Jeremiah Lockwood

Tonight is not only the final night of the Festival of Lights (Chanukkah), but also the the final night of the pop-up Tikva Records store. For those of you who have never heard of Tikva Records, they were a Jewish label that disbanded more than 30 years ago. (Here’s a cool little article about the label from NPR.)

And so, the Idelsohn Society for Musical Preservation is holding the last of a series of live music events to celebrate the season, hosted by Jeremiah Lockwood of Sway Machinery and (one of my personal faves) the Balkan Beat Box, and featuring a couple of unbelievable guests: Ethan Miller (Howlin’ Rain, Comets on Fire) and — hold onto your hats — Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars, The Black Crowes)!

The truly amazing thing about this event is that it’s absolutely free! But tickets are limited, so register/RSVP very, very soon! Here are the details:

Who:  Jeremiah Lockwood; Ethan Miller; Luther Dickinson

What:  Mystical Lights of the Guitar Night 2

Where:  Tikva Records Pop-Up Store, 3191 Mission St.

When:  7 p.m. — 8 p.m. only!

Anything else?:  Doors open 15 minutes before show (i.e. 6:45 p.m.). Also, this is very limited admission, so reserve your tickets soon! The ticketing site is closing down at 6 p.m.! And, finally, the event is being held at the Queens Nails Projects space, which is basically a performance artist space. This is in the Mission District, so parking may be tricky; plan accordingly.

Well, folks, it’s the closing weekend for this annual fete, and despite the prohibitive weather, The Scene is officially encouraging you to get your dancin’, foot-stompin’ rain boots on and partake in the jubilation!

Alas, in the closing weekend, there are no truly free shows. (Alex Caton and Pete Winne are doing a gig at Bird & Beckett that has a “suggested donation” of $10 — all ages — on Sunday.) But Saturday night, there’s as awesome line-up at Cafe du Nord, featuring the Alt-Bluegrass likes of the Pine Box Boys, Kemo Sabe and Old Man Markley. Tickets are $13 in advance and $15 at the door — more than The Scene generally recommends us poor workin’ folk pay — but the venue’s awesome, and the show’s gonna be an auditory feast!

O.K., that’s it — that’s the official recommendation for this year’s SFBOT Festival! Also, check out their Web site for all kinds of cool info on various workshops this weekend and family-friendly fare.

Peace — and lots of free live music — to you!

Hello, all! Here it is, your Friday Night Guide to some awesome free live music in our fair city. Tonight, for your live music pleasure, The Scene has found out about the following couple o’ goodies:

Friday, November 5, 2010

Who:  Manicato
Genre:  Latin/Reggae/Rock
Where:  de Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
When:  6:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.
Anything else?:  The music performance is part of a larger event — the “Friday Nights at the de Young” series, running through November 26th. The theme for tonight’s event is “Mission Muralismo,” and focuses on the history of San Francisco’s Mission District and the contributions of the Mexican-Americans who live here. There will be gorgeous displays of mural artwork, engaging speakers, and all sorts of interesting speakers. Full event festivities begin at 5:00 p.m.

Not enough music for you for a Friday night? Then go check out:

Who:  The Fairmounts, The Lotus Moons
Genre:  Psychedelic/R&B/Pop/Rock/Soul
Where:  Burritt Room @ the Crescent Hotel, 417 Stockton Street
When:  9:00 p.m.
Anything else?:  This little city gem is So Very-Very, specializing in vintage cocktails and a cool, vintage hip vibe. Entry is free, but expect to spend a little dough on your libations.

Where to start?

Well, first of all, let’s talk Peace. And, more specifically, let’s talk Power to the Peaceful, the annual “Music, Art and Action” festival held in the heart of the City — a.k.a. Golden Gate Park. Annually, some 50,000 attendees join in the fun, which includes art displays, real-time graffiti creations, and — you guessed it! — a shit-ton of free live music. This year’s line-up includes local favorites Rupa & the April Fishes, Michael Franti + Spearhead, and American Idol runner-up Crystal Bowersox. (Sept. 10-12, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.)

Not feeling so peaceful? Perhaps the city might be able to entice you via the annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival — that’s right, you heard me! Two chocolate-filled days of silky, rich, creamy goodness — and, natch, plenty of free live music! Featured artists are the Magnolia Jazz Band and the jazz guitar stylings of Dave Costa. (Sept. 11 & 12, 12-5 p.m.)

Looking for something perhaps a little more exotic? Well, you’re definitely in the right city! And this Saturday — as on every Saturday through Oct. 9th — is the Chinatown Night Market Fair. This event has been on hiatus for a while, but is back in full swing. Chinatown’s Portsmouth Square gets transformed into a thriving Hong Kong-esque outdoor market, and as you’re strolling through the throng, feast your eyes and ears on a plethora of traditional Chinese music performed by local artists. (Sept. 11, 6-11 p.m.)

Finally, if you’re into the more classical side of things, this Sunday has two amazing offerings: the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s Chamber Music Day, and San Francisco Opera’s Opera in the Park. Hit up the Conservatory to hear some of the world’s finest up-and-coming classical musicians in intimate chamber-music style. Or if you’re more in a vocalese kind of mood, head on over to Golden Gate Park for a selection of arias performed by the stars of the current season. Plus, there’ll be a chance to enter for a drawing for two tickets to see Madama Butterfly, complete with dinner for two at Absinthe! (Sept. 12: SF Conservatory 12-6 p.m.; SF Opera 1:30 p.m.)

*phew!*

O.K., that’s it from The Scene today. Get out there and hear some music, yo!

Peace.

Friday night’s all right for…deep house! Infusion Lounge has a weekly dance party with resident DJs who bring in a regular rotation of freestyle artists — so, in a way, it’s like getting a DJ-driven show along with a side of live performance! Plus, the venue’s pretty chi-chi and trippy, and they have drink specials from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., including $3 beer and $5 mixed drinks. Sounds good to me! Here’s some other things that I think are cool for a Friday night:

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26th:

LIVE:
Artist/Event: John Richardson Band
Genre: Blues/Funk/Jazz/Rock
Venue: SoCha Cafe
Location: 3235 Mission St. (at Valencia St.)
Time: 8:30 p.m.
Anything Else?: In case you didn’t already know, this is a great little neighborhood cafe, with awesome ambience, and is something of a local favorite. For those of us who are fans of alcoholic libations, please take note that this is a strictly beer ‘n’ wine venue.

Artist/Event: Noise Pop Happy Hour featuring Hunx and His Punx, Spencey Dude & the Doodles, and Weekend
Genre: Dutch Pop/German Pop/Pop/Spanish Pop
Venue: Bender’s Bar & Grill
Location: 806 S. Van Ness Ave. (between 19th & 20th Sts.)
Time: 5:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: Nope!

DJ:
Artist/Event: Downtown Underground featuring DJ Duo Ace & Gunz
Genre: Dance/DJ/Electronic/House/Jam
Venue: Infusion Lounge
Location: 124 Ellis St. (between Powell & Cyril Magnin Sts.)
Time: 6:00 p.m. — 10:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: This is a weekly happy hour dance party that features freestyle musicians on guitar, vocals, violins, percussion, etc. Not your average DJ-driven gig! Drink specials only go from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., so get there early and drink up!

NOT QUITE FREE:
Artist/Event: All My Pretty Ones, Nathanael Trimboli Singers
Genre: Folk
Venue: Make-Out Room
Location: 3225 22nd St. (between Bartlett & Mission Sts.)
Time:  7:30 p.m.
Anything Else?: Cover is $7.

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.)

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!

Hey, gang! In the city on NYE, but can’t afford the astronomical and butt-ass-ridiculous NYE tix prices? Welcome to the club! (Seriously, members get blazers and learn a secret handshake. O.K., that’s not true; I made it up; moving on…)

The way I got it figured, those of us who may be more in the red than your average S.F.-er – especially after Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa/Solstice/What-Have-You – and who haven’t locked down our Yay-It’s-A-New-Year plans yet, we can choose one of three options: (1) stay home and watch Ryan Seacrest try to be funny; (2) throw our own house party and hope that we don’t have the kind of friends who bring other friends that yak all over our very absorbent carpet/rug/untreated hardwood floors; or (3) go to one of the free events listed in this post.

Just for giggles, let us explore Option #3.

Specially Scheduled NYE Events

These are a couple of events that are specially scheduled for NYE 2009-10. Keep in mind, these are DJ-driven parties, so no bands here, which is not the norm for this site. That being said, they’re FREE on NYE! So, if you like to dance, drink, laugh, and generally have a good time, here’s where to go!

What: Penny Pincher’s Ball & Annie’s Social Club Closing Party
Where: Annie’s Social Club, 917 Folsom St. (between 5th and Falmouth Sts.)
When: 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Anything Else?: This club is known for bringing kick-ass underground metal, rock, and punk rock music, and established itself as something of a local institution over the last four years. Alas, they are closing their doors, and this party is the Final Event. It’s heartbreaking, but they’re going out in style! So, all you rockers, get out and show your love! Also, there will be punk rock karaoke in the back room, and drink specials all night long – how can you beat that?

What: Black Gold N.Y.E.
Where: KoKo Cocktails, 1060 Geary St. (between Polk and Van Ness Sts.)
When: 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Anything Else?: The music is DJ-driven, and is primarily dance and funk; also, note that this is not a big place, but is very affordable, so drink up!

What: Blackout: N.Y.E. 2010 Dance Party
Where: Laszlo Bar, 2526 Mission St. (between 21st and 22nd Sts.)
When: 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Anything Else?: This place is a little more upscale, but has a cool industrial feel to it; it’s attached to the Foreign Cinema, and has a wrap-around mezzanine area with comfy couches.

Not Specially Scheduled NYE Events

O.K., so, I’m now gonna list a couple of free live music shows that supposedly are taking place on NYE. Here’s the thing, though: these shows happen on a regular basis. That means that they happen, say, the fourth Thursday of every month, or every Thursday from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. So, why am I including them  in this NYE-specific post when this coming Thursday is a special occasion? Because, according to the venues’ Web sites, these regularly scheduled shows (a) are indeed happening, and (b) are still free.

What: King’s Night
Where: Skip’s Tavern, 453 Cortland Ave. (between Andover and Wool Sts.)
When: 9 p.m. to ?
Anything Else?: This is an all-star, invitational blues jam session, hosted by The Shadow Man, who has been lauded as the “unofficial Mayor of Bernal Heights.”

What: Nicole McRory
Where: Johnny Foley’s Irish House, 243 O’Farrell St. (between Cyril Magnin and Powell Sts.)
When: 9:30 p.m. to ?
Anything Else?: The music is largely acoustic rock; also, Ms. McRory has played with The Drifters! How cool is that?

The Lowdown

Who: The Mission Three
When: November 19, 2009
Where: Revolution Cafe
Hidden Costs: Artists “pass the hat” to accept tips/donations

The Take-Away

Venue: See this review I did about a month ago. Additionally, you’ll be glad to know that, as the weather gets colder, the cafe has these awesome heaters that are suspended from the patio’s overhang. These heaters not only keep the patio nice and toasty, but generate some residual warmth for the interior, as well — yay, heaters! — which means that you don’t have to sit all bundled up in your full regalia in order to keep warm while enjoying both your libations and the show.

Artist: The Mission Three are truly a local treasure, full of catchy tunes, groan-inducing jokes, and kick-ass musicianship. Check out their MySpace site for updates and touring dates. As for upcoming shows in San Francisco, you can find them at the Mojo Bicycle Cafe on December 7th and 21st and January 18th; back at the Revolution Cafe on December 17th and January 16th; and at Ireland’s 32 on December 27th. For the better part of January, the band will be on a Southwest Tour of Nevada and Arizona. (Again, see their site for more info).

The Review

On November 19th, I had the pleasure of seeing The Mission Three perform at the Revolution Cafe, which is a venue that I have previously reviewed.

The following is a little blurb that I excerpted from the group’s MySpace site:

The Mission Three consist of three San Francisco Musicians that reside in the Mission District. They tour and play with tons of local musicians but when they get together the stars align!!

Misisipi Mike Wolf — guitar and vocals. He hails from Mississippi and has been here in the bay area for 10 years

Cree Rider — guitar and vocals. He hails from St. Louis and has been here in the bay area for 4 years

Jimmy Sweetwater — washboard, harmonica and vocals. He hails from the swamps of Florida and has been in the bay area for 20 years

As for my experience with The Mission Three…well, put simply, it was everything I was hoping it would be! I came to this show looking for good roots music with a solid blues foundation, colored with a playful sense of humor, and this is precisely what the group brings to the table. Add to that musicianship that is neither self-conscious nor pretentious (as can all-too-easily be the case), and you’ve got yourself an evening of foot-stompin’, grin-inducin’, whisky-swiggin’ glee.

The guys kicked things off with “Ramblin’ On My Mind,” a blues-flavored rockin’ tune featuring a wailing harmonica (Jimmy Sweetwater) and vocals (Cree Rider) that make you feel like you’ve climbed into the singer’s restless soul.

One note on Jimmy’s harmonica playing: unlike so many harp players, Jimmy is able to phrase a musical line with the harmonica without overindulging in frilly arpeggios and needless riffs. He really understands the instrument, using its unique timbre to paint a picture, so that it becomes a true vessel of storytelling, rather than just some cool trick that the Percussion Guy can do. And at one point during the show, Jimmy broke out his self-proclaimed “Fun Machine,” a seemingly homemade contraption comprised of a Fender washboard fitted with various acoustic happy-making accoutrement, including a bicycle bell and a tambourine.

Similarly, when Cree sings, you’re getting more than a lyrical yet layered tenor voice. Cree believes the words he’s singing, and nowhere was this more evident than when he sang lead on a gorgeous cover of The Band’s ”King Harvest (Has Surely Come).” As I listened to Cree tell the story of this poor farmer on the verge of losing everything, I could almost see that man standing right before me. I could hear the wind through the grain, feel the heat of the southern August sun. It was some powerful storytelling.

And talk about a sweet lead guitar! Misisipi Mike seamlessly transitions from supporting rhythm player to chorused lead guitarist, deftly picking out runs up and down the scale as his left hand does a ballet over the fretboard. No buzzing notes here, kids! And, much like Jimmy on the harmonica, Misisipi Mike’s phrasing is eloquent without being self-important. He’s a joy to watch, making impeccable picking seem effortless.

The thing that’s so great about The Mission Three is that there is a consistency to the music, regardless of the theme or the genre of origin. Whether it be “Whisky Warm and Mellow,” a playful jaunty sing-along type of tune that Jimmy claims is a favorite of George Clooney’s, or a kick-ass cover of The Kink’s “Sunny Afternoon,” The Mission Three deliver a performance that is cohesive and has a good flow. You never get burnt out on a particular hook or tempo; these guys craft a set with care and thoughtfulness, giving the listener a superlative live music experience.

Perhaps just as importantly, the members of the band don’t try to complicate their respective roles, which I believe allows them to really refine their particular skill sets so as to best contribute to the band’s signature playful and heartfelt style. All three take turns on lead vocals, in an almost round-robin kind of way. Misisipi Mike Wolf plays a steel string electric acoustic lead guitar; Cree Rider plays a nylon string electric acoustic guitar; and Jimmy Sweetwater plays the harmonica and the Fun Machine.

In the end, though, these guys love the music they’re playing, and get their whole bodies into their performance, literally shaking the floorboards with their foot stomping, swaying to the tempo, leaning into the lyrics. You get the feeling that you’re hanging out with your friends you grew up with on the front porch of your auntie’s country home, and these friends just happen to be exceptional musicians with a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of roots music. Throw in a little Southern Rock with almost a funk flavor, maybe some Folk Pop, and the odd Django Reinhardt jazz-influenced guitar hook, and you’ve got yourself an evening of music worth coming out in the cold for.

The Mission Three will be performing four more dates before the end of this year, and have a few dates in January already scheduled. At that point, they will begin a mini Southwest tour, and will also be hitting Louisiana and Washington State, but will return to the city shortly thereafter. They also will be recording their second album in January; the first one is available for $10 at any live show.