The Scene: Free Live Music in San Francisco

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.

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.

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!

Hey, gang! So, as some of you no doubt already know, the annual San Francisco Bluegrass & Old-Time Festival is happening right now! True, many of the events do carry a cover charge, but there’s a ton of venues where admission is free! Plus, for those of you who are not in the city proper, this festival is happening all over the East Bay and Marin County, too — so you have no excuse to stay homebound for the next week! Get out, kick up your heels, and getcher fiddle and ukelele on!

Here is listing of some of the FREE shows hosted by the Festival this week:

Monday, Feb. 15th
Taco Jam at Baja Taqueria in Oakland.

Tuesday, Feb. 16th
Fiddle Tunes Jam at SoCha Cafe in the Mission, S.F.

Wednesday, Feb. 17th
The Whiskey Brothers at the Albatross Pub in Berkeley.

Thursday, Feb. 18th
High Country Bluegrass and Dark Hollow at the Atlas Cafe in the Mission, S.F.

Friday, Feb. 19th
Paul Knight and Friends at the Station House Cafe in Point Reyes.

Saturday, Feb. 20th
Oops, no free shows listed for Saturday! But there’s a couple of Not Quite Free events, including a children’s show at the Randall Museum in the city center of S.F., featuring Gayle Schmitt & the Toodala Ramblers (adults $9, kids $6); and the “Bluegrass & Old-Time Revue” at the Swedish American Hall in the Castro, S.F. ($5, all ages).

Sunday, Feb. 21st
“Fabulous Duos” at the Velo Rouge Cafe in the Inner Richmond, S.F.

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!

O.K., kiddies, need to blow off some steam in preparation for next week’s festivities? Dreading the proposition of spending several hours with — gasp! — your family and need a little palate cleanser beforehand? Then here are some live music shows that will be sure to pump you up and put you in the party mood:

Friday, December 18th

Who: The Younger Lovers, The Butts, Fast Love
Where: BrainWash Cafe & Laundromat
When: 8 p.m. — ?
What: Rock/Garage/Indie/Punk/Power Pop
Anything Else?: Note that this is an all-ages show.

Who: KFJC 50th Anniversary Party
Where: Cafe du Nord
When: 7 p.m. — ?
What: Rock/Indie/Psychedelic/Freestyle/Progressive/Experimental/Punk
Anything Else?: Bands slated to perform include Al Qaeda, Pink Mountain, T.I.T.S., and Arrington de Dionyso, among others.

Who: Bayonics
Where: Rockit Room
When: 9 p.m. — ?
What: Hip-Hop/Funk/Latin
Anything Else?: This is a big-ass group of musicians, with a live horn section and all!

Saturday, December 19th

Who: Maniacal Rejects, Bullet 66, United Defiance
Where: Thee Parkside
When: 3 p.m. — 8 p.m.
What: Rock
Anything Else?: Please note that this is a happy hour concert, and is all-ages. Also, the venue’s Web site says that United Defiance is playing, but the event flyer says that War of Aggression is playing. Guess we’ll find out!

Who: EpiscoDisco
Where: Grace Cathedral
When: 7 p.m. — ?
What: Gothic/Americana/Folk
Anything Else?: This is a sort of art/cultural event featuring a multi-media installation and a performance by Pale Hoarse.

Who: Doni Harvey
Where: Skip’s Tavern
When: 9:30 p.m. — 1 a.m.
What: Blues
Anything Else?: Nope!

Sunday, December 20th

Who: Sunday Sessions w/Wil Blades
Where: Madrone Lounge
When: 6 p.m. — 12 a.m.
What: Jazz/Jam Session
Anything Else?: The first set is a performance by the band, and then the second set opens up as a jazz jam session for all levels of musicians. Note that you must be 21 or older!

Who: Twang Sunday w/The Poontones
Where: Thee Parkside
When: 4 p.m. — ?
What: Acoustic/Americana
Anything Else?: This is an all-ages benefit show with proceeds going to breast cancer charities; there’s a $5 BBQ.

Who: Singin’ Sundays w/Roger Niner Karaoke Extravaganza
Where: Butter
When: 9 p.m. — ?
What: Karaoke
Anything Else?: I know, I know — karaoke! Still, sometimes a person just needs to get sloshed and stand in front of a few dozen strangers and belt out “I Will Survive” before heading home for the holidays. Just sayin’…

From neighborhood block parties to tree lighting ceremonies, there is no shortage of opportunities to hear free live music during San Francisco’s holiday season! Here are some free options for your consideration (listed alphabetically):

555 California Street Tree Lighting Ceremony
December 1st from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
555 California St., San Francisco
Featuring Children of Blue Bear School of Music and SF Girls Chorus. (This event does not appear to have an official Web site.)

Ghirardelli Square Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
November 27th @ 2 p.m. (tree lighting @ 5:30 p.m.)
Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco
Featuring tree lighting by Santa Claus and live music by SF City Chorus and the Merrie Olde Carolers. Visit the official Web site here.

Handmade Ho Down 2009
December 3rd from 6 p.m. to Midnight
1015 Folsom St., San Francisco
Featuring DJ-driven music and free swag to first 200 attendees. Visit the official Web site here.

Hayes Valley Holiday Block Party
December 4th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Hayes St., San Francisco
Featuring a karaoke contest ($250 prize), a “Holiday Show” at Patricia’s Green, and Gaucho Gypsy Jazz at Azalea. Visit the official Web site here.

Union Square Tree Lighting Ceremony
November 27th @ 12 p.m. (tree lighting @ 6 p.m.)
Union Square, San Francisco
Featuring live music and tree lighting by Santa Claus. Visit the official Web site here.

Union Street Holiday Celebration/Fantasy of Lights
December 5th from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Union St. between Gough and Steiner, adjacent to Fillmore
Featuring Snow Queen Children’s Parade, “reindeer” pony rides, free photos with Santa (5:30-7 p.m.), and caroling. Visit the official Web site here.

Hey, gang! Here are some free live music things happening in the city this weekend that piqued my interest, and just might pique yours:

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19th:

Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Jam Session: 11th Anniversary Celebration
(Acoustic, Americana, Bluegrass, Jam Session)
Atlas Cafe @ 8:00 p.m.
3049 20th Street, San Francisco (@ Alabama)

The Mission Three
(Acoustic, Americana, Blues)
Revolution Cafe @ 8:45 p.m.
3248 22nd Street, San Francisco (@ Bartlett)

Classical Revolution
(Classical, Experimental)
Amnesia @ 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
853 Valencia Street, San Francisco (btw. 19th & 20th)

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20:

Lee Vilensky Trio
(Instrumental, Rock)
Rite Spot Cafe @ 9:00 p.m.
2099 Folsom Street, San Francisco (btw. 17th & Enterprise)

Heavy Petty
(Rock, Tribute)
Grant & Green Saloon @ 9:30 p.m.
1371 Grant Avenue, San Francisco (btw. Green & Vallejo)

“Important Things With Demetri Martin” Taping
(Comedy, On-Camera Audience Taping)
CBS 5 Studios in the Embarcadero @ 5:30 p.m. or 8:30 p.m.
Must get free tickets from Web site ahead of time; show is taping on the 19th, 20th, & 21st.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST:

Pie Rats / The Yes Go’s / Light Machine
(Happy Hour, Independent, Post-Punk, Rock)
Thee Parkside @ 3:00 p.m.
1600 17th Street, San Francisco

Sandra Aran Group
(Jazz)
Shanghai 1930 @ 7:30 p.m.
133 Steuart Street, San Francisco
(be careful; technically, the music’s free, but this is a fairly pricey restaurant)

Jon Rubin Group
(Fingerstyle Acoustic)
Cafe Royale @ 8:00 p.m.
800 Post Street, San Francisco (btw. Hyde & Leavenworth)

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22ND:

Mummyshots
(Acoustic, Experimental, Independent, Rock)
Amnesia @ 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
853 Valencia Street, San Francisco (btw. 19th & 20th)

J.N.G. & Co.
(Funk, Jazz)
Boom Boom Room @ 9:30 p.m.
1601 Fillmore Street, San Francisco (@ Geary)

Fanfarlo
(Alternative, Folk, Pop)
Amoeba Music @ 2:00 p.m.
1855 Haight Street, San Francisco
This is an in-store CD release promo event, and a fantastic opportunity to see a band you normally wouldn’t get to see live for free!

In case you’re a procrastinator like me and you haven’t figured out what the hell you’re gonna do on Saturday for Hallowe’en, here’s some free live music you can check out in the city:

• The Soul Goblins of Transylvannia @ Revolution Cafe (blues/soul)
• My Parade, The Nerv, The Scrawnies, The Molestations @ Kimo’s Bar (rock)
• “Monster Bash” @ Beauty Bar (DJ/dance/hipster)
• Dr. D’s Saturday Night Vibe @ Martuni’s (lounge/piano bar/jazz)
• “Freaks, Shrieks, and Beats” @ John Colins (DJ/dance/beats/dress code)
• “A Nightmare on Polk Street 3″ @ The Cinch (drag/cabaret/LGBT)

O.K., I think that’s a decent cross-section for all y’all. Now, get out there and listen to some music, damn it! (Oh, and Happy Hallowe’en!)