Night Moves Concert Dates San Francisco

By Kunal

June 8, 2017 9:00 am

A Brief Guide to the Art of the Concert Date in SF

THE CONCERT DATE is a key one for several reasons:

It is a guaranteed change from the norm and thus more memorable. Memorable is good.
Hitting a music venue in a ‘hood you might not typically visit otherwise is an excellent opportunity to explore said ‘hood. See above re: change from the norm.
Loud music leads to close talking. If done right, close talking leads to canoodling.

With these in mind, we bring you Night Moves*, a series of curated date night itineraries based around some of the best upcoming shows San Francisco has to offer.

Three easy steps to get you and your sweetheart rolling on some tasty eats, frosty libations, and tunes for every taste.

Canoodling is up to you.

*Regrettably, the Detroit legend himself had no upcoming shows in the area and thus is not featured in this piece. IH acknowledges the irony and hopes to remedy the issue in future editions.

If you’re in the mood for …
A POLITICAL REVOLUTION
WITH A KATE BUSH VOICE

PERFUME GENIUS
AT THE INDEPENDENT

JULY 18 • BUY YOUR TICKETS

At the intersection of the personal and political are the hugely personal, wildly ambitious songs of Perfume Genius, a.k.a Mike Hadreas

YOUR PRE-SHOW DINNER
It’s Nopa! If you haven’t been, you have to go. If you have, you’ve already booked your table. Newbies: Everything’s great, but we’d write home about the pappardelle and grilled broccoli.

YOUR POST-SHOW DRINKS
You can find fancier drinks in the neighborhood, but our money’s on Mini Bar, the laidback, quasi-dive bar with cheap, strong drinks and a classic rock vibe — they have craft cocktails, but go with something straightforward.

If you’re in the mood for …
IDIOSYNCRATIC POP

LEON BRIDGES & REGINA SPEKTOR
AT THE MONTEREY FAIRGROUNDS

JUNE 16 • BUY YOUR TICKETS

If Leon Bridges isn’t kicking off your Spotify Daily Mix, you’re missing out on super-soulful songs from the 26-year-old Texan. Regina Spektor, meanwhile, continues to hone her trademark quirk with lyrically intricate pop songs.

YOUR PRE-SHOW DINNER
The former Stokes Adobe, built in the 1830s, is one of the most historically resonant spaces in Northern California (Ghosts: check.) In terms of 1833’s menu, think hearty local, like tempura oysters and short rib goulash.

YOUR POST-SHOW DRINKS
Bull and Bear is open late — 1:30 a.m. — which makes it the ideal place to wind down after Bridges’ set (scheduled to finish around 11.) Settle in with one of the array of on-tap beers or choose from the whiskey library.

If you’re in the mood for …
A TRENDSETTING MASH-UP OF THE ’60S YÉ-YÉ SOUND
WITH THE BEST POSSIBLE LATE-’90S ELECTRONICA
THAT’S SOMEHOW STILL TOTALLY RELEVANT TODAY

AIR
AT THE MASONIC

JUNE 23 • BUY YOUR TICKETS

If Moon Safari soundtracked your high school/collegiate/post-collegiate experience in the late ’90s, you won’t want to miss the paradigm-shifting electro-acoustic duo as they tour in support of that album’s 20th anniversary.

YOUR PRE-SHOW DINNER
Crowds be damned — nobody’s figured out seasonal wood-fired pizzas quite as well as Del Popolo, which just about made our spring with the Wild Nettles, with spring onion, ricotta salata, and lemon.

YOUR POST-SHOW DRINKS
Nobody works harder than Hopwater to feature an ever-changing array of California beers — they cap the number available at 31 in tribute to our place as the 31st state. Our pick of the moment: the Pt. Bonita Rustic Lager.

LET’S TALK SCENTS …

FROM OUR PARTNER

So you’ve booked the restaurant. Concert tix firmly in your billfold. You’ve even got a plan for where to grab a nightcap afterward. Seems as though you’ve thought of everything, you date wizard you.

Well, almost everything. Don’t forget that an evening spent leaning in close to be heard over the band is a chance to impress your date with a scent they’ll appreciate as much as the music.

To wit: Mr. Burberry Eau De Parfum, the newest men’s fragrance from the storied British fashion house. A robust scent with an amber-and-vetiver base that recalls a classic English gentleman’s eau de toilette, it’ll keep you shipshape long after the last note’s been played.

If you’re in the mood for …
YOUR FAVORITE DAVID BOWIE SONGS
THROUGH A DISTINCTLY BRAZILIAN FILTER

If you’re in the mood for …
YOUR FAVORITE DAVID BOWIE SONGS THROUGH A DISTINCTLY BRAZILIAN FILTER

SEU JORGE
AT THE FOX

JUNE 24 • BUY YOUR TICKETS

Brazilian star Seu Jorge is best known in the U.S. for his Portuguese-language takes on vintage Bowie for The Life Aquatic soundtrack. He’s now touring behind that project, in tribute to the English icon.

YOUR PRE-SHOW DINNER
Flora‘s Art Deco interiors are regal, the food is delish (we like: the iceberg wedge and burger) — and it’s right across the street from The Fox, which makes sticking around for a cocktail (we like: the gin-centric Salt & Pepper) an extremely convivial decision.

YOUR POST-SHOW DRINKS
If you’re looking for more music after the show, head to The Uptown, with a ton of live music (often free) and a patio that is inversely enjoyable to the number of smokers on it.

If you’re in the mood for …
THE BEST FINELY CRAFTED POP
OF THE 2000S AND BEYOND

AIMEE MANN
AT UC THEATRE

JULY 14 • BUY YOUR TICKETS

Aimee Mann’s profile should be on coins for the depth of her contribution to American storytelling.

YOUR PRE-SHOW DINNER
Revival offers exactly what you’d expect from a spot basically adjacent to the downtown Berkeley BART stop: super-seasonal, super-local, and a menu mindful of sustainability. Our choice: the mussels and duck breast.

YOUR POST-SHOW DRINKS
The exterior of Tupper & Reed may look like a particularly storied frat house but it was, in fact, once a music store — a past reflected in the jazz schedule. As for the cocktail list? It’s 31 items deep — rather than guess, give the bartender some background and let them pick.

If you’re in the mood for …
LITERALLY THE BEST
IN WORLD MUSIC

AMADOU & MARIAM
AT STERN GROVE FESTIVAL

AUGUST 6 • BUY YOUR TICKETS

If the “world music” descriptor is putting you to sleep, rest assured that Amadou & Mariam — veterans of festivals like Glastonbury and Coachella — were born knowing how to hold a crowd.

YOUR PRE-SHOW DINNER
Sit at the bar for a chilled out version of Oswald‘s seasonal/local/etcetera menu: burgers, fries, mushroom soup and Dungeness crab.

YOUR POST-SHOW DRINKS
Whether you’re looking for a craft cocktail or just a long, loving scan through 515‘s list of tequilas or the two-dozen-plus gins — you will absolutely find something you like here.