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.

Gaucho

‘Tis the season…to get your gypsy on! Local favorites Gaucho are holding down the fort at Amnesia during their weekly fete, featuring killer tunes and strong drinks — all for no cover! Joining them for the evening’s festivities will be Dink Dink Dink and Michael Abraham. So, put on your dancing shoes and hottest steampunk outfit, and head over for an evening that is spectacularly San Franciscan! Here are the details:

Who:  Dink Dink Dink; Gaucho; Michael Abraham

Genre:  Gypsy/Jazz/Americana

Where:  Amnesia, 853 Valencia St. (between 19th & 20th)

When:  7 p.m. — 11 p.m.

Anything else?:  Keep in mind that the venue is long, rather than wide, so if you want to get up close and personal to the acts, it’s really best to arrive on the earlier side. Also, it’ll mean that you might actually be able to get to the bar faster! And, finally, this is in the Mission District, so parking can be tricky. If you can take public transportation, I recommend it!

First up: San Francisco popfest 2011, a celebration of international indie-pop music, featuring such bands as The Aberdeens, 14 Iced Bears, and Eternal Summers. Festival runs May 25th to May 29th at various venues throughout the City. Check out the Web site for more info!

Not so much into the indie scene? Like your music with what one may call a little more spice? Then check out San Francisco Carnaval! The festivities run May 28th and May 29th. And not only is there a full-blown, feather-boa’d parade both days, not to mention a ton of grubbin’ food and libations, but there is a bevy of luscious music, from the salsa of Avance, to the Afro-Latin beats of Sandy Perez — not to be missed!

So get out this weekend and get your free live music on! See you around town.

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.

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!