21 Awesome Bay Area Concerts in February
And just like that, February is stacked with awesome concerts. Sure, Noise Pop Music Festival takes over local venues with a well-curated lineup, but youll also find numerous options to get out and see some live music almost every day this month. Here are a few of the highlights:
Feb. 1: The New Pornographers @ The Fillmore
The New Pornographers’ 8th studio album Morse Code Of Brake Lights brings quintessential indie-pop to the Fillmore to start the month. The Canadian-American octet returns to the Bay Area after headlining the Swan Stage at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in October.
Feb. 5: Tycho @ Fox Theater (LOCAL BAND)
If you missed Tycho on his first lap in support of his latest album Weather, here’s your second chance to catch him live. The SF-based producer returns to the stage with Saint Sinner (a new vocal addition to the group) and a new single, “Stress,” that dropped in December.
Feb. 6-8: Casey Benjamin @ Black Cat
The keytar has been having a moment over the last few years, but before all of that, Casey Benjamin was holding down the synth-guitar hybrid and sax duties as a founding member of the Robert Glasper Experiment – a vanguard of modern jazz. A four-piece band will join him in his return to Tenderloin jazz hub the Black Cat.
Feb. 7: Moodymann @ 1015 Folsom
A fixture in the Detroit electronic music scene since the 1990s, Moodymann’s brand of house music comes dripping in soul, funk, and elements of jazz. He anchors 1015 Folsom’s “House of Efunk” party with Soul Clap, Heidi Lawden, Full Crate, and more.
Feb. 7-8: Spooky Mansion @ Amnesia (LOCAL BANDS)
It’s the end of an era, and another blow to San Francisco’s music scene, with the announcement that Mission District beer joint Amnesia will no longer host live music in the near future. Join local indie rock favorites Spooky Mansion with a stacked lineup of local supporting acts, including Meernaa and the Y Axes on Feb. 7 and Carpool Tunnel and Thank you Come Again on Feb. 8.
Feb. 8: Chastity Belt @ Great American Music Hall
Straight outta Walla Walla, Washington, Chastity Belt continues the long tradition of excellent guitar-oriented rock from the Pacific Northwest. Fans of Real Estate will feel at home with the interplay of dual guitars from Julia Shapiro and Lydia Lund, but Shapiro’s vocals bring a more haunting quality to the mix. The band’s sound should fit perfectly in the ornate confines of the TL’s Great American Music Hall.
Feb. 13: Charlotte Adigéry @ Rickshaw Stop
Aaron Axelsen’s long-standing Popscene party has been on fire lately, something that hasn’t wavered much in +20 years of bringing cutting-edge acts to SF. The streak continues with Charlotte Adigéry, a Belgian-Caribbean vocalist who partnered last year with producer Soulwax for the trippy electro-thump EP Zandoli.
Feb. 13-14: Violent Femmes and The Mermen @ The Fillmore
Few bands capture the slacker mentality of the alternative 80s scene like the Violent Femmes, who return to the Fillmore for two nights and a little romance on Valentine’s Day. Get there early to catch a rare appearance from epic local surf-rock instrumentalists The Mermen.
Feb. 14 & Feb. 16: Antibalas @ The Independent
Skip Valentine’s Day clichés and embrace the deep afrofunk vibrations of Brooklyn’s Antibalas. The band continues on the path set forth by Fela Kuti in the 1970s with the irresistible fusion of American funk, jazz, and R&B paired with African rhythms.
Feb. 21: Andy Shauf @ August Hall
Canadian singer-songwriter Andy Shauf is onto something. After making waves with 2016 concept album, The Party, he takes us through the nuances of a night out at a bar with his friends in The Neon Skyline. He’s a musical storyteller on par with some of the all-time greats. You’ll hear hints of Paul Simon in this latest release.
Feb. 24 to Mar. 1: Noise Pop 2020
Noise Pop is the perfect alternative for fans who can’t stand the massive scene of other popular, more mainstream music fests. You’ll still find headliners, new buzzworthy acts, and some of your local favorites, but they’re all neatly packaged throughout a week of music at the Bay Area’s best venues. Highlights this year include Helado Negro (named best album of the year by Pitchfork), Shigeto, Best Coast, Raphael Saadiq, Kilo Kish and many more.
Other concert Highlights in February:
Feb. 5: Homeboy Sandman @ Bottom of the Hill
Feb. 6: Fast Times with Andrew St. James and Friends @ Amnesia (LOCAL BAND)
Feb. 7: Zion I @ The New Parish (LOCAL RAPPER)
Feb. 13: Bat For Lashes @ Palace of Fine Arts
Feb. 16: Ezra Furman @ Great American Music Hall
Feb. 17: Son Little @ Sweetwater Music Hall
Feb. 18: Dirty Ghosts @ The Chapel (LOCAL BAND)
Feb. 20: Loco Tranquilo @ Rickshaw Stop (LOCAL BAND)
Feb. 21: EMBA Fest: Nas and Wu-Tang Clan @ Oakland Arena
Feb. 29: Guster @ Castro Theater
Find more concerts with SF Station’s events calendar or subscribe to our newsletter to get the best events each week delivered to your inbox.
Matt Crawford is a longtime contributor to SF Station and the host Tender Knob Radio on Bff.fm. Follow him on Twitter at @Metro_Matt.
