Nancy Keane grew up in San Francisco in the 1940s and ’50s in a big family, and several of the girls developed into wonderful writers, notably including the poet Geri Digiorno up in Petaluma. For years, Nancy has run the 3300 Club, a neighborhood bar par excellence at 29th & Mission. Somewhere along line she let the regulars know there would be poetry readings in their bar, and their grumbling was mostly just good natured resignation. We imagine that for the most part Nancy does what she wants, and garners huge respect along the way.

Nancy will read today on a program with Jeanne Powell, a fantastically dedicated writer with a strong and instantly recognizable poetic voice. Jeanne has run various poetry series in San Francisco for decades (including most recently the series at the 3300 Club), publishes work by other poets, and has several collections of her own work out including the most recent, “Word Dancing.”

The 3300 Club is currently shut down by a massive fire that occurred just a few weeks ago. It will be quite some time before it reopens. Come hear these two poets and get a fix of Poetry at the 3300 in Exile while the workers are busy cleaning up the mess back at the bar.

Also, come to Bird & Beckett on August 7th at 2 pm, where a half dozen wonderful San Francisco poets will read to benefit the 3300! No one deserves your support more than Nancy, her family, the 3300 staff and the many barflies & regulars & working stiffs just grabbing a drink on the way home at the end of a long shift.  Read more on the benefit at this link.

Here’s a photo of the “3300 Club Family” from the bar’s website.  That’s Nancy at the far right.  Click here for more on the 3300 Club.