The Burlingame Voice

Not "Boringame" Over the Weekend

Dear old Burlingame was not so boring this past weekend, especially Friday night on Broadway.  I was having cognitive dissonance while having dinner at Il Piccolo and enjoying a really nice jazz trio plus singer.  The trumpet player in particular was really fun and played some credible Miles Davis songs.  The cognitive dissonance continued as I walked past Behan's and heard a fun duo playing rock standards and it peaked at Broadway Grill where the band-in-the-balcony was fronted by four singers on the main floor.  That split presentation was a little odd, but it worked.  Maybe there is hope for Boringame after dark, after all.  Here is the Il Piccolo trio.

Fall Fest brought four more bands to Howard Ave. over the weekend, and the Vinyl Room continues to host bands on Friday nights.

Feeling Jealous of "Menlo Dark"

I had never heard Menlo Park referred to as "Menlo Dark" until an article in today's Chronicle quoted someone calling it that.  But I have heard our own little burg called "Boringame" since 1983.  So the Chron piece about three investors buying the Guild movie theater, doing a "substantial renovation" and reopening it as a live music venue operated by a non-profit just made me green with envy.  Here are a couple of bits of the article

When the theater opens, it will still be called the Guild and will have either the same or similar marquee to announce rock, jazz, country and comedy acts three to five nights a week in an open-floor configuration Drew Dunlevie said.  “It’s a Silicon Valley impetus. We need more culture here,” said Dunlevie. “We are doing this because we are all tired of having to go to the city to see shows.”

The sleepy downtown, which Mueller said has earned the nickname “Menlo Dark,” has never had a stand-alone music venue. The closest it came was in the 1960s when there was live music at Magoo’s Pizza on Santa Cruz Avenue. This is where an Atherton kid named Bobby Weir joined together with a Palo Alto guitar teacher named Jerry Garcia and a recruited bassist named Phil Lesh to first perform as the Warlocks on May 5, 1965, before later becoming the Grateful Dead.

Where else does that sound like?  Yep, Boringame.  And a little historical factoid is that Phil Lesh was living in Burlingame around that time while attending college nearby.  There are a few buildings in B'game that might work for this sort of thing and there are plenty of B'gamers who are also tired of going to the ever-dirtier city to see shows.  We just need the benefactors--and some city leaders with vision and willingness to encourage such a venue to come to be.  With all of the development going on one can hope that 10 or 15 thousand square feet could go for such a spot.

Update, Sunday 9/29:  At least Broadway was alive last night with a solo guitar player at Il Piccolo and council woman Emily Beach playing with some guest performers for her annual BCE charity show.  Sure felt nice to be able to hear music in two places on B'way.  Il Piccolo is planning for Friday and Saturday music to be a regular event!  Here is Rebbesoul playing last night.

B'game on the Ave. Success

I want to take a moment to acknowledge that the long-running, name-changing "Burlingame on the Avenue" festival continues to show out of towners how great B'game really is.  Sunday was packed and you could feel the energy.  Band stands on both ends of the Avenew and the main one in the middle.  The Kidzone seemed larger than in the past.  Even with the Burlingame Breeze up at mid-day people and their dogs were enjoying themselves immensely.

Kudos to the Chamber of Commerce for a job well done.  My only question/suggestion is why stop at 5pm on Saturday.  I walked over for dinner around 6 pm and it was still light out and there were plenty of people around.  The Ave. is still closed down with the booths, but wouldn't running one more band until 6:30 or so bring some end-of-day focus and energy and a few more dinner bills?

Here's the SF Banjo Band doing that old-timey thang.

Music in the Park Blossoming

Our own Music in the Park series appears to have jumped in popularity probably because the bands are a notch better than in the past.  The new raised stage funded by Facebook as part of its move into B'game doesn't hurt and neither has the spectacular weather.  I missed the show two Sundays ago, but I hear Pride and Joy drew an amazing crowd.  I did make it to the Fog City Swampers this past Sunday and the crowd was sizable.  There is one more show this coming Sunday with All-star Jukebox - I've seen them before and they are really fun.  Here's last Sunday's gig.

Entertainment Wishlist: 2019

Let's face it B'gamers.  After about 9:30 pm both B'way and the Avenue pretty much roll-up the sidewalks.  There are a couple of bars that have business, but no entertainment to speak of.  Broadway Grill is one exception usually one night a week and Behan's has the occasional band as does the Vinyl Room.  But if you are looking for that cool, late-night, take-your-girl-out-and-talk to her, jazz vibe, it ain't here.  That is my entertainment wish for 2019.  One model is Savanna Jazz on the south end of Laurel Ave. in San Carlos.  Great spot for jazz several nights a week and weekend afternoons.  That may not be sustainable with rents the way they are in B'game-- even if the struggles retail is having cause plenty of empty space.  Several locals express wonder over how any landlord could prefer 6, 9 or 12 months of empty space to a lower rent coming is regularly.  But they apparently do.  So the next option is to tag onto a restaurant's night with jazz after the last plate has been served.  That is the hope for 2019.  In the meantime, feast your eyes on Savanna Jazz' scene in San Carlos.

Happy New Year from the Voice

Russ and I wish all you intrepid Voice readers a very happy New Year.  During the course of 2018 we surpassed one million views, approached the 5,000 post milestone (4,790 to be exact) and almost 30,000 comments have been added over the last 15 years.  The themes have stayed consistent and will continue on in 2019 because, well, the issues pretty much stay the same.

For starters, as outgoing mayor Michael Brownrigg said during his speech at the council rotation, we have to guard against "asphyxiating on our success".  I'm as worried about dehydrating from our success as asphyxiating, but that is a topic for another post or two...or three.  At one holiday party this past week, I had a chat with a long time Silicon Valley exec who does not pay much attention to local politics--he's focused on growing his latest start-up.  As I described the prevailing politicians' view that we can build our way out of the "housing crisis" he looked at me like I was joking.  "Don't they understand that the more they build, the more we will build?"  The we is the biotech, information tech and whatever-is-next tech industry.  I told him "no".

You can peruse the right hand frame of this page to see all of the categories of interest.  Locals bemoan the quality of our local restaurants, but I think they are improving...slowly.  And maybe there will be some improvement in SFO runway noise as it garners more attention.  At last night's NYE party, without any prompting from me, five B'gamers just ripped the new roundabout.  And I could not agree more with two of the Daily Journal's Jon Mays New Year's resolutions:

• Perhaps someone can build something that actually improves traffic with the increase in bridge tolls and sales tax for transportation. Perhaps there could be some paving work done on El Camino Real with our gas tax revenue as well.
• If you are a politician advocating for mass transit, take it semi-regularly, not just on occasion.

I'm hoping for more Best of Burlingame postings about locals who add to our quality of life and here's hoping for some developments that move us in that direction--like getting Top Golf going on the bayfront and hearing more live music on B'way and the Avenew.  I'm working on the live music dream myself, so if you know of any venues (mostly restaurants) that might be interesting in hosting, please let me know.  Have a safe and happy 2019.

A Bit of Music on Our Quiet Avenue

The lack of entertainment on the Avenue continues to plague our otherwise vibrant downtown.  We have no lack of eateries and we seem to be able to attract bakeries even when the newest one (Panotiq) barely lasted three months--Dynora is coming soon.  But without any regular clubs or bars hosting frequent music, we have to get out and support those that offer something for the ears.  I was pleased to hear the semi-regular Thursday night gig at Barracuda with Sam Peoples on keys and Lynne Billig singing.  They were joined by guitarist Michael Sims from L.A. to provide a but of music for our entertainment drought-stricken Avenue.  Lynne told me they would be on the Avenue proper busking under the pergola next month.  In meantime, wouldn't it be great if the City put one-one hundredth of the effort on development to include some entertainment development?

Here's the Thursday night band.

B'game on the Avenew 2017

In entertainment-starved B'game any form of music or theater is most welcome.  This year's Burlingame on the Ave. offers just the kind of get-out-of-the-house option we need more of.  Some of the old favorites are still there (kid zone, great photography for sale, the paella) and some returning vendors also added a lot.  "SuperKeith" the record guy is a great example of someone who sold at the old Art on the Avenue, but is just rediscovering us.  The artisan who made the Daily Journal for her barrel stave wineglass holders made at least one sale because the first people I saw as I was walking over had one in hand.  Here are Dennis Johnson and the Ramblers who were great!  Kudos to the guy who was schooling one of the Arthur Murray dance instructors on the dance floor.

B'game on the Ave 2016

Things were bustling on Day 1 of Burlingame on the Avenue.  I got the sense that this year's affair was better advertised than the past--even the SF Examiner freebie had it listed on the events page.  The bands drew a great crowd and while the vendors were a bit mundane, I can vouch for the paella being cooked in the giant five foot pan for $12 per plate.  Delicious.  It would be nice if the David's Tea or Philz people could move the recycling and garbage bins off the street into their alley.  The restaurants seemed to be doing pretty well also.  Maybe not as well as a regular weekend, but they were busy during the day and after the fair closed (at 6 pm) I'll bet it was good too.  Here's one of the two "statue guys"...or perhaps they are mimes.

KCSM Jazz on the Hill - 2016

This year's Jazz on the Hill drew a great crowd due to the lovely, light breezy weather (after the Friday heat wave) and due to Charlie Musselwhite's following.  The blues harmonica player has been recording for 50 years.  Instead of driving over to Berkeley Friday night and plunking down $46, people got to see him for free on Saturday.  Summer may be two weeks away but it didn't feel like it Saturday.