The Scene: Free Live Music in San Francisco

OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD!!!!

This weekend is the awesome-rrific-est festival (in my humble opinion) that this city has to offer — the 37th Annual Nihonmachi Street Fair in Japantown! This festival, if you’re at all interested in the Japanese culture, is a bevy of art, live music, martial arts demonstrations, and seriously grubbin’ food. The coolest part for me, tho’ is the performance of the world-famous San Francisco Taiko Dojo. These masters of this complex and soul-shaping musical and percussion art form put on one of the best presentations of taiko drumming, and are superlative in their approach to the craft, treating it — as any serious taiko dojo does — as a discipline, a study in meditation, a marriage between the physical body and universal rhythms.

(Want to check them out before heading over to the fair? Rent “Rising Sun”; yeah, that’s them in the opening sequence. You’re welcome.)

Trust me, this is not to be missed…ever…especially since it’s TOTALLY FREE!

Check out the fair’s Web site for more detailed information, including other musical performances and demonstrations, and where you can best set-up a perch to watch the parade. (Last year, George Takei was the Grand Marshall — I LOVE this city!) See you there!

This weekend brings together two of my favorite things: superheroes and the Stern Grove Music Festival! So, time to get suited up and headin’ out. Start off on Saturday with the 2nd Annual Superhero Street Fair. Festivities begin at the noon hour and go ’til midnight — that’s right, babies! Twelve freakin’ hours of costumed mayhem, with a plethora of live electronic music from deep house to dub step and beyond! (Admission is free, but donations will be appreciated, natch.)

Then follow up your crazy Saturday with a slightly more decompressed and soul-fulfilling two hours of pure classical bliss, as the San Francisco Symphony takes over Stern Grove for their yearly free concert in the park. This is a truly San Franciscan tradition, complete with gorgeous tree-dappled setting and stunning, life-altering performances by our very own local greats. This year’s performance is being conducted by Donato Cabrera, an up and comer in the conducting world. Just watching him shape the journey of a piece of music is worth the price of admission alone — which, in case I didn’t mention it already, is free. Oh, wait, I did mention it, didn’t I? Well, I’m mentioning it again! It’s all right; you can take it. In any case, the symphony starts at 2 p.m., but I recommend getting there around noon; there’s usually an opening act that’s also awesome, and you just might actually get a spot in the inner ring of stone benches, rather than hoofin’ it up onto the hillside.

(Incidentally, if you do decide to come a little later and want to sit on the hill, I actually love doing this myself. Just make sure to bring a blanket, and regardless of where you sit, I suggest a picnic, too, complete with wine and cheese and fruit and crusty sourdough bread. Hell, if you’re gonna have a true San Francisco experience, might as well hit as many cliches as possible, right? Right!)

O.K., kiddies, that’s it from me for today! Peace, love, and lots of free live music to ya!

For those of you who love sublime choral music, this Friday and Saturday is your chance to see one of the city’s best! The International Orange Chorale is performing December 4th @ 5 p.m. at the Solarium Public Space (55 Second Street), and December 5th @7:30 p.m. at the Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church (100 Diamond Street). Both shows are free, and the last performances of the year for this group.

(Oh, and by the way, The Scene will likely be at one or both of these shows, just ’cause the IOCSF is that good!)

It’s that time of year again, when various singing groups and symphonies break out that oh-so-famous choral masterpiece: Handel’s “Messiah.” And, as is usually the case, you’re invited to sing along! Here’s a couple of places where you can join in on the messianic musical merriment:

When: Sunday, December 6, 2009 at 4 p.m.
Who: San Francisco City Chorus
Where: Lakeside Presbyterian Church, 201 Eucalyptus Dr. (@ 19th Ave.)
Anything Else?: Tickets are $10; vocal scores will be provided, or feel free to bring your own.

When: Monday, December 7, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.
Who: San Francisco Sinfonietta and Chorus
Where: Mission Dolores Basilica, 3321 16th St.
Anything Else?: Tickets required, but I didn’t see a price listed on the Web site.