Live Acoustic Music Near San Rafael, 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 San Rafael 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 San Rafael 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 San Rafael 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

December 21
Freight and Salvage (Small Theater)
Berkeley, CA
December 21
Hopmonk Tavern Sebastopol (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Sebastopol, CA
December 21
The Chapel (Nightclub)
San Francisco, CA
December 28
The Bistro (Neighborhood Bar)
Hayward, CA
December 30
Uptown Theatre (Small Theater)
Napa, CA
December 31
Freight and Salvage (Small Theater)
Berkeley, CA
January 11
The Monkey House (House Concert)
Berkeley, CA
January 12
Rancho Nicasio (Nightclub)
Nicasio, CA
January 17
Sweetwater Music Hall (Listening Room)
Mill Valley, CA
January 19
Brick and Mortar Music Hall (Neighborhood Bar)
San Francisco, CA
January 22
Cafe Du Nord (Nightclub)
San Francisco, CA
January 22
Ivy Room (Neighborhood Bar)
Albany, CA
January 23
Freight and Salvage (Small Theater)
Berkeley, CA
January 23
Sweetwater Music Hall (Listening Room)
Mill Valley, CA
January 24
Freight and Salvage (Small Theater)
Berkeley, CA
January 24
Occidental Center for the Arts (Listening Room)
Occidental, CA
January 24
Cafe Du Nord (Nightclub)
San Francisco, CA
January 25
Jim Kweskin's shows radiate charm, humor, sophistication and talent. His endearing sense of good humor and interpretations make his performances a delight. Kweskin is recognized as one of the best interpreters of the great American songbook.
The Hillside Club (Small Theater)
Berkeley, CA
January 25
Freight and Salvage (Small Theater)
Berkeley, CA
January 25
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center (Listening Room)
Sebastopol, CA
January 25
Dreamy, haunting, sometimes sassy original music.
Winters Tavern (Neighborhood Bar)
Pacifica, CA
January 26
Blue Note Napa (Listening Room)
Napa, CA
January 26
Amelia Ray is The Interpreter. The San Francisco native has performed her soul-rock compositions across Europe and is featured at the 2024 National Women’s Music Festival.
Ivy Room (Neighborhood Bar)
Albany, CA
January 31
Chris Jones is a singer, a songwriter, a guitarist, and, thanks to his role hosting SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction, one of the most widely heard broadcasting voices in bluegrass music.
The Backroom (Listening Room)
Berkeley, CA
February 1
McNear's Mystic Theatre (Small Theater)
Petaluma, CA
February 1
Fifth Street Farms (House Concert)
Berkeley, CA
February 2
Blue Note Napa (Listening Room)
Napa, CA
February 2
Ivy Room (Neighborhood Bar)
Albany, CA
February 2
Freight and Salvage (Small Theater)
Berkeley, CA
February 6
Freight and Salvage (Small Theater)
Berkeley, CA
February 6
Sweetwater Music Hall (Listening Room)
Mill Valley, CA
February 13
Sweetwater Music Hall (Listening Room)
Mill Valley, CA
February 14
Sweetwater Music Hall (Listening Room)
Mill Valley, CA
February 15
Sweetwater Music Hall (Listening Room)
Mill Valley, CA
February 22
The Backroom (Listening Room)
Berkeley, CA
February 22
A gang of sweet angels punching you in the heart
Freight and Salvage (Small Theater)
Berkeley, CA
February 23
Amelia Ray is The Interpreter. The San Francisco native has performed her soul-rock compositions across Europe and is featured at the 2024 National Women’s Music Festival.
Bazaar Cafe (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
San Francisco, CA
February 23
Sweetwater Music Hall (Listening Room)
Mill Valley, CA
February 28
Brick and Mortar Music Hall (Neighborhood Bar)
San Francisco, CA
March 4
The Bistro (Neighborhood Bar)
Hayward, CA
March 5
Winters Tavern (Neighborhood Bar)
Pacifica, CA
March 6
Hotel Utah (Neighborhood Bar)
San Francisco, CA
March 7
Freight and Salvage (Small Theater)
Berkeley, CA
March 7
Songwriter, singer, slide guitar and clawhammer banjo player based in Nashville, TN.
Sweetwater Music Hall (Listening Room)
Mill Valley, CA
March 8
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center (Listening Room)
Sebastopol, CA
March 8
Freight and Salvage (Small Theater)
Berkeley, CA
March 8
The Chapel (Nightclub)
San Francisco, CA
March 10
Simple Pleasures Cafe (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
San Francisco, CA
March 14
Sweetwater Music Hall (Listening Room)
Mill Valley, CA
March 14
Founder of the Irish-American powerhouse band Solas, is now touring as a solo performer, bringing along friends and musical guests.
Freight and Salvage (Small Theater)
Berkeley, CA
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Places to see live acoustic music in and around San Rafael, California

House Concerts

Fifth Street Farms (Berkeley)
Fog House Concerts (San Francisco)
KC Turner Presents (San Francisco)
Poplar Playhouse (Berkeley)
SYLA Presents House Concerts (Oakland)
The Monkey House (Berkeley)

Listening Rooms

Blue Note Napa (Napa)
Club Fox (Redwood City)
Half Moon Bay Odd Fellows (Half Moon Bay)
Luigi's Deli Martinez (Martinez)
Occidental Center for the Arts (Occidental)
Old St. Hilary's Landmark (Tiburon)
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center (Sebastopol)
Sound Union (Redwood City)
Sweetwater Music Hall (Mill Valley)
The Backroom (Berkeley)
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)
Wooden Valley Winery (Fairfield)

Cafes, Restaurants & Coffee Shops

Bazaar Cafe (San Francisco)
Blue Barn Novato (Novato)
Cafe Frida (Santa Rosa)
Chit Chat Cafe (Pacifica)
Hopmonk Tavern Novato (Novato)
Hopmonk Tavern Sebastopol (Sebastopol)
Redwood Cafe (Cotati)
Riggers Loft Wine Company (Richmond)
Simple Pleasures Cafe (San Francisco)
The Barnyard Epicurean Wine Bar (Danville)

Small Theaters

Campbell Theater (Martinez)
Empress Theatre (Vallejo)
Freight and Salvage (Berkeley)
McNear's Mystic Theatre (Petaluma)
Sebastiani Theatre (Sonoma)
The Hillside Club (Berkeley)
Uptown Theatre (Napa)

Outdoor Music Series

The Golden Gate Bandshell (San Francisco)
Outer Sunset Farmers Market & Mercantile (San Francisco)
The Whale's Tail (San Francisco)
San Francisco Civic Center (San Francisco)

Bars & Nightclubs

Antlers Tavern (Pinole)
Bottom Of the Hill (San Francisco)
Brick and Mortar Music Hall (San Francisco)
Hotel Utah (San Francisco)
Ivy Room (Albany)
Kensington Circus Pub (Kensington)
Lucca Bar and Grill (Benicia)
Nickie's (San Francisco)
No Name Bar (Sausalito)
Starling Bar (Sonoma)
The Big Easy (Petaluma)
The Bistro (Hayward)
The Lost Church Santa Rosa (Santa Rosa)
The Lucky Horseshoe (San Francisco)
The Make Out Room (San Francisco)
The Riptide (San Francisco)
Winters Tavern (Pacifica)