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.
Marcus Shelby Quartet Celebrates Monk and Trane at Keys Jazz Bistro honors two innovators of modern jazz: pianist-composer Thelonious Monk and saxophonist John Coltrane. San Francisco bassist and bandleader Marcus Shelby leads Raffi Garibedian on tenor saxophone, Greg Jacobs on piano, and Jaimeo Brown on drums through a program centered on their music. Two Shows:...
This Saturday, join two-time Latin Grammy nominee Eddy Nadia, Pachamama band, Andean costumed dancers and special guest master violinist Georges Lammam for a magical, musical night in a historic speakeasy.
Cliff Meyers & Friends is a jazz-funk and soul-jazz ensemble appearing at the Comstock Saloon. Led by Meyers with a rotating cast of Bay Area session players, the group delivers deep, groove-driven sets that balance tight soulful arrangements with open improvisational interplay, filling the historic saloon's high-ceilinged, 1907-era room with a contemporary, kinetic energy.
The 3rd Thursday Band is a San Francisco-based blues and rock group known for lively performances at The Saloon. Led by Mike Dingle on guitar and vocals, with Mike McKevit on lead guitar and vocals, they deliver classic rock and blues covers alongside original tunes, energizing audiences with their tight, soulful sound. Mark Yee -...
Keeping folks up past 10 pm in SF is no easy feat, but Key’s owner Simon Rowe has been showcasing the best of the Bay Area’s organ trios in his late night Saturday sets. His ‘Transcendent Trio’, formed for a “Jazz on the Patio” residency during the pandemic will feature the dynamic Kai Lyons- guitar,...
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...
Otherwise Brewing welcomes the Matt Bae Jazz Trio — led by San Francisco‑based jazz pianist Matthew Bae, whose roots in classical piano and viola, chamber music, orchestra, and American Gamelan give his playing a rich, multidimensional depth. Performing in settings from intimate duos to larger ensembles, he brings a continuous study of the jazz language...
The Sunday Blues Jam at Pier 23 is the perfect way to spend a rollicking afternoon on the waterfront — anchored by the inimitable blues drummer Sean Donoghue, this open jam welcomes professional musicians and budding artists alike to jump in and play. Grab a drink, a bite, hit the dance floor, and bring your...
Catch Blues Power at the Sunday afternoon residency at the Saloon. Blues Power is a San Francisco blues project led by Mark Naftalin, known as a legendary pianist, producer, and blues advocate. The core band members typically include Mark Naftalin on keyboards, along with a rotating lineup of top Bay Area blues musicians such as...
Lori Carsillo at Keys Jazz Bistro brings an intimate, understated approach to vocal jazz. The Bay Area singer draws on the Great American Songbook, shaping familiar songs with thoughtful phrasing and a storyteller’s attention to the lyrics. Influenced by Julie London, Ella Fitzgerald, and Bill Evans, Carsillo favors a warm, less-is-more sound that lets each...
Meet the owners of Peña Pachamama, co-founders of SUKAY & Savia Andina. Every Sunday, Eddy Navia & Quentin Navia invite you into the heart of Peña Pachamama 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗮𝘆
Dave Easley at Specs brings a distinctive jazz voice to North Beach: pedal steel guitar. Born in Hawaii and based in New Orleans, Easley takes an instrument often associated with country music into jazz, blues, rock, and Americana, using its sustained, bending notes for lyrical improvisation. His solo performance puts that sound—and his range as...