Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Rock, Jazz, Blues, and Country Music
Jazz
In the late 1950s, the heyday
of the Beat Generation (see
p34) , San Francisco enjoyed
one of the liveliest jazz
scenes in the entire country.
Nightclubs like the legendary
Blackhawk vied with the
nation's hottest spots for
performers such as Miles
Davis, John Coltrane, and
Thelonius Monk. Things
have quietened down
considerably since then,
but there is still a number of
places in the Bay Area where
you can hear excellent live jazz.
For traditional Dixieland in
an informal (and free) setting,
visit the amiable Gold Dust
Lounge , just off Union Square.
If you prefer more modern
sounds choose a club such
as Yoshi's in Oakland's Jack
London Square. Many major
jazz and blues artists, like B.B.
King and Pat Metheny, perform
here. Yoshi's also has a sister
venue in San Francisco, where
patrons can enjoy outstanding
Japanese food while listening
to quality (if mainstream)
jazz. Alternatively, try the
downtown piano bars, such
as the elegant Rrazz Room .
Many performers who got
their start at Rassela's Jazz
Club have gone on to become
major stars. See if you can
catch an up-and-coming act
at this jazz hotspot. Savanna
Jazz is a small, hip venue in
the Mission District offering
quality jazz and a cozy, warm
ambience. If you enjoy ancing,
don't miss the swing night on
Wednesday. Patrons at the
Italian American Verdi Club
enjoy the live music and
swing dancing. The SFJAZZ
institution built the state-
of-the-art SFJAZZ Center ,
which opened in Hayes
Valley in January 2013.
Many jazz fans plan their
trips to San Francisco to
coincide with the world-famous
Monterey Jazz Festival , which
is held every September in
Monterey (see pp188-9) , just
two hours by car south of
San Francisco.
You will find almost every genre of popular music played
somewhere in San Francisco. It may be Dixieland jazz,
country and western, Delta blues, urban rap, psychedelic
rock, or the latest sounds from West Africa or Eastern
Europe. Good groups can be found in ordinary
neighborhood bars, and there are a number of good small
places with only a minimum charge.
The city's music scene has a long and varied tradition of
excellence. It changes swiftly and there is no way to predict
what you may find, but whatever it is, it's bound to be good.
Major Arenas
Big-name international
performers are likely to be
found at the large, municipal
arenas around the Bay Area.
In San Francisco itself one of
the prime places is the small
Nob Hill Masonic Auditorium .
Two larger venues, the Cow
Palace and the outdoor
Shoreline Amphitheater , are
south of the city, while the
main stadium-scale shows
are held across the bay.
Berkeley's outdoor Greek
Theater hosts a summer-long
series of concerts by leading
bands and artists. Concord's
huge Sleeptrain Pavilion
features such favorites as
Bonnie Raitt, Dave Matthews,
and Santana.
The best medium-scale spot
in the city is the grand old
Warfield , which has dancing
downstairs and seating in the
balcony during its year-round,
mostly rock season. Smaller clubs
are throughout the city, with
the densest concentration in
the South of Market (SoMa) area
around 11th and Folsom streets,
where a handful of rock and jazz
clubs are within walking
distance of one another. Cover
charges at clubs vary from $5 to
$20, with the highest prices on
weekends. Some places also
impose a one- or two-drink
minimum. Tickets for concerts
cost from $15 to $25 and are
available at the box office or
through BASS or Ticketmaster,
for a small fee (see p247) .
For listings and details of
events in the city and the Bay
Area as a whole, check the SF
Weekly , Bay Guardian or other
local newspapers (see p275) ;
or pick up a free copy of Bay
Area Music (BAM) , which is
readily found in record stores
and clubs.
Rock Music
From Metallica and En Vogue
to the more mainstream
contemporary bands such as
Counting Crows and Chris Isaak,
San Francisco has a strong, if
offbeat, rock music scene. The
local bands tend to eschew the
trappings of stardom, and most
clubs are small, casual places.
Bands and performers come
from all over the US to give
showcase performances at
the radio industry's Gavin
Convention every February.
Events are generally cool,
low-key, and unpretentious,
however, for the rest of the year.
Two of the best rock clubs to
hear live music are Slim's and
Bimbo's 365 Club . Bimbo's
hosts rock, jazz, country, and
R&B - and attracts a similarly
diverse crowd. Slim's, which is
part-owned by musician Boz
Scaggs, is a bit more upscale,
tending to feature established
performers in its comfortable,
436-seat room. Another popular
place is the Fillmore
Auditorium , which is the
legendary birthplace of
psychedelic rock during the
Flower Power 1960s (see p131) .
Smaller places to hear good
rock music include the Bottom
of the Hill club in Potrero Hill,
the Hotel Utah Saloon under
the I-80 freeway south of Market
Street and Great American
Music Hall . The Bay Area's punk
rock world focuses on Berkeley's
all-ages 924 Gilman Street club.
 
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