Best Bay Area Events 4/23-5/13
Downtown First Thursdays, a New FREE Monthly Street Party, Kicks Off May 2!
DFT is giving Downtown SF a whole new makeover–think bigger, bolder, and oh-so-S.F. The fun takes place on 2nd Street (between Market and Howard Streets) and along neighboring alleyways on Jessie, Minna, and Natoma Streets. Free kids activities, disco in the streets, two outdoor bars, live music, dancing, drag, food trucks and vendors, pop-up retail shopping, and many more surprises every first Thursday of the month! May 2 Special Guest Performance by ALUNA from 7-9pm on 2nd and Howard Street. Find out more here.
Tortured Poet
by Vanessa Gil, Arts & Events Editor
I spent the weekend in The Tortured Poets Department and loved every minute. On one of my listening breaks, I attended a friend’s backyard concert where I experienced a performance by Lady Starbeast. So much energy and very engaging. Check them out when you have a moment. Anyway, let me hit pause on all this music over here and tell you what upcoming events I’m most excited about for the week of 4/23 and beyond…
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2-for-1 beers at 27 SF Drinkeries!
Grab the SF Beer Passport where you get 27 two-for-1 beers at 27 of the best watering holes in San Francisco. Get yours right here.
Listen to this week’s playlist so you can sample upcoming bands and comedians listed in this newsletter.
This Week’s Events
Tuesday 4/23
I Love the Tenderloin Week
Now-4/27 | Various Locations in the Tenderloin, SF | 5 p.m. | Free, All ages
Returning for its second year, ‘I Love Tenderloin Week’ through April 27, 2024, is a week-long festivity celebrating the enduring spirit and rich diversity of San Francisco’s Tenderloin district. Participants are invited to explore the neighborhood’s vibrant life through over two dozen events spanning art, cuisine, and shared community efforts, This celebration marks another chapter in the Tenderloin’s story of resilience and unity, offering a deep dive into the heart of one of the city’s most dynamic communities.
Animal Encounter
4/23 | Aquarium of the Bay | The Embarcadero & Beach St, SF | 2 p.m. | $35
Experience up-close our climate change ambassadors from around the globe including the blue-tongued skink and the California kingsnake.
Rosie Tucker
4/23 | Bottom of the Hill | 1233 17th St, SF | 8 p.m. | $15/advance, $18/door
Rosie Tucker is an American singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, California. Pitchfork has acclaimed Tucker’s “surging pop hooks and sharp lyricism.”
Joe Klocek
4/23 | Punch Line SF | 444 Battery St, SF | 7:30 p.m. | $16.50-$24.50
Joe has appeared on Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham,” and NBC’s “Last Comic Standing”. Joe has also told a story on NPR’s “Snap Judgement” and San Francisco’s own “Bawdy.”
Wednesday 4/24
67th San Francisco International Film Festival
4/24-4/27 | Various SF Locations | 7 p.m. | $16-$20
Discover cinema right here in the Bay. The Festival is a handpicked program of the most innovative and award-winning films from around the globe, and by filmmakers who call the Bay Area home.
SF Moma Art Bash
4/24 | SFMOMA | 151 3rd St, SF | 5 p.m. | $95-$250
Calling all art lovers, makers, and visionaries: SFMOMA invites you to the museum’s biggest party of the year celebrating art and artists!
We Own the Laughs
4/24 | Cobb’s Comedy Club | 915 Columbus Ave, SF | 7:30 p.m. | $20.25-$28.25
Set in an upscale environment, We Own The Laughs allows you to laugh and drink with friends while listening to amazing comedy from some of the biggest comedians in the country.
Laurie Kilmartin
4/24-4/27 | Punch Line SF | 444 Battery St, SF | 8 p.m. | $22.25-$32.25
Laurie Kilmartin has been doing stand-up since 1987 and has written two books, “Shitty Mom” and “Dead People Suck”. She is currently a writer for CONAN on TBS.
Thursday 4/25
San Francisco Art Fair 2024
4/25-4/28 | Fort Mason Center | 2 Marin Blvd, SF | 11 a.m. | $35-$65
The 2024 edition of the San Francisco Art Fair presents a significant selection of contemporary and modern artworks from returning exhibitors and exciting newcomers. The much-anticipated 12th edition celebrates the San Francisco art scene while featuring an array of compelling installations, events, talks, and performances.
Black Veil Brides
4/25 | The Fillmore | 1805 Geary Blvd, SF | 7 p.m. | $37.50
Black Veil Brides is an American rock band based in Hollywood, California. The group is currently composed of lead vocalist Andy Biersack, rhythm guitarist and violinist Jinxx, lead guitarist Jake Pitts, drummer Christian “CC” Coma and bassist Lonny Eagleton.
Hot Mulligan
4/25 | The UC Theatre | 2036 University Ave, Berkeley | 7 p.m. | $35
Hot Mulligan have a way of manifesting things into existence, whether it’s name-dropping Michelle Branch and Mark Hoppus in song titles and netting responses from both (only one got the joke) or, true to their word, becoming synonymous with the newest waves of pop-punk and emo–err,post-emo, the genre Hot Mully have claimed responsibility for inventing.
Friday 4/26
Kat Robichaud’s Misfit Cabaret Presents POP
4/26-4/27 | Alcazar Theatre | 650 Geary St, SF | 8 p.m. | $35-$250
Misfit Cabaret is escapism at its finest! Jump into their marshmallow world, and shake off the blues with a sugar- fueled manic explosion of pop music, aerials, burlesque, and drag for a one-of-a-kind musical variety show!!!
Craft Chocolate Experience
4/26-4/28 | Palace of Fine Arts | 3601 Lyon St, SF | 11 a.m. | $25-$150
Join a global gathering of chocolate makers, chocolatiers, and industry experts as they share their products, their knowledge, and their love of craft chocolate. Sample and shop our marketplace, and enjoy pairings, demos, and lively on-stage discussions.
The Fillmore Eclipse: An Immersive Theatre Experience
4/26-5/12 | Honey Art Studio | 1981 Sutter St, SF | 7:30 p.m. | $30-$80
Step into The Fillmore Eclipse, a 1950s late-night jazz club, with this dazzling new immersive theatre experience that will transport you into the heart of the Be-bop Jazz era. With special session musicians such as John Coltrane, Billie Holiday, and Charlie Parker, the Eclipse was a confluence point for San Francisco’s thriving African American community and Japanese Americans returning from internment camps.
The Garden Party
4/26 | Public Works | 161 Erie St, SF | 9:30 p.m. | $15-$20
Step inside a luminous, wondrous world of flora and fauna, where your body and mind can transport to an immersive universe of imagination, love, and primal groove.
Musiq Soulchild
4/26 | The Warfield | 982 Market St, SF | 8 p.m. | $35-$85
Musiq Soulchild is a soulstar who has developed a sound uniquely his own, by fusing together the essence of ‘Soul Music’ with ‘Funk’ rules and ‘Hip Hop’ swagger.
Jerry Seinfeld
4/26 | Luther Burbank Center for the Arts| 50 Mark West Springs Rd, Santa Rosa | 7 p.m. | $84.50–$355
America’s premier comedian, Jerry Seinfeld, has been hailed for his uncanny ability to joke about the little things in life that relate to audiences everywhere.
Saturday 4/27
17th Annual Dogfest 2024
4/27 | Duboce Park | Duboce & Scott St, SF | 11 a.m. | Free, All ages
This year’s annual fundraiser, for McKinley Elementary, will be filled with carnival food and games for the kids, delicious snacks from Señor Sisig and Bacon Bacon food trucks, local restaurants such as Canela, and the bake sale, the doggie adoption zone, and of course, the main event – the celebrity-judged dog show!
Infectious Grooves
4/27 | The UC Theatre | 2036 University Ave, Berkeley | 8 p.m | $52.50
Infectious Grooves inject a potent mix of funk and groove into their sound which instantly captivated audiences with their cross-genre appeal. With a cheeky touch of goofy humour, they became a force to be reckoned with in the international scene.
Jared Freid
4/27 | Cobb’s Comedy Club | 915 Columbus Ave. SF | 7 p.m. | $35.25-$50.25
Jared’s comedy is current and reflects the ordinary daily thoughts of everyone you know, especially if everyone you know is a millennial, obsessed with dating apps, trying to be a real adult and worried about their body.
Sunday 4/28
SF Comedy Showcase
4/28 | Punch Line SF | 444 Battery St, SF | 7:30 p.m. | $16.50-$24.50, 18+
San Francisco has a rich and vibrant comedy scene, and this weekly show has birthed such comedians as Patton Oswalt, Margaret Cho and Arj Barker, as well as the current flock of up and coming stars like W. Kamau Bell and Moshe Kasher. Come see the comics of tomorrow, today!
Adam Ant, w/ special guest The English Beat
4/28 | Fox Theater | 1807 Telegraph Ave, Oakland | 6:30 p.m. Doors | $49.50-$59.50
Adam Ant, one of the defining musicians of new wave, brings his ANTMUSIC tour to North America in 2024, extending a legacy that stretches back to the heady days of post-punk.
Monday 4/29
Iniko
4/29 | The Fillmore | 1805 Geary Blvd, SF | 8 p.m. | $27.50
A gifted songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, Iniko is leading an alternative soul revolution. Drawing inspiration from trap music, rock, movie scores, dancehall and soul, Iniko finds inspiration in almost every situation.
AJR: The Maybe Man Tour
4/29 | Chase Center | 1 Warriors Way, SF | 8 p.m. | $49.50+
AJR is a New York City-based trio of brothers who make eclectic indie pop.
Week of 4/30-5/6
Tuesday, 4/30
Bombay Bicycle Club
4/30 | The Fillmore | 1805 Geary Blvd, SF | 8 p.m. | $50.75
Bombay Bicycle Club are an English indie rock band from Crouch End, London. They are guitar-fronted and have experimented with different genres, including folk, electronica, world music and indie rock.
Sevendust & Static-X
4/30 | The Midway | 900 Marin St, SF | 7 p.m. | $39.50-$129.50
In 1999, metal legends Sevendust, Static-X, & DOPE were each exploding onto the scene, while pairing up to create one of the most memorable tours of the year. Fast forward to 2024 and this incredible tour package is primed to deliver a super-charged evening of unforgettable music for newfound and lifelong fans of this resurging genre.
Wednesday, 5/1
San Francisco International Arts Festival
5/1 | Various SF Venues | 8 p.m. | Free-$100
The Festival will take place in at least a dozen Mission based venues in 2024. The Festival’s theme continues to be IN DIASPORA: I.D. for the New Majority. I.D. asks artists to contemplate the changing demographics of the United States of America and / or apply the ideas of social justice to reflect on the conditions of minority, migrant, disenfranchised and/or displaced peoples in other countries and continents.
An Evening With Violent Femmes
5/1 | The Warfield | 982 Market St, SF | 8:30 p.m. | $49.95-$ 135.65
Few (if any) have made an album as prescient, potent, and powerful from top-to-bottom as Violent Femmes. The master recordings may have been lost for over three decades, but the band will play it once again in its entirety on tour in 2023. If you haven’t seen them since high school or college, bring your kids and their friends, because Violent Femmes are just as daring, dangerous, and dynamic as ever.
Thursday, 5/2
POC Food & Wine Festival
5/2-5/5 | SF and Berkeley Area | 6 p.m. | $75-$245
POC Food & Wine is a festival celebrating the global majority in food, wine, music, and culture. More than just a food & wine festival, it is an event meant to build community, discover diverse talent, and enjoy a multi-sensory experience designed with exquisite detail and hospitality.
RAWdance 20th Anniversary Benefit & Celebration
5/2 | The Green Room | 401 Van Ness Ave, SF | 6 p.m. | $150
This year, RAWdance celebrates 20 years of dancing, performances, and pushing boundaries! We’ll be celebrating 20’s style, with a 1920s speakeasy theme (and a 2020s edge). Glam it up for a night two decades in the making, featuring live performance by the company, flowing drinks and hors d’oeuvres, prizes, a dance party, and new surprises.
Friday, 5/3
Visionquest
5/3 | The Midway | 900 Marin St, SF | 9 p.m. | $25-$75
Visionquest are… Seth Troxler, Ryan Crosson, Shaun Reeves and Lee Curtiss, the most innovative and exciting new breed of DJ/producers to come out of the city of Detroit in a generation.
Saturday, 5/4
Art of Noise
5/4-8/18 | SFMOMA | 151 3rd St, SF | 10 a.m. | $30
Pour over 400+ San Francisco psychedelic rock posters, featuring legendary bands like the Grateful Dead. See icons of graphic design by Milton Glaser and others. Mid century modern album covers, as well as hip-hop, punk, and rave flyers complete this expansive display of incredible color and creativity.
Prateek Kuhad
5/4 | The Masonic | 1111 California St, SF | 8 p.m. | $53-$146.30
Prateek Kuhad’s cold/mess EP has garnered a slew of international accolades and inspired a growing global fan base.
Sunday, 5/5
Yellow Days
5/5 | The Independent | 628 Divisadero St, SF | 8 p.m. | $30
Noted for throaty, yearning vocals that accompany his swimmy indie soul-pop, Yellow Days is the performance alias of British musician George van den Broek.
Monday, 5/6
Justin Timberlake
5/6-5/7 | SAP Center | 525 West Santa Clara St, SJ | 7:30 p.m. | $55-$300
The Forget Tomorrow World Tour is the upcoming seventh headlining concert tour by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. His first tour in five years, it is in support of his sixth studio album, Everything I Thought It Was.
Craig David
5/6 | The Masonic | 1111 California St, SF | 8 p.m. | $7-$195.90
Craig David is a British singer, songwriter, rapper, DJ and record producer who rose to fame in 1999.
The Week of 5/7-5/13
Tuesday 5/7
An Evening with David Sedaris
5/7 | Luther Burbank Center for the Arts | 50 Mark West Springs Rd, Santa Rosa | 7:30 p.m. | $39-$75
David Sedaris is one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers. He is a master of satire and one of today’s most observant writers.
Wednesday 5/8
X Ambassadors
5/5 | August Hall | 420 Mason St, SF | 8 p.m. | $26-$149
X Ambassadors are a multi-platinum trio formed by brothers Sam Nelson Harris (vocals, guitar, saxophone, bass) and Casey Harris (piano, keys) while the pair were in high school in Ithaca, New York. Later joined by Adam Levin (drums) upon moving to Brooklyn, the trio have gone on to dominate the alternative charts over the last decade.
Thursday 5/9
21 Savage w/ J.I.D
5/9 | Toyota Pavilion at Concord | 2000 Kirker Pass Rd, Concord | 7 p.m. | $29.50-$129.50
Grammy Award Winning multi-platinum artist 21 Savage is an American rapper from the United Kingdom.
Phil Lesh & Friends
5/9 | The Warfield | 982 Market St, SF | 8 p.m. | $59.95-$149.95, All ages
Phil Lesh and Friends is an American rock band formed and led by Phil Lesh, former bassist of the Grateful Dead.
Craig Ferguson
5/9-5/11 | Cobb’s Comedy Club | 915 Columbus Ave, SF | 7:30 p.m. | $35.25-$50.25
Craig Ferguson is a multiple Grammy nominated, Peabody and Emmy Award-winning actor, writer, producer, director and comedian with a diverse career that encompasses film, television and the stage.
Friday 5/10
Tom Segura: Come Together
5/10 | SAP Center | 525 W Santa Clara St, SJ | 8 p.m. | $28.50-$95.50
Actor/Comedian/Writer Tom Segura is one of the biggest names in comedy. Your Mom’s House Studios is home to his hit podcasts Your Mom’s House which he co-hosts with his wife, comedian Christina Pazsitzky, 2 Bears 1 Cave which he co-hosts with Bert Kreischer, and many more podcasts that reach over 22 million people.
Sam Jay
5/10 | The New Parish | 1743 San Pablo Ave, Oakland | 7 p.m. | $29.50-$35
Originally from Boston, stand-up comic Sam Jay is an Emmy Nominated Writer most known for her writing and sketches on “Saturday Night Live.”
Saturday 5/11
San Francisco Beer Festival 2024
5/11 | Fort Mason Center | 2 Marina Blvd, SF | 12 p.m. | $45 – $65
Dive into beer culture with specially curated exhibitors, all of whom love bear as much as you do. Sample seltzers and beer from the San Francisco Bay Area’s top breweries, enjoy tasty food, and appreciate the party atmosphere with live musical entertainment.
Carlos Reyes
5/11 | Yoshi’s Oakland | 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland | 7 p.m. Doors | $30-$59
World renowned for his mastery of the Paraguayan harp and violin, Carlos musical talents have touched the hearts and spirits of people around the world.
Mill Valley Music Festival
5/11-5/12 | Friends Field | 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley | 10 a.m. | $99-$479
Mill Valley Music Festival will return to Friends Field to transform the Mill Valley Community Center into a sprawling outdoor festival grove.
Sunday 5/12
Summertime Radness: Ben Hemsley
5/12 | Phoenix Hotel | 601 Eddy St, SF | 1 p.m. | $20-$30, 21+
15Utah x DJ Dials x Soundproof present Summertime Radness w/ Ben Hemsley.
Monday 5/13
Jesse McCartney
5/13 | The Regency Ballroom | 1300 VanNess Ave, SF | 8 p.m. | $35-$49.50
The pop star’s pursuit of radical defiance refuses to stick to anyone’s expectations. His followup to 2021’s New Stage, All’s Well (due March TK, 2024) is a fun, supple, and fascinating step on the multi-talented multi-hyphenate’s journey of expressing a true self beyond the expectations and demands—equal parts vintage Hall and Oates, postmodern swag, and honeymoon sincerity packaged in that undeniable McCartney charm.
Don’t forget to check out our Big Bad List of Rad Ongoing Events right here!
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