Celebrating San Francisco values and the local heroes that represent them!

August 5th, 2010
Doors at 9PM - No Cover

Mezzanine
444 Jessie Street, San Francisco

Chuck Prophet - Headliner
Chuck Prophet shapes his restless career with inimitable subtle flair: a vivid parade of razor-edged one-liners camouflaged in a slack-jawed drawl, songs about heartbreak and everyman heroism, drenched in twisted lines of rude Telecaster.

Stephanie Finch and The Company Men
Stephanie Finch has recently released her new cd ‘Cry Tomorrow,’ a casually stunning love letter to classic song. An album whose sound recalls 'Loaded' era Velvet Underground tunes alongside The Modern Lovers and Brill Building pop. But ultimately all revolves around Stephanie Finch's relaxed, cool, confident presence.  Produced by Chuck Prophet and backed by The Company Men: Prophet, Kelley Stoltz, and Rusty Miller. 'Cry Tomorrow' is an instant classic.

Stephanie's already sung her roots out with Chuck Prophet.  And she has whispered softly with Red House Painters, on 'Songs for a Blue Guitar' with Mark Kozelek.  She also popped up as a cameo on the odd tribute for Joe South, and on the soundtrack to Sign Of God with Jonathon Richman. (If your cable's paid up, you may have seen her playing Judy Collins in HBO's Chicago 7 biopic).

The Bitter Honeys - Opening
The Bitter Honeys will be opening the show; performing their own original songs, inspired by the vocal harmony groups of the early and mid sixties.

MCing - The Freeze
The Freeze is a stage show like no other.  Six performers will take the crowd on a non-stop, hip-hop improv ride, spinning cues from the audience into instantaneous lyrics and fully realized musical numbers. An MC, a vocalist, and a live band make for an evening of live, kick-ass theater.  Founded by Freestyle Love Supreme's Anthony Veneziale and the talents of Daveed Diggs (The Getback), Andrew Bancroft (aka Jelly Donut of Killing My Lobster), and Olive Mitra on bass, Mike "Agent" Smith on guitar, and Brian Rodvien on drums.  In simple terms, it's the Wu Tang Clan meets Who's Line is it Anyway in a live improvised rap concert. 

DJ set by DJ Ome

August marks the release of KFOG's Local Scene 7 CD, a collection of songs from talented musicians living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area that need to be heard.  (Best of the Bay Party headliner, Chuck Prophet, has been prominently featured on past discs, contributing tracks to volumes 1 and 2.)  Proceeds from CD sales benefit Music in Schools Today, a local non-profit that supports, develops and promotes music education for youth in schools and in the community.  Buy your CD for just $5 at the Best of the Bay Rock Party!

Photography by Liza Gershman.  Photobooth by Polite in Public.

In 1974 the Guardian blazed a trail by being the first paper to present “best of” awards. Every year since then we’ve given Best of the Bay recognition to the people, places, and things that make the Bay Area great.

Our 2010 Best of the Bay winners will be revealed in the Guardian’s July 28th issue and will include our annual Readers Poll which categories include: Food and Drink, Arts and Nightlife, Shopping, City Living, and a special reader's own "Best of the Best."

 The free 7th Annual Berkeley World Music Festival showcases a dizzying range of world music  performances Noon to 9 PM, on Saturday, June 5th in Telegraph Avenue cafes and shops near UC Berkeley, plus featured concert in People’s Park with Zydeco Flames, Kri Darag! (World fuson-Cambodian Pop) and Sekhou Senegal (West African Music & Dance). There’s everything from The Afrofunk Experience, Ancient Future's Mathew Monfort (Celtic-Raga), Yassir Chadly (Morrocan riffs), Grupo Falso Baiano (Brazilian Choro), Gramaphone & Dynamo (Greek Rebitika-Balkan-Ladino), Quijeremá (New Latino Folk) and Melanie O’Reilly (Gaelic-Jazz) to belly dance, gamelan & more! Festival epicenter is Telegraph at Haste Street where you can pick up an event map & schedule. As if spectacular free live music isn't enough, Berkeley Poetry Festival and a unique crafts bazaar where local culture meets world arts 'n crafts run concurrently until 6 pm. Not to be missed is the Ashkenaz AfterFestival Party at 1317 San Pablo Ave near Gilman Str., with $12 cover starring Markus James & the Wassonrai (Africa meets Mississippi rifts).

For more information visit: www.berkeleyworldmusic.org

Disposable Film Festival Presents: A Day in the Bay from Disposable Film Festival on Vimeo.

Calling all Barflies, beer drinkers, highballers, and aficionados of the fine drink!!
It’s time to shine the spotlight on those who keeps us hydrated.  Vote for your favorite bartenders (and their venues) in the categories listed below.
1.    Craziest Bartender
2.    Bartender with the Best Cocktail – Include name of cocktail
3.    Sexiest Male Bartender
4.    Sexiest Female Bartender
5.    Best Shrink Behind the Bar
6.    Funniest Bartender (AKA The Godfrey*)
7.    Crankiest Bartender
The Bay Area’s favorites will be featured in Scene: The Guardian Guide to Nightlife and Glamour, coming March 24th!
*Named after our 1st bartender hall of fame inductee, three-time winner Meredith Godrey of the Horseshoe Tavern.

To vote email your favorite bartenders to promos@sfbg.com by 6pm on March 16th, subject “Best Bartender”.