The free outdoor live concert series SF Live has announced a new batch of bands, with Sudan Archives this Saturday, a semi-Talking Heads reunion in August, and the Eagles of Death Metal in September.
We learned in April that the popular concert promoter Noise Pop was teaming up with the city to deliver a bunch of free outdoor concerts across San Francisco, held at lovely public parks and curated by a bunch of different nightclubs like the Great American Music Hall, Rickshaw Stop, and El Rio. Several of these concerts have already happened, the most popular of them being the The Endup’s 50th anniversary party at Union Square in mid-June.
But when these concerts were all announced, the listed schedule was rather front-heavy, with threadbare announcements for July, August, and September. But these mid- to late-summer concerts are starting to fill their slots, and yes, many of these shows are very much worth leaving the house for.
KQED picks up on this Saturday’s show featuring West African hip-hop fiddler Sudan Archives, which is at Crane Cove Park in Mission Bay from 12 noon to 5 pm. Opening acts include The Seshen’s Lalin St. Justem and Oakland’s Kossisko, who’s fresh off a set at the SF Pride main stage.
August brings former Talking Heads members Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew, reprising their “Remain in Light” set of Talking Heads songs that was a huge hit at the 2022 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival (August 17, China Basin Park). Other August acts include San Cha at the Golden Gate Park Bandshell (August 3), West Grand Brass Band at Union Square (August 8). Dueling Swing Bands at Fulton Plaza (August 15), and the Mason Street karaoke bar Pandora Karaoke doing a Union Square takeover (August 22).
Come September, popular garage rockers Eagles of Death Metal play Potrero del Sol in Potrero Hill (September 7). Former Santana vocalist Tony Lindsay plays Union Square (September 12), and electronica duo Goldfish will also play Union Square (September 21).
Artists playing other future SF Live shows have not been announced. And we’re still waiting for the announcement of that Bottom of the Hill-curated show, of which Bottom of the Hill owner Lynn Schwarz said in an April city press release “It allowed me to book a headlining band I've always wanted to book but was too big for my venue.” So we’ll keep an eye out for future concert announcements.
Image: SF Live via Facebook
