The Golden Gate Park Bandshell has announced its 2023 season of Illuminate Live, which begins on March 1st and runs all the way through mid-November. These weekly free and family-friendly concerts are some of the most beloved events in the park. Catch over 100 performances in a variety of genres including R&B, soul, jazz, funk, big band, strings, indie, rock, reggae, salsa, electronic, and EDM.
The highly-anticipated series comes to us courtesy of Illuminate and SF Rec & Parks. The Bandshell, which is 120 years old, added new lighting, a state-of-the-art sound system, and a new stage during the pandemic.
2023 Golden Gate Park Bandshell concert lineup
Weekly performances generally follow set themes for certain days, although there are plenty of special events in addition to the following:
- Wednesdays – Singer-Songwriter/Folk/Rock
- Fridays – Jazz, Soul, R&B and Funk Happy Hours
- Saturdays – Cultural and Community performances
- Sundays – Reggae Sundays
Check out the latest lineup below.
Table Of Contents
April 2023
- Wed 4/12 (4-7pm) – Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
- 4pm – The Beautiful Losers
- 5pm – Dore Coller
- 6pm – Jim Bruno
- Fri 4/14 (4:30-7:30pm) – GGP Bandshell Indie Soul Fest
- 4-4:45pm – Boy Jones
- 5-5:45pm – Cardboard People
- 6-7pm – AXL PHOENIX
- Sun 4/16 (4:30-7:30pm) – Crucial Reggae Sundays
- with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce and special guest
- 5:30-6:30 pm DJ Boomshot
- Wed 4/19 (4-7pm) – Wormhole (Special guests TBA)
- Sun 4/23 (12-4:20pm) – CalacaVerse Presents ONE EARTH Festival
- Featuring Deuce Eclipse (Nicaragua), SETI X (India), DJ El Kool Kyle, DJ Saurus, Monk HTS, Odaymar
- Sun 4/23 (4:20-7:30pm) – Crucial Reggae Sundays
- with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce and special guest 5:30-6:30pm DJ Jah Yzer
- Wed 4/26 (4-7pm) – Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
- 4pm – Ben Lang
- 5pm – Footprints
- 6pm – Nondual Trio
- Fri 4/28 (4:30-7:30pm) – An Evening with Katdelic
- Sat 4/29 (12-4pm) – Mediterranean Music Festival with Lars and In Charge plus special guests
- Sun 4/30 (4:30-7:30pm) – Crucial Reggae Sundays
- with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce
- 5-6:30 pm – Special Live performance by Blakk Lung, Messenjah Selah, Warri and Full Band
May 2023
- Wed 5/3 (4-7pm) – Market to Bandshell (produced in association with Sunset Mercantile)
- 4pm – Ryvo
- 5pm – Johnny San Francisco
- 6pm – The Under Trio
- Fri 5/5 (4-7pm) – Peña Toribio presents Cinco De Mayo Concert
- 4:30pm – Francisco Herrera
- 5:30pm – Cascada de Flores
- 6:30pm – DíaPaSon
- Sun 5/8 (4:30-7:30pm) – Crucial Reggae Sundays
- with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce and Special Guest
- 5:30-6:30pm – Bobby Hustle (full band)
- Wed 5/10 (4-7pm) – Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
- 4pm – Steven Pitsenbarger
- 5pm – Jack Cutter
- 6pm – Based on a True Story
- Fri 5/13 (4:30-7:30pm) – Friday Happy Hour with Asher Belsky – R&B, Rock, and Jazz
- 4:30-5:30 pm and 6-7pm (2 sets)
- Sun 5/15 (4:30-7:30pm) – Crucial Reggae Sundays
- with Irie Dole and DJ Guid8nce plus guests
- 5:30-6:30pm – Pardon the Interruption
- Wed 5/17 (4-7pm) – Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
- 4:15pm – Rebecca Chapa
- 5:15-6:45 pm – Sammy Patrick Band
- Fri 5/19 (4:30-7:30pm) – Evan Wardell’s Psychedelic Bandshell Show
- 4-5pm – Coywolf
- 5-6pm – Rose Haze
- 6-7pm – The Green Door
- Sat 5/20 (12-4pm) – Rockin’ the Bandshell
- 12pm – JW Blunt
- 1pm – Loser Soup
- 2pm – Michael Michael Motorcycle
- 3pm – Scary Scare
- Sun 5/22 (4:30-7:30pm) – Crucial Reggae with Irie Dole and DJ Guid8nce special guest
- 5:30 to 6:30 pm – Fadda Leo – Guerilla Takeover
- Wed 5/24 (4-7pm) – Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
- 4pm – Karyn Ann
- 5pm – Hayley Lynn
- 6pm – Todos Santos
- Fri 5/26 (4:30-7:30pm) – Friday Night Happy Hour Erik Jekabson Band
- 4:30-5:30pm and 6-7pm (2 sets)
- Sat 5/27 (10am-2pm) – GGP Bandshell Kids’ Fest 2023
- 10:30am-12:30pm – Charity and the JAMBand
- 12:45-1:30pm – Magic with Mike Della Penna
- Sun 5/28 (4:30-7:30pm) – Crucial Reggae Sunday
- with Irie Dole and special guests
- 5:30-6:30pm – Native Elements
- Wed 5/31 (4-7pm) – Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
- 4pm – Donovan Plant
- 5pm – Jenny Kerr
- 6pm – Riptide Station
June 2023
- Fri 6/2 (12-2pm) – Special Friday Lunchtime Concert with Citrus College, Wind Symphony
- Fri 6/2 (4:30-7:30pm) – Friday Happy Hour – Funkanauts
- 4:30-5:30pm and 6-7pm (2 sets)
- Sun 6/4 (4:30-7:30pm) – Crucial Reggae Sundays
- with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce
- 5:30-6:30pm – Special guest DJ Green B
- Wed 6/7 (4-7pm) – Market to Bandshell
- 4pm – Zeke
- 5pm – The Last Four
- 6pm – Young and Up Too Late
- Fri 6/9 (4:30-7:30pm) – Friday Happy Hour – Local Fav’s Jazz Night
- 4:30-5:45pm – What’s Cooking
- 6:15-7:30pm – Rugburn
- Wed 6/14 (4-7pm) – Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
- 4pm – Bisi O.
- 5pm – Radley & Juelich
- 6pm – District 8
- Fri 6/16 (4:30-7:30pm) – Juneteenth Celebration with Special Guests (More info TBA)
- Sat 6/17 (12-4pm) – Juneteenth Celebration in association with Fillmore Jazz Ambassadors (More info TBA)
- Sun 6/18 (4:30-7:30pm) – Crucial Reggae Sundays
- with DJ Jae Five
- 5:30-6:30pm – Special guest ELeNA, Live Band
- Wed 6/21 (12-7pm) – Make Music Day – San Francisco
- 12-4pm – First 4 bands (TBA)
- 4pm – Kevin North Band
- 5pm – Jason Crawford & Friends
- 6pm – Carry Nation
- Fri 6/23 (4:30-7:30 pm) – Friday Happy Hour
- with David Rocha Quintet (2 sets)
- Sat 6/24 (12-4pm) – Summer of Luv
- featuring Bud E. Luv Band (in association with Value Culture) (More info TBA)
- Sun 6/25 (4:30-7:30pm) – Crucial Reggae Sundays
- with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce
- 5:30-6:30pm – Special guests Epicenter Sound featuring Zelus, OMatic and Zoro
- Wed 6/28 (4-7pm) – Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
- 4pm – Joe Burke
- 5pm – Ray Vaughn
- 6pm – Lakeville
- Fri 6/30 (4:30-7:30pm) – Friday Happy Hour
- with Dirty Cello (2 sets)
July 2023
- Sun 7/2 (4:30-7:30pm) – Crucial Reggae Sundays
- with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce
- 5:30-6:30pm – Special guest DJ Trueverse
- Wed 7/5 (4-7pm) – Market to Bandshell
- 4pm – Don Shearer
- 5pm – The Edelman Family Band
- 6pm – Country Risqué
- Fri 7/7 (4:30-7:30pm) – Friday Happy Hour
- No Name Quartet featuring Helen Palma (2 Sets)
- Sat 7/8 (12-4pm) – San Francisco Free Folk Fest
- More info TBA
- Sun 7/9 (4:30-7:30pm) – Crucial Reggae Sundays
- with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nc
- 5:30-6:30pm – Special guest DJ Nikka-T
- Wed 7/12 (4-7pm) – Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
- 4pm – The Nother Mother Brothers
- 5pm – Matt Jaffe
- 6pm – Michael Vincent and U No Who
- Fri 7/14 (4:30-7:30 pm) – Friday Happy Hour
- An Evening with etaoin shrdlu (2 Sets)
- Sun 7/16 (4:30-7:30 pm) – Crucial Reggae Sundays
- with DJ Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce
- 5:30-6:30pm – Special guest DJ Ren
- Wed 7/19 (12-7pm) – Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
- 4pm – JimBo Trout
- 5pm – Dave & Ray’s Magic Record Shoppe
- 6pm – The Jim Ocean Trio
- Fri 7/21 (4:30-7:30pm) – Friday Happy Hour
- An Evening with Maurice Tani
- Sun 7/23 (4:30-7:30pm) – Crucial Reggae Sundays
- with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce
- 5:30-6:30pm – Special guests TBA
- Wed 7/26 (4-7pm) – Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
- 4pm – Amy Obenski
- 5pm – Adrian West Band
- 6pm – Michael Ahern
- Fri 7/28 (4:30-7:30pm) – Friday Happy Hour
- with Tracorum (2 sets)
- Sat 7/29 (12-4pm) – Humboldt County Music Showcase
- 12pm – Widdershins
- 1:15pm – ThunderCloud
- 2:30pm – Red Hot Shame
- Sun 7/30 (4:30-7:30 pm) – Crucial Reggae Sundays
- with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce
- 5:30-6:30pm – Special guests OG The DJ and Sommertime Flow
“Free live music at the Golden Gate Bandshell has made Golden Gate Park even more vibrant and inviting for people in every neighborhood in San Francisco, and across the world,” said SF Rec & Parks General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “Adding to larger annual events like Outside Lands and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, the bandshell series features hundreds of acts four days a week that you can easily access by car, bus, bike, or foot. This exciting series also ensures that the park’s proud music history lives on!”
Find the Bandshell at 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive at SF’s Golden Gate Park Music Concourse.
Featured image: @jimwatkins113 on Instagram