Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse

Last night Nina and I saw Cuban pianist/keyboardist Omar Sosa and Senegalese kora (harp) maestro Seickou Keita as part of 2/3 of the SUBA Trio. The third member of the trio was Gustavo Ovalles, a Venezuelan percussionist. The concert was my Chanukah gift to Nina. We parked in our usual spot, had dinner st Pho Tasty and then went to the Freight. Though I had reserved ADA seating, the woman who seated us didn't have my name. Fortunately she had two together all the way back in the center section. They were farther back than we like to sit, but they worked out fine.The house was full, pretty much. The musicians played w/ a joy that was infectious and contagious. Several times Omar Sosa was playing the piano w/ his right hand and the keyboard w/ his left, often w/ different rhythms, Nina observed. Their connection w/ each other and w/ the audience was wonderful. They had us singing, dancing, snapping our fingers at various times. Seickou Keita said their goals were 1) to ,make the audience smile, which they did. 2) make the audience dance, check. 3) make the audience cry...w/ joy, and speaking for myself, they did. They played one long set w/ no intermission and it felt generous. There was virtually no speaking between numbers, yet they communicated eloquently and w/ warmth. We were seated next to the light and sound board and it was fun watch the curtain and other stage settings change from red to purple and then to blue. Both Nina and I left feeling happy and full of music. It was a magical night and we were so happy to have been a part of it.

Attended a concert in the Freight's littlefield room, Mozart's Bday Celebration, SF Chamber Orchestra musicians on the violin, viola, and cello, and a special guest on the piano. The venue has a concessions stand serving snacks and drinks, and plenty of tables and seating in the lobby. There are also a few counter height tables and seating in the showroom which is a great option for viewing if you don't want to hold your drink during the performance, since it's open seating. The inside of the auditorium has a nice intimate feel, though it can still fit quite a bit of people. And the view of the stage seems pretty good from almost any seat due to the elevation. I sat at a high seat mid-level, next to a table, and it was perfect for experiencing the special Classicals at the Freight performance, the lovely melodies of Mozart and musical talents of SFCO all-stars. I parked less than 2 blocks away, on University Avenue, but if you can't find street parking, the Center Street Parking Garage is conveniently located right next to the Freight.

I recently went to the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse with my beloved to see Jai Uttal & friends. Freight & Salvage is a non-profit and a lot volunteers help run it. All in all great organization and a nice small intimate venue to see music. Me and my beloved really enjoyed the kirtan and performance. Great evening. We will return.

A friend introduced me to the regularly occurring Moth story slam, which is delightful. Since then, I've attended other events, including a concert. The venue is small enough that you can see the stage well from anywhere, but not so large that it feels overwhelming. It's so nice to have this local spot in Berkeley. I've heard that Bobby McFerrin is a regular performer here, though I haven't had a chance to see him yet. If you're in Berkeley, definitely check out a show here--it's worth it!

Came here for a moth taping and this venue was great! The acoustics were excellent - we could clearly hear everyone. It fit a lot of people but didn't feel overwhelming. Everyone staffing the event were very nice and everything was labeled clearly so it made navigating the venue extremely easy. During intermission, everyone crowded to restrooms, fortunately, the venue has gender neutral bathrooms (and not single stalls either!) on the upstairs area that were clearly labeled and easy to get to.

I love coming to this place for concerts. There isn't a bad seat in the house. I don't really have any bad things to say about freight in Salvage other than I wish it was closer to my house.

Fantastic venue. Not a bad seat in the house, great sound, staff was very nice, bathrooms were spotless and parking at the garage right next door was easy and affordable.

What a lovely evening with Eilen Jewell (Mess Around off the Boundary Country album)Freight and Salvage continue to offer amazing live music in an intimate setting at a reasonable price.Freight and Salvage are current with local and CDC COVID-19 protocols and offer a streamlined process to enter the facility..Matt says check out the calendar and go see your favorite music live!

I love the vibe the people and especially the performance that was there that night. Anytime I go there it's always a good time.

Recently trekked up to F&S from the central coast to see Karla Bonoff and Nina Gerber perform here. In spite of initially questioning my judgement re: driving up to Berkeley in the middle of a historic "atmospheric river" rainstorm, I was so gratified to have made that decision. What a wonderful show to have witnessed from these two artists! They complimented each other with such grace, harmony, and mutual respect. This was a "10" rated performance on any scale and it was well supported by the amazing sound system in place at the Freight. Karla Bonoff has not lost a degree of range in her stellar career. The richness and range and warmth of her voice shined through the entire performance. Nina Gerber is a musician's musician in support of every headliner she plays with. Whenever she takes the stage with her gentle presence, she instantly impacts the performance like a velvet musical hammer. What a privilege it was to see these two musicians play so beautifully at this venue!!