Joel Selvin

Happy trails, Village Music

Signed, Sealed and Misdelivered

The Rise and Fall of Bay Area Bands

Chatterbox

The Rise and Fall of Bay Area Bands

Samples

The Rise and Fall of Bay Area Bands

Some of the 'Reporters Whose Names You Know' Leaving the Chronicle...

On Friday, longtime San Francisco Chronicle fashion editor Sylvia Rubin noted that it was the last day at Fifth and Mission for "a lot of veteran reporters whose names you know."More than 80 Chron union workers have applied for a buyout, and guild rep Carl T. Hall -- who took the offer as well -- fi ... More >>

Chatterbox

On Friday, longtime San Francisco Chronicle fashion editor Sylvia Rubin noted that it was the last day at Fifth and Mission for "a lot of veteran reporters whose names you know."More than 80 Chron union workers have applied for a buyout, and guild rep Carl T. Hall -- who took the offer as well -- fi ... More >>

Sly Stone is lured from hiding once again

On Friday, longtime San Francisco Chronicle fashion editor Sylvia Rubin noted that it was the last day at Fifth and Mission for "a lot of veteran reporters whose names you know."More than 80 Chron union workers have applied for a buyout, and guild rep Carl T. Hall -- who took the offer as well -- fi ... More >>

Oh, Pioneers

Behold - the forgotten history of the Beau Brummels, the true originators of the San Francisco sound of the '60s

Ridin' the wheels of steel

Why don't you smile now; A Slim's chance.

Pop Philosophy

Retro Sheik; Bruno's lives!

Riff Raff

Have you heard? The Bay Area music scene is dead. Somebody killed it.

Riff Raff

Might We Suggest Hype! II: Electric Boogaloo? and Listing Toward San Francisco

The Red Menace

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Riff Raff

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Letters

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Riff Raff

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Riff Raff

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Letters

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Riff Raff

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Riff Raff

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Riff Raff

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Letters

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Riff Raff

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Letters

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Riff Raff

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Riff Raff

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Riff Raff

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Riff Raff

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

Riff Raff

Bad music. Bad press. Bad hair. Sammy Hagar's heard the insults. But for the Bay Area's Red Rocker, the best revenge is living well.

riff raff

Take a Really Deep Breath

The Fall of Love

Chet Helms and his Avalon Ballroom were the heart and soul of the Summer of Love. Thirty years of stupid business moves later, love is all that's left.

Riff Raff

Chet Helms and his Avalon Ballroom were the heart and soul of the Summer of Love. Thirty years of stupid business moves later, love is all that's left.

Riff Raff

Chet Helms and his Avalon Ballroom were the heart and soul of the Summer of Love. Thirty years of stupid business moves later, love is all that's left.

Riff Raff

Chet Helms and his Avalon Ballroom were the heart and soul of the Summer of Love. Thirty years of stupid business moves later, love is all that's left.

Letters

Chet Helms and his Avalon Ballroom were the heart and soul of the Summer of Love. Thirty years of stupid business moves later, love is all that's left.

Riff Raff

Chet Helms and his Avalon Ballroom were the heart and soul of the Summer of Love. Thirty years of stupid business moves later, love is all that's left.

Riff Raff

Chet Helms and his Avalon Ballroom were the heart and soul of the Summer of Love. Thirty years of stupid business moves later, love is all that's left.

Riff Raff

Chet Helms and his Avalon Ballroom were the heart and soul of the Summer of Love. Thirty years of stupid business moves later, love is all that's left.

Riff Raff

Chet Helms and his Avalon Ballroom were the heart and soul of the Summer of Love. Thirty years of stupid business moves later, love is all that's left.

Riff Raff

Chet Helms and his Avalon Ballroom were the heart and soul of the Summer of Love. Thirty years of stupid business moves later, love is all that's left.

Samples

Chet Helms and his Avalon Ballroom were the heart and soul of the Summer of Love. Thirty years of stupid business moves later, love is all that's left.

Chatterbox

Chet Helms and his Avalon Ballroom were the heart and soul of the Summer of Love. Thirty years of stupid business moves later, love is all that's left.

Dirk Dirksen Place‏, Plaque to Remember the Pope of Punk

Kathy Peck stands at Dirk Dirksen Place​San Francisco doesn't have a walk of fame, but original punk rock promoter/emcee/character Dirk Dirksen will be permanently remembered in North Beach now, thanks to a street sign and a plaque in his honor. After three years of tirelessly working to erect som ... More >>

Chron Disses, Praises Outside Lands

"Richmond then divulges that she herself has used Porta Potties at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass..."

BAM Magazine Is Coming Back -- As a Website

BAM's July 7, 1978 issue​Remember BAM? If you followed By Area music between, oh, 1976 and 1999, you probably read it all the time. And if you didn't, you'll get a chance to -- there's a revived version coming to the web in a couple of weeks. Some background: BAM was a free biweekly print mag ... More >>

Stepping on the Past

BAM's July 7, 1978 issue​Remember BAM? If you followed By Area music between, oh, 1976 and 1999, you probably read it all the time. And if you didn't, you'll get a chance to -- there's a revived version coming to the web in a couple of weeks. Some background: BAM was a free biweekly print mag ... More >>

Still Getting Over It

BAM's July 7, 1978 issue​Remember BAM? If you followed By Area music between, oh, 1976 and 1999, you probably read it all the time. And if you didn't, you'll get a chance to -- there's a revived version coming to the web in a couple of weeks. Some background: BAM was a free biweekly print mag ... More >>

R.I.P. Etta James, Blues Queen with San Francisco Roots

​ By JESSICA HILO Etta James, the incomparable force behind such hits as "At Last" and "Tell Mama," winner of six Grammys and seventeen Blues Music Awards, died Friday morning in Riverside, Calif. after a lengthy battle with leukemia and dementia. She was 73. James was an integral member of ... More >>

Chuck Prophet Takes Fans and Famous Guests on a Musical Bus Tour of San Francisco

Chuck Prophet on the bus last night. More photos after the jump.​ Chuck Prophet and Guests Feb. 7, 2012 The Catacombs Better than: Going broke at any nearby Mission District restaurant. To commemorate yesterday's release of his new album, Temple Beautiful, S.F. singer-songwriter Chuck Prophe ... More >>