The 1980s were formative years for Ron Jackson, studying guitar at Berklee School of Music, spending two years in Paris picking up the electric bass, returning to New York and the jazz guitar in 1987 and touring North America and Europe. In 1991, at age 27, he released his debut album as a leader, “A…

Avotcja, poet and percussionist, dj, musicologist and historian, is the very soul of Bay Area culture. We say that without fear of contradiction. And Modúpue, a flexible ensemble of amazing musicians converging from multiple cultural and musical directions, is her vehicle to transcendence. Tune into her radio shows on KPFA and KPOO for the musical…

Sam Reider, piano & accordion Mat Muntz, bass Shawn Meyer, drums A San Francisco native out of Urban High, home of our stalwart guitarist Scott Foster, Sam Reider was turning heads at a young age as a preternaturally gifted pianist. Still young, he’s now been long established in New York and the wider roots world…

Rod Sudduth, tenor sax Ken Cook, piano Doug Miller, bass Dillon Vado, drums $20 cover charge, byob doors open 10 minutes before the show for a reservation, call the shop at 415-586-3733 Can’t make it to the shop? You’re missing a good thing, but at show time you can catch the live stream (and donate)…

Three celebrated Bay Area artists — a writer/choreographer, a director and an actor – have created a unique performance piece based on the book Dark Days and a Black Dog. Obie award winning actor Andrea Snow performs an intriguing, fully embodied “play/reading,” a new approach to bringing the written word to vivid life for an audience. Dark Days and a Black Dog, both the book and the performance, is rooted in the…

A reading to memorialize and celebrate the poet & publisher Robert Anbian. You can catch the live stream here on our website, and on our Facebook page or YouTube channel.

Ever since the pandemic began, Kim Shuck has conducted an open mic over Zoom under the Bird & Beckett auspices, attracting and serving a strong community of poets. The series continues apace, with two readings a month – 2nd and 4th Mondays at 7pm. On the 2nd Monday, there are usually two featured readers followed…

When it’s the second Sunday in an odd-numbered month, it’s time for America’s favorite Honky Tonk band, The Seducers, with Joe Goldmark, pedal steel; Mitch Polzak, lead guitar and vocals; Hank Maninger, bass guitar and vocals; and Kenny Owen, drums. Bring a twenty for the band and, if so inclined, a bottle for yourself! Not…

San Francisco journalist Denise Sullivan conducts a monthly series of conversations (the second Sunday of each month from 10-11 a.m.) with The City’s activists, educators, arts and cultural leaders and lesser-known workers, the everyday people who help make this place we call home, live streamed from Bird & Beckett Books. Jan 8 at 10 a.m.,…

John Schott, guitar Dan Seamans, bass John Hanes, drums with guest pianist Maya Kronfeld $20 cash cover charge; byob. Doors open ten minutes before the show. Reservations, call the shop at 415-586-3733. Not able to come to the shop for the show? Donate any amount that seems fair to you ($10-20 suggested), and watch it…