glam
Where: Pissed Off Pete’s Bar and Grill, 4528 Mission Street (between Harrington Street & Santa Rosa Avenue)
When: 9 p.m. — ?
Anything Else?: This is part of “Danny Dee’s Birthday Bash,” and I, unfortunately, have no idea who that is. Maybe he’s one of the owners or a manager?

Sunday, January 10th

Who: Instrumental Dynamic Duo Crack Spackle
What: Rock, Experimental
Where: El Rio, 3158 Mission Street (between Powers & Precita Avenues)
When: 5 p.m. — 7 p.m.
Anything Else?: El Rio is a gay-friendly bar; the band will be playing in the front room; band members are Dawn Richardson (who is also a member of local band Dolorata, and who recently toured as a member of Tracy Chapman‘s band in Europe) and Joe Gore (who is a local composer/musician/producer that has worked with an impressive array of musicians, including Tom Waits, Aimee Mann, the Eels, and PJ Harvey).

Who: Joe Goldmark and the Seducers
What: Pedal Steel Guitar, Americana, Country, Rock, Roots
Where: The Riptide, 3639 Taraval Street (between 46th & 47th Avenues)
When: 7 p.m. — 10 p.m.
Anything Else?: You should know that Joe Goldmark is considered to be an expert at the pedal steel guitar; this is by far a golden opportunity to hear a master at his best!

Local band Long Thaw is having a CD release party on Tuesday, December 8th, @ 9 p.m. at the Bottom of the Hill. Please note this is NOT a free event, but the cover’s only $8. Check out the band’s MySpace site, or read this review from the S.F. Bay Guardian.

(Oh, and by the way, The Scene will be there, but purely in a fan-o’-the-band capacity.)