The 22 Best Concerts Coming to SF in Winter 2023

The loudest instrumental band of the last 30 years, an SNL musical comic/musician, a Drag Race/American Idol alum and a bunch more options make the first quarter of your 2023 concert season as good as possible. Go out. Bring earplugs.

Sunn O))) at The Great American Music Hall, January 24

Earplugs. Wear earplugs.

Fred Armisen at The Great American Music Hall, January 27-29

Your drummer’s favorite comic. The residency is part of SF Sketchfest, and a different bass player is joining the fun each night (Les Claypool of Primus, Kathy Valentine of the Go-Go’s, and Mike Dirnt of Green Day).

Adore Delano at Oasis, February 1

The only Drag Race alum that’s also an American Idol alum.

Red Room Orchestra at The Great American Music Hall, February 2

RIP, Angelo Badalamenti.

Bitchin Bajas at The Chapel, February 9

Close your eyes and lose yourself in the atmospheric tunes of Drag City’s finest.

The Lone Bellow at The Fillmore, February 11

Easy listening for the Fleet Foxes fan.

FIDLAR at Bottom of the Hill, February 20

FIDLAR is an acronym and you should look it up. It’ll make you smile.

Yo La Tengo at The Fillmore, February 22-23

Hoboken’s finest.

Quasi at Starline Social Club, February 25

Take every opportunity to see Janet Weiss.

Meg Baird at The Chapel, March 1

The local indie rock vet is as good as ever on Furling.

The Albums We’re Most Looking Forward to in 2023

Is this the year we finally get that long-promised Rihanna record?

Maggie Rogers at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, March 5

Enjoy a set from a recent graduate from the Harvard Divinity School.

iLe at American Music Hall, March 13

Remember Calle 13?

Godspeed You! Black Emperor at The Chapel, March 13-17

It is possible for an instrumental band to be extremely political.

Donny Benet at Bimbo’s 365 Club, March 17

If Har Mar Superstar was easy listening. Not a bad thing.

ELIO at Brick & Mortar Music Hall, March 20

See a protégée of Charli XCX. We all wish we were protégées of Charli XCX.

Morbid Angel at The Great American Music Hall, March 24

Jesus, Morbid Angel has been doing this for 40 years. God bless ‘em.

Caloncho at The Great American Music Hall, March 25

The first few notes to “Optimista” owe a debt to Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel.” The rest is a little Unknown Mortal Orchestra meets the last decade of pop radio. It’s perfect and has been in my head since 2017.

Weyes Blood at The Regency Ballroom, March 25-26

The recently released And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow made it on quite a few best of 2022 lists for good reason.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra at The Fillmore, March 28-29

The riff to “American Guilt” gets stuck in my head at least once a week.

Adi Oasis at Starline Social Club, March 29

You’ve heard Oasis (she’s collaborated with Anderson .Paak, Keyshia Cole, JUNGLE, Gregory Porter, Lee Fields, Big Freedia and more) without knowing you’ve heard Oasis.