Former Location –
One of the premier comedy clubs in its time, Robin Williams launched his career here and Steve Martin’s first three albums were recorded here, in whole or in part.
Many great music acts played here until it closed in 1980 after a fire that destroyed the building.
Included in the musical performers that played here were:
Patti Smith, Neil Young, Bob Marley, Billy Joel, The Talking Heads, Bette Midler, Randy Meisner, The Tubes, Randy Newman, Harry Chapin, Jim Croce, Tom Waits and George Thorogood.
Notable Concerts Held At The Boarding House Include:
10/31/1982 – The Coasters
10/30/1982 – Darlene Love
1/22/1982 – Big Mama Thornton
8/29/1980 – The Tubes
9/19/1979 – The B-52s
7/26/1979 – Patti Smith Group
4/1/1979 – Dire Straits
11/27/1978 – Talking Heads
11/4/1978 – Dr. John
9/7/1978 – Randy Meisner
5/28/1978 – Neil Young
4/29/1978 – Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/9/1978 – The Byrds
12/19/1977 – Premiata Forneria Marconi
11/10/1977 – Greg Kihn Band
7/23/1977 – The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo
⅖/1977 – Split Enz
6/26/1976 – Camel
5/17/1975 – Jimmy Buffett
4/11/1975 – Al Stewart
⅗/1974 – Buckingham Nicks
1/14/1972 – Van Morrison
The Boarding House
960 Bush Street
San Francisco CA 94109
Saw John Prine there with David Bromberg in 1972 but I can’t remember the date . . . .
I was there too !!! No one knew who John Prine was. Just John, his guitar, and his Mickey’s Big Mouth beer. All the great songs from his first album just blew me away !!!
I was there. Great show, intimate, remember the Mickeys and lots of cigarettes. Wonderful performer and artist.
David Allen (1918-1984) the founder of The Boarding House was my dad. In the 1950’s he was Deputy Dave on KPIX channel 5 & in the 1960’s he managed the hungry I nightclub, owner Enrico Banducci.
Hi Mike,
Great to see your comment. I remember David with fondness. He treated me with great kindness. I was the dishwasher, custodian and handyman at the Troubadour and Boarding House (1969-1971).
I hung out with Buzz, Cosmo, Dennis and others (including you (a little bit).
David enabled my two and a half month round trip via bicycle from SF to Portland out of his generosity. I know he was regarded with great respect and love by those he touched.
A great human being.
Michael Allen, are you the Michael Allen of Sonoma County?
Stephen Kent Jones
707-795-7537
Hi Michael, I’m involved in the 2022 release of a live recording of a major artist’s performance at Boarding House in 1978. Would you please contact me? My email is in the comment field. Thanks, Cindi Peters
Was on my way home to Honolulu. Had an overnight in the city with nothing to do. Walked by the Boarding House and bought a ticket. That night is indelible and has also become a book of philosophy and guidance for my three children now in their fifties. Thank you John Prine. You’ll always be a friend of mine.
I was fortunate enough to see Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee perform there in the 70’s. What a great show! It was such an extraordinary place to hear music, very intimate with great food served Boarding House style. What a memory!
Yes, I too was there in 1974-75 to see Dolly Parton, Holly Near and others perform. Also later on Columbus Street in North Beach where Emmylou gave Rodney his opportunity for fame? She let him solo at her shows as he was a member of her Hot Band. The Boarding House, what a great venue and performances. Thank you and RIP, David Allen.
The club had moved to Columbus Avenue after the building was sold for condos (histric site of many recording session as Coast Recorders). List of performers is woefully inadequate. David ran shows six nights a week, to shows a night for years and years. He also held monthly open auditions and took notes in Mandarin to foil anyone looking over his shoulder. H ran a shooting gallery in the top floor of California Hall in the 40s before he was Deputy Dave, kids TV show host in the 50s.
I was at this show, I knew who he was, and I took photos, he was great and just as great, his stories between songs!
The Chambers Brothers brought the house down at a show there in 1973. Dinner downstairs and the show upstairs (street level). Only time in my concert life saw people standing on chairs with such excitement. Great memories.
What was the capacity of the Boarding House?
I went to the Boarding House many, many times during the 1970s. I saw Ramblin Jack Elliott there. Also Kristofferson. I saw Michael Bloomfield many times. I think he must’ve lived in the neighborhood, he was there so often. My best experience there was when I went to see Harry Chapin. I arrived early and was sitting down at the bar having a burger and a beer. This guy walked in and sat down on the stool next to me and ordered a beer. He turned to me and stuck out his hand and said, “Hi, I’m Harry.” I said, “Yeah, I know who you are.” We sat there and talked like two old friends for a long time about divorce (he was newly divorced, as was I), children, our hopes and fears about the future, etc. He was just such a down-to-earth guy. I miss that place!
Thanks for putting up this webpage. I worked at several music and comedy shows at the Bush St. location. I saw the Amazing Rhythm Aces there from the audience, one of the best live shows I ever saw. I worked with the Rick & Ruby comedy show on several double bills with Robin Williams.
I would like to add that another venue in San Francisco that was crucial to Robin Williams career taking off was the Other Cafe.
That was not just my opinion, but was also said to me by other comedians and comedy business professionals at the time, 1976->1980.