Looking for a distinctly San Francisco experience beyond the ordinary tourist fare? As a local performer, I have some suggestions for you.
Also, if you’re looking for an open mic while you’re in town, I’ve noted those at the venues below that have them.
Bazaar Cafe (5927 California St @ 22nd Ave — Outer Richmond)
Bazaar Cafe, a home for the San Francisco local music community with its weekly Thursday night open mic and regular shows featuring Bay Area artist is a cozy and intimate venue. Performers play un-amplified, allowing them to connect with their audience, unobstructed by a microphone.
After twenty years, under former owners Les and Makiko, the torch has been passed to Josh Johnson and his wife Rozanne. Former host and denizen of the open mic respectively, they've spruced up the place with a lick of paint and added some new items to the menu such as a South African Milk Tart (from Rozanne's ancestral lands) and the Table Mountain Mist. A rooibos tea latte, with the unusual and inspired topping of paprika, this concoction is the brainchild of Josh and a hot seller, outpacing the more typical London Fog that is also served. The infamous Japanese curry is still on the menu, of course.
In addition from the open mic, expect to find live music on Friday, Saturday and Sundays. A ways out in the Outer Richmond, it’s worth taking a Lyft of Uber to deal with the parking situation. Or if you do drive, look for spots on 25th or down on Lincoln in the Presidio. It’s a bit of a hike, but you’ll save time in the end circling around playing “parking spot/not a parking spot” (the answer is always: not a parking spot — this is San Francisco, after after all).
www.bazaarcafe.com
The Lost Church (65 Capp St - the Mission)
Intimate listening room hosting singer-songwriters, comedy & theater. Outside it looks nondescript with metal corrugated siding, but inside — tasseled burgundy velvet curtains, tiffany lamps, old timey stage lighting, the words “Greek Chorus” in glittering gold letters on the wall — this is a special place.
A monthly open mic occurs on the first Tuesday of the month with sign ups the Friday before via kcturnerpresents.com — at 10 am exactly. And I do mean exactly.
thelostchurch.com
The Utah (500 4th St - SOMA)
Dive bar with live music. Open mic on Monday is infamous, just don’t expect to play until after midnight unless you get lucky during the signup lottery (drop your name in the bucket before 8 PM to sign up) — but then you get to hear the host sing the "parking song" (cars must be moved for "street cleaning" or get ticketed).
Local and touring acts play throughout the week but if you go for the open mic, you’ll get to see a variety of unique performances — there’s always the possibility that Dr. Dreame, the “imagination mover” will take to the stage to take you on a Jonathan Winters inspired journey with loops and and sound effects she generates herself. I describe it as sort of “A Prairie Home Companion on Acid” but I think the reference is largely lost on Californians.
hotelutah.com
Cafe International (508 Haight Street @ Fillmore)
Located in the Lower Haight and very much of that locale, you can catch live jazz on Sunday afternoons, but the real show is Friday nights where the open mic is hosted by Clyde Always, bard of the Lower Haight.
With his jughead cap, handlebar mustache, rainbow suspenders and “vaudevillian hipster” persona, Clyde runs this veritable three ring circus of poets, troubadours and rappers (and NO covers) as the consummate showman, interspersing the proceedings with his own modern take on the tall tale genre. Be sure to stick around for a rousing chorus of “vegetarian bagel shop” and maybe even Clyde’s closing bedtime story.
www.facebook.com/pg/cafeinternational
Neck of the Woods (406 Clement St - Inner Richmond)
A local incubator for emerging talent, this venue has two stages and boasts that upstairs has one of the best sound systems in the city and a large dance floor.
There’s an open mic Wednesday (lottery drawing starts at 8) — Salsa classes on Tuesdays, something called “Russian Karaoke” on Friday (I have no idea) and “Hellafunny Sundays” on … Sunday.
neckofthewoodssf.com
The following don’t have open mics, but are worth investigating (IMHO).
SF Jazz Center (Franklin and Fell - Hayes Valley)
World class jazz acts come through this venue built by SF Jazz with care and aimed at providing an optimal listening experience. Check out the beautiful murals paying tribute to jazz greats and locations of note in jazz history. And you can indeed find my name of the wall.
Hayes Valley as a neighborhood is well worth checking out as well — the original Smitten ice cream (name checked in "Girls Who Don't Get the City") can be found across the street fromPatrica's Green.
www.sfjazz.org
Yoshi's (Jack London Square - Oakland)
Of course if you're into jazz and willing to travel across the Bay, you could do worse than checking out Yoshi's. And if you're a Sushi lover, this will be the place for you. If you catch the early show, you can take the ferry there and back.
www.yoshis.com/
PianoFight (144 Taylor St - Downtown)
Located in the tenderloin not far from a variety of boutique hotels, this venue hosts 2 black box theaters and live music at the bar stage. Great food — I recommend the Portobello sandwich.
pianofight.com
Kat Robichaud’s Misfit Cabaret
Variety show centered around magical music with a rotating cast of eccentric performers, Kat Robichaud channels glam greats like Bowie and Roxy music while emceeing an ensemble of burlesque, drag and circus acts. Defies categorization.
Recently moved to the Alcazar Theater, check the website for show times.
katrobichaud.com
Also, if you’re looking for an open mic while you’re in town, I’ve noted those at the venues below that have them.
Bazaar Cafe (5927 California St @ 22nd Ave — Outer Richmond)
Bazaar Cafe, a home for the San Francisco local music community with its weekly Thursday night open mic and regular shows featuring Bay Area artist is a cozy and intimate venue. Performers play un-amplified, allowing them to connect with their audience, unobstructed by a microphone.
After twenty years, under former owners Les and Makiko, the torch has been passed to Josh Johnson and his wife Rozanne. Former host and denizen of the open mic respectively, they've spruced up the place with a lick of paint and added some new items to the menu such as a South African Milk Tart (from Rozanne's ancestral lands) and the Table Mountain Mist. A rooibos tea latte, with the unusual and inspired topping of paprika, this concoction is the brainchild of Josh and a hot seller, outpacing the more typical London Fog that is also served. The infamous Japanese curry is still on the menu, of course.
In addition from the open mic, expect to find live music on Friday, Saturday and Sundays. A ways out in the Outer Richmond, it’s worth taking a Lyft of Uber to deal with the parking situation. Or if you do drive, look for spots on 25th or down on Lincoln in the Presidio. It’s a bit of a hike, but you’ll save time in the end circling around playing “parking spot/not a parking spot” (the answer is always: not a parking spot — this is San Francisco, after after all).
www.bazaarcafe.com
The Lost Church (65 Capp St - the Mission)
Intimate listening room hosting singer-songwriters, comedy & theater. Outside it looks nondescript with metal corrugated siding, but inside — tasseled burgundy velvet curtains, tiffany lamps, old timey stage lighting, the words “Greek Chorus” in glittering gold letters on the wall — this is a special place.
A monthly open mic occurs on the first Tuesday of the month with sign ups the Friday before via kcturnerpresents.com — at 10 am exactly. And I do mean exactly.
thelostchurch.com
The Utah (500 4th St - SOMA)
Dive bar with live music. Open mic on Monday is infamous, just don’t expect to play until after midnight unless you get lucky during the signup lottery (drop your name in the bucket before 8 PM to sign up) — but then you get to hear the host sing the "parking song" (cars must be moved for "street cleaning" or get ticketed).
Local and touring acts play throughout the week but if you go for the open mic, you’ll get to see a variety of unique performances — there’s always the possibility that Dr. Dreame, the “imagination mover” will take to the stage to take you on a Jonathan Winters inspired journey with loops and and sound effects she generates herself. I describe it as sort of “A Prairie Home Companion on Acid” but I think the reference is largely lost on Californians.
hotelutah.com
Cafe International (508 Haight Street @ Fillmore)
Located in the Lower Haight and very much of that locale, you can catch live jazz on Sunday afternoons, but the real show is Friday nights where the open mic is hosted by Clyde Always, bard of the Lower Haight.
With his jughead cap, handlebar mustache, rainbow suspenders and “vaudevillian hipster” persona, Clyde runs this veritable three ring circus of poets, troubadours and rappers (and NO covers) as the consummate showman, interspersing the proceedings with his own modern take on the tall tale genre. Be sure to stick around for a rousing chorus of “vegetarian bagel shop” and maybe even Clyde’s closing bedtime story.
www.facebook.com/pg/cafeinternational
Neck of the Woods (406 Clement St - Inner Richmond)
A local incubator for emerging talent, this venue has two stages and boasts that upstairs has one of the best sound systems in the city and a large dance floor.
There’s an open mic Wednesday (lottery drawing starts at 8) — Salsa classes on Tuesdays, something called “Russian Karaoke” on Friday (I have no idea) and “Hellafunny Sundays” on … Sunday.
neckofthewoodssf.com
The following don’t have open mics, but are worth investigating (IMHO).
SF Jazz Center (Franklin and Fell - Hayes Valley)
World class jazz acts come through this venue built by SF Jazz with care and aimed at providing an optimal listening experience. Check out the beautiful murals paying tribute to jazz greats and locations of note in jazz history. And you can indeed find my name of the wall.
Hayes Valley as a neighborhood is well worth checking out as well — the original Smitten ice cream (name checked in "Girls Who Don't Get the City") can be found across the street from
www.sfjazz.org
Yoshi's (Jack London Square - Oakland)
Of course if you're into jazz and willing to travel across the Bay, you could do worse than checking out Yoshi's. And if you're a Sushi lover, this will be the place for you. If you catch the early show, you can take the ferry there and back.
www.yoshis.com/
PianoFight (144 Taylor St - Downtown)
Located in the tenderloin not far from a variety of boutique hotels, this venue hosts 2 black box theaters and live music at the bar stage. Great food — I recommend the Portobello sandwich.
pianofight.com
Kat Robichaud’s Misfit Cabaret
Variety show centered around magical music with a rotating cast of eccentric performers, Kat Robichaud channels glam greats like Bowie and Roxy music while emceeing an ensemble of burlesque, drag and circus acts. Defies categorization.
Recently moved to the Alcazar Theater, check the website for show times.
katrobichaud.com