Live Acoustic Music Near Oakland, California

If you've never experienced hearing talented musicians perform in a small, intimate environment, you are in for a treat.

House concerts are a growing trend across the country, where people invite friends and neighbors into their homes for an up-close concert experience. And there are many house concerts being held in and around the Oakland area that you can check out - you just need to contact the host and ask to be invited.

Churches and non-profit community groups around Oakland host occasional coffeehouses that feature traditional folk musicians and other acoustic artists as a way of bringing the community together.

In addition, live acoustic music can be heard in several listening rooms and small theaters in and around the Oakland area. Local vineyards and restaurants and cafes in the area sometimes host nationally touring musicians as well.

Below you can find a listing of upcoming shows in these smaller venues by nationally and internationally touring artists.

Upcoming Acoustic Shows

July 27
Songwriter Showcase at the Chit Chat Cafe in Pacifica, CA. Saturday, July 27th, 1-3 PM
Chit Chat Cafe (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Pacifica, CA
July 27
Rancho Nicasio (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Nicasio, CA
July 27
The Bistro (Bar/Nightclub)
Hayward, CA
July 27
Your ticket gets you onto The Zoom + into the party!! Get a ticket @ https://bit.ly/julqptix and join us in The Zoom, and we'll donate 25% of ticket sales to Bay Area Cancer Connections!
QuaranPalooza (Online Concert Stream)
Hayward, CA
July 27
Hotel Utah (Bar/Nightclub)
San Francisco, CA
July 28
Rancho Nicasio (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Nicasio, CA
July 28
A mostly acoustic duo of right-side up finger picking (Stevie Coyle) and upside down flat picking (Glenn Houston) The Quitters deliver a memorable performance spiced with humor & serendipity.
Old St. Hilary's Landmark (Listening Room)
Tiburon, CA
July 31
Rakish, a duo comprising violinist Maura Shawn Scanlin and guitarist Conor Hearn. Rakish explores tunes and songs from Irish and American folk traditions.
The Backroom (Listening Room)
Berkeley, CA
August 1
Blue Note Napa (Listening Room)
Napa, CA
August 2
Pam Delgado & Jeri Jones team up with Chris Webster & Nina Gerber for a soulful and memorable musical experience
Rancho Nicasio (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Nicasio, CA
August 3
Hopmonk Tavern Novato (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Novato, CA
August 4
Almost Famous Wine (Listening Room)
Livermore, CA
August 7
The Bistro (Bar/Nightclub)
Hayward, CA
August 10
Rancho Nicasio (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Nicasio, CA
August 10
Hopmonk Tavern Novato (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Novato, CA
August 11
Outer Sunset Farmers Market & Mercantile (Outdoor Music Series)
San Francisco, CA
August 11
Rancho Nicasio (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Nicasio, CA
August 13
Sweetwater Music Hall (Listening Room)
Mill Valley, CA
August 14
An unforgettable night of raw, emotive country-folk music at Hotel Utah, featuring stripped-down performances by Lone Quail, Andres Miguel Cervantes, and Meredith Edgar.
Hotel Utah (Bar/Nightclub)
San Francisco, CA
August 14
The Chapel (Bar/Nightclub)
San Francisco, CA
August 15
Brick and Mortar Music Hall (Bar/Nightclub)
San Francisco, CA
August 16
Rancho Nicasio (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Nicasio, CA
August 17
Sound Union (Listening Room)
Redwood City, CA
August 18
Almost Famous Wine (Listening Room)
Livermore, CA
August 22
Freight and Salvage (Small Theater)
Berkeley, CA
August 22
The White Buffalo is the professional moniker and stage name of American musician and singer/songwriter Jake Smith.
Slim's and The Great American Music Hall (Small Theater)
San Francisco, CA
August 23
The Backroom (Listening Room)
Berkeley, CA
August 23
The White Buffalo is the professional moniker and stage name of American musician and singer/songwriter Jake Smith.
Slim's and The Great American Music Hall (Small Theater)
San Francisco, CA
August 23
Uptown Theatre Napa (Small Theater)
Napa, CA
August 24
The Bistro (Bar/Nightclub)
Hayward, CA
August 24
Hopmonk Tavern Novato (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Novato, CA
August 24
An American blues guitarist, musician, and singer. His playing combines a number of blues styles, primarily Delta blues.
Uptown Theatre Napa (Small Theater)
Napa, CA
August 25
KC Turner Presents (House Concert)
San Francisco, CA
August 25
Sweetwater Music Hall (Listening Room)
Mill Valley, CA
August 31
Almost Famous Wine (Listening Room)
Livermore, CA
September 5
Freight and Salvage (Small Theater)
Berkeley, CA
September 6
Rancho Nicasio (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Nicasio, CA
September 6
Bazaar Cafe (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
San Francisco, CA
September 6
Sound Union (Listening Room)
Redwood City, CA
September 6
Kensington Circus Pub (Bar/Nightclub)
Kensington, CA
September 7
The Chapel (Bar/Nightclub)
San Francisco, CA
September 7
Pi Jacobs draws inspiration from her unconventional upbringing in “The Land of Weed and Wine” aka Northern California. Armed with an old Gibson, a powerfully sultry voice, and a thumping homemade stomp box, Pi's show is a fun, high energy, affair.
Adobe Road Winery (Vineyard)
Petaluma, CA
September 7
Four albums and 30 years of performing and touring combined activism. His songs lie at the juncture where culture clash with politics. Soulful. Pointed. Poignant. Playful.
Bazaar Cafe (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
San Francisco, CA
September 7
Almost Famous Wine (Listening Room)
Livermore, CA
September 8
The Chapel (Bar/Nightclub)
San Francisco, CA
September 8
Sweetwater Music Hall (Listening Room)
Mill Valley, CA
September 11
The Chapel (Bar/Nightclub)
San Francisco, CA
September 11
International Folk Music Awards 2017 Artist of the Year Ordinary Elephant captivates audiences with their emotionally powerful and vulnerable songs, letting the listener know that they are not alone i
The Backroom (Listening Room)
Berkeley, CA
September 13
Bottom Of the Hill (Bar/Nightclub)
San Francisco, CA
September 17
Club Fox (Listening Room)
Redwood City, CA
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Places to see live acoustic music in and around Oakland, California

House Concerts

Dala's Nest House Concerts (Menlo Park)
Fifth Street Farms (Berkeley)
Fog House Concerts (San Francisco)
KC Turner Presents (San Francisco)
Poplar Playhouse (Berkeley)
The Monkey House (Berkeley)

Listening Rooms

Almost Famous Wine (Livermore)
Art Boutiki Music Hall (San Jose)
Blue Note Napa (Napa)
Clarion Performing Arts Center (San Francisco)
Club Fox (Redwood City)
Half Moon Bay Odd Fellows (Half Moon Bay)
Old St. Hilary's Landmark (Tiburon)
Sound Union (Redwood City)
Sweetwater Music Hall (Mill Valley)
The Backroom (Berkeley)
The Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center (San Jose)
The Lost Church (San Francisco)
The Sound Room (Oakland)

Folk Music Coffeehouses

Devil's Mountain Coffee House (Walnut Creek)

Vineyards & Breweries

Adobe Road Winery (Petaluma)
JaM Cellars (Napa)
Lagunitas Taproom (Petaluma)
Las Positas Vineyards (Livermore)
McGrail Vineyards and Winery (Livermore)

Cafes, Restaurants & Coffee Shops

Andaz Napa (Napa)
Bazaar Cafe (San Francisco)
Blue Barn Novato (Novato)
Chit Chat Cafe (Pacifica)
Hopmonk Tavern Novato (Novato)
Rancho Nicasio (Nicasio)
Red Rock Coffee (Mountain View)
Riggers Loft Wine Company (Richmond)
San Gregorio General Store (San Gregorio)
Simple Pleasures Cafe (San Francisco)
The Barnyard Epicurean Wine Bar (Danville)
The Preacher's Daughter (Alameda)

Small Theaters

Bankhead Theater (Livermore)
Campbell Theater (Martinez)
Empress Theatre (Vallejo)
Freight and Salvage (Berkeley)
Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center (Livermore)
McNear's Mystic Theatre (Petaluma)
Sebastiani Theatre (Sonoma)
Slim's and The Great American Music Hall (San Francisco)
The Guild Theatre Menlo Park (Menlo Park)
Uptown Theatre Napa (Napa)

Outdoor Music Series

USS Potomac (Oakland)
The Golden Gate Bandshell (San Francisco)
Outer Sunset Farmers Market & Mercantile (San Francisco)

Bars & Nightclubs

Amado's (San Francisco)
Antlers Tavern (Pinole)
Apple Jacks Inn (La Honda)
Bottom Of the Hill (San Francisco)
Brick and Mortar Music Hall (San Francisco)
Cafe Du Nord (San Francisco)
Hotel Utah (San Francisco)
Ivy Room (Albany)
Kensington Circus Pub (Kensington)
Lucca Bar and Grill (Benicia)
Neck of the Woods (San Francisco)
Nickie's (San Francisco)
No Name Bar (Sausalito)
Starling Bar (Sonoma)
The Big Easy (Petaluma)
The Bistro (Hayward)
The Chapel (San Francisco)
The Make Out Room (San Francisco)
The Riptide (San Francisco)
Winters Tavern (Pacifica)