Noe Valley Music Series

The Pink Section of today's Chronicle has an article on Larry Kassin's 25 year music series held at the Noe Valley Ministry. (Chronicle photo by Christina Koci Hernandez.)

In the interview, Larry talks of the beginnings, the artists that have started and performed there, his own music and why the series has remained what it is for so long.

With a capacity of 250, Noe Valley Ministry's rectangular, earth-tone sanctuary has played host to a mind-boggling array of artists, including the comedy troupe Culture Clash, accordionist-composer Pauline Oliveros, Warren Zevon, Gamelan Sekar Jaya, guitarist Bill Frisell, oud master Hamza El Din and Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser.

While he books numerous out-of-town acts, Kassin takes his responsibility as a community resource seriously, having discovered early on that the space could play a crucial role in an artist's creative life.

NOE VALLEY MUSIC SERIES: Ray Manzarek, Michael McClure and Larry Kassin perform at 8:15 p.m. Saturday at 1021 Sanchez St., San Francisco. $18-$20. (415) 454-5238. www.noevalleymusicseries.com.