Step into the inner circle of the city's music scene with THE San Francisco Invitational Jam at Tupelo. Held every Monday night from 9:00 PM – 1:00 AM, this is widely considered the definitive jam session for professional players and serious students of the craft. Hosted by the "nastiest rhythm section this side of South...
Mitch Polzak is a guitarist, singer, banjoist, and bandleader appearing at The Saloon in North Beach under his own name. He draws on rockabilly, 1960s country, honky tonk, Bakersfield-influenced country, surf, early rock and roll, bluegrass, Cajun, blues, and related American roots styles, reflecting a long career steeped in these traditions.
GG Amos brings her west coast blues sound to the Saloon, drawing on more than 35 years as a blues guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and arranger. A riveting performer who has played everywhere from concert halls and festivals to roadhouses, wineries, and neighborhood bars, she blends blues, jazz, funk, Latin elements, and soul jazz into a...
Barbary Bluegrass at Belle Cora brings a lively, acoustic string-band sound to one of North Beach’s coziest wine bars, turning the room into a warm, neighborhood parlor for picking, harmony singing, and fiddle tunes. Leaning into traditional bluegrass, country standards, and rootsy originals, the band’s tight picking and easygoing stage presence pair perfectly with Belle...
Monthly jazz jam session led by multi-instrumentalist Smith Dobson and his quartet. Every first Tuesday 8-11pm at Specs! All musicians welcome, bring your instruments!
Step back in time at Comstock Saloon, where the Hal Bigler Band holds court every Tuesday night from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM. Set in a meticulously restored 1907 building at the crossroads of North Beach and Chinatown, this residency perfectly matches the band's vintage sound with a setting of intricate carved wood, cozy booths,...
Transport yourself to a 1930s sidewalk café in Montmartre as North Beach Django takes residency at Paris 75 every Tuesday. Located on the edge of the historic Broadway corridor, this charming French lounge provides the perfect backdrop for the "Hot Club" sound. With its selection of authentic French cocktails and wines, the venue feels less...
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,...
Jose Simioni Trio's improvisational jazz performance at the Saloon from 4:30pm to 6:30pm with Dylan Garrison on drums and Ron Estrada on vocals and guitar.
Belle Cora in North Beach welcomes Parlor Tricks — the world’s first and foremost industrial ragtime band, serving up 1920s‑inspired speakeasy jazz, ragtime, and blues under the willow trees on the patio. This hot‑music quartet specializes in swing, syncopation, and stomp, blending vaudeville flair with original tunes and classic jazz language to turn Belle Cora’s...
An open gathering of writers, poets, artists and more around the Big Table at Specs every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30pm! This more than 40 year tradition began with writers Jack Hirschman and Agneta Falk, and continues on with hosts Agneta and writers Byron Spooner and Judith Bernhard. Join us for drinks, laughs, good conversation and become...
Midori Ono brings the soulful, hard-swinging groove of the Hammond B3 organ to Keys Jazz Bistro — a highly acclaimed Japanese organist recognized as one of the finest international players of the instrument, she has built a dedicated career bridging the Japanese and American jazz scenes with the spirit of the organ trio pioneers. Joined...
Wacky Wednesdays in Kerouac Alley brings a wildly creative outdoor rock and punk party to one of San Francisco's most legendary blocks every Wednesday from mid-June through Halloween, 7–10pm. Sponsored by the iconic Vesuvio Cafe and hosted by artist Jeremy Fish and Freddie Levy, this rotating lineup of rock and punk bands transforms the historic...
Midori Ono brings the soulful, hard-swinging groove of the Hammond B3 organ to Keys Jazz Bistro — a highly acclaimed Japanese organist recognized as one of the finest international players of the instrument, she has built a dedicated career bridging the Japanese and American jazz scenes with the spirit of the organ trio pioneers. Joined...
Experience the uniquely Jose sound as the legendary Jose Simioni takes the stage at Tupelo. A North Beach fixture for over two decades, Simioni is a self-taught master whose playing defies easy categorization. He eschews traditional licks for a deeply personal, improvisational style that makes his guitar sing—moving seamlessly from floating, lazy melodies to a...
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...
Rayner Brock is a vocalist, musician, and songwriter appearing at The Saloon, leading a band that features Bruce Zwieg on keyboards, Marcus David on drums, and Brock on guitar and vocals. Beginning on electric bass and later extending his work to voice, guitar, keys, and studio production, he has moved from years as a sideman...
Louisiana-born living legend Jules Broussard brings over 60 years of Bay Area history and a lifetime of soulful double-saxophone mastery to Keys Jazz Bistro — at 89 years young, he has shared stages and studios with Alice Coltrane, Van Morrison, Carlos Santana, and virtually every jazz great worth knowing. It's rare to encounter such living...
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...
Louisiana-born living legend Jules Broussard brings over 60 years of Bay Area history and a lifetime of soulful double-saxophone mastery to Keys Jazz Bistro — at 89 years young, he has shared stages and studios with Alice Coltrane, Van Morrison, Carlos Santana, and virtually every jazz great worth knowing. It's rare to encounter such living...
A wide-ranging night of musical and comic performances led by Matt Berkeley at Tupelo. Matt Berkeley & The Electrictronic Folk is a San Francisco Bay Area-based group known for playing a mix of dubfunk Soul music. The band features Matt Berkeley on keyboards and vocals, along with a rotating lineup that includes musicians like Dylan...
The Lucky Losers are a San Francisco–based blues‑soul band fronted by vocalist Cathy Lemons and harmonica player/vocalist Phil Berkowitz. Their Lucky Losers lineup at The Saloon features Jon Otis on drums, Edgar San Gabriel on bass, Chris Burns on keyboards, Cathy Lemons on vocals, and Simon Govan‑Smith on guitar, presenting a mix of blues, soul,...
Mike Henderson, dubbed “the Blues Professor” by John Lee Hooker, is a veteran blues guitarist, singer, and bandleader who holds a monthly afternoon slot at The Saloon, San Francisco’s oldest bar. His sets lean into electric Chicago and West Coast blues, with lived‑in vocals and sharp guitar work. It’s barroom blues at close range.
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...
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...