San Francisco band Sly and the Family Stone memorably sang about "Hot Fun in the Summertime" in the 1960s, but those of us who have been here for a while we know that the real hot fun comes to the Bay Area in the fall, when we have left behind June gloom and the fogs of August.
This year our fall musical calendar is packed with a wide variety of styles and venues, from wineries to churches and the historic music venue of Golden Gate Park. San Francisco and its audiences are such a draw that we have an embarrassment of riches with international artists from Syria, Mexico, Japan and Niger; venues from small intimate clubs to the Chase Center and genres which go all across the board from rap to dance pop to folk. Here's a roundup of the wide variety of artists you can see in the Bay Area this fall.
Angel Olsen, Gundlach Bundschu Winery, Sonoma, Sept. 8
I first became aware of Olsen's amazing talent as a singer-songwriter on her 2014 album "Burn Your Fire For No Witness." Since then, she's released four more albums, collaborated with artists like LeRoy Bach of Wilco and Cass McCombs. Her music spans genres from folk to rock and country and she's even dabbled in synthpop. Perhaps my favorite song by her is "Like I Used To," a collaboration with Sharon Van Etten. That song came out in 2021, which coincidentally is the same year she came out. www.gunbun.com
Omar Souleyman, Great American Music Hall, Sept. 8
Syrian singer Souleyman sings a modernized version of dabke, music for line or circle dances popular in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Jordan. He has appeared at the Glastonbury Festival and Bonnaroo and worked with British producer Four Tet and done remixes for Bjork. www.gamh.com
William Basinski, Grace Cathedral, Sept. 13
Classically-trained composer Basinski was the choice of Anohni to score the Robert Wilson opera, "The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic," and is perhaps best known for his four-part work "Disintegration Loops," based around tape loops which deteriorate over time with repeated play. He will be performing "Arcadia Archives" which mixes tape loops with archival piano recordings from Arcadia, his former loft in New York. www.gracecathedral.org
Bob the Drag Queen, The Warfield, Sept. 19
Drag queen, musician, comedian and activist Bob the Drag Queen is perhaps best known as the winner of the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race in 2016 or as co-host of We're Here on HBO. He also recently toured as the MC for Madonna's Celebration tour. On his own, he remains fabulous. www.thewarfieldtheatre.com
Childish Gambino, Chase Center, Sept. 21
Multi-talented rapper, writer, singer, comedian, actor and director Donald Glover is a multiple Grammy Award winner and his 2018 single "This Is America" debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. He brings his New World Tour, named after the July release "Bando Stone and the New World." This is perhaps your last chance to see Glover perform as Childish Gambino, as he has announced that he will be retiring the stage name after this tour. www.chasecenter.com
Rodrigo y Gabriela, The Fox Oakland, Sept. 22
Mexico City natives Rodrigo y Gabriela play acoustic guitars, but have been influence by a wide variety of musical styles including flamenco and rock (including heavy metal). One of my personal favorites by them is their cover of Pink Floyd's "Echoes" which appeared on their 2019 album "Mettavolution", an album which went on to win them a Grammy Award for "Best Contemporary Instrumental Album" in 2020. www.thefoxoakland.com
Indigo Girls, The Masonic, Sept. 25
Since they began recording and touring in 1985, Indigo Girls have built up a massive body of work and espoused numerous causes. A chance to see them is always a cause for celebration. Amos Lee opens for them on this tour. But you'll have to scrounge for tickets, as the concert's sold out. www.livenation.com
Orville Peck, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, Sept. 27
Everyone's favorite gay country singer with the fringe on the top returns to the Bay Area for his Stampede Tour, in support of his most recent album. That album, "Stampede," features Peck collaborating with everyone from Willie Nelson and Beck to Diplo and Kylie Minogue. It's sure to be a fun and lively event. www.billgrahamcivic.com
Bill Charlap Trio, SF Jazz, Sept. 28 & 29
Charlap is perhaps best known as the jazz pianist on "The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern" with Tony Bennett, which won a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. In his trio, he is joined by the phenomenal Dee Dee Bridgewater (who some of us have been following since she was Glinda in "The Wiz") and Grammy award-winning New Orleans trumpeter and multi-instrumental Nicholas Payton; what a powerful trio. www.sfjazz.org
Pillow Queens, Rickshaw Stop, Sept. 29
Queer Irish women's quartet Pillow Queens are touring in support of their new album "Name Your Sorrow", their third album. The indie rockers have opened for Pussy Riot, Future Islands and Idles and now it's your chance to see them as the main event. www.rickshawstop.com
Acid Mothers Temple, Thee Stork Club, Sept. 30
I've seen the Japanese psychedelic rockers Acid Mothers Temple multiple times, most recently at Bottom of the Hill. They never fail to bring it, performing long sets which simultaneously stimulate and anesthetize your mind. They count krautrock as being one of their influences and collaborated with the notorious British band Gong in an ensemble they called Acid Mothers Gong. Prepare yourself for an extended aural trip. www.theestorkclub.com
Anohni and the Johnsons, The Fox Oakland, Oct. 1
This is the first time Anohni has reassembled a tour with the Johnsons in a decade. In the intervening decade she was nominated for an Academy Award for best song for the song "Manta Ray" from the film "Racing Extinction." Her 2023 album "My Back Was a Bridge For You to Cross" was named album of the year by the New Yorker www.thefoxoakland.com
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Golden Gate Park, Oct 4-6
The exact lineup for the days of HSB has not been announced yet, so I can't give you the exact dates these bands will be performing, but the announced bands so far has been stellar and includes electronic Afro-funk band Ibibio Sound Machine, punk rock poet John Cooper Clarke, Cat Power sings Dylan 1966, Sleater-Kinney and Devendra Banhart. And yes, there are LGBTQ musicians, including country musicians Brandy Clark and Jobi Riccio. Check the website in mid-September for the exact lineup. www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com
Blonde Redhead/Nation of Language, The Fox Oakland, Oct. 10
Perhaps best known for the "Rick and Morty" theme "For the Damaged Coda," Blonde Redhead started out in the 1990s as an experimental band. Named after a song by the no wave band DNA they had songs which paid tribute to Pasolini and toured with Sonic Youth. Their sound evolved to incorporate more of a shoegaze sound in the 2000s (that's when I started listening). They are joined on this tour by indie rock band Nation of Language, who take inspiration from bands like Kraftwerk.
www.thefoxoakland.com
Charlie XCX/Troye Sivan, Chase Center, Oct. 20
Charlie XCX is having an incredible year, with her album "Brat" being such a breakout hit that it is working its way into this year's presidential campaign. The electropop musician is joined on this tour with the popular Troye Sivan. This promises to be the fun dance concert of the year. www.chasecenter.com
Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds, Kilowatt Oct. 22, Ivy Room Oct. 24
Kid Congo is an amazing musician, having played with The Gun Club, The Cramps and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. He still maintains a busy tour schedule, playing what he humorously calls Avant-garage music. An out musician who has published his memoirs ("Some New Kind of Kick"), this should be a really lively night. www.kidcongopowers.blogspot.com
Mdou Moctar, Regency Ballroom, Oct. 25
Moctar is a Tuareg musician from Niger who plays what has come to be known as "desert blues." He originally came to fame by having his music distributed through phone memory cards in the Sahara. He's touring to support his recently released album "Funeral for Justice" which in part addresses the impact of former colonial powers on the Sahel and native language loss. www.theregencyballroom.com
Frost Children, The Independent, Nov. 6
Indie pop sibling musicians Angel and Lulu Prost have been performing music since they were children playing music in church. They formed the Frost Children in 2019 and the pandemic quarantine cemented their relationship as a band. They truly mark a generational evolution on LGBTQ topics with Angel telling Nylon magazine in 2023 that the most boring thing she could be asked is what her pronouns were. They are the opening band for SoCal shoegaze musicians Julie (who are also worth seeing), so be sure to get there early. www.theindependentsf.com
Lauren Sanderson, The Rickshaw Stop, Nov. 22
Pop/rap artist Sanderson originally comes from Indiana, but now resides in L.A. She performed at LA Pride in West Hollywood in 2018. She points to Mac Miller and Tyler the Creator as influences and has worked with PnB Rock and released the single "Gay 4 Me" with Australian musician G Flip in 2022. www.rickshawstop.com
Never miss a story! Keep up to date on the latest news, arts, politics, entertainment, and nightlife.
Sign up for the Bay Area Reporter's free weekday email newsletter. You'll receive our newsletters and special offers from our community partners.
Support California's largest LGBTQ newsroom. Your one-time, monthly, or annual contribution advocates for LGBTQ communities. Amplify a trusted voice providing news, information, and cultural coverage to all members of our community, regardless of their ability to pay -- Donate today!