San francisco

[jaizbones]

Am going to San Francisco after holidays and would like to visit a decent music store and maybe even a concert. Anyone have the inside scoop? Thanks

[Paul Hostetter]

For local listings, get the Pink Section (everyone here will know what that means) or check online here: www.sfgate.com. I'm not sure what your fancy is: opera, sessions, whatever. If it's sessions, there are some good ones but they won't be in the Pink Section. Ask harder here.

Shops? Gryphon's always my first choice. They're in Palo Alto, down south of SF proper, below the airport. Competely worth the quick trip. Guitar Solo is in the SOMA (SOuth of MArket) district of SF. There's the Fifth String over in Berkeley (right by a BART stop) which has the big Gibson franchise, if that's interesting. Schoenberg Guitars is up in Tiburon, another nice trip to take and a nice shop to visit.

If you have a nice day, drive up to the top of Twin Peaks and/or Coit Tower and have a look around.

[Jim M.]

Freight & Salvage in Berkeley is one of the best concert venues for roots music. Here's a link to the January calendar:
Freight & Salvage

[Paul Hostetter]

The Freight's on SFGate, as is Ashkenaz (a lot more roots in my estimation) down the street, not to mention Strings, and Julie's Coffee & Tea Garden and the Crosstown Coffeehouse in Alameda, and. . .

[EdSherry]

I second the recommendation of Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto (about 35 miles south of SF). Good folks, very knowledgeable, great selection.

[jefflester]

This recent thread covered Bay Area mandolin stores:

http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin....t=39777

[Jim MacDaniel]

Mando music alert: David Grisman is at the Freight on 12/29*

(*It's a BG show instead of Dawg music, but it still rates a smiley emoticon.)