Gavin DeGraw in San Francisco

About Gavin DeGraw

Gavin DeGraw is a singer-songwriter who broke through in the mid-2000s with an unapologetic blend of soul, rock, and pop sensibilities. He's best known for "I Don't Want to Be," which became the theme song for One Tree Hill and basically defined a generation's soundtrack to high school drama. His music centers on emotional directness—he's not interested in obscuring what he's feeling. Songs like "Chariot" and "Follow Through" showcase his ability to build from intimate verses into anthemic choruses that hit harder than you'd expect from someone working in such a straightforward idiom. DeGraw's lived a genuinely interesting life: he busked in New York for years before getting signed, dealt with a serious bicycle accident that sidelined him for a while, and just kept writing. He's maintained a steady touring schedule and recording career without ever becoming the kind of overexposed pop star that burns out. His appeal is durable because there's no pretense to it—just a guy with a strong voice and actual things to say about love, loss, and trying to figure out who you are.

DeGraw puts real energy into live shows without relying on production gimmicks. Crowds sing along hard on the hits, but he actually holds attention during deeper cuts because his voice and guitar work are substantial. People genuinely connect with what he's doing onstage.

Known for I Don't Want to Be, Chariot, Follow Through, Belief, In Love with a Girl

Gavin DeGraw + San Francisco

Gavin DeGraw played AT&T Park on September 5, 2015, with a nine-song set that was tight and efficient. Fire was a deep cut that gave the set some edge, and the Heaven cover showed range. Soldier and In Love With a Girl opened with energy, and the run from Not Over You through Chariot into I Don't Want to Be closed things out with all three of his biggest songs back to back. A ballpark set doesn't leave room for deep dives, but San Francisco got the essentials, and DeGraw made them count.

Gavin DeGraw in San Francisco News

• Colbie Caillat, Gavin DeGraw bring Christmas tour to Chumash Casino Resort Santa Maria Times · Dec 3, 2025
• O.A.R. Plots 30th Anniversary Three Decades Tour TicketNews · Oct 31, 2025
• O.A.R. Plots ‘Three Decades’ Tour for 2026, ft. Gavin DeGraw, Lisa Loeb, KT Tunstall + Phantom Planet Rock Cellar Magazine · Oct 30, 2025
• O.A.R. Announces Three Decades Tour with Special Guests Gavin DeGraw, Phantom Planet, Lisa Loeb and KT Tunstall antiMusic · Oct 30, 2025
• O.A.R. Announce 2026 30th Anniversary Tour, Release New Single “Where We Are Right Now” therockrevival.com · Oct 30, 2025

Live Music in San Francisco

San Francisco's music scene has never been monolithic, but it's consistently championed artists who blend soul, rock, and introspection. From the Fillmore's legacy of intimate performances to the modern venues scattered across the city, there's always been room for singers who aren't afraid of vulnerability. DeGraw's piano-driven pop-rock sensibility fits that lineage.

San Francisco road trip to see Gavin DeGraw?

Stay in Hayes Valley or the Mission—both neighborhoods have the kind of restaurants and bars that make a weekend feel deliberate rather than touristy. Head to State Bird Provisions for dinner if you can get in; it's precise and inventive without being pretentious. Spend a day in Muir Woods or hiking around Twin Peaks for actual views of the city. The de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park is worth a couple hours if the weather holds. Hit up a coffee place on Valencia Street in the Mission just to sit and watch the neighborhood move around you.