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!

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!

Extra! Extra! Extra! Tonight, the de Young Museum and Alliance Franςais are hosting one of a series of Friday Night Soirées, in partnership with the French American Cultural Society — and it’s FREE! Tonight’s installment is entitled “Fête de la Musique,” and features music performances by International School of the Peninsula Children’s Choir and troubadour Eric John Kaiser. Plus, there will be a strolling accordion player — how cool is that! Highly, highly recommend this one, kiddies! Festivities begin at 5:00 p.m. and go until 8:45 p.m.

Oh, and did I mention that you’ll get to participate in hands-on art projects? Seriously. Don’t walk — run to this event!

Guess what? You got it — it’s Festival Season. Yippee! Know what that means, dontcha? Loads and loads of grubbin’ food, thrivin’ throngs, and — most importantly — FREE LIVE MUSIC!

This weekend, it’s all about San Francisco’s own Little Italy and the 56th Annual North Beach Festival. Famous for the sidewalk chalk art, great food, and the annual Blessing of the Animals, this festival also boasts a wide variety of rich and soul-healing music, including performances by Buckaroo Bonet, Norman Bautista, the Amanda King Trio, the Loralee Christensen Band, and The Bingtones.

This is a great family-friendly event, and keep in mind, festivities go from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, so it’s not a late-night kind of gig. But if you want to experience a true local slice-of-life event unique to the area, and hear some great performances from established local favorites, well…what can I say? Getcher ass down there! ‘Nough said.

I know this is unforgivably last-minute, but today until 5:30 p.m. is the 33rd annual Haight Ashbury Street Fair, chock full o’ peace, love, happiness, and awesome free live music, including sets by Brothers Horse and Pan Demon. Get out there and get you some Street Fair, baby!

Tuesday, June 8th, unwind from a stressful mid-term Election Day with some rockin’ local bands at Cafe Royale. Here’s the skinny:

Artist/Event:  Songwriters’ Circle
Venue:  Cafe Royale, 800 Post Street (@ Leavenworth)
Genre:  Acoustic/Americana/Folk/Pop/Rock/Singer-Songwriter
Time:  8:00 p.m.
Anything Else?:  The featured artists are David Luning, KC Turner, Wish Inflicted, and Jeff Campbell. If you’re a fan of singer/songwriter music, complete with catchy guitar riffs and pop-flavored lyrics, this is your show!  Plus, check out these artists’ pages; there’s some serious eye candy action goin’ on here! And, if you’re lucky, Jeff Campbell will sing “Thank You” — his awesome acoustic cover of Led Zeppelin’s gorgeous, soulful tune that I just can’t get enough of these days! True, the venue doesn’t exactly have great parking anywhere nearby, so public transportation is highly recommended, and no fewer than five Muni bus lines stop within two blocks of the place (altho’ BART is — yikes! — eight blocks away). This’ll be a great, foot-stompin’, American beer-swillin’ kind of night. Who knows? You might run into The Scene while you’re there! (You never know; it could happen.) One more nice thing to note: the venue is a bar AND a cafe, so all ages are welcome!

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.

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.

Tomorrow night, there’s a ridiculous number of Not Quite Free shows that are going to be nothing short of awesomeness personified. I couldn’t choose just one, so I chose three. Y’gotcher punk, y’gotcher americana, and y’gotcher Brazilian soul. What more could you ask for? Also, in a not-really-live-music-but-too-freakin’-cool-not-to-mention vein, the Museum of Performance and Design right now has this kick-ass exhibit going on through August 28th, and it’s called “Somethin’s Happening Here: Bay Area Rock ‘n’ Roll 1963-73.” Technically, admission is free, but they do have a suggested donation of $5, which ain’t so bad! Here’s an excerpt from the exhibit’s web page:

MPD charts the magic time in the Bay Area rock scene from the folk-infused early ‘60s to the last days of the Fillmore West an unprecedented, in-depth examination of this incredibly diverse era—charting its trajectory, identifying its causes and effects, dispelling its myths, and offering a fresh look at this well-known subject.

[...]

Seminal local bands like The Beau Brummels, The Charlatans, Country Joe and the Fish, and Quicksilver Messenger Service receive their due alongside better-known Bay Area names like The Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Grateful Dead and Sly and the Family Stone. Above all, the show celebrates the timeless appeal of this signal moment in 20th-century popular culture, enveloping visitors in a blaze of sight and sound.

How cool does this sound? I mean, seriously! So, get your pretty little behind down there and check it out. Oh, and here’s a link to the exhibit’s web page, where you’ll find lots more cool info on what exactly is on display.

O.K., enough with the pleasantries; let’s get down to business. Here are my picks for live music in our beautiful city for Wednesday, February 24th:

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24th:

LIVE:
Artist/Event: JimBo Trout and the Fishpeople
Genre: Americana/Bluegrass/Western Swing
Venue: Johnny Foley’s Irish House
Location: 243 O’Farrell St. (between Cyril Magnin & Powell Sts.)
Time: 9:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: Our buddy, Jimmy Sweetwater of The Mission Three, also plays with this ensemble. What might that mean? Oh, baby, it means it’s gonna be kick-ass music, stompin’ feet, and a good time had by all! Keep in mind, though, that this venue ain’t y’mama’s dive bar, so expect to spend a little more than you may have originally hoped to.

DJ:
Artist/Event: DJ Deathstar
Genre: Electronic
Venue: Beauty Bar
Location: 2299 Mission St. (between 18th & 19th Sts.)
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: Nope!

NOT QUITE FREE:
Artist/Event: Boca do Rio
Genre: Brazilian Soul
Venue: Boom Boom Room
Location: 1601 Fillmore St. (at Geary Blvd.)
Time: 9:30 p.m.
Anything Else?: Cover is $7. Doors open at 8 p.m., and the show starts at 9:30 p.m.

Artist/Event: Left Alone, Bum City Saints, Hounds and Harlots
Genre: Punk/Rock/Ska
Venue: Thee Parkside
Location: 1601 Fillmore St. (at Geary Blvd.)
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: Cover is $8. Please note that this is an all-ages show.

Artist/Event:  Sioux City Kid & The Revolutionary Ramblers, Vandella, Thee Landlords
Genre: Americana/Folk/Indie/Rock
Venue: Red Devil Lounge
Location: 1695 Polk St. (at Clay St.)
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Anything Else?: Cover is $5 in advance or $8 at the door. Please note that you MUST have your ID with you to gain entry; they’re very particular at this venue!