Live music, a classic film, art exhibits and even a pop-up beer garden are all slated to be highlights for this week. Venues all across the Bay Area that are well-known to San Francisco and Berkeley locals have opened their doors to guests of all ages (well, save for the beer garden) and offer affordable, exciting events that can’t be experienced anywhere else.
Friday, July 14: Palm @ Swedish American
Palm is a small pop rock group from Philadelphia. The four-piece band wields a nice, vaguely off-kilter sound — according to its bandcamp page: “the syntax of popular music is regarded suspiciously and often subjected to revisions or reversals.” On Friday, the doors of the Swedish American Hall in San Francisco open at 7:30 p.m. to play host to the masterminds of this experimental sound — drummer Hugo Stanley, bassist Gerasimos Livitsanos, and guitarists and singers Eve Alpert and Kasra Kurt. Bring $14 to the door for a taste of their eclectic music.
Saturday, July 15: ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ in 70mm
“2001: A Space Odyssey” in 70mm combines two essentials — a genre-defining science fiction film and a classic film format. For two hours and 41 minutes, the eerie Stanley Kubrick film — a threateningly soundtracked story filled with elaborately long takes and ground-breaking set design — will play in deeper colors and wider high-resolution on the huge screen housed at the beautiful, historic Castro Theater in San Francisco on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. Tickets are priced at $13 for general admission and $10 for youth and seniors, a bargain for the special experience.
Sunday, July 16: Free Family Day at SFMOMA
Free Family Day is part of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s “Performance All Ages” program, which brings interactive exhibits to intergenerational audiences. The event is a culmination of a year’s worth of work from an artist-in-residence at SFMOMA. This year, Free Family Day coincides with the opening of “Soundtracks,” the museum’s first group exhibition to focus on the influence of sound on the experience of contemporary art. The day will feature live performances from Brazilian audiovisual artist group O Grivo and American artist Camille Norment. Visitors under 18 are always given free admission at SFMOMA, but on Free Family Day, two adults accompanying a minor are also given free admission. Tickets will be available at the museum July 16.
Wednesday, July 19: Through the Roots at Cornerstone
Founded in San Diego, Through The Roots offers a blend of traditional reggae and modern rock with a fresh Californian flair. The band, which originated in 2008, features Evan Hawkins (vocals/guitar), Taylor Boatwright (drums/vocals), Budda Foster (bass/keys), Corrick Watson (guitar/vocals) and Brady O’Rear (keys/synth) — the latter of whom brings a Hawaiian influence to the West Coast sound. The band’s performance at local venue Berkeley Cornerstone Craft Beer & Live Music will begin at 8:30 p.m, and tickets will be available at the door for $16 or online for $14. The stage at Cornerstone will also play host to reggae groups Thrive and Sun-Dried Vibes, two bands also dedicated to exploring the intersections between reggae, rock and soul.
Thursday, July 20: Beer Garden NightLife | NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences
If you’re interested in craft beers, California Academy of Sciences has organized a pop-up beer garden. Guests are invited to listen to local brewmasters while sampling beers from local breweries and learning about base ingredients. Experts at the San Francisco Botanical Garden will also offer insights on the science of crafting delicious brews. The event is part of Cal Academy’s NightLife, a series of themed events that takes place every week from 6-10 p.m. Admission to the beer garden — which is 21+ only — is $12 for members and $15 for non-members. Specific highlights include a special look at the botanical science behind “SF’s favorite drink,” Fernet-Branca, and a feature on NightLife’s signature beer (as it’s crafted from the museum’s own stock of plants), an Aliciella Bitter from Magnolia Brewing Co.
