Wednesday, October 7
Wed 10/07 12:30 PM The Jazzschool [2087 Addison Street
Berkeley]FREE! Brown Bag Jazz Hangs: Katy Stephan on Chet Baker the Vocalist
Join us for casual daytime talks and listening sessions with leading lights of the Bay Area jazz community. Bring your own lunch or order ahead from the JazzCaffè. Wednesdays at lunchtime! Free, drop-ins welcome.
More... Wed 10/07 4:00 PM King Library [150 E San Fernando St
San Jose California 95112]Charged Particles plays funky Latin jazz at the Digital Humanities Center in the King Library in San Jose.
More... Wed 10/07 7:00 PM Yerba Buena Center for the Arts [701 Mission St @3rd
SF]Join DVT—the trio of composer Damani Rhodes, vocalist VADIA, and poet Tongo Eisen-Martin—for a live performance of their album “Traveling Shoes” inside the exhibition “Dread Scott: The Body Politic.”
More... Wed 10/07 7:00 PM The Monkey House [1638 University Ave, between California and Jefferson,
Berkeley]Another night from The Experimental Music Club featuring Erick Glick Rieman, Dolls of August and Nick Willbrand. Free EMC button with admission!
More... Thursday, October 8
Thu 10/08 7:00 PM Brava Theatre [2781 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94111]The 30th Other Minds Festival Night 1 presents Joseph Bohigian’s I Am He Whose Life and Soul Are Torment, an evening-length multimedia work about the life of the visionary Soviet-Armenian film director Sergei Parajanov (1924–1990) that combines the multilingual songs of the 18th century bard Sayat Nova in Armenian, Azeri, and Georgian with live electronic manipulation of recordings by South Caucasus folk musicians. A collaboration with vocalist and duduk player Khatchadour Khatchadourian, Ensemble Decipher, and artists Tara Baghdassarian and Karo Yagjian, the piece is written for solo voice, duduk, electronics ensemble, and video projection.
More... Friday, October 9
Fri 10/09 7:00 PM Brava Theatre [2781 24th Street
SF]On Night 2, the Swiss-born, New York-based Sylvie Courvoisier combines European chamber music and American avant-jazz in a performance for solo piano. Mahsa Vahdat performs original song settings of Persian poetry, accompanied by setar player Atabak Elyasi. Vahdat’s compositions are inspired by her life in exile, her deep belonging to her homeland of Iran, and her dedication to preserving and reviving Iranian music. Night 2 ends with Juri Seo’s Just Intonation Etudes and Wildflowers followed by the world premiere of her Bad Decision for string quartet, bass, and drumset, with Friction Quartet.
More... Fri 10/09 7:00 PM Medicine for Nightmares [3036 24th St
SF]Dr Bob & The Out Patients / Eye-Full Films
LOOK, LISTEN! - a Concert for Peace
Dr Bob:
Bob Marsh – vox, cello
David Michalak – lap steel, skatchbox
The Out Patients:
Kersti Abrams – alto sax
Cindy Webster – singing saw, hurdy gurdy, vox
Pete Schmitt – double bass
More... Fri 10/09 8:00 PM Indexical [Tannery Arts Center
1050 River St. #119
Santa Cruz]Click to make donation For SPAM's 2026 iteration we're gathering October 9–11, 2026, at Indexical in Santa Cruz, CA to share the work of artists we love with the greater San Francisco Bay Area community through performances, workshops, and artist talks.
More... Saturday, October 10
Sat 10/10 10:00 AM Indexical [Tannery Arts Center
1050 River St. #119
Santa Cruz]SPAM New Media Festival 2026 at Indexical in Santa Cruz, California from October 9-11: Join us for a series of performances, workshops, and talks. Featuring regional projects by Dorothy Santos & Abram Stern, Ava Koohbor, Jean Carla Rodea, and EPOCH, alongside the touring projects of Sunken Cages and Rohan Chander. Workshops/talks include Kate Hollenbach,
Kumi Maxson, Nathan Corder, Diana Mulan Zhu and Marianne Goldin.
All events are FREE to attend!
SPAM 2026 is organized in collaboration with Indexical and Src Material.
More... Sat 10/10 12:00 PM Indexical [Tannery Arts Center
1050 River St. #119
Santa Cruz]Kumi Maxson invites participants into collective improvisation and explores the role improvisation plays in political and social change.
More... Sat 10/10 2:00 PM Down Home Music [10341 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito, CA]DYMAXION at Down Home Music
DYMAXION is trio led by
Bruce Ackley (soprano sax and clarinet), with Pete Schmitt, bass and Dave Brandt, percussion. Playing works primarily by Ackley with some nods to Steve Lacy and Monk.
More... Sat 10/10 7:00 PM Brava Theatre [2781 24th Street
SF]Night 3 opens with Kristin Norderval and Elizabeth Gaver, who will present a program for voice, live electronics, Hardanger fiddle, and rebec that reflects on historical and contemporary Norwegian-American exchange. The performance draws inspiration from the 200th anniversary of Norwegian immigration to the United States, incorporating historic Hardanger fiddle tunes dating back more than 250 years alongside new composed and improvised material.
Zachary James Watkins and John Diaz—known as Foreign/Domestic—present a duo of guitar/electronics and drums. The evening ends with a set of sonic liberation compositions rooted in black sound: King Britt on live electronics and visuals by Alingo Loh.
More... Sat 10/10 7:00 PM Community of Christ Church SJ [990 Meridian Avenue, San Jose, California 95126]South Bay Sonic Circuits (SBSC) is a meet-up for enthusiasts of electronic music and creative visuals for all instruments and styles featuring Bill Walker, c7b + Jing,
David Leikam,
Franck Martin, jamcultur, Later Days, Tone-E/C, and Space Palette.
More... Sat 10/10 7:30 PM Tom's Place [3111 Deakin Street
Berkeley]On Saturday, October 10 at 7:30pm, Tom's Place presents
An Evening with
Jaap Blonk - voice, electronics
Tom Djll - trumpet, electronics
Gino Robair - piano, electronics
This show will feature Jaap, Tom and Gino interacting in various combinations, company style.
More... Sat 10/10 8:00 PM The Jazzschool [2087 Addison Street
Berkeley]¡Sonidos Latinos! : Marco Díaz Quartet
Marco Díaz, trumpet & piano
Steve Senft-Herrera, bass
Julio Pérez, percussion
Carlos Medrano, percussion
More... Sunday, October 11
Sun 10/11 11:00 AM Indexical [Tannery Arts Center
1050 River St. #119
Santa Cruz]SPAM New Media Festival 2026 at Indexical in Santa Cruz, California from October 9-11: Join us for a series of performances, workshops, and talks. Featuring regional projects by Dorothy Santos & Abram Stern, Ava Koohbor, Jean Carla Rodea, and EPOCH, alongside the touring projects of Sunken Cages and Rohan Chander. Workshops/talks include Kate Hollenbach,
Kumi Maxson, Nathan Corder, Diana Mulan Zhu and Marianne Goldin.
All events are FREE to attend!
SPAM 2026 is organized in collaboration with Indexical and Src Material.
More... Sun 10/11 3:00 PM Brava Theatre [2781 24th Street
SF]At the final concert of Other Minds 30 on Sunday afternoon, Charlemagne Palestine, the 79-year-old sovereign of embodied minimalism, graces us with a performance for solo piano that extends his monumental early-1970s work Strumming Music, which he describes as “an approach and technique that is always different and in evolution. It is not a ‘composition’ as such…it is an evolutionary liquid sound continuum process work that I have presented hundredsss [sic] of versions that I have performed over the last 50+ years.” Other Minds is happy to have tracked down Palestine’s preferred piano for his approach—a Bösendofer Model 290 Imperial—that expands the keyboard down a major sixth: the usual 88 keys become 97.
More... Sun 10/11 7:30 PM West Oakland Sound Series [2201 Poplar Street
Dresher Ensemble Studio
Oakland]Dutch voice virtuoso JAAP BLONK performs his own compositions, improvisations, and historical sound poems.
ECHO'S BONES woodwind trio plays avant pastoral improvised music.
More... Sun 10/11 7:30 PM Temescal Arts Center [511 48th Street
Oakland]Various types of electro-acoustic improvisation by Evan Pincus (LA), K. Francis Messer, Sadie Greyduck, and Spared. Evan Pincus tape release show. $15/notaflof
More... Sun 10/11 8:00 PM Great American Music Hall [859 O'Farrell St
SF]Divine Offering: Celebrating the Legacy of Alice Coltrane
with Sita Michelle Coltrane and Special Guests
Doors: 7:00PM | Show: 8:00PM
https://wl.eventim.us/event/divine-offering-celebrating-the-legacy-of-alice-coltrane/704843?afflky=GreatAmericanMusicHall
More... Tuesday, October 13
Tue 10/13 8:00 PM CNMAT [1750 Arch Street
Berkeley]Kaiser/DeGruttola/Kim at CNMAT
Famed guitarist and producer
Henry Kaiser, Bay Area stalwart improvising cellist Danielle Degruttola, and Korean Ajaeng performer Yoona Kim, present an hour of improvised music at the CNMAT main room.
https://events.berkeley.edu/cnmat/event/329018-kaiserdegruttolakim-at-cnmat
More... Thursday, October 15
Thu 10/15 7:00 PM Ugra Deva Loka [1035 22nd Ave Unit 14
Oakland]Tralphaz- Legendary Harsh Noise project of David Lim
PCRV- Also very legendary improv harsh noise
Blood of Chhinnamastika- Harsh blackened electronics
SURRURALISTS- collaborative project of
Bryan Day @bdayeyesore and Paul Akin
Shuttered- Bad trip music
More... Thu 10/15 7:30 PM CCRMA Stage [660 Lomita Dr.
Stanford]Streaming and in-person:
Click for stream Stefano Pilia presents solo the compositions of his latest works "Spiralis Aurea" and "Lacinia," the two double albums released by Die Schachtel and SZSugar in 2022 and 2025, in an original adaptation for electric guitar and electronics.
More... Friday, October 16
Fri 10/16 7:00 PM Black Cat Jazz Supper Club [400 Eddy St San Francisco CA]Joe Block quintet: There Is Always Hope Album Release Show
Bright, cathartic modern jazz built on original compositions, deep swing, and the kind of ensemble chemistry that lifts the whole room. Pianist, composer, and bandleader Joe Block brings his quintet to Black Cat in celebration of There Is Always Hope, his debut album leading his own ensemble and his first record built entirely from original compositions.
More... Fri 10/16 8:00 PM Old First Concerts [1751 Sacramento St.
SF]Kloetzel Chapman Duo – The Women of Note Project
Women of Note is the Kloetzel-Chapman Duo’s multi-season project celebrating cello and piano repertoire by women which, through thoughtfully curated programs demonstrate that this music belongs at the center of the cello and piano repertoire, not at its margins. Their program with Old First Concerts features music by Hélène Liebmann, Luise Le Beau, Mel Bonis, and Leokadiya Kashperova.
More... Saturday, October 17
Sat 10/17 7:30 PM Center for New Music [55 Taylor St
SF]Icelandic visual and sound artist Sigtryggur Berg Sigmarsson is known for his work with Stilluppsteypa, numerous solo albums and collaborations with other artists, such as BJ Nilsen, Dennis Tyfus, Anla Courtis, Dan Melchior, irr.app.(ext.), John Olson (Wolf Eyes), Andy Heck Boyd and more. Also playing:
Angst Hase Pfeffer Nase
Mystic Commandos
The American Flag
More... Sunday, October 18
Sun 10/18 5:00 PM Spruce Street Concerts [send email to harry@fullplatemedia.com]Internationally acclaimed DoYeon Kim performs at Spruce Street Concerts in a rare solo performance on the gayageum, a 2,000-year-old traditional Korean 12-string plucked zither. DoYeon Kim's music is a singular synthesis of Korean traditions, avant-garde jazz and improvisation.
More... Sun 10/18 7:30 PM West Oakland Sound Series [2201 Poplar Street
Dresher Ensemble Studio
Oakland]Pianist-composer JARED REDMOND performs MORTON FELDMAN'S 1981 masterpiece "Triadic Memories" for piano solo.
OAKLAND REDUCTIONIST ORCHESTRA performs a their own interpretation of MORTON FELDMAN'S "Intersection #1" (1951).
More... Thursday, October 22
Thu 10/22 7:00 PM Indexical [Tannery Arts Center, 1050 River Street, #119, Santa Cruz, California]Santa Cruz Electronic Music OM is a series of live electronic music every 4th Thursday of the month in Santa Cruz from ambient to techno and improv to sequenced using synthesizers (analog/digital), sequencer devices, and other electronic instruments (both old and modern) featuring Ruby Deagle, Digital Larry,
David Leikam, and TBA.
More... Thu 10/22 7:00 PM Black Cat Jazz Supper Club [400 Eddy St
San Francisco, CA 94109]French-American quartet NO(w) Beauty brings poetic, boundary-crossing modern jazz to Black Cat (San Francisco) for a multi-night residency.
More... Thu 10/22 8:30 PM The Lab [2948 16th St
SF]Cherub Dream Records x The Lab: Tricky FM "Twin Star Fantasy" + Edgar + Tugboyz
Tricky FM is the music project and "electronica star" alter ego of Hana Freed. Based out of San Francisco, she self produces all her own music, while being a staple in clubs, venues and punk bars throughout the Bay Area and beyond. On stage, Tricky FM is known for her energetic and almost performance-art interpretation of the 'pop star'.
More... Saturday, October 24
Sat 10/24 12:00 PM Center for New Music [55 Taylor St
SF]G|O|D|W|A|F|F|L|E||N|O|I|S|E||P|A|N|C|A|K|E|S
Kevin CK Lo
Auca/Elome (B. Day/Auca)
Mas Coad
Human De-Selection & Realization Nature Group
Fognozzle
Pay to get in and indulge in
Free GOURMET vegan pancakes. 26 yrs of bizarre experimental ecstasies!
More... Sat 10/24 7:00 PM RootStock Arts Center [5741 Telegraph Ave
Oakland]Marc Cary, Marcus Shelby & Sameer Gupta
Experience an extraordinary evening of spontaneous creation and rhythmic dialogue with visionary masters: pianist and keyboard player Marc Cary, basssist Marcus Shelby and tabla/percussion maestro Sameer Gupta.
More... Sat 10/24 7:30 PM First Presbyterian Church of San Anselmo [72 Kensington Road
San Anselmo CA 94960]Other Worlds is a multi-movement work for chamber orchestra, electric guitar, alto flute and enhanced percussion, with visual art exploring the strange worlds beyond the original eight planets in our solar system — an extension of ’The Planets’ by Gustav Holst.
More... Sat 10/24 7:30 PM Zellerbach Hall [UC Berkeley
Berkeley]Steve Reich at 90: A Birthday Celebration
Bang on a Can All-Stars
Ensemble Signal
https://calperformances.org/events/2026-27/new-music/steve-reich-at-90-a-birthday-celebration-bang-on-a-can-all-stars-ensemble-signal/
More... Sunday, October 25
Sun 10/25 12:00 PM Herbst Theatre [401 Van Ness Ave
SF]SF Music Day
https://intermusicsf.org/sf-music-day/
At SF Music Day, audiences can explore a full day of live music across the Herbst Theatre, Green Room, and Taube Atrium Theater. The 2026 lineup reflects the depth and diversity of the Bay Area music community, spanning classical, contemporary, jazz, traditional, world, interdisciplinary, and more!
More... Sun 10/25 2:00 PM Lucie Stern Community Center [1305 Middlefield Road
Palo Alto, CA]Earthwise welcomes Adam O’Farrill’s Elephant
More... Sun 10/25 2:00 PM Center for New Music [55 Taylor St
SF]Bassist (with Bobby McFerrin, Lightnin' Hopkins, Steve Lacy) H. Carr presents his compositions along with pianist Unpil Baek. The pieces range from miniatures exploring Béla Bartók's Mikrokosmos, to longer forms based on David Liebman's chromatic approach.
More... Friday, October 30
Fri 10/30 7:00 PM Temescal Arts Center [511 48th Street
Oakland]Marcia Bassett with JMP, Jenny Graf,
Danishta Rivero, and Transient (David R. Molina) will turn knobs, flip switches, press buttons, and explore transformation and related pathways of self, participation, and unpredictable behaviors through improvisation and new song structures, using hand-built electroacoustic instruments, analog synthesizers, live sampling, guitar, and vocals.
More... Friday, November 13
Fri 11/13 8:00 PM First Presbyterian Church of Oakland [2619 Broadway
Oakland]WNS and Eternal Now present:
Sarah DavachiOn the evening of Friday, November 13th, Working Name Studios and Eternal Now are proud to present Sarah Davachi at First Presbyterian Church of Oakland. First Presbyterian is home to a beautiful Rosales Opus 16 pipe organ, on which we're blessed to have Sarah present her new work. Sarah is on tour in support of her new 3LP The Will of Tongues. Togetherness Ensemble will be opening the evening with site specific acoustic composition for the sanctuary.
Tickets: https://workingnamestudios.square.site/
More...