Summer of Music

6/17-9/9 | Saturdays | all over SF | 2-5 pm | free

This Weekend, Noise Pop and Civic Joy Fund are teaming up to bring you free music all over the city! Featuring nine neighborhoods including Divisadero, Haight, Valencia Street, Polk and much more, Summer of Music brings together small businesses with local artists in some of SF’s most cherished neighborhoods in an effort to invigorate our communities and support local artists and businesses. Come through this weekend from 2-5 pm to kick off the Summer of Music series, and come out every weekend as the series continues every Saturday throughout the summer! Click the link to see all participating neighborhoods and businesses.

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By Jerucifer, Arts & Events Editor

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I looooove free shit! There are so many amazing FREE things happening, I wish I could rip myself in half so I could go to more!! The weather is perfect and it’s the middle of Pride Month. Get on out there! Here’s what I’m most excited about for the week of 6/13..

Our Partners’ Events

Michael Longfellow 
6/16-6/17 | Cobb’s Comedy Club | 915 Columbus Ave, SF | 7:30 & 9:45 pm | $28-43

Michael Longfellow is a cast member on Saturday Night Live. He joined as one of the new featured players of the show’s current 48th season. Prior to SNL, Michael was one of eight comedians chosen for the inaugural “Netflix Introducing…” showcase at the Netflix is a Joke Festival in 2022 and made his late-night debut on CONAN in 2018.

Hubba Hubba Revue: Burlesque Nation
6/18 | DNA Lounge | 375 11th St, SF | 7 pm | $15-35

From across the country & beyond, the tops in tease are coming to San Francisco for our 9th annual invitational of the best in national & international burlesque! Get your seats now!

This Week’s Giveaway

Enter to win a pair of registrations for any Volo SF league!

Valid on any sports league, anytime this summer. Choose from over a dozen fun sports and gaming leagues from the Marina to Golden Gate Park to Potrero Hill and everywhere in between.

This Week’s Events

Tuesday, 6/13

Out of the Box
6/13 | Kim Eagles-Smith Gallery | 23 Sunnyside Ave, Mill Valley | 11am-5pm | free

Amrit Rai was born in Delhi, India, and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area when she was six years old. After secondary school, Rai studied painting and drawing at the Parson’s School of Design and the Art Students League in New York. After her studies she returned to San Francisco and began studio practice. In the mid 1980s she moved to Mill Valley, where she continues to live and make art.

KT Tunstall
6/13 | Great American Music Hall | 859 O’Farrell St, SF | 8 pm | $33-37

Scottish singer/guitarist whose endearing energy and hook-heavy pop songwriting remain at the heart of her cross-genre work.

El último sueño de Frida y Diego
6/13 | War Memorial Opera House | 301 Van Ness Ave, SF | 7:30 pm | $26+

It’s been three years since she passed. Now on the Day of the Dead in 1957, a lonely, ailing Diego Rivera makes a final wish: to see his wife Frida Kahlo once more. And the underworld heeds his call.

Journey through this bold world of desire and release in a pioneering new opera by Bay Area composer Gabriela Lena Frank and the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz.

Live in San Francisco: A Comedy Debate Show
6/13 | Milk Bar | 1840 Haight St, SF | 8 pm | free

This is a comedy debate show! Our shows range anywhere from 70-90 minutes with no intermission, so strap in! San Francisco has a new favorite place for comedy and it’s Paradise Comedy. Whether you’re looking for a night out in the town with some buds, work event, or a cute date night, we have what you’re looking for. Welcome to our comedy shows.

Wednesday, 6/14

Author Reading: Bettina Aptheker
6/14 | The Green Arcade | 1680 Market St, SF | 7 pm | free

Based on a decade of archival research, correspondence, and interviews, Bettina Aptheker explores queer history in Communists in Closets: Queering the History 1930s–1990s, also pulling from her own experience as a closeted lesbian in the Communist Party in the 1960s and ‘70s. Ironically, and in spite of this homophobia, individual Communists laid some of the political and theoretical foundations for lesbian and gay liberation and women’s liberation, and contributed significantly to peace, social justice, civil rights, and Black and Latinx liberation movements.

Frameline47 San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival
6/14-6/24 | Various Bay Area Cinemas | 5 pm | $17.50-80

See you at the movies this Pride Month! Founded in 1977, the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival is the longest-running, largest and most widely recognized LGBTQ+ film exhibition event in the world. As a community event with an annual attendance of 60,000+, the Festival is the most prominent and well-attended LGBTQ+ arts program in the Bay Area. Bask in the queer joy at cinemas around San Francisco and Oakland.

22nd Annual Fresh Meat Festival
6/14-6/18 | Z Space | 450 Florida St, SF | 2 pm | $15-40

San Francisco’s 22nd annual FRESH MEAT FESTIVAL of Trans and Queer Performance celebrates its first in-person festival in three years, presented in an exciting new format. The festival expands to three programs for a total of six performances over 3 days, taking advantage of Z Space’s 13,000 square feet, with artists performing all around the venue: on balconies, in the lobby, in quirky nooks and crannies, and on the mainstage.

Drag is Lit! Celebrating Queer SF Past, Present, Future
6/14 | GLBT Historical Museum | 4127 18th St, SF | 6-9 pm | $40

Drag Story Hour comes to The Academy, in partnership with the GLBT Historical Society! This fabulous fundraiser and cocktail reception supports these two incredible organizations. Join us, and stand up to help protect LGBTQ+ rights, and our community’s shared history.

The Bandworks Rock Festival
6/14 | Ivy Room | 860 San Pablo Ave, Albany | 6:30 pm | $5

The idea for BandWorks was born out of a desire to help musicians find other people to play with. But as the program evolved, we realized that we weren’t just connecting musicians with one another to share in the experience of playing in a band ­– we were also teaching values.

At the core of the experience of playing in a band are listening and cooperation, and collaboration toward a common goal. At BandWorks we stress the importance of this collaborative process, and the need for communication, respect (for ones’ self and for others) and ownership.

Thursday, 6/15

PUFF Queer Cannabis PRIDE Drag Party
6/15 | Mission Cannabis Club | 2441 Mission St, SF | 6-9 pm | $20

Prepare for a stoney fun evening with all your favorite 420 tunes spun by DJ Sergio Fedasz. DJ Dank will give away fabulous cannabis prizes and host an amazing drag show featuring:

ROYALES PRIDE SHOW: Greek Gods of EDM
6/15 | El Rio | 3158 Mission St, SF | 8:30 pm | $10

Let’s party like it’s ancient Greece! Dionysus has filled your cup, and Helen of Troy is looking your way! Our performers will participate in a drag roulette after our costume contest at intermission.

Juneteenth Celebration
6/15 | SF AIDS Foundation | 1035 Market Street, 3rd Flr, SF | 3-6 pm | free

This year, to coincide with our theme “Black Joy,” we have selected performance artists that will showcase their talent and vision that uplifts Black/African life and culture. We will also have amazing holistic health activities that range from massage, acupuncture, Reiki and movement to engage your mind, body and spirit. The event will be catered by Chef Lakesha Pursley of No Forkz Catering who offers a unique and immersive eating experience that honors the variety of international cuisines and nurtures intercultural harmony.

Author Reading: Dick Bright
6/15 | Green Apple Books | 1231 9th Ave, SF | 6-8 pm | free

Join us for an evening celebrating Dick Bright’s Workin’ for a Livin’, featuring a reading by the author with live musical accompaniment! Live music and soiree at 6pm, book reading and author signing at 7pm.

Friday, 6/16

Salsa N Skate
6/16 | Black Cultural Zone | 7101 Foothill Blvd, Oakland | 5-9 pm | free

Enjoy and embrace Afro-Latin Vibes at Liberation Park during our special Liberation Month when we celebrate and honor Juneteenth.

Off With Their Heads, Single Mothers, Western Addiction
6/16 | Bottom of the Hill | 1233 17th St, SF | 8:30 pm | $20

Bottom of the Hill presents: Off With Their Heads 10-year anniversary of their album, “Home.”

The album will be played in its entirety! Also featuring Single Mothers and Western Addiction. A night of punk at its finest!

Enter to win a pair of tix here!

Wild Card w/ DJs White Mike & King Most
6/16 | Madrone Art Bar | 500 Divisadero St, SF | 9 pm | $10

Ante up! DJs King Most and White Mike host a night of drinks and dancing, dealing out your favorite hip hop, funk and dance jams—including some unexpected gems.

Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir
6/16 | Freight & Salvage | 2020 Addison St, Berkeley | 8 pm | $13-30

OIGC supports an accomplished youth choir. Starting in 1997, it was voted the Best Youth Gospel Choir in the 2007 Northern California Gospel Academy Awards. The group includes over two dozen members from diverse ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. They perform at a wide variety of local and international events. The choir provides musical, educational, and social opportunities for Bay Area youth, as well as the chance for mentoring and scholarships.

Rusko
6/16 | Temple | 540 Howard St, SF | 10 pm | $15

Rusko is touring internationally behind “SONGS,” and preparing to release an EP with a similarly ingenious group of rule-breakers: American hip-hop outfit Cypress Hill. So world, if you’re awake, now hear this: Rusko is here to roll the beats, and dance music will never be the same.

Saturday, 6/17

Juneteenth celebration
6/17 | MoAD | 685 Mission St, SF | 11am-6pm | free

Come to MoAD and celebrate Freedom Day! We will honor Juneteenth with a free community day with exhibitions and programming for the whole family. Enjoy complimentary access to our current exhibitions, Black Venus and Emerging Artist Program awardee Nimah Gobir.

67th Annual North Beach Festival
6/17 | North Beach, SF | 10am-6pm | free

This year’s Festival will span 9 blocks and feature over 100 arts and crafts booths, some of the Bay Area’s best gourmet food vendors, 3 stages of live music + DJs, beer gardens, Makers Block activities, Italian Street Art, the Blessing of the Animals, performances from Club Fugazi acrobats, and so much more all in the heart of North Beach, nestled amongst its many charming and unique shops and restaurants.

FAM BAM! Oakland’s 14th Annual Juneteenth Festival
6/17 | Lake Merritt Ampitheater | 12th St & 1st Ave, Oakland | 12 pm | $25+

A celebration of Black/African culture that has become a family-friendly tradition for thousands of Bay Area residents. This is a safe space, serving as a day of reflection and education, promoting wellness, unity, and pride. Oakland’s Juneteenth Festival is a platform to preserve the community’s rich cultural heritage and contributions to the larger society, fostering a strong sense of belonging. The festival’s great variety of music, food, and merchandise vendors, wellness workshops, art installations, youth activities, and Father’s Day tribute have been a guaranteed good time for the whole family.

de Young Museum Free Day
6/17 | de Young | 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, SF | 9:15am-5:15pm | free

If you’re a Bay Area resident, get into the de Young Museum completely free every Saturday! Though special exhibits aren’t included in free passes, take a glimpse down the many expressive hallways on your weekend afternoon. You may RSVP online. Essential and frontline workers get discounts on special exhibit tickets!

67th Annual North Beach Festival
6/17 | North Beach, SF | 10am-6pm | free

This year’s Festival will span 9 blocks and feature over 100 arts and crafts booths, some of the Bay Area’s best gourmet food vendors, 3 stages of live music + DJs, beer gardens, Makers Block activities, Italian Street Art, the Blessing of the Animals, performances from Club Fugazi acrobats, and so much more all in the heart of North Beach, nestled amongst its many charming and unique shops and restaurants.

Sunday, 6/18

Bohemian Rhapsody
6/18 | The Cut | 250 Main St, SF | 5 pm | $14-27

The story of the legendary British rock band Queen and lead singer Freddie Mercury, leading up to their famous performance at Live Aid.

Who’s That?
6/18 | Freight & Salvage | 2020 Addison St, Berkeley | 6 pm | $18-30

Karen Braswell is a San Francisco based comedian with a fresh take on dating, dogs and growing up as the teacher’s pet. Originally from New York, Karen left Wall Street to pursue a career in “anything else”. She has performed comedy at every stage, sidewalk and dive bar all over SF. A regular at many local favorites like Cobb’s, Punch Line and Cheaper Than Therapy, Karen is also a regular host and runner for the free workshop Ad Lib Mic for aspiring comics. Oh yeah, and she just got her own Netflix account!

Otep
6/18 | DNA Lounge | 375 11th St, SF | 7 pm | $20-25

Otep is a hard-hitting and outspoken female-fronted metal outfit from LA. Otep’s lethal blend of gothic, extreme, rap, alternative, and nu-metal draws from a wide array of influences. Led by fiery singer/songwriter, poet, author, performance artist, and activist for Lgbt rights and animal welfare Otep Shamaya, the band emerged in 2000 and quickly caught the attention of Sharon Osbourne, who invited Otep to join that years Ozzfest. The band spent the ensuing years blazing a trail of sonic destruction while maintaining their penchant for pairing sheer volume with cultural and political provocation.

Summertime Radness: Bakermat
6/18 | Phoenix Hotel | 601 Eddy St, SF | 1-6 pm | $15-150

It all started back in 2012, when Bakermat first reached the charts with his debut single ‘One Day (Vandaag)’. Since then, he built up a loyal worldwide fan base, consisting of young people looking for something else than mainstream or underground music. He is proud to be in the grey area between these two, serving people with fresh, original and creative music without being incomprehensible or cheesy.

Monday, 6/19

Now Ain’t Some Day Yet
6/19 | Root Division Gallery | 1131 Mission St, SF | 2-6 pm | $5+

Between 1940 and 1970, over 300,000 Black people migrated from the American South to the Bay Area, embracing the unknown, seeking to establish social and economic mobility on alien soil.

Now Ain’t Some Day Yet considers the relationship between the Great Migration and Black life in the present day Bay Area— What was carried? What was gained? What was lost?

The Annual Fair
6/19-7/9 | Alameda County Fairgrounds | 2100 Valley Ave, Pleasanton | 12-11 pm | $13+

The Alameda County Fair returns! Save with advance pricing which is discounted all the way up to the day before Fair begins. Join us for summer fair fun, food favorites, carnival, horse racing, concert, shopping and more!

Burlesque Nation: Part Deux
6/19 | DNA Lounge | 375 11th St, SF | 8 pm | $10-15

Join us for special guest burlesque from across the country! Monday Night Hubba is the perfect way to start your week sexy: with cocktails, tease, comedy and a more intimate experience than Hubba’s big monthly extravaganzas! Each Monday night is a fun-filled, shimmering showcase of local, national and international burlesque and variety talent — and a chance to see the most dazzling debuts before they hit it big!

Lindsey Lomis
6/19 | Cafe du Nord | 2170 Market St, SF | 8 pm | $18

No matter how fast life moves, Lindsey Lomis manages to chronicle it in her songs. The 20-year-old singer, songwriter and artist documents coming-of-age in real-time and imbues her soulful pop with the vivid urgency of a phone call from your best friend at 2am.

Rad Upcoming Events 

6/21 | SAFEHouse Arts | Pride Warmup
6/24 | Congregation Sherith Israel | World Folk Jam – Summer Solstice Festival

Don’t forget to check out our Big Bad List of Rad Ongoing Events right here!