October’s concerts in Marin are bringing dancing, head-banging and Halloween parties. Across the county, you’ll find funk, rock, reggae and more for the spookiest month of the year. We’ve sorted concerts by venue in this list, with multiple shows listed at some of the venues. Click through any of the links to see each venue’s full live music schedule for the month.
Smiley’s Saloon
Our Pick: Vinyl
Oct. 4 @ 8:30 p.m., $20adv/$25 at door
See Smiley’s full live music calendar here.
Horns, drums, and undeniable groove, this Marin-grown group has been funking it up for over two decades. Vinyl is an instrumental party band, playing funk, disco, Latin, reggae and whatever else it will take to get you up and dancing. Being from the bowels of Marin County (a garage in Mill Valley), their home turf is the Sweetwater, but 2024’s mini-tour sees them starting off in Bolinas at Smiley’s. But southern/central Marinites need not fear: Vinyl will be back at the Sweetwater next month on Nov. 27 for their annual “Black Wednesday” performance the day before Thanksgiving.
Also coming to Smiley’s, look out for Beso Negro, a San Francisco-based jazz manouche group that adds in modern rock elements for a unique blend of moody and uptempo. Catch them playing the evening of Oct. 5.
Peri’s Tavern
Our Pick: The Tea Leaves
Oct. 11 @ 9 p.m., $20
See Peri’s full live music calendar here.
The Tea Leaves are (dare I say it?) steeped in the Bay Area’s jam band musical history. Composed of members from the groups Tea Leaf Green, ALO and Jambay, the group visits venues around the Bay Area for shows. Mellow but grooving, their sound is perfect for a Friday evening in Fairfax. Lucky us — you can do just that on Oct. 11.
Trying to party into the wee hours? Show up to see the FAXsion, a hip hop conglomerate of local DJs and emcees, on Oct. 26. The special Halloween show lasts until 2 a.m.
Sweetwater Music Hall
Our Pick: Zepparella
Oct. 11 & 12 @ 9 p.m., $39.66
See Sweetwater’s full live music calendar here.
A band so nice you see them twice — Zepparella is coming for two nights of performance at the Sweetwater this October. As far as Led Zeppelin tribute bands go, they’re the gold standard. The group’s cover of “When the Levee Breaks” has 24 million views on Youtube. A San Francisco gem, coming to Mill Valley!
And did you know that Sweetwater is the place to see reggae in Marin? Coming up this month is Mykal Rose, the singer from Kingston and former member of Black Uhuru, on Oct. 18. Still churning out hits in Jamaica, and touring around the United States and Europe, Rose is top of his game, playing songs off his new album Rockin’ Like a Champion.
Rancho Nicasio
Our Pick: Annie Sampson Band
Oct. 19 @ 7:30 p.m., $24
See Rancho Nicasio’s full live music calendar here.
Annie Sampson rolls up blues, rock and soul into one powerful voice, backed up by a group of musicians who do it justice. Sampson hit the Bay Area music scene with ‘70s group Stoneground, and her credits include working with musicians like Elvin Bishop, Taj Mahal and many more. Enjoy dinner and a show by Sampson and her band at Rancho Nicasio.
Mac’s at 19 Broadway
Our Pick: Songwriters’ Parlor in the Round
Oct. 20 @ 5 p.m.
See Mac’s full live music calendar here.
If you need a break from all this high-powered funk and rock, Mac’s in Fairfax is bringing up four songwriters for a performance in the round. The night will include music from Nashville-based Claudia Nygaard, the husband-and-wife duo of Claudia Russell and Bruce Kaplan plus Marin local Matt Lacques.
HopMonk Tavern
Our Pick: James Earley Funk Revue
Oct. 31 @ 8 p.m., $20 advance/$25 at door
See HopMonk’s full live music calendar here.
For a high-energy Halloween show, try the Oct. 31 performance by The James Earley Funk Revue. A Bay Area musician and producer, Earley produced hits for MC Hammer — yes, including “Can’t Touch This” — and has worked with countless other artists. My computer is having trouble loading all his credits on Discogs because the list is so long. Earley and his band will be joined by vocalist Ariel Marin, sometimes called “the Sade of the Bay.”
Acoustic sets are coming to HopMonk as well. First up, Duo Quartet is a collaboration among four stellar Bay Area musicians. Acoustic but edgy, their sound will have you alternately swaying and jamming on Oct. 4. Then, Austin-based singer-songwriter David Ramirez pays a visit on Oct. 13 to show off his emotional songs and buttery voice.
Looking for more exciting things to do? Check out our roundup of October events in Marin.
