About Blackwater Café

The Blackwater Café is a cramped, eclectic neighborhood coffeeshop in a small commercial strip surrounded by homes. It’s also one of the best places to see a concert in Stockton. Head to the Blackwater on any night of the week and you’re likely to find live music. It might be a punk band making a tour stop, a college reggae group or a local singer-songwriter playing publicly for the first time. The café also has open mic nights and it has hosted bands performing childrens’ music as well as “Gong Show”-style talent competitions. The crowd can be as diverse as the entertainment. Gray-haired regulars sit at tables outside and smoke as punk kids inside form semi-circles and dance around the band inside. If you like your music loud and aggressive, you’ll find that the Blackwater can be an excellent punk club, as its small stage allows fans to stand close to performers. Its tiny size (capacity 49) helps create a fun and sweaty atmosphere at packed punk shows. Fans of more laid-back genres also will enjoy the Blackwater, as there are tables and booths where you can just kick back, relax and listen. The café serves beer in addition to a variety of coffee drinks. Cover charges for shows are typically less than $10.

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