Otilia Donaire is a San Francisco–born blues‑rock singer and bandleader who appears at The Saloon, known for her strong vocals and energetic stage presence. Her music draws on blues roots with a soulful, funk‑driven sound, reflected on her album “Bluesin’ It Up,” which highlights her focus on original material and performance‑centered storytelling.
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...
ELENAH’s Momento album release show at Keys Jazz Bistro brings the Bay Area project’s blend of reggae, Latin rhythms, and Caribbean and African grooves to an expanded live ensemble. Led by Ecuadorian-American artist David Saenz, ELENAH is joined by Colombian pianist and arranger Óskar Ly and the Jazz Mafia Horns, adding piano and brass to...
Katy 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...
Dirty Works Jazz Jam and Burlesque featuring Raya Rose at Paris 75 pairs a polished, high-energy jazz jam with a live burlesque performance from Raya, appearing with the band from 9–10pm. Led by upright bassist Kyle Finley, the house band draws from bebop, hard bop, swing, and Latin jazz before welcoming local musicians to sit...
Johnny Z and the Camaros at Tupelo brings a legendary San Francisco cover trio back to North Beach for a high-energy night of classic rock, soul, blues, and country. Fronted by singer-guitarist Johnny Z and backed by a veteran rhythm section, the Camaros draw on a huge catalog shaped by their decades as the house...
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...
Celebrate the true heart of the neighborhood at Fish Tank Gallery for North Beach First Fridays. Located on Grant Avenue, Fish Tank Gallery—curated by the renowned Jeremy Fish—is a space dedicated to the creative pulse of North Beach, making it the perfect venue for an artist defined by his proximity and dedication to the area....
Henry Hung and Jordan Samuels at Biordi Art Imports bring live jazz to North Beach First Fridays. Hung’s trumpet and Samuels’s guitar make for an intimate pairing, drawing on the jazz standards and improvisation they’ve performed together in Bay Area ensembles. Their music offers a lively backdrop for browsing Biordi’s Italian art and ceramics. https://www.henryhungmusic.com/...
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...
Pop by Live Worms and Professor Seagull’s Smartshop for the North Beach First Fridays Art walk featuring work by various local artists Teitelbaum, Soheyl Dahi, Lukas Blair and Isabelle Panis. Inside the Smartshop, the gallery walls are covered in psychedelic light green and yellow wallpaper — vibrant, but still perfectly balanced to receive and highlight...
North Beach First Friday Poetry Series at the Golden Sardine celebrates the release of Staying Still (Tin House) with readings by Hieu Minh Nguyen, Lee Willow Trumpfheller, and Dāshaun Washington. The gathering brings three poets together for an evening of new work and conversation around the book.
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...
Meredith Edgar and Jamie Duncan at Specs bring smoky jazz and modern Americana to North Beach First Fridays. San Francisco-born singer-songwriter Edgar writes deeply personal songs that pair melancholy with memorable melodies, shaped by influences ranging from Billie Holiday and Julie London to Fiona Apple and Gillian Welch. East Bay guitarist Duncan draws on country,...
Jose Simioni at Otherwise Brewing brings a familiar North Beach musician to the neighborhood’s First Fridays celebration. The San Francisco-based guitarist and composer plays a guitar-led mix of blues, jazz, and improvisation, drawing on the style he has developed through regular performances at local venues.
Keys Jazz Bistro welcomes the Brad Leali Jazz Quartet featuring Carla Helmbrecht — Carla's sensitive and sophisticated vocal stylings are the perfect complement to the soulful, blues- and swing-influenced style of Brad Leali, one of today's most notable saxophonists who has toured and recorded with Harry Connick, Jr., the Count Basie Orchestra, and Lyle Lovett,...
Jessica Loos poetry series 7pm, art by Roger Strobbel. 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.
Two-time Latin Grammy nominee Eddy Navia and Quentin Navia are joined by master violinist Georges Lammam, dancers and dancing. Their performances blend the charango (a traditional ten-string instrument), haunting sounds of panpipes (zampoñas) and notched flutes (kena) with high-energy rhythms. You don’t need a plane ticket to experience a "little piece of South American carnaval,"...
Keys Jazz Bistro welcomes Atta Kid, an all-star crew that reaches into the swampy lilt of New Orleans and the razor-sharp precision of the East Bay at the same time. This staple of the Bay Area scene since 2013 is led by Daniel Casares (sax and vocals)and Max Cowan (B-3, keyboards and vocals), Atta Kid...
Coit Tower Poetry Club reads Jack Hirschman on Coit Tower’s back lawn, celebrating five years of its First Friday poetry gatherings. Club members will share work by Hirschman, a former San Francisco Poet Laureate and longtime North Beach literary figure whose readings helped bring local poets together.
Experience the ultimate "living theater" of North Beach as The Magic School Busk takes up their weekly residency directly in front of The Red Window. Positioned at the vibrant, sun-soaked corner of Stockton and Columbus, this high-energy busking collective captures the spontaneous spirit of the neighborhood. The performance is a masterclass in Street Swing and...
Robson Batinga at Pier 23 features the Brazilian singer, composer, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist, whose four decades of experience span the rhythms of Brazil’s Northeast and beyond. His upbeat performances draw on forró, xote, xaxado, and baião alongside bossa nova, samba, jazz, blues, and more.
Stan Erhart leads a guitar-driven trio at The Saloon in North Beach with a mix of roots rock, blues, and funk. The band features Marc Levine on bass and vocals, Stan Erhart on guitar and vocals, and Randy Hayes on drums and vocals.
Hipsteria brings its lively blend of jazz, soul, swing, and party music to Belle Cora. Featuring “Tender Tim” on drums and vocals, the San Francisco group draws on a rotating lineup of seasoned players and a repertoire that ranges from jazz standards and blues to R&B, bossa nova, funk, and dance classics.