Be sure to check out our full 2025 Fall Arts Guide to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.
Music festival season in the Bay Area doesn’t stop in the summer. Well into the fall, when the fog clears and we finally get to take off our jackets, the region’s concert offerings continue to be abundant as ever. Whether you prefer a free show in the park, a night at the museum or a massive stadium concert, we’ve rounded up 10 performances you shouldn’t miss.
Aug. 28–Sept. 3, 2025
Multiple Oakland locations and The Midway, San Francisco
Hiero Day is a family-friendly affair celebrating all things hip-hop culture. This year, festivities kick off on Aug. 28 with a night at the California Academy of Sciences with Souls of Mischief. The main event, Sept. 1 at the Midway, features Pete Rock, Hieroglyphics, Seiji Oda, MacArthur Maze, Alien Mac Kitty and more. The week wraps up Sept. 3 with an Oakland Ballers halftime performance by Hieroglyphics.
Sept. 6, 2025
Mare Island, Vallejo
Headlining this year’s Dock of the Bay Festival is a triple bill of Vallejo greatness: E-40, Baby Bash, and LaRussell. The biggest living icon of Bay Area rap will join forces with the “Suga Suga” hitmaker and one of the brightest young talents from the region, at a festival practically down the street from where they were raised. Con Funk Shun will bring funky vibes, and August Lee Stevens promises a swoon-worthy set of jazzy R&B.
Sept. 7, 2025
Downtown Oakland
Two queens of dance music are headlining the main stage of Oakland Pride this year: Martha Wash, whose powerhouse vocals propelled ’90s house anthems like “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now),” and CeCe Peniston, whose “Finally” continues to light up global dance floors 30 years later. Joining them on stage is Oakland rap star Kamaiyah, who should have everyone going dumb by the end of the night with songs like “Fuck It Up” and “Windows.”
Sept. 7, 2025
Union Square, San Francisco
Poolside makes perfect day party music: laidback, tropical boogie you can two-step to with a drink in hand. The multifaceted, percussion-powered live band led by Jeffrey Paradise plays a free show that promises to bring sunny vibes to Union Square during San Francisco’s second summer.
Sept. 13, 2025
Civic Center, San Francisco
San Francisco label EMPIRE has a knack for signing hot artists before they blow up — most recently, Shaboozey, whose “Bar Song (Tipsy)” tied for the longest-running No. 1 hit in Billboard chart history. He headlines a free show at San Francisco’s Civic Center alongside Afrobeats star Fireboy DML and singer-songwriter Red Leather.
Sept. 14, 2025
Discovery Meadow, San José
Larry June’s ice-cold-player flow and esoteric flexes about fine foods and coastal views have made him a favorite well beyond his hometown of San Francisco. Joining him on stage at Sleeping on Gems is the silky-voiced, Bay Area-raised R&B singer Thuy, as well as Sango, DJ Lex and Lou Phelps.
Sept. 20–21, 2025
Pier 80, San Francisco
Dance music greats including The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy will perform at San Francisco’s premiere electronic music festival, Portola, alongside newer talent like The Dare and Peggy Gou. At the industrial waterfront setting of Pier 80, this festival has a warehouse-rave feel and a huge lineup of mostly DJs and a few live acts, including Christina Aguilera.
Sept. 27, 2025
SAP Center, San José
Whether dedicating soul songs to her infant son on Sincerely, or getting a perreo party started on Orquídeas, Kali Uchis enchants her audience with her airy voice and coquettish bilingual lyrics. The Colombian American star brings her dynamic stage show to San José, where she’ll pull from her vast, decade-long discography.
Oct. 3–5, 2025
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
This free, unpretentious festival in Golden Gate Park is a tried and true San Francisco tradition — the ideal place to pack a picnic and take the whole family. This year’s lineup features legendary singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, jazz singer Samara Joy and jam band The String Cheese Incident.
Nov. 18, 2025
Oakland Arena
Fresh off his new album No Sign of Weakness, Nigerian superstar Burna Boy will touch down in Oakland during his international tour. Whether performing breakout hits like “Last Last” or addictive new tracks like “Bundle by Bundle,” Burna Boy promises hip-winding beats and a high-production live show.
