offbeatSF

The Don Robinson Trio
2026-06-20 16:40 - 17:40 (America/Los_Angeles) | North Beach Festival- Makers Stage, Filbert & Grant, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
The Don Robinson Trio brings decades of fearless musical exploration to the Makers Stage at Filbert & Grant, led by Oakland-based jazz musician Donald Robinson — an intrepid and longstanding figure of the San Francisco Bay Area avant-garde jazz scene whose concept was forged in 1970s Paris studying bebop with pioneer Kenny Clarke and sharpened through collaboration with Cecil Taylor, Glenn Spearman, and the Rova Sax Quartet. A long-time student of Chuck Brown and a ground-breaker since the 1970s in Cleveland and Berkeley, Robinson has spent his career melding funk and improvisational jazz into something utterly his own. His roll call of collaborators — from saxophonists John Tchicai, Marco Eneidi, and Larry Ochs to koto player Miya Masaoka and pianist Matthew Goodheart — speaks to a musician who has spent a lifetime pushing at the edges of what jazz can be.

Charles Unger Experience
2026-06-20 17:00 - 20:00 | Otherwise Brewing, 1402 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
The Charles Unger Experience brings their infectious blend of funk, soul, and jazz to Otherwise Brewing on Saturday, June 20th from 5 to 8 PM — a perfect way to cap a full day of North Beach Festival 2026 with one of the Bay Area’s most exuberant and celebrated musicians. Saxophonist, bandleader, composer, and San Francisco institution Charles Unger has been a major force on the local music scene for over 40 years, and his reputation for delivering unforgettable, joyful performances that welcome every last member of the crowd to the party makes Otherwise Brewing the place to be as the sun goes down on festival Saturday. Come for the festival, stay for the Charles Unger Experience.

The Delta Wires
2026-06-20 17:40 - 19:00 | North Beach Festival-Main Stage, Broadway & Columbus, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
Delta Wires bring their big, high-energy harmonica and horns blues sound to the Main Stage at Broadway & Columbus, representing the best of the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area blues tradition. A seven-piece harmonica-driven band with a sassy brass section, they tip their collective hats to everything from the Mississippi Delta to the south side of Chicago — a sound that earned them induction into the California Blues Hall of Fame in 2012. Few bands on the festival circuit can match their combination of raw blues authenticity and sheer horn-powered spectacle.

The Seagulls
2026-06-20 17:40 - 19:00 | North Beach Festival- Green and Columbus Stage, Green & Columbus, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
The Seagulls bring high-energy garage rock to the Green & Columbus Stage, led by UK songwriter Jon Brooder and fueled by a raucous, modern-yet-classic sound packed with hooks, old school anthems, and a pop punk edge. San Francisco’s own, they’re the kind of band that makes an outdoor festival stage feel like a sweaty, joyful pub on a Saturday night.

Teague Kernan Duo
2026-06-20 17:55 - 19:00 | North Beach Festival- Makers Stage, Filbert & Grant, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
The Teague Kernan Duo bring soulful, intimate roots music to the Makers Stage at Filbert & Grant, led by Teague Kernan — vocalist, harmonica player, acoustic guitarist, and songwriter whose raspy, soul-filled voice is as honest and lived-in as the city he calls home. A Mission resident and North Beach fixture, Teague is also the founder of Tupelo, the beloved North Beach bar and music venue he launched over a decade ago to give the neighborhood one more solid place to grab a bite, raise a glass, and hear great live music. There is something fitting about seeing him perform just steps from the room he built — a true San Francisco original, deeply woven into the fabric of the city on both sides of Broadway.

Ray Obeido's Latin Jazz Ensemble
2026-06-20 19:00 - 20:30 | Keys Jazz Bistro, 498 Broadway, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
Ray Obeido’s Latin Jazz Ensemble appears at the Keys Jazz Bistro.
Guitarist Ray Obiedo was born and raised in San Francisco Bay Area, At the outset of his career, Obiedo regularly shifted between Jazz and R&B, later touring or recording with a variety of artists including Herbie Hancock (1978-79 Tour), George Duke, Sheila E, Lou Rawls, Grover Washington Jr and most recently, Bob Mintzer’s R&B Big Band. Obiedo made his solo debut on Windham Hill Jazz with 1989’s Perfect Crime, followed two years later by Iguana; with 1993’s Sticks and Stones, he reached the Top Ten on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz charts. After 1995’s African-influenced “Zulaya”, he resurfaced two years later with “Sweet Summer Days”. Ray has released 5 CD’s on his own label Rhythmus Records, 2015’s “There Goes That”, “Latin Jazz Project Vol. 1” in 2017, “Carousel” in 2019, “Latin Jazz Project Vol. 2” and most recently 2024’s “Twist”.

Saturday~Flamenco, Music of the Andes, Latin Dance
2026-06-20 20:00 - 21:30 | Peña Pachamama, 1630 Powell St, San Francisco, 94133, United States
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
2026-06-20 20:00 - 23:00 | Comstock Saloon, 155 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
Cliff Meyers & Friends is a jazz-funk and soul-jazz ensemble appearing at the Comstock Saloon from 8 pm to 11 pm. 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.

Janice Maxie Reid
2026-06-20 21:00 - 22:30 | Keys Jazz Bistro, 498 Broadway, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
Keys Jazz Bistro welcome Janice Maxie Reid to the stage. A “one-woman band”, Janice often doubles as a keyboard and left-hand keyboard bass player which makes her a force of nature. Her soulful, angelic and daringly accurate vocal prowess, distinctive four-octave voice range and engaging stage presence captivate her audiences .Janice’s vast musical gifts and massive repertoire are always on point and leave her audiences wanting for more. Janice has performed on major concert stages including Bourbon Street Music Club in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saratoga Spring Performing Arts Center, Davies Symphony Hall, Concord Pavilion, Yoshi’s and the legendary Berkeley and Russian River Jazz Festivals.

Il Funk ky Shu’s Wit Nu Soles
2026-06-20 21:30 - 2026-06-21 01:30 | Tupelo, 1337 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
II Funk ky Shu’s wit Nu Soles plays at Tupelo. This powerhouse R&B soul, and funk ensemble has become a cornerstone of the North Beach live music scene. Led by the deep, rhythmic grooves of Shepard on bass and the commanding, soulful vocals of Tambora, the band is celebrated for their all-killer, no-filler sets. Their mission is simple: to make the audience boogie with a mix of timeless classics and high-octane originals.
Soulful Repertoire: Their sets are a masterclass in the Great American Soulbook, featuring hit covers ranging from the Jackson 5’s “ABC” to modern anthems like “Uptown Funk” and “Get Lucky.” They specialize in bringing a legitimate band feel to every cover, infused with their own improvisational flair.
The “Nu Soles” Sound: The band typically features a lush, full sound powered by a tight rhythm section and a vibrant horn line—including trumpet, tenor sax, and trombone—creating a Wall of Sound that is impossible to sit still to.
Global Influence, Local Roots: After years of performing abroad, the group returned to San Francisco to reclaim their status as neighborhood favorites. They are frequent headliners for North Beach First Fridays, often performing high-energy sets that turn Grant Avenue into an open-air dance floor.
No Cover Groove: At venues like Tupelo, their Saturday night residencies are usually free to the public, offering world-class musicianship without a cover charge—though tipping the band for their marathon 3-hour sets is highly encouraged.

Mitch Polzak
2026-06-20 21:30 - 2026-06-21 01:30 | The Saloon, 1232 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
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.

Late Set: Simon Rowe Organ Trio
2026-06-20 22:30 - 23:30 | Keys Jazz Bistro, 498 Broadway, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
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, the ebullient Brian Fishler- drums and Rowe on Hammond organ for a set of Blues, Bebop, Ballads and Banter.
Simon Rowe – organ
Kai Lyons – guitar
Brian Fishler – drums
Tickets: $15 per show
First come, first serve seating policy. Advanced Ticket Purchase Suggetsed We strongly recommend arriving at least 30 minutes before the show to secure your spot in line for seating.
Will-call check-in system, simply provide your last name to check in upon arrival.
Take advantage of our Bar & Lounge. No Cover! Happy Hour: Wed-Sat from 5pm-6pm.

Veronica Margaret
2026-06-21 12:00 - 12:50 | North Beach Festival- Makers Stage, Filbert & Grant, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
Veronica Margaret takes the Makers Stage at Filbert & Grant for the North Beach Festival with the quiet, unhurried charm of an Edwardian ghost — a San Francisco folk singer-songwriter who haunts the city’s cafes with her six-string and a gift for spinning elaborate stories about people who may never have existed, but feel completely real once she starts singing.

Jules Broussard
2026-06-21 12:00 - 13:00 | North Beach Festival- Green and Columbus Stage, Green & Columbus, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
Louisiana-born living legend Jules Broussard has been blowing away Bay Area audiences with his double-saxophone serenades and soulful solos for over 60 years, sharing stages and studios with Alice Coltrane, Van Morrison, and Carlos Santana across an 88-year life well lived in music. At the Green & Columbus Stage, Broussard brings his freshly minted New Orleans Jazz Band — Bay Area jazz veterans Ned Boynton on guitar, Kevin Gerzevitz on piano/keys, Bob Blankenship on drums, and Derek Evans on vocals — fresh off residencies in North Beach and Fairfax. It’s rare to catch this much living history in an open-air festival setting, but this is your lucky afternoon in the heart of North Beach.

The Charles Unger Experience
2026-06-21 12:00 - 13:15 | North Beach Festival-Main Stage, Broadway & Columbus, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
The Charles Unger Experience brings a true San Francisco jazz institution to the Main Stage at Broadway & Columbus, led by saxophonist, bandleader, composer, and Bay Area legend Charles Unger — a major force on the local music scene for over 40 years. Playing alto, tenor, and soprano saxophone across jazz, R&B, and World Beat, Unger draws from a lineage that includes Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and Kenny Garrett, while delivering a stage show that is joyful, exuberant, and genuinely unforgettable. A fixture at Les Joulins Jazz Bistro for nearly two decades and a performer at festivals in Sweden, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Paris, Unger approaches music as a spiritual mission — and he has a smile that welcomes every last member of the crowd to the party.

Marissa McLain
2026-06-21 12:00 - 14:00 | Otherwise Brewing, 1402 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
Marissa McLain brings her classic jazz vocal stylings to Otherwise Brewing for a special Sunday afternoon performance during the North Beach Festival 2026, joined by a rotating cast of friends on musical accompaniment from 12 to 2 PM. A familiar and beloved presence at the brewery’s recurring Sunday sessions, McLain’s warm, effortless voice is the perfect soundtrack for a laid-back afternoon of sunshine, great drinks, and the lingering glow of festival weekend. Pull up a seat, pour something cold, and let the jazz wash over you — because Sundays at Otherwise Brewing are just better with Marissa McLain.

The Word on the Beach
2026-06-21 13:00 - 14:00 | North Beach Festival- Makers Stage, Filbert & Grant, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
The Word on the Beach returns to the Makers Stage at Broadway & Columbus with a second gathering of powerful voices — David Byrd, Genny Lim, Danny Rosen, Evan Kennedy, Jalal Huyler, and Jessica Loos — continuing the festival’s celebration of the spoken and written word in the great San Francisco literary tradition. Each poet brings their own lens, rhythm, and fire to the stage, making this one of the most intimate and thought-provoking experiences the festival has to offer. Come for the music, stay for the poetry — this is the soul of the city finding its voice.

Magic School Busk
2026-06-21 13:00 - 21:00 | Red Window, 500 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
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 improvisational Jazz. Drawing from the “busking” tradition of New Orleans and the European “Hot Club” sound, the ensemble specializes in acoustic music that is both technically brilliant and completely unpretentious. The line-up is fluid, often featuring a “who’s who” of local instrumentalists who bring a “restless melodicism” to classic standards and upbeat, toe-tapping originals.
The Magic School Busk is more than just a band; they are the neighborhood’s “resident joy-makers.” Because they perform on the street level, the barrier between musician and audience disappears, inviting passersby to stop, dance, and engage with the music in real-time. Whether you are enjoying a gin tonic on the Red Window’s outdoor patio or just walking by with a cannoli in hand, the band provides an elite, soulful soundtrack that defines the modern North Beach experience.

About The Magic School Busk
Born from the city’s post-pandemic “street-side” revival, The Magic School Busk is a collective of veteran Bay Area musicians dedicated to the art of public performance. They emphasize the “acoustic and the authentic,” eschewing heavy amplification for the natural resonance of brass, strings, and woodwinds. Often featuring members from some of the city’s most popular jazz and swing outfits, the “Busk” is celebrated for its ability to read a crowd and create a party out of thin air. They represent the best of San Francisco’s musical resilience—keeping the city’s culture loud, proud, and accessible to everyone on the street.

Valeriana Q and the Swinging Gatos
2026-06-21 13:35 - 14:50 | North Beach Festival- Green and Columbus Stage, Green & Columbus, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
Valeriana Q and the Swingin’ Gatos bring a joyful, cross-generational mix of song and style to the Green & Columbus Stage, with vocalist Valeriana Q drawing on a performing life that runs deep in North Beach history. A proud veteran of Beach Blanket Babylon from 1995 until its closing, she carries on a family legacy rooted in the neighborhood — her father, Armando Duval Quevedo, held court at the legendary supper club The Sinaloa from the 1950s through the 70s as MC, singer, percussionist, and dancer. Joined by Chris Pimentel, Marc Levine, Gerry Kennett, and Sammy Ramirez, this is a band that knows how to keep a crowd dancing and smiling from the first note to the last.

The Vivants
2026-06-21 13:35 - 14:50 | North Beach Festival-Main Stage, Broadway & Columbus, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
The Vivants bring their roots-soaked sound to the Main Stage at Broadway & Columbus, a San Francisco acoustic quartet whose musical faith is firmly planted in the inspiring traditions of Southern music and showmanship. Their recently completed third album, Bluegrass Special, shimmers with bluegrass, old-time country, and gorgeous sister-harmonies throughout — a record that captures everything that makes this band a joy to experience live. Warm, authentic, and steeped in tradition, The Vivants are a reminder that great American roots music is alive and well right here in San Francisco.

The Good Bad
2026-06-21 14:15 - 15:15 | North Beach Festival- Makers Stage, Filbert & Grant, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
The Good Bad bring their high-octane string music and three-part harmonies to the Makers Stage at Filbert & Grant, a San Francisco bluegrass quintet formed in 2010 by Aaron Lanes and Thom Beneudici that has spent the past decade and a half building a devoted following across the Bay Area and well beyond. The five-piece — Aaron Lanes (mandolin, guitar, vocals), Peter Domenici (banjo, vocals), Tom Conneely (guitar, vocals), Gabe Wheaton (fiddle, vocals), and Noah Zisser (bass, vocals) — weaves original songwriting together with traditional and contemporary bluegrass, pop, and Top 40 favorites into a set that is as versatile as it is virtuosic. Having shared stages with The Brothers Comatose, The Lil Smokies, Della Mae, and Front Country, toured Europe, and played prestigious festivals like Winter Wondergrass, The Good Bad arrive at The North Beach Festival with serious road-tested chops and the kind of infectious energy that turns a crowd into a community.

Silverset
2026-06-21 15:00 - 17:00 | Otherwise Brewing, 1402 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
Silverset brings their indie alternative rock sound to Otherwise Brewing on Sunday, June 21st from 3 to 5 PM, closing out the North Beach Festival 2026 weekend with the kind of propulsive, guitar-driven energy that makes an afternoon feel like it could last forever. Whether you’re winding down from a full weekend of festival music or just discovering the party, Otherwise Brewing’s Sunday afternoon set with Silverset is the perfect final chapter — loud enough to keep the energy alive, melodic enough to make you wish the weekend never had to end.

Marc and the Contenders
2026-06-21 15:10 - 16:25 | North Beach Festival- Green and Columbus Stage, Green & Columbus, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
Marc and the Contenders bring the Bay Area’s premier Waylon Jennings tribute to the Green & Columbus Stage, delivering the outlaw country legend’s music with the passion and authenticity it deserves. The band spans Waylon’s entire career — from his early Nashville days and breakthrough outlaw classics to overlooked gems and beloved collaborations with Willie Nelson — covering the rockers, the twangers, the sweet ones, and the salty ones. Whether you saw Waylon live back in the day or are just discovering the magic of “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” Marc and the Contenders promise a set of pure musical storytelling in the heart of North Beach.

Howell Devine
2026-06-21 15:10 - 16:25 | North Beach Festival-Main Stage, Broadway & Columbus, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
Howell Devine bring their hypnotic Hill Country and Delta Blues to the Main Stage at Broadway & Columbus, a trio whose rollicking, deeply rhythmic take on rural blues stands in stark contrast to anything else on the festival circuit today — a sound distinctive enough to make them the first blues act signed to the legendary Arhoolie Records by founder Chris Strachwitz in over 25 years. At the heart of the band is triple-threat Joshua Howell — guitarist, harmonica player, vocalist, and co-founder of the Howell & Forsyth Guitar Company — whose deep roots in the techniques of Mississippi greats like Fred McDowell, Bukka White, Robert Johnson, and RL Burnside shape every note he plays. Veteran upright bassist Joe Kyle Jr., who has shared stages with Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, Gillian Welch, and Bela Fleck among many others, joins drummer J. Hansen to complete a trio that mixes rural blues with wildly syncopated rhythms into something propulsive, alive, and utterly unforgettable.

Jose Simioni Trio
2026-06-21 15:30 - 16:30 | North Beach Festival- Makers Stage, Filbert & Grant, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
The Jose Simioni Trio brings a singular, deeply personal sound to the Makers Stage at Filbert & Grant, led by a North Beach fixture for over two decades — a self-taught master whose sophisticated, gritty blend of jazz, blues, and rock defies easy categorization. Influenced by everyone from Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton to jazz greats Joe Pass and Jim Hall, Simioni has synthesized these icons into a voice entirely his own, moving seamlessly from floating, lazy melodies to a rocking, soulful growl that only a veteran of the Grant Avenue circuit can deliver. He is joined by Brian Fishler on drums and Robert Kennedy on organ.

Sunday Blues Jam
2026-06-21 16:00 - 19:00 | Pier 23, 23 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA, 94111, United States
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 instrument — all levels are welcome and the stage is yours.

Joe Newsman and the Bluesmen
2026-06-21 16:00 - 19:00 | Tupelo, 1337 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
Joe Newsman and the Bluesmen perform at Tupelo on Sunday, 4-7pm joined by Jules Broussard on saxophone and Ned Boynton on guitar. Expect brass-forward blues and R&B that feels right at home in North Beach. If you didn’t catch their Saturday North Beach New Orleans at the Savoy Tivoli, you have a second chance.

Blues Power
2026-06-21 16:00 - 20:00 | The Saloon, 1232 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
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 bassist Dave McDaniel and drummer Sam Chapman. Blues Power is celebrated for its authentic blues sound that blends classic blues, R&B, and soul influences.

Tibbets Corner
2026-06-21 16:45 - 18:00 | North Beach Festival- Makers Stage, Filbert & Grant, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
Tibbets Corner bring their raw, hometown energy to the Makers Stage at Filbert & Grant, a pub folk and punk outfit rooted in San Francisco’s own garage rock tradition, led by Jon Brooder and Stanley Goldstein. Veterans of the city’s live circuit — including Civic Center stages — they deliver the kind of scrappy, spirited performances that remind you why San Francisco has always been one of rock and roll’s most fertile grounds. Unpretentious, loud, and absolutely alive, Tibbets Corner are SF’s own.

Banda Sin Nombre
2026-06-21 16:45 - 18:00 | North Beach Festival- Green and Columbus Stage, Green & Columbus, San Francisco, CA, 94133, United States
Banda Sin Nombre brings a one-of-a-kind blend of world folk rhythms, original songs, drag, and performance art to the Green & Columbus Stage — a collective whose music is as much a call to community as it is a celebration of it. Drawing from musical traditions past and present, their performances invite audiences to release, move, and unite in the pursuit of something better. Reviewers and fellow artists alike have praised their rare ability to fuse music, activism, and advocacy into something that feels both timeless and urgently of the moment.
