San Francisco Music Events

Event & Venue	Date (choose)
Recommended Events

Exene Cervenka Slim's	Sun., November 8, 8:00pm	South of Market	Music
Someone, please make a movie based on Exene Cervenka’s life. The protagonist (played by whoever the next pre-diet Christina Ricci is) flees Florida, invents punk rock, counts among her conquests Viggo Mortensen and John Doe, becomes a fashion icon, invents alt-country, invents spoken-word... More >>

"Neurotique" Make-Out Room	Sun., November 8, 8:00pm	Mission/ Bernal Heights	Film Film - Art House Music
Nara Denning’s “Neurotique” short-film compendium lives up to the dual promises of its title. At the series’ premiere screening and DVD release party, the neurotic and the erotique come to flickering life in her silent-inspired compositions. Neurotique #2, for example, is a... More >>

The Pixies, Rain Machine Fox Theater - Oakland	Sun., November 8, 8:00pm	Downtown Oakland	Music Out of Town
Pixies' influence on modern rock is well documented, but the fact remains that no other band has been able to match its exquisite mix of pop hooks and unabashed weirdness. The bigger and balder version of the band took several long-awaited victory laps a few years ago. Now Pixies have boarded... More >>

The Dutchess & the Duke, Greg Ashley, El Olio Wolof Bottom of the Hill	Sun., November 8, 9:00pm	Potrero Hill	Music
Breakups can be brutal, but the worst part is the dread before the expected split. Once you're single, your slate is nearly clean. It's when you haven't yet left the comforts of a relationship that a chilling sort of isolation sets in. The Dutchess and the Duke's latest record, Sunset/Sunrise,... More >>

The Pixies, No Age Fox Theater - Oakland	Mon., November 9, 8:00pm	Downtown Oakland	Music Out of Town
Pixies' influence on modern rock is well documented, but the fact remains that no other band has been able to match its exquisite mix of pop hooks and unabashed weirdness. The bigger and balder version of the band took several long-awaited victory laps a few years ago. Now Pixies have boarded... More >>

"Donuts: Three-Year Anniversary" The Knockout	Mon., November 9, 9:00pm	Mission/ Bernal Heights	Music Nightlife
It's a testament to San Francisco's good taste that DJs Pickpocket and AC's Donuts club night has thrived against the mindless wave of Lady Gaga–ish '80s-glam attitude that has recently broken over the local club scene. Now Donuts celebrates three years of presenting obscure '60s to '80s... More >>

Saul Williams The Independent	Tue., November 10, 8:00pm	Haight/ Fillmore	Activism Music
Afro-Punk is on. It's an explosion of young, talented, alternative African-Americans. "[People have] gathered around this idea that you can be Black and different," says Trace magazine's Claude Grunitzky in an MTV video clip about the organization, named after James Spooner's independent... More >>

The Pixies, Black Gold Fox Theater - Oakland	Tue., November 10, 8:00pm	Downtown Oakland	Music Out of Town
Pixies' influence on modern rock is well documented, but the fact remains that no other band has been able to match its exquisite mix of pop hooks and unabashed weirdness. The bigger and balder version of the band took several long-awaited victory laps a few years ago. Now Pixies have boarded... More >>

Javelin and Lucky Dragons The Knockout	Wed., November 11, 9:00pm	Mission/ Bernal Heights	Music
Tom Van Buskirk and George Langford are big on recycling. As Javelin, the Rhode Island cousins make jumpy electronic pop that mines old sounds for new ones. Limited to 500 copies, their debut 12-inch on Thrill Jockey features unique art screen-printed by hand onto used sleeves. And when playing... More >>

The Drums 330 Ritch	Thu., November 12, 10:00pm	South of Market	Music
The idea of mournful lyrics buoyed by joyous music is an old one, going back in time to when Oog beat frantically on a rock while yelling about his pet mastodon running away. Folks tend to point to the Beach Boys as the modern masters of this style, but that outlook neglects such earlier iconic... More >>

15 Degrees Below Zero, Mem1 The Luggage Store	Thu., November 12, 8:00pm	South of Market	Music
Local experimental outfit 15 Degrees Below Zero traverses the boundary between chance and control, playing inside a loose compositional wireframe that's more defined than those preferred by pure-improv noiseniks, but with the sonic details nevertheless fleshed out via aleatory improvisational... More >>

Fuck Buttons, Growing, Chen Santa Maria Bottom of the Hill	Fri., November 13, 10:00pm	Potrero Hill	Music
Despite using a name you wouldn’t repeat in polite company, the London instrumental duo Fuck Buttons really isn’t that unpalatable. This month’s Tarot Sport even ditches the background screams and most of the fevered tribal rhythms of last year’s debut, Street Horrrsing.... More >>

Claude VonStroke, DJ Solar Mezzanine	Fri., November 13, 10:00pm	South of Market	Music Nightlife
Claude VonStroke knows the value of branding. It's not that the San Francisco–based house and techno DJ and producer is a commercial automaton. After all, the man has been known to rock a bird costume. But don't let his fowl fixation fool you. VonStroke is skilled at moving product. "I'm a... More >>

Devil-Ettes’ Go Go Spectacular Brava Theater Center	Daily from Fri., November 13 until Sat., November 14, 8:00pm	Mission/ Bernal Heights	Dance Music
As a variety show, Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In reveled in that brief go-going-gone moment between the girdled rigidity of the American Dream and the ribald debauchery of the rock 'n' roll suicide. Earlier variety shows such as Shindig! and Hullabaloo had already set the stage, with go-go... More >>

Or, the Whale; Hello Kavita; The Brothers Comatose Cafe Du Nord	Sat., November 14, 9:30pm	Castro/ Noe Valley	Music
Or, the Whale is that rare live act that packs a wallop from the stage while still preserving the beautiful nuances of its recordings. The San Francisco–based band draws upon country music without sounding overtly country, and its harmonies evoke the Anglo-soul and ache of the Mekons and... More >>

"Tormenta Tropical" Elbo Room	Sat., November 14, 10:00pm	Mission/ Bernal Heights	Music Nightlife
London DJ/production duo James Connolly and Alex Sushon — aka L-Vis 1990 and Bok Bok — are the latest electronic music team to remind us that subgenre tribalism doesn't mean shit on the dancefloor. Their Night Slugs club night is a bastion of uptempo, bassline-centered, synth-heavy... More >>

Black Heart Procession The Independent	Sun., November 15, 8:00pm	Haight/ Fillmore	Music
The dreary musings of the Black Heart Procession’s Pall Jenkins and Tobias Nathaniel have never been affected by the sunny beaches of the band's hometown, San Diego. Like Tindersticks and Arab Strap, the band has chronicled the most unpleasant corners of the head and heart with unforgiving... More >>

Russian Circles, Young Widows, Helms Alee Bottom of the Hill	Sun., November 15, 9:00pm	Potrero Hill	Music
The Young Widows drop some of the deepest, meatiest bass guitar sounds since the heyday of '90s post-punk, when lead-heavy noise rock bands ruled much of the scene (and ruined even more of the scene's hearing). This Louisville power trio combines menace and melody like a new re-imagining of the... More >>

Mark Matos & Os Beaches, Umka & Bro Make-Out Room	Mon., November 16, 8:30pm	Mission/ Bernal Heights	Music
Porto Franco Records is devoted to chronicling the Mission District's interwoven underground music scene. The label is the brainchild of father-and-son team Sergei and Peter Varshavsky, who hail from far outside that neighborhood — their family arrived here from Russia in 1999 — but... More >>

DJ Spooky The Independent	Mon., November 16, 9:00pm	Haight/ Fillmore	Music
Turntablism artist DJ Spooky — aka Paul D. Miller, aka That Subliminal Kid — emerged in the 1990s with the theory that music should be equal parts academics and abstraction. To that end, he treats blues, jazz, hip-hop breakbeats, and drum 'n' bass as though they're parts of the same... More >>

Julian Casablancas The Regency Ballroom	Tue., November 17, 8:00pm	Nob Hill/ Russian Hill	Music
Long the Strokes' slurred voice of sleazy cool, Julian Casablancas has become the latest member of that band to indulge in a side project. In his case, it's an eight-song solo album, Phrazes for the Young. Swimming in retro synths and elastic guitar lines, it's a clear love letter to his '80s... More >>

Raphael Saadiq Fox Theater - Oakland	Wed., November 18, 7:30pm	Downtown Oakland	Music Out of Town
Oakland native Raphael Saadiq first came to national prominence with his '80s R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné! He found subsequent success as a Grammy-winning solo artist and producer of R&B hits, including D'Angelo's flesh-baring "(Untitled) How Does It Feel." Though he has always been... More >>

More Events

Indie Mart Thee Parkside	Sun., November 8, 12:00pm	Potrero Hill	Fashion & Style Free Events Music Shopping

John Abercrombie Quartet Florence Gould Theater at the Legion of Honor	Sun., November 8, 2:00pm	Richmond (Outer)	Music

Ken Bullock Cafe Royale	Sun., November 8, 2:00pm	Embarcadero	Free Events Music