Music groups in San Francisco.
7 clubs, and when they meet. Most meet on weekends, around Richmond, Golden Gate Park, Haight. Most are free to join. The ones without a fixed day are listed below, linked to where they announce. Subscribe to this calendar →
What to expect.
Choirs, open jams, community bands, ukulele circles and song nights in San Francisco, each with the day it meets. Choirs and bands tend to run in terms with a weekly rehearsal; jams and circles are drop-in and more forgiving about when you turn up.
Every listing links to the group's own page, which is where you will find out whether you need to audition, bring an instrument, or simply show up and sing.
All 7 music groups in San Francisco.
A to Z, in each club's own words. Every one links to the club, and every day and time is the one the club publishes.
Slow-to-medium Irish trad session on the first Saturday afternoon at the Plough and Stars, meant for players who know a tune or two and want to learn more.
Monthly, first Saturday, 4pm · Richmond · Free · meetup.com →First-Sunday-evening Irish trad session at the Mad Dog in the Fog pub on Haight St, played at a slower pace so learners can keep up.
Monthly, first Sunday, 6pm · Haight · Free · meetup.com →Free circle singing in Mother's Meadow, Golden Gate Park, on the second Sunday of the month: warm-ups, layered patterns and easy songs, then coffee and crafts.
Monthly, second Sunday · Golden Gate Park · Free · meetup.com →Slow Irish sessions for beginner-to-intermediate players that move between parks and halls (Duboce Park, the United Irish Cultural Center) on weekend days.
Weekend slow sessions a few times a month, venues vary; dates on Meetup · Free · meetup.com →Old-time string-band jam on alternate Tuesday evenings at the Plough and Stars on Clement St; fiddles, banjos and guitars sit in a circle, no stage.
Every other tuesdays, time varies · Richmond · Free · theploughandstars.com →The Plough and Stars' Sunday-afternoon Irish session on Clement St, listed on the pub's own calendar every Sunday of the month.
Sundays, time varies · Richmond · Free · theploughandstars.com →Monthly ukulele strum-along from the Daily Ukulele songbooks, second Saturday evenings, with the venue emailed to people who RSVP; beginners play alongside veterans.
Monthly, second Saturday, 5pm · $5 · meetup.com →
Questions people actually ask.
Do I need to audition or read music?
Depends on the group, and its listing says which. Many community choirs are non-auditioned and teach by ear. Open jams assume you can play along to a chord sheet.
Do I need an instrument?
For a jam or a circle, yes, unless their page says they have spares. For a choir, no. Bands usually ask you to bring your own.
Is there a fee?
Choirs and bands often charge a term fee that covers music and a venue. Jams and circles are usually free or a drink. It is in the listing.
Every listing links straight to the club. Know a music group in San Francisco we don’t? Add it.