NIGHT OUT

23

T H U R S DAY, M AY 2 0 , 2 0 1 0 ·
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EVENTS

THE FRIDAY
Kaki King
The singer-songwriter guitarist in
2006 was named a “Guitar God”
by Rolling Stone magazine, the
first woman to make the list. Her
new album, “Junior,” ranges from
instrumental and experimental to
accessible pop.
WHEN: 9 p.m.
WHERE: The Fillmore,
1805 Geary Blvd., San Francisco
PRICE: Tickets are $20
INFO: Call (415) 346-6000 or visit
www.thefillmore.com

OF SAN FRANCISCO

· R O W 1 , S E AT 1
HONORED HEADLINER SATURDAY
Tony Bennett will be in The City
to sing his signature tune at the Soulive and Wil Blades O.G.D.
San Francisco Symphony’s 2010 Soulive’s sound is a mix of soul-jazz,
By Leslie Katz Black & White Ball. funk and hip-hop. Blades, a rising
Examiner Staff Writer jazz and funk talent, performs in

T
the classic trio format with O.G.D.
ony Bennett doesn’t mind telling the story behind “I (organ, guitar, drums). SFJazz pres-
Left My Heart in San Francisco.” ents the double bill.
“My music director Ralph Sharon found it in a WHEN: 8 p.m.
clothes drawer,” he said on the phone recently, in WHERE: Palace of Fine Arts,
a chat to promote his appearance Saturday at the Black 3301 Lyon St., San Francisco
& White Ball, San Francisco Symphony’s big fundraiser PRICE: Tickets are $25 to $45
for Adventures in Music, its acclaimed music education INFO: Call (866) 920-5299 or visit
program for elementary-school children. www.sfjazz.org
Sharon had brought the sheet music along on tour;
they were in Little Rock, Ark., on their way to San
Francisco, and he said, “Here’s a nice local song.”
State Radio
The group’s alternative-rock
They learned it, played it, and the bartender in
sound contains punk, roots and
Arkansas said, “I’m going to be the first one to buy
ska ingredients and the band is
that record.”
known for the social themes of its
They did the number in their engagement at
songs. “Let It Go” is its most recent
the Fairmont Hotel to nice effect, but “having
album.
no idea” about the impact it might have. When
WHEN: 9 p.m.
it came time to put it on vinyl, label executives
WHERE: The Independent,
stuck it on the B-side of a song called “Once
628 Divisadero St., San Francisco
Upon a Time,” again thinking it only had
PRICE: Tickets are $20
local appeal.
INFO: Call (415) 771-1421 or visit
“Turns out they were wrong,” says
www.theindependentsf.com
Bennett. While it didn’t immediately
top the charts, the song was noticed and
recorded by other artists. After a few SUNDAY
years, it became well-loved internation-
ally as Bennett’s signature tune. IF YOU GO Castro County Fair
The inaugural event, hosted by
No, he doesn’t ever get tired
of it: “I sing it differently every
2010 Black & White Ball AIDS Emergency Fund and being
held in honor of Harvey Milk’s
night,” he says. Where: War Memorial Performing Arts Center, Van Ness Avenue
birthday, features community
At 83, Bennett is in perfect between Grove and McAllister streets, San Francisco
awards, carnival-type games,
health and feels “very blessed” When: 8 p.m. Saturday
food and libations and hootin’
with his contented life. Tickets: $200 for general pass; $325 includes pass and Tony Bennett
and hollerin’ San Francisco-style
He enjoys good Italian food all over and k.d. lang concert
entertainment.
the world (“We can’t help it; it’s the best”), Contact: (415) 864-6000; www.sfsymphony.org/bwball
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
and performs only occasionally (he’s got a
WHERE: Armory Community Center,
few sold-out shows coming up at London’s Royal Albert Hall). He takes ENTERTAINMENT LINEUP
1800 Mission St., San Francisco
private planes to get to his gigs, and paints on a regular basis.
Davies Symphony Hall Van Ness Main Stage PRICE: Tickets are $25
In his younger days, he went to fine art school in New York, and
Tony Bennett and k.d. lang, DJ Solomon, 9 to 10:15 p.m. INFO: Call (415) 558-6999, ext. 230 or
also studied music and theater with “the best teachers” thanks to
8 to 9:15 p.m. Kool & The Gang, 10:30 visit www.castrocountyfair.org
the GI Bill after he served in World War II.
to 11:45 p.m.
Musicians he came up in show business with mostly are gone — Opera House Lobby
Midnight Surprise, midnight to
“there’s nobody left” — but among younger performers he admires Candela, 9 to 10:45 p.m.
12:15 a.m.
Evelyn Evelyn
are Michael Buble, and, of course, k.d. lang, with whom he’s per- Tiempo Libre, 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. The dark-cabaret act features
DJ Solomon, 12:15 to 1 a.m.
forming this weekend. He says, “I love the way she sings.” Amanda Palmer of the Dresden
Opera House Café
He also likes to read a lot, mentioning “The House That Dolls and minstrel Jason Webley.
Foreverland, 9 to 10:15 p.m. Big Band Big Top
George Built” about the rise of the Great American Songbook Billed as “the world’s only con-
Papa Doo Run Run, 10:30 to Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra,
in the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s as his current selection. joined-twin singer-songwriter duo,”
11:45 p.m. 9 to 10:45 p.m.
Clearly it’s a topic about which the consummate artist and the group is promoting its self-titled
Zepparella, midnight to 1 a.m. Royal Crown Revue, 11 p.m.
crowd-pleasing performer knows. debut album.
to 1 a.m.
“The public’s been beautiful to me over the years,” he says, Veteran’s Building Lobby WHEN: 9 p.m.
adding that he has no plans to retire. When it comes to differ- Wonderbread 5, 9 to 10:30 p.m. Grove Street WHERE: Great American Music Hall,
ences between early days and recent times, his big lament is Moonalice, 10:45 p.m. to midnight DJ Mei Lwun, 9 to 11 p.m. 859 O’Farrell St., San Francisco
just one thing: “Now they play in stadiums. I play in concert Faith Evans, 12:15 to 12:45 a.m. DJ Sam Issac, 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. PRICE: Tickets are $23 to $26
halls. I don’t want to compete with football.” INFO: Call (415) 885-0750 or visit
SA

lkatz@sfexaminer.com www.gamh.com
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