Originally published in Caliber Magazine.
There is nothing that quite compares to the pulsing, gripping energy of music played by a live band. Whether it’s with a band that you’ve loved for years or one that you’ve just discovered, the feeling of being up close and personal with music in its most raw and essential format is priceless.
Unfortunately, that priceless feeling can come at a high cost. Spending over $40 on concerts while struggling to pay for college is an unwelcoming option. However, there are still some great ways to see live music in the San Francisco Bay Area at more affordable prices.
SUPERB
If you’ve ever stumbled through Lower Sproul on a Friday, you may have heard music blasting and seen a mass of students dancing to live music. Almost every Friday, SUPERB (UC Berkeley’s mastermind behind on-campus entertainment) hosts concerts on Lower Sproul. Concerts are generally at noon, but you can find out more about future performances by joining the SUPERB Facebook group or checking out SUPERB’s Web site.
RASPUTIN / AMOEBA MUSIC
Nearby are the iconic music stores Rasputin and Amoeba Music, on the corners of Telegraph Ave and Channing Way, and Telegraph and Haste Street, respectively. The two stores, besides selling used and new records, CDs, and movies (all at discounted prices with UC Berkeley ID), also frequently have free concerts. To find out more, just visit their Web sites, Rasputin and Amoeba.
LOCAL VENUES
For those willing to pay a little more, there are hundreds of concert venues near UC Berkeley, from Berkeley’s own Greek Theatre, Oakland’s Fox Theater, and San Francisco’s Fillmore, to the many smaller and more intimate venues in the Bay. However, staying informed about upcoming shows can prove difficult, and often results in the crestfallen realization that your favorite band has come and gone from your area.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT BLOGS
Fortunately, there are numerous sources for local concert and music news. UC Berkeley’s own Daily Clog, the blog of the Daily Cal, generally give updates on cheap concert opportunities. For more regular concert news, the SFist, an often-opinionated blog about all things San Francisco,posts a list of concerts in the Bay for that week every Monday. Although it only comes out the week of the events, it is a reliable source with information about shows by popular and unknown bands. Tickets can be as cheap as $10 or even free.
“The Week Ahead: Bay Area Concerts,” a blog highlighting San Francisco concerts, is done by Kevin Meenan of Epicsauce. Epicsauce has an even more comprehensive list of upcoming shows in the San Francisco area, as well as other articles, which you can see here.
CLASSICAL MUSIC
For those who are interested in a more classical concert experience, UC Berkeley often hosts a variety of shows, from a cappella competitions in Wheeler Hall to world-famous violinist Joshua Bell performing in Zellerbach Hall. For more information, go here.
No matter your musical preferences or budget, there is always a way to see live music for cheap in Berkeley, whether it is at a concert venue or simply in your friend’s apartment.
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