Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Michael Tilson Thomas, or “MTT,” is perhaps the most celebrated living American
conductor, and he is the musical director at
San Francisco Symphony
55
(
%
415/864-6000; www.sfsymphony.org).
Thanks in part to his leadership, the
roster is full of world-class soloists, world-premiere pieces, and high-quality per-
formances. Tickets are usually $35 to $125, but rush tickets are often issued dur-
ing business hours on the day of performances for $20; only two per person are
permitted, and availability is heralded on a special phone line:
%
415/
503-5577. Check out the upcoming schedule of the Youth Symphony Orchestra—
they're in training on full scholarship to graduate to the main symphony and yet
their performing experience rivals most adults and they book appearances around
the world. Tickets for them are much saner, from $12 to $30.
The esteemed
San Francisco Performances
(
%
415/398-6449; www.
performances.org)
aims to bring the best rising and lesser-known artists in the
world to the Bay Area and, in that quest, mounts some 200 nights year-round,
bringing in impressive talent in jazz, classical music, chamber music, modern
dance, and other skilled disciplines. Every week, there's something new. Among
the artists who have had their first Bay Area airings with SFP are cellist Yo-Yo Ma
and soprano Dawn Upshaw. The biggest names fetch ticket prices from $25 to
$82, but most performances are in the upper $30s to low $40s. Performances are
held at spaces across town, but most often at the Herbst Theatre (p. 195), seating
just 918, so even the least expensive seats are good.
Several times a week when school is in session, there's a performance—usually
free—at the
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
(50 Oak St., at Van Ness;
%
415/864-7326; www.sfcm.edu),
a school for the crème de la crème of musi-
cians and performers. It's easy to get a handle on which performances are upcom-
ing, because they're listed in the “Calendar” on the home page of the school's
website. The best time to catch free performances is late April and early May,
when seniors and graduate students perform their final recitals and the doors are
thrown open to the public.
LARGE VENUES
Mezzanine
(444 Jessie St., at 6th;
%
415/625-8880; www.mezzaninesf.com)
is
pretty chill for a mega-club, and there are plenty of bars to go around at this two-
story, high-ceilinged venue. The programming is as diverse as the crowd, from
music to comedy, but still favors acts you might have heard of over up-and-
comers. I'd rather see a musical show here, because when it gets packed, the
columns can mar sightlines for performances by solo acts. Tickets are $12 to $25.
Concert promoter Live Nation has cheapened the value of its name by
appending it to its other venues around the country, but there's still only one place
you can honestly call
The Fillmore
555
(1805 Geary Blvd., at Fillmore;
%
415/
346-6000; www.thefillmore.com).
It's a treasure of San Francisco history. In the
1960s, it was the heartbeat of the San Francisco counterculture, where legendary
promoter Bill Graham booked the likes of the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane,
Janis Joplin, and Led Zeppelin. While it's no longer a crucible of what's next, it's
still an excellent place to see a show, and small enough (1,250 capacity for most
shows) so that you can stand in the back, near the bar, and still be satisfied. If your
