JANUARY
Every Friday at Terrapin Crossroads
Top 40 Fridays – featuring Scott Law, Chris Haugen, Danny Eisenberg, Steve Adams – Show 8:30 – FREE
1.19-1.20
Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band with Nicki Bluhm
The Fillmore – Doors 7:00 / Show 8:00 – $35
Nicki is a beloved favorite, and she was a local until she moved to Nashville in 2017. Check out her “Van Sessions” on YouTube to get a sense of her sultry rock sound. Josh Ritter is an Americana singer-songwriter with nine albums and two decades of live performances to his name. Together it’s going to be a night not to be missed.
1.20
Railroad Earth
The Warfield – Show 8:00 – $29.50-$40
With eight albums, Railroad Earth offers nonstop energetic bluegrass magic. They are a festival favorite!
1.20
T Sisters – Grate Room, Terrapin Crossroads Show 8 pm – $18 advance / $23 door
Paige Clem and Friends – Main Bar, Terrapin Crossroads 8:30 – FREE
Yes, the T Sisters (based in Oakland) are actually sisters; in fact, they include a set of twins. They sing gorgeous harmonies Americana style and play originals and covers with their full band, but my favorite tunes are when it’s just the three of them a cappella center stage on an old crackly microphone.
Paige Clem is also a favorite local singer-songwriter. She is the host of “Songs about Something,” a monthly songwriter showcase at the Ivy Room in Albany. I most recently saw her open for John Craigie in front of a sold-out crowd at The Sweetwater. Together with the harmonies and piano expertise of Jordan Feinstein, this show makes for a fabulous Saturday night!
1.24
First Aid Kit
Fox Theater – Show 8:00 – $29.50 – SOLD OUT
First Aid Kit is another set of harmony singing sisters from Stockholm, Sweden. I fell in love with them at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park last October. Check out their cover of “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” by the Fleet Foxes on YouTube from ten years ago, then listen to their sultry hits “Emmylou” or “My Silver Lining” to understand what they offer and how far they’ve come.
1.26-1.27
The New Orleans Suspects with Eric McFadden
Sweetwater Music Hall Doors 8:00/ Show 9:00 – $27.50 advance/ $32 door, two day pass: $42
New Orleans Suspects includes the drummer from the Neville Brothers, the bass player from the Radiators, the lead guitarist and saxophone player from the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and the pianist from Funkifry’d. If that’s not tantalizing enough, our local San Francisco based guitar legend Eric McFadden opens both nights. This show is the next best thing to buying a ticket to NOLA.
1.27-1.28
Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Freight and Salvage
1.27 – Show 8:00
1.28 – Two Shows 2:00 / 7:00 – $52 advance/ $56 door
Remember those haunting chants in the background of Paul Simon’s “Diamonds on the Souls of her Shoes?” Those singers were none other than the world-famous Ladysmith Black Mambazo. A South African male choral group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo was formed by Joseph Shabalala in 1960. They’ve won multiple awards over the years, including four Grammy Awards. Buy tickets before they sell out!
1.29
Passion Pit
Fox Theater – Show 8:00 – $40
“Take a Walk,” off of Passion Pit’s second album, was one of my favorite songs of 2012. They are described as “indietronica:” all I know is their live show at Bottlerock was off the charts and each of their four albums have been met with rave reviews.
1.29
Howard Jones
The Chapel – Doors 7:00 / Show 8:00 – $42 advance / $45 door – SOLD OUT
I know I’m revealing my age here, but who can resist seeing this man sing “No One is to Blame” and “Things Can Only Get Better” live?? The Chapel is one of the best-kept secrets in the San Francisco music scene: their sound system is top notch and they have a tendency to bring in quality acts in an accessible, fun, small space. According to The Chapel’s website, “Howard Jones has earned a reputation within the music industry for pioneering the ‘independent artist DIY’ approach, developing the essential connection between artist and fans.” And as I’m writing this, the show just sold out. Find some tickets – I promise this show will be worth it.
Emilie Rohrbach has taught music and theater to grades pre-school through 8th in San Francisco and Marin counties for the last 20 years. She has been a freelance writer for Divine Caroline for five years, and her writing has appeared in Narratively, Hippocampus, Common Ground, Travelers’ Tales, and Marin Magazine, among others. She is passionate about Room to Read, Shanti Bhavan, and Destiny Arts and serves on the board of Knighthorse Theatre Company.
