Andrew Bird first picked up a violin at age four and proceeded to spend his formative years soaking up classical reper toire completely by ear. As a teen, Bird mastered the sounds of early jazz, country blues and gypsy music. All these influences still percolate within Bird's brand of pop, but he has established a sound that is distinctly his own. Since 1997, the Chicago-based composer and multi-instrumentalist has released 11 albums, garnering a devoted following with his early band Bowl of Fire before venturing out with his first solo record, 2003's "Weather Systems." It was with this release that Bird began using a looping pedal to combine densely-layered symphonies onstage and revealed his unearthly talent for whistling. Andrew Bird's new album "Break It Yourself" was released this past March.

Venue: The Independent Location: San Francisco, CA Show Date: Thursday, August 9 Show Time: 8:00PM On Sale Date: Friday, July 13 Ticket Price: $50 *plus applicable service fees Tickets available at The Independent (628 Divisadero, SF) for no service charge. *Please note that this show is 21+