Guitarist Liberty Ellman has been performing on the international jazz scene for many years, having with worked with the likes of Joe Lovano, Greg Osby, Jason Moran, Vijay Iyer, Steve Lehman, Myra Melford, Wadada Leo Smith, JD Allen, and standout vocalists Somi, and Ledisi among others. Performed faculty concerts with Dave Liebman, Mark Turner and...
The Door Slammers bring classic North Beach blues-rock back to the Saloon, carrying on the legacy of their founder, the late Johnny Nitro, a cornerstone of the San Francisco blues scene for over three decades. Known for their gritty, guitar-driven sound and passionate live shows, the band continues the tradition that helped shape and mentor...
Jazz trumpeter/steelpan musician Chris Aschman enjoys a multi-faceted career as a performer, educator, studio musician, and arranger. A Baltimore native, Chris segued to Philadelphia to study jazz trumpet at the University of the Arts in 2004 and became a mainstay in the Philly scene. Since this time he has enjoyed a diverse career, having shared...
The Chris Ford Band delivers a spirited blend of rockabilly, blues, and honky tonk, electrifying venues across San Francisco including The Saloon. Led by Chris Ford, the band combines old-school honky tonk vibes with modern energy, crafting a sound that’s both nostalgic and fresh. Whether dominating the stage or engaging with the crowd, the Chris...
Kathy Stephan brings torch songs, swing standards, and a touch of twang to the Comstock Saloon’s polished‑but‑raucous barroom. Her voice leans into the room’s natural reverb, floating over brushed drums, piano, and upright bass while cocktails clink and the lights stay low. Expect classic tunes, a few deep‑cut surprises, and the kind of between‑song banter...
The Dirty Works Jazz Band brings its signature jam session to Paris 75 every first Thursday. Led by upright bassist Kyle Finley, these "Dirty Works & Friends" nights transform the North Beach venue into a buzzing jazz laboratory. Far from a casual background set, this is a professional performance environment where the house band sets...
Eugene Huggins brings harmonica-led blues to The Saloon in North Beach with his band featuring Steve Hazlewood on bass, Felix Bannon on guitar, and Robi Bean on drums. The group draws on Huggins’ long Bay Area experience, including his early work fronting The Casuals and backing blues figures such as Buddy Guy and Junior Wells...
Join Waystone for North Beach First Fridays as they feature the works of local artist Kevin Figueroa. Located on Market Street at the edge of the Financial District and North Beach, Waystone pairs its curated selection of beer and wine with a focus on contemporary Bay Area art. Figueroa’s work provides a sharp, intellectual aesthetic...
Celebrate the true heart of the neighborhood at Fish Tank Gallery for North Beach First Fridays. This month, the gallery hosts an exhibition by A Guy Who Lives Nearby, an artist whose work is as deeply embedded in the local landscape as the gallery itself. Located on Grant Avenue, Fish Tank Gallery—curated by the renowned...
The Lisa Kindred Band carries on the spirit and repertoire of beloved Mill Valley–based blues, folk, and rock singer Lisa Kindred, whose roots stretch from the 1960s Greenwich Village folk scene to decades shaping the Bay Area blues community. At The Saloon, the band keeps her legacy alive with sets steeped in classic blues, roots,...
Join Hang Art for the opening of House Portraits, a solo exhibition by San Francisco artist Catherine Palmer. This collection features new oil paintings that document the hidden corners and quiet residential architecture of the city. The opening reception takes place during North Beach First Fridays, offering an early-evening look at Palmer’s latest body of...
Katy Stephan’s residency at Comstock Saloon turns the room into a small, candlelit listening space. At the piano she blends jazz‑inflected originals with reimagined standards and art‑pop tunes, her clear, expressive voice sitting right on top of the clink of glassware and low conversation. It’s an intimate, song‑forward set that feels equally at home as...
Gaea Schell and Scott Foster perform at Biordi Art Imports, bringing jazz to North Beach First Fridays. Join them for an engaging performance that blends Schell’s mastery of flute, piano, and vocals with Foster’s expressive guitar playing. Experience a night of sophisticated jazz, rich harmonies, and Latin-inspired rhythms, making for a memorable musical event at...
Jessica Loos poetry series 7pm, sculpture and jewelry design drawings by Peter and Daniel Macchiarini. Poetry reading and music in front of Macchiarini Creative Design. Follow the poets up to Coit Tower at 9pm. Want to know more about the North Beach Poetry Crawl? Check out Mukethe Kawinzi’s experience in Quiet Lighting.
Experience the unique sound of San Francisco-based guitarist and educator, Ned Boynton. Recognized in Scott Yanow's book, “The Great Jazz Guitarists the Ultimate Guide”, Ned brings a distinctive and highly respected approach to the instrument. His impressive career includes performances with jazz legends like Les Paul, Bucky Pizzarelli, Howard Alden, and Bruce Forman, showcasing his...
The Magic School Busk holds weekly residency directly in front of The Red Window at the corner of Stockton and Columbus. This high‑energy busking collective has become one of North Beach’s unofficial “resident joy‑makers,” blurring the line between band and audience as people pause, sing along, or dance on the sidewalk. Whether you are enjoying a...
Explore the intersection of art and ecological restoration this April as Live Worms Gallery hosts Creating AS1, a collaborative exhibition by full-time artists Sara Corbett and Aaron Haldiman. This showcase moves beyond traditional aesthetics to explore how visual culture can act as a catalyst for a regenerative future. The Artists and Mission Sara Corbett and...
Experience the hidden textures of the Golden State through Grandma’s Ashtray, a found art exhibition curated by longtime North Beach fixture and Vesuvio bartender Joanna Lioce. This showcase departs from traditional gallery presentations, utilizing the historic, multi-level environment of Vesuvio Cafe to display a collection of objects and ephemera gathered from the coastal towns and...
Pop by Live Worms and Professor Seagull’s Smartshop for the North Beach First Fridays Art walk featuring work by various local artists. Inside the Smartshop, the gallery walls are covered in psychedelic light green and yellow wallpaper — vibrant, but still perfectly balanced to receive and highlight artwork of all kinds. Rotation is every 1–2...
Grab a glass of wine and join us for First Fridays poetry reading at the Golden Sardine.
Celebrate the arrival of spring in North Beach with Out on the Bay, a new exhibition by local artist Pablo Fernicola. Debuting this April at Sweetie’s Art Bar, the show offers an intimate look at the textures and perspectives of the San Francisco waterfront. The Exhibition Hosted in Sweetie’s signature Black & White Gallery, the...
Join us at Sweetie’s Art Bar for an unforgettable night with the Vince Lateano Trio! Experience the masterful jazz drumming of Vince Lateano, a San Francisco jazz legend who has played alongside icons like Cal Tjader and Stan Getz. The trio brings a lively mix of classic and contemporary jazz in an intimate setting that’s...
Kick off your North Beach First Friday with an evening of soulful jazz, funk, and world beat as the Charles Unger Experience performs at the Otherwise Brewing taproom. A fixture of the San Francisco music scene for decades, saxophonist Charles Unger brings a performance that bridges the gap between sophisticated jazz and high-voltage rhythmic exploration....
Tammy L. Hall is a Grammy® award winning pianist/composer/educator/collaborator/musical director whose career spans some 40+ years. She currently works with SFJAZZ Organization as a Lead Teaching Artist. Hall has worked with a wide array of vocalists and instrumentalists, including the late Etta Jones and Ernestine Anderson; Renée Wilson, Ms. Loretta Devine, Kim Nalley, Ph.D., Antoinette...
THE MINA PROJECT represents the music of Italian singer Mina Mazzini in her tradition, in particular, paying tribute to her songs of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Mina is considered the most successful proponent of the canzone italiana through Italian mainstream pop music. Mina’s work combines classic Italian pop with elements of Jazz, Blues, Swing, R&B...