Grateful Dead Music Forum

OK...maybe a bit too off-topic for a relative newcomer, but I'm going to ask anyway since i think id get the best advice here. I'm going to San Fran for the first time for vaca in a week and a half, (after a good bit of convincing my GF it wasnt a Dead sightseeing tour),and am curious if anyone here knows of a good spot to hear some music.

John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom Room is a very cool spot, always gets top notch talent. Had some good times there when I have been out that way.

Naturally, the Great American Music Hall is also pretty happening. Slim's is also their place and is rock solid as well.

I may be off on both of these, I haven't been out there in a few years. But I would check them out anyway.

dleonard wrote:(after a good bit of convincing my GF it wasnt a Dead sightseeing tour)

Seeing Haight Asbury & the old Dead house takes about 10 minutes total. You must, you must ,you must!!

here's a google map of all the venues...

http://www.rukind.com/maps/

My Brother lives in the Mission and I get out there a few times a year to go see him. In the smaller bars there, (the mission) there is believe it or not there is a bit of a "jug" band revival scene going on. We hit a place on Valencia st somewhere between 20th and 18th and had a great time, really cool room with hi stage at the back with a upright piano propped up against it. the band (who's name I cant recall) was great; Jug, wash tub bass, arch top guitar, piano, and two black chicks doing killer back up and sometimes lead vocals, 7 or 8 piece band in all, really great! And apparently they play there all the time, sorry the details are sketchy but the Mission is really hip and defiantly worth checking out at night, also you should stop into the 500 club at 17th and Guerrero, my favorite SF bar.

Also take an afternoon and drive around Marin. Your lady will like it because it's very beautiful but you can hit a bunch of spots that have excellent GD significance. The Dead where after all a Marin band, they left SF in the late 60's never to return. Mill Vally, right across the Golden Gate and at the base of Mt. Tam, is where Bobby has lived since the early '70's is a really cool little town and worth checking out. Stinson Beach is where Jerry lived, for a long time, also Micky built the first "Beam"out of a chunk of driftwood from there. Stinson is overrun now with the rich and snobby but still is very pretty and there is a good little grocery right in town to grab some Racer 5 IPA's and a few sandwiches for a nice picnic lunch. Have a great trip, its a great time of year to go.

GREAT responses guys...very much appreciated

Go down to Pier 39...there are a lot of street performers who play and some of them are incredible

For another San Francisco treat try a restaurant called Tadisch Bar and Grill ..It is the oldest restaurant in San Fran..quintessential San Francisco...very cool place and great food.....started in 1849 and only closed for a couple of days after the big earthquake...It is in the financial district on California if I remember correctly...a couple of blocks from Market St. I believe the Warfield is on Market. If you ride the Hyde St trolley car there is a bar called the Buena Vista Bar right at the base of the trolley station that invented Irish Coffee believe it or not...not so much in the way of music ideas but great places to get the vibe of "the city"

have fun

Go down to Pier 39...there are a lot of street performers who play and some of them are incredible

For another San Francisco treat try a restaurant called Tadisch Bar and Grill ..It is the oldest restaurant in San Fran..quintessential San Francisco...very cool place and great food.....started in 1849 and only closed for a couple of days after the big earthquake...It is in the financial district on California if I remember correctly...a couple of blocks from Market St. I believe the Warfield is on Market. If you ride the Hyde St trolley car there is a bar called the Buena Vista Bar right at the base of the trolley station that invented Irish Coffee believe it or not...not so much in the way of music ideas but great places to get the vibe of "the city"

have fun

I used to live in Mill Valley- you will have fun in SF Bay thats for sure.
Try Vesuvios and City Lights Books both in North Beach. Not music but the original Beat bar and bookstore. Lots of fun having an Achor Steam at Vesuvios hanging out the window, watching the street with the Pyramid right down the way, and Carol Doda's strip club across Columbus. In Mill Valley (if still there) try Village Music. I believe the Sweetwater closed. Definitely hit the Haight, 710 Ashbury, walk the street, go to the park, especially on Sunday when they close the roads to cars. I haven't been back in too long but its the best place I have ever been. Enjoy yourself!

Whats up dudes

Just want to say THANKS ALOT for pointing me in the right direction in San Fran. My lady and I had a great time. Did 710, Haight, Mission District...which was awesome (that Irish bar, Phoenix? i think had some awesome beers on tap and good food), Marin, everything. I printed out this forum and brought it along.

However, the police were awful aggressive in golden gate park around the hill

You can do a street view on Google Maps for 710 Ashbury. Funny thing is, in my mind over the years, I thought it was close to Haight St. (it's not), and I thought it was on the other side of the street.

There's now a tree obscuring it, you can't see an address number anywhere (probably got stolen too many times), and one of the photos you can click on when checking it out shows some reconstruction and the entire front steps are missing.

old man down wrote:You can do a street view on Google Maps for 710 Ashbury. Funny thing is, in my mind over the years, I thought it was close to Haight St. (it's not), and I thought it was on the other side of the street.

When I was there it seemed like 710 was like 2 houses up from the corner of Haight/Ashbury, on the left.

Its right near the intersection ....
I did contemplate sitting on the porch but since it's someones house I didnt ....

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&clien ... e&resnum=1

It is around 5 houses from the corner, on the left, of the corner of Waller and Ashbury. The corner of Haight and Ashbury is 600 Ashbury.