Update from BISS

15 May 2025

BISS List 5.15.25 Spotlight on SKERIK Quartet (5.29-6.1) + The Best of BISS This Week

Happy mid-May, BISS Listers!

The wildflowers are in full bloom and so is festival season! Some of you lucky music lovers have already kicked it off with Jazz Fest and the Mill Valley Music Festival. And Pamela is busy gearing up for this weekend’s Golden Road Gathering in Placerville which many of you plan to attend. As such, I, Vikki G, get to be a guest writer. We may have met out at a show or at our makeshift backyard venue in Mill Valley, Strawberry Station, where we host fundraisers for local musicians. Regardless, I’m psyched to share what I consider to be the most interesting live music events in the past, current and coming weeks.

Once again, the Mill Valley Music Festival (MVMF) was an absolute delight. Like the town that hosts it, MVMF is small, clean and picture perfect with upscale beer gardens, gourmet food vendors, a children’s play area, and of course, two stages of excellent music. The festival kicked off on Saturday with the phenomenal singer/songwriter, Elliott Peck and her band. As a special treat, Nat Keefe of Hot Buttered Rum came on to join Elliott and Scott Law for some rollicking guitar. The short 30 minute set was not long enough for this Elliott Peck superfan so I was thrilled when she appeared later in the day with the genius ensemble the Crosby Collective. BISS Contributing Editor Gabriel Barkin created a stunning photo gallery capturing moments from the day, check it out here.

On Sunday, reggae legend Sister Nancy had everyone up on their feet in front of the main stage. Keeping on theme, San Francisco dub-rock reggae band IrieFuse followed on the Sweetwater stage. As it happens at festivals, I got waylaid and only caught a few minutes of their show. They were very good. IrieFuse to miss them again. Get it? Superproducer, writer, guitarist and all around hitmaker Nile Rogers finished off the festival with his band Chic. Yep. In case you missed it, these are the people who brought us “Le Chic, Le Freak…Freak out!” And the crowd did just that as they ran through medleys of Rogers’ anthems including “We are Family”, “Rappers Delight”, “Like a Virgin,” “Material Girl” “Get Lucky”. “Good Times” was played and had by all.

What I’d like to do this week if I could split myself in two:

  • Fri-Sun 5/16-5/18: If I could, I’d be joining Pamela at Golden Road Gathering this weekend for three days of music, wellness and all around good time (Congrats to our winner Rachael F.).
  • Fri 5/16: My second choice, and that of several friends, is to catch Jack White at Fox Theater Oakland. It’s been a few years since I saw him play a secret show in the woods during Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (before they fenced it off) but I hear he just keeps getting better.

What I will most likely do this week: It all kind of depends on how things shake out this week. That said, I’m on the fence between two great choices.

  • Fri 5/16: Either I’ll be heading out to see female drummer Anna Elva & Friends: A Grateful Dead Night at Ashkenaz in Berkeley. (I love the energy of both Anna and the venue.) Or, I’ll join all the funky people at the Boom Boom Room to get down with LAZWELL + Object Heavy (*WIN*).

Miss BISS Radar: Once again, if Pamela were in town, here’s where she told us she would be:

For you planners, here’s some cool stuff coming up in the not too distant future. As usual, I can’t decide:

Also coming up later this month is a rare treat with SKERIK Quartet’s four night residency at Black Cat. Keep scrolling for more on that and how to win tix in this week’s spotlight.

Wherever we all end up, I hope to see you sometime soon. The music never stops.

On behalf of Pamela aka Miss BISS,
Vikki G., Mill Valley, CA
#seeyouattheshows

 

SPOTLIGHT ON SKERIK

SKERIK Quartet

May 29, 30, 31 & June 1 @ Black Cat

Pure energy. Unfiltered sound. Total mayhem. SKERIK doesn’t just play the sax—he bends it to his will, twisting jazz, funk, rock, and the avant-garde into something wild, raw, and unforgettable. A master of sonic chaos, he’s toured and recorded with legends like Les Claypool, Medeski Martin & Wood, Pearl Jam, and Fred Wesley, tearing up stages across the globe. From blistering improv with Critters Buggin to deep grooves with Garage a Trois, SKERIK’s performances are unhinged, unpredictable, and straight-up mind-melting.

Over 200 recordings, countless sold-out shows, and a reputation as one of the most electrifying saxophonists alive—miss him at your own risk. The SKERIK QUARTET takes over Black Cat May 29 – June 1. Featuring Tim Kennedy on piano, Geoff Harper on bass, and D’Vonne Lewis on drums. And you can to Win Tickets for the shows on May 29th & June 1st.

 

BISS GALLERY

Mill Valley Music Festival

BISS Contributing Editor Gabriel Barkin made it out on a sunny Saturday to capture all of the action at MVMF. Check out the full photo gallery here.

 

BEST OF BISS THIS WEEK

05/15 Israel Vibration, Duane Stephenson & Roots Radics @ Sweetwater Music Hall

05/15 Stereo MC’s @ The New Parish

05/15 Victor Wooten & The Wooten Brothers @ Great American Music Hall

05/15 Hurray For The Riff Raff, Merce Lemon @ The Chapel

05/15 Object Heavy + The Iceman Special @ Moe’s Alley

05/15 Hawk’s 55th Birthday Hoedown! ft Lovesick, Emery Villains, The Famous, Georgia West @ Hotel Utah

05/16 Jack White @ Fox Theater Oakland

05/16 Golden Road Gathering (5/16-18) ft Thievery Corporation, Leftover Salmon, Dirtwire, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, ALO and lots more! @ El Dorado County Fairgrounds  

05/16 An Evening with James Taylor and his All-Star Band w/ Tiny Habits @ Frost Amphitheatre

05/16 Too Many Zooz w/ Evan Hatfield @ The Independent

05/16 John Brothers Piano Company + The Dogweeds @ Ivy Room  

05/16 Hurray For The Riff Raff, Merce Lemon @ The Chapel

05/16 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy @ JaM Cellars Ballroom Napa

05/16 Glen Phillips (of Toad the Wet Sprocket) + Megan Slankard @ HopMonk Tavern Sebastopol

05/16 The Terrapin Family Band @ The Guild Theatre

05/16 Thievery Corporation @ Uptown Theatre Napa

05/16 Anna Elva & Friends: A Grateful Dead Night @ Ashkenaz

05/16 The Iceman Special @ Crazy Horse  

05/16 LAZWELL + Object Heavy @ Boom Boom Room  

05/17 Jack White @ The Masonic

05/17 Family Matinee w/ SambaDa @ SF Jazz

05/17 Ramblin’ Jack Elliott + Andy Hedges @ Hopmonk Tavern Novato

05/17 Sierra Hull w/ Stephanie Lambring @ Felton Music Hall  

05/17 Bow Wow Wow @ The Guild Theatre

05/17 The Unauthorized Rolling Stones ft Rudy Colombini @ Music City SF

05/17 Dance Art Festival @ Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley

05/17 Go By Ocean @ Peri’s Tavern Fairfax

05/18 Fire Aid Benefit Concert ft Ronkat Spearman’s Katdelic, Masterpiece, Kimberlye Gold, DJ Alphonso Starr, The Sacred Fire Band & MORE! @ Club Fox Redwood City

05/18 Glen Phillips, Megan Slankard @ The Guild Theatre

05/18 OK Go + L.A. Exes @ The Fillmore

05/18 Blue Bear Teen Music Showcase @ Chase Center

05/18 Robyn Hitchcock w/ Kelley Stoltz @ Moe’s Alley

05/19 OK Go w/ The Stone Foxes @ The Regency Ballroom  

05/20 John Craigie performs The Beatles (Three Nights) @ Hopmonk Tavern Novato

05/20 Anna Moss @ Moe’s Alley

05/21 Robyn Hitchcock plays Robyn Hitchcock @ The Chapel  

05/21 BALTHVS @ The Guild Theatre

05/21 John Craigie performs The Beatles (Three Nights) @ Hopmonk Tavern Novato

05/21 Scott Guberman: A Grateful Dead Night @ Ashkenaz

05/21 BANG THE BAY! ft Gods Weapon, D Funk All Stars, Blunt Force Karma, Raised By Rats, The Campbell Apartment @ Ivy Room  

05/22 Robyn Hitchcock plays Songs From 1967 @ The Chapel  

05/22 John Craigie performs The Beatles (Three Nights) @ Hopmonk Tavern Novato

05/22 Bob Schneider @ Felton Music Hall

05/22 Yak Attack & Banshee Tree @ Moe’s Alley

 

Want more shows from BISS?
Check out the Best of BISS & BISS Full Calendar

 

New to the BISS List?

The BISS List began in 2003 as an email newsletter for diehard live music fans in the Bay Area. Over 20 years, we’ve grown to become the go-to resource for funk, jam, soul, and groove music, reaching approximately 20,000 followers and over 80,000 through various platforms. Our curated list features only the shows we and our fans love, and we host ticket giveaways to enhance promotions with venues and artists.

Each week, we highlight the BEST OF BISS shows, with select FEATURED SHOWS that you won’t want to miss. Our shows are free to view and add to—if you have a show to submit, visit our submission page or email us at biss@bisslist.com.

Sign up now to get the BISS List in your inbox every week!!

🎶 Two Ways to Help Keep the BISS List Alive! 🎶

The BISS List has always been a labor of love, fueled by passion for live music and a dedication to this amazing community. What started as a personal email of show picks has grown into a full-fledged resource for funk, jam, soul, and groove lovers—bringing you curated show recommendations, ticket giveaways, and a space to connect over the music we love.

But running BISS takes time, effort, and real costs—over $3,000 a month just to keep the basics going! That’s why we’re excited to offer two ways you can support and help sustain the BISS List:

✨ Make a tax-deductible donation – The BISS List is now fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media, which means your donation directly supports our mission while also being tax-deductible! Every contribution helps us grow, support artists, and expand BISS to serve the music community even better.

✨ Join our Patreon – Want to support and get perks? Patreon gives you a way to back the music you love while enjoying exclusive benefits. Your membership helps cover essential costs and allows us to keep BISS thriving without constant financial stress.

Your support—no matter the size—keeps the BISS List alive and ensures we can continue sharing the music, artists, and shows that bring us together. Thank you for being part of this incredible community. Let’s keep the music playing! ~ Pamela aka Miss BISS

About Post Author

Leave a Reply