San Francisco Voice

We hesitated at the door of the North Beach sandwich shop, not because we were unsure if it was the right venue (the throbbing music welcoming us in confirmed that for us), but because we weren’t sure how to make our way through the crowded door.  Giordano Bros. is a hole-in-the-wall spot on the west side of Columbus Street, a place I’ve passed hundreds of times without ever noticing it, and the entrance was partially blocked by one of the members of Resin, the seven-piece trip-hop funk band that was already rocking out upon our arrival.

We immediately realized that the atmosphere was casual and that there was no faux pas in simply pressing our way through the doors.  The impressive beats began to wind their way into my step before we’d even reached the back of the restaurant where we ordered our drinks.  Seating ourselves at the bar of small tables which ran along the wall, we could see that the crowd was already immersed in the music despite the fact that the band was just getting started.

As I listened to more of the sound, I saw that this was really no surprise.  Resin was able to pull off the professional sound of appearing as though they were in a much larger venue while taking advantage of the opportunity to enjoy the intimacy of the small locale.  The result was that the crowd was able to feel almost as if they were participating in a larger musical experience, rather than merely watching a show, while simultaneously noting the impressive nature of the skilled musicians.

So what kind of music were we listening to at this unlikely venue?  An eclectic mix of sounds, actually, incorporating a multi-instrumental approach to shared sonorousness.  Instruments included the standard drums, guitars and bass along with a bongo-style beat, the strength of a sax, the blare of a trumpet, the hum of a harmonica and multiple shakers and sound makers which served to create a truly textured sound.  Weaving in vocals which held the hint of poetry slam style, Resin completed their overall sound with succinct lyrical timing.  Each musician, clearly skilled in his own right, came forward and retreated within the music at the perfect moment to make music which was larger than the sum of its individual parts.

The Giordano Bros. crowd clearly appreciated the show.  There was not a stray conversation in the place as everyone danced or laughed or nodded heads in tune with the beat.  Strangers wandered in off of the street to move along with the music for a few moments before heading back into the North Beach night.  Friends of the band mingled in the spaces between songs, sharing the kind of camaraderie which makes music its own cultural experience.  And amidst the sandwiches and sports bar atmosphere, the band created an atmosphere which was part professional performance and part playing for fun.

This is why I love North Beach!

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