San Francisco & the Peninsula
Event Entertainment in San Francisco & the Peninsula: Dueling Pianos, Solo Piano and Live Bands
Events in San Francisco and down the Peninsula tend to happen in rooms with character: a restaurant's private dining room in North Beach, a hotel salon near Union Square, a SoMa loft, a company café in San Mateo, a home in Hillsborough or Palo Alto. The guest list is often a mix of coworkers, clients and partners who don't all know each other yet. Live piano is one of the easiest ways to get that kind of room talking. Here's how we'd plan entertainment for events from the city down to Palo Alto.
Why live piano fits San Francisco rooms
San Francisco has a long piano bar tradition, and our roots are in it. JMD's founder, James Michael Day, played hundreds of nights at Lefty O'Doul's, the city's famous piano bar, where a good night meant the whole room singing along to requests. That's the same energy we bring to a company party or a private celebration. Our talent has also performed for Crunchyroll, so a room full of tech and media folks who just finished a big year is familiar territory.
Picking the right act for your event
- Company and holiday parties: dueling pianos. Two pianist-singers play requests all night and pull the guests into the show, with shout-outs for the team, birthday songs and a song for the boss. It works for a restaurant buyout, a hotel ballroom or an office party in a big open floor, and the show stays clean when the room calls for it. Modern Dueling Pianos is the dueling show JMD books.
- Client dinners and receptions: solo piano. For a cocktail hour, a donor dinner or a private room where people still need to talk, a singing pianist sets the mood without taking over, then picks up requests once dessert is out.
- Weddings: solo piano, then dueling pianos. Many couples want quiet piano for the ceremony and cocktail hour and a party for the reception. A singing pianist covers the first half, and a dueling show takes over once dinner is cleared.
- Big dance floors: a live band. JMD represents Whiskey Kiss and The Penetrators Groove Band for crowds that want country, classic rock, R&B and dance music until the last song.
Planning tips for city and Peninsula venues
- Send us the load-in details. Street parking and loading zones in the city are tight, and many hotels and event spaces have a loading dock, a freight elevator and set times for using them. Tell us about stairs, elevators and where we can unload, and we'll plan arrival times around it.
- Ask about sound rules. Lofts, private dining rooms and homes often have neighbors close by and a firm end time. We pace the night so it peaks before the music has to stop, and our production team can bring sound and lighting sized to the room if the venue has none.
- Plan outdoor events for fog and wind. A sunny afternoon in San Francisco or on the coast can turn cold and damp by evening. For a garden, rooftop or patio event, have a covered spot for the performers and the gear, and a backup plan indoors.
- Leave room for traffic. The bridges, Highway 101 and Interstate 280 slow down on weekday evenings, so for a weeknight company party we build in extra setup time.
- Book December early. Thursday and Friday dates in early and mid-December go first. Our holiday party entertainment guide compares dueling pianos, karaoke, a DJ and a band.
Where we play
JMD Entertainment books events across San Francisco, including the Financial District, SoMa, Union Square, North Beach, the Marina and Mission Bay, and down the Peninsula through Daly City, South San Francisco, Millbrae, Burlingame, Hillsborough, San Mateo, Foster City, Belmont, San Carlos, Redwood City, Menlo Park, Atherton and Palo Alto. Across the bay? See our East Bay and Tri-Valley guide. Further south? Our San Jose and Silicon Valley corporate events guide has you covered.
How to book
- Tell us the basics. The date, the neighborhood or venue, the guest count and the kind of event. A budget range helps us recommend the right act.
- We recommend a lineup. Solo piano, dueling pianos, a band or a mix, with notes on space, power and timing for your venue.
- We handle the details. Contracts, production and day-of coordination stay with us, so you can enjoy your own event.
To check your date, use the booking form, call or text (408) 203-5563, or email [email protected].