Singing Into Fall

The coming weeks going to be a busy time here in the Bay Area for singers and anyone who loves to sing. Here are a few not-to-be-missed vocal music events coming up on the horizon:



1. Downtown Berkeley MusicFest - August 26 - 30: A delightful and low-key festival featuring many free events and the collaboration of big and small venues. With the dulcet-voiced Tango Queen Maria Volonte performing at The JazzSchool, Ramblin Jack Elliott balladeering at at The Freight and Salvage and Chris Ramos and Sonny B laying down spiraling rhymes at Tapioca Express, the festival provides the perfect way to ramble around Berkeley for a day.

2. Outside Lands Festival - August 28 - 30: This high-profile festival which takes place in Golden Gate Park features an incredible vocal music lineup this year. VoiceBox is particularly excited about some of the local acts on the roster including chanteuse Kitten on the Keys and electronic cello and voice combo Loop!Station. The national- and international-level talent is similarly jaw-dropping. Do not miss Lila Downs, Zee Avi and Black Jo Lewis and the Honeybears.

3. San Francisco Opera Il Trovatore simulcast at the ballpark - September 19: Pack a picnic and check out SF opera's great free event. Or head to The War Memorial Opera House to experience the opera live. The production marks the start of Nicola Luisotti's inaugural season as SF Opera's new music director.

4. San Francisco Performances presents Thomas Hampson's Song of America - September 30: When most people think of the American songbook, names like Irving Berlin and George Gershwin come to mind. Song was a bedrock of this country’s cultural identity long before the jazz age, however. The superlative American baritone Thomas Hampson hopes to make this plain in a special celebration of hymns, folksongs, war songs, African-American spirituals and other works by this country’s great composers spanning from the 17th century to now. This not-to-be-missed event takes place at Herbst Theatre.

5. The Pogues San Francisco dates - October 13 - 14: VoiceBox has never been able to get enough of Shane MacGowan's rusty nails singing. The band is appearing on October 13 at the Warfield Theatre with Devotchka, Sean Peel and Zander Schloss, and on October 14 at the Regency Center @ The Grand with Chris Shiflett and the Campesinos.