Blue Bear School of Music presents
BLUE BEAR LIVE III Benefit Concert
featuring Elvin Bishop & Friends
A Youth Music Education Benefit

with very special guests
Tommy Castro
Bonnie Hayes
John Nemeth
Vickie Randle
"Mighty" Mike Shermer
Andre Thierry
& R.C. Carriere

Special performances by Blue Bear STAR Program youth Bands

New Orleans style funk after-show dance party featuring The International Playboys with special guest artist appearances by Blue Bear faculty and staff

GA tickets available through gamhtickets.com and tickets.com. 
VIP tickets available through tickets.com only.

Blues guitar legend, Elvin Bishop, The Elvin Bishop Band and some very special guests will be laying it down at Blue Bear School of Music's 3rd annual Blue Bear Live - Youth Music Education Benefit concert on Friday, May 9. 

Special performances by an assortment of Blue Bear affiliated youth bands will get the party started in an inspired way and the evening's entertainment will end with a New Orleans style funk dance party set featuring The International Playboys.

Headlining this year's benefit is blues legend Elvin Bishop. His latest Blind Pig album, Booty Bumpin' , features both old favorites and recent triumphs exemplifying why Elvin has become one of the most respected and beloved artists to come out of the 60's blues-rock explosion.  As a founding member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Bishop continues to stir up a party with a bluesy stew of slide guitar and groovin' rhythms.

The New Orleans style International Playboys feature Blue Bear faculty members, Glenn Hartman, a recent New Orleans transplant on keys, guitarist Chris Haugen and trombonist Alan Williams.  An assortment of special guests featuring members of the Blue Bear faculty will showcase the exceptional talents that have helped make Blue Bear School of Music an premiere educational institution and significant contributor to the local music scene for nearly four decades.

Blue Bear Live III supports Blue Bear's many outstanding youth music education programs.   Over the past two years proceeds from Blue Bear Live events have funded a multitude of innovative music education programs and initiatives for youth in San Francisco and beyond. Successful programs that are supported with Blue Bear Live funds include: the STAR (Schools That Aspire to Rock) program which provides instruments, teachers, instrument instruction and performances opportunities to more than 200 students each year at James Lick Middle School, Rooftop Alternative School and Woodside International School; Blue Bear's Studio 101 program which engages 300+ students through songwriting, music production and music technology and is offered at numerous schools and youth based community centers including the Manzanita Recreation Center, Friends of the Children, Urban Services YMCA, Star King Elementary School, San Francisco Public Library and Claire Lilienthal School; scholarship support for students attending and Blue Bear summer camps and other music education programs and activities throughout the year; and the Little Bears Music program which provides early childhood music education for more than 200 infants, toddlers and their families at various locations throughout San Francisco.

Founded in 1971, Blue Bear is San Francisco 's leading destination for aspiring musicians of all ages and skill levels who want to enjoy learning and playing Rock, Popular, Folk, Blues or Jazz music.  The School's mission is to provide superior quality and affordable popular music education through the school's experienced professional faculty and diverse programming.  Blue Bear provides a comprehensive music education meeting the needs of students from 4 months old to those well into their seventies and beyond.

For more information about Blue Bear School of Music please visit www.bluebearmusic.org .