Five venues, endless concert entertainment

By Maggie Beidelman

Live music is something you can feel, both firsthand in the vibrations of the song resounding in your chest and secondhand through the naked expression of the artist onstage.

It is no small wonder why this rendezvous of the vulnerable stage performer and the eager audience fuses a personable and thrilling experience that is ineffable to the inexperienced live concert virgin. Therefore, it is essential to experience live music for oneself, and it is inexcusable not to experience it in a great venue.

Review the following descriptions of renowned Bay Area venues and the listings of upcoming shows this spring. Then, commit yourself to a night of pure enjoyment and artistry.

* The Fillmore (1805 Geary Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94115)

Formerly a dance hall and a roller rink, The Fillmore has been host to the Bay Area music scene for over forty years. In the mid-1960s, it was recognized as a hangout for the countercultural hippie crowd, exhibiting such artists as The Doors and Janis Joplin. More recently, The Fillmore has hosted multiple performances by such guests as The Cure, Radiohead, Prince, No Doubt, The White Stripes and Dave Chappelle.

Today, The Fillmore continues its original practices of hospitality by offering free apples and free psychedelic posters to concert-goers for certain shows. The venue sits in the Japantown district of San Francisco and holds about 1,250 people. Fill up between sets in the adjacent restaurant, where a full bar is open nightly.

Visit the Web site at www.thefillmore.com.

* Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (99 Grove St., San Francisco, CA 94102)

The grandeur of this auditorium is familiar among Bay Area citizens from all walks of life. Since 1915, this venue has been used for many formal events as well as concerts. A main attraction in the Civic Center neighborhood, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is renowned for its elegance and size, taking up an entire city block and boasting a classic Beaux-Arts structure of four stories.

It is a 7,000-seat, state-of-the-art auditorium and in the past has hosted such performing artists as Madonna, The Rolling Stones and The Killers.

Visit the Web site at www.billgrahamcivic.com.

* The Warfield, San Francisco (982 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94102)

Originally created as a vaudeville theatre in the 1920s, The Warfield has since become one of America's leading midsize live music venues, hosting such acts as Green Day and Bob Dylan. The theater holds 2,250 people and features a dance floor with limited table seating on the first level as well as reserved balcony seating and a restaurant with a full bar.

* Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View (One Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043)

As one of the world's largest tent arenas, Shoreline Amphitheatre's atmosphere mimics summer fairgrounds with street vendors, games, eateries, and multiple stages spread across several acres. The site is home to Live 105's BFD concert every June. Since 1986, Shoreline has hosted the Grateful Dead, Bush, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blink 182, Metallica, Dave Matthews Band and many more big name bands. Though the arena has 6,500 reserved seats for enjoying the main stage acts, there is a large, sloping grass area where thousands of people tend to lounge on blankets. The freedom to claim one's spot on the lawn and make it home for a day makes this venue one of the most personal and comfortable. Spring is the best time to enjoy the natural seclusion of this venue on its 60 acres of rolling hills, and an all-day festival is highly recommended.

Visit the Web site at www.shorelineamp.com.

* The Independent (628 Divisadero St., San Francisco, CA 94117)

Though not as classy as the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium or as famous as The Fillmore, The Independent has reason enough to be recognized. Fans have acclaimed it for both its spacious floor, allowing everyone to get a good view, and its personable atmosphere, making it seem as if the band is playing for you and only you. The Independent has been known to host a range of music, from renowned mainstream bands to start-up indie groups -- enough variety to tempt anyone's musical taste buds.

Visit the Web site at www.theindependentsf.com.

* Smaller Venues

Other smaller venues include The Attic of Santa Cruz, the amphitheatre-style Greek Theatre of Berkeley, and Mission City Coffee, located across from campus on The Alameda. For tickets to shows at these and other venues this spring, go to www.ticketmaster.com.

Contact Maggie Beidelman at (408) 551-1918 or mbeidelman@scu.edu.