Mark Hummel was born on the East Coast and raised in Los Angeles. He took up an interest in blues harp and rock/blues music in high school, but soon discovered the originators - Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Little Walter, to name a few. He soon began frequenting the legendary Ash Grove on Melrose Avenue in LA, where he saw three blues legends he would later work with on a regular basis: Charlie Musselwhite, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, and James Cotton.

By 1985, Mark Hummel's Blues Survivors hit the road full time and never looked back. Hummel has been featured on over thirty recordings since 1985, including his Grammy-nominated, Blues Music Award-winning 2014 Blind Pig Records release, Remembering Little Walter. He is a celebrated figure in the world of blues and has long been recognized for his exceptional talent and deep reverence for the blues tradition.

Steve Freund hails from Brooklyn, NY but moved to the Windy City of Chicago in 1970 at the invitation of legendary blues pianist Sunnyland Slim, who Steve accompanied for twenty years. During this time Steve played with every noteworthy blues person in the city, including Otis Rush, Bo Diddley, Koko Taylor (winning a Grammy on her live LP), James Cotton (12 yrs), Lonnie Brooks, Hubert Sumlin, Big Walter Horton, Lee Jackson, Eddie Taylor, Snooky Pryor, Magic Slim, Henry Gray, Robert Jr Lockwood, Floyd Jones, BB Odom, and more. Freund produced Pryor, Slim & Grey for Blind Pig Records. Steve played on Boz Scaggs’ Come On Home album as well as toured it. Steve’s recorded three CDs on Delmark Records.

Karl Sevareid is Robert Cray's longtime bassist and a musician whose experience goes back to mid 60's in the SF scene, playing with Charlie Musselwhite, Alice Stuart, Etta James, Tracy Nelson, Elvin Bishop and the Rat Band.

Gary Silva has been a drummer in the Bay Area for 50 years, with an impressive resume which includes Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite, John Lee Hooker, original Ron Thompson and Resistors member, Mick Taylor, Jr Walker, Albert Collins, Buddy Guy and Jr Wells, and more.

Tickets are $30 general admission. Children under 12 are free. Advance tickets are available here, or if the show is not sold out, you may purchase your tickets at the door before the show.

Doors open 30 minutes before show time. We accept cash or Venmo only at the door.

The Back Room is an all-ages, BYOB (for those 21+) space, dedicated to (mostly) acoustic music of all kinds. You are welcome to bring your own food and beverages. The venue is ADA accessible. If you need more information or have any questions, please call us: #510-381-1997.

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Thank you for your support!

Please refrain from using your phone during performances, and if you use your camera or video, please disable the flash.

Although masks are no longer required, we strongly encourage their use to keep everyone safe in our intimate space.