Dance, Music, And Author Appearances To Fill Your February

Dance, Music, And Author Appearances To Fill Your February

Photo: City Arts

Nuala Sawyer
Published on January 30, 2015

February can often seem like a quiet, uneventful month. Aside from Valentine's Day, it can be a slog from New Year's to springtime, with businesses counting inventory and people laying low.

Hayes Valley's music, dance and literature scene, on the other hand, has a rich and colorful February planned. Here are some of the events planned to spice up your evenings in the coming month.

The Nourse

In 2013 we covered the renovation of this historic venue, and in the past two years it's becoming a happening central hub for literature, art, theater and music in Hayes Valley (even as its longtime Franklin Street mural is no more).

February stands as no exception for the Nourse's regularly unique lineup. Mark your calendars and head down to the Nourse this coming month for the following events:

On Thursday, February 5th, see Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, Reefer Madness and most recently Command Control, an examination of the USA military's history and reaction to current events. Specializing in work that covers issues and communities that are hidden from the public eye, Schlosser is a renowned journalist and writer, and during this event will be speaking on the topic of arts and politics. Interviewing him will be Phil Bronstein, the executive chair of The Center for Investigative Reporting. More info and tickets here

The following week, on Tuesday February 10th, the Nourse Theater will be featuring Daniel Handler, otherwise known by his pen name Lemony Snicket. Famous for his young adult series A Series Of Unfortunate Events, which has sold more than 60 million copies worldwide, Handler will be interviewed by local Berkeley author Michael Chabon. More info and tickets here.

On Wednesday, February 11th, British author Nick Hornby will be making an appearance at the Nourse. Most famous for his books-turned-films High Fidelity and About A Boy, Hornby is the author of several books and screenplays. Recently his work included the screenplay for Wild , a popular book by Cheryl Strayed that was adapted into a movie last year. Chatting with Hornby will be local novelist and journalist Vendela Vida. Tickets and information can be found here.

The final February event at the Nourse Theater will feature Dick Cavett, former host of The Dick Cavett Show. During his tenure as a talk show host, Cavett interviewed celebrities such as Katherine Hepburn, Fred Astaire, David Bowie and Jimi Hendrix. On Tuesday, February 17th, Cavett will be joined by Steven Winn, a freelance writer and critic based in San Francisco. 

Nourse Theater is also the home to a number of KQED radio broadcasts. If you prefer to listen to the journalists, writers and thinkers that they feature from the privacy of your own home, you can find a complete list of broadcasts and dates here. 

(Photo: SF Jazz)

SF Jazz Center

The first show of the month at San Francisco's Jazz Center is reserved for Sō Percussion, a Brooklyn-based quartet known for their edgy and modern style, as well as their unpredictable stage theatrics. Performing on February 3rd, tickets to the show can be purchased here.

On February 12th, jazz singer Patricia Barber will be performing at the SF Jazz Center. Her singing and piano playing has been described as "quirky, insistently independent and emotionally cool." For a thorough description of her work and for tickets to the show, visit the event page here.

The following day, February 13th, marks the appearance of Mary Stallings and the Eric Reed Trio. A soul and jazz singer, Stallings is a San Francisco native who's taken the jazz world by storm since her reappearance on the scene in 1990.  Tickets can be found here.

(Photo: Erik Tomasson)

San Francisco Ballet

Ballet classic Giselle will be performed at the San Francisco ballet until February 10th. Director and choreographer Helgi Tomasson is behind this incarnation of show, which has been performed around the world for the past 170 years. More info, dates and tickets here

Launching on February 24th, a two-part show will be performed from European choreographers William Forsythe and Hans van Manen. Their pieces The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude and Variations for Two Couples  will be accompanied by Manifesto by Myles Thatcher and Natalia Makarova’s interpretation of The Kingdom of the Shades from La Bayadère, Act II. A complete description of the pieces and performance dates can be found here.  

In late February, Dances At A Gathering and Hummingbird will be performed, combining classical ballet with modern dance. Performance dates are February 26th and 28th, with more info here.

Additionally, though this month's performances at SF Symphony experimental space SoundBox are all sold out, the Symphony will be hosting a robust lineup of shows, including Mozart for Valentine's Day (Feb. 13-14), a Chinese New Year concert (Feb. 21), and a visit from Patti LuPone (Feb. 23).

With the above listings just a sampling of what's on the docket in the coming month, here's hoping the work of these talented dancers, singers, and writers will lift you out of the February funk.