Beth Custer

Crane’s gorgeous…film poems made me realize anew the beauty of…deep-focus photography.”

— V.Vale, RE/Search

Hi there, heads up! Premiere of Cathy Lee Crane’s film installation trilogy Drawing the Line with indoor installations (4-10pm) and an outdoor screening of Crossing Columbus at 8pm, Saturday, June 14th, 2025 at The New Farm, 10 Cargo Way, San Francisco, CA 94121. There will be a Q&A with director Cathy Lee Crane, sound designer Jeremiah Moore, and composer Beth Custer, 8pm, with the feature length Crossing Columbus outdoor screening 8:30pm. Doors @ 4pm for indoor viewing of Drawing the Line installation. Save the date, bring a picnic, stay for the outdoor screening, suggested donation $20.

May 10th I’ll be performing with Robley D Variety Show in Walnut Creek at Up the Creek Records, 5pm or so.

June 21st I’ll be at my annual favorite gig, Garden of Memory, at Oakland’s gorgeous Columbarium with master musician Stephen Kent. Not to be missed, I’ll have the ticket link for you soon.

Thanks for reading and be well.

Hey, thanks for stopping by….I’m singing backups in a rock band and having a blast doing so! The Robley D Variety Show performs May 10th in Walnut Creek (!) at Up the Creek Records, 6-9pm. There’s two other bands: Jocie and The Other Selves. Advanced tickets are recommended~ see you there!

Looking very forward in presenting Cathy Lee Crane at The New Farm on Saturday, June 14th, 4-10pm, 10 Cargo Way, San Francisco. This will be the first every presentation of the complete “Drawing the Line” project, conceived of as a multi-platform work (somewhat/incompletely) presented here: www.drawing-the-line.com and there’s a cool interview with Cathy. She and I have been working together for quite a while, some of my scoring will be heard in her work. Not to be missed!

In July, I will be recording David James’s Mission Rebel No. 1 with this amazing cast, L-R: David James, John Hanes, Keith Lawrence, me, Alan Williams, Lisa Mezzacappa, Allegra Bandy, and Sòlás Burke-Lalgee 

I hope you’re well and hope to see you out there!

Hi there, thanks for stopping by my site. Katchapuri Trio pictured here will be performing at Red Poppy Art House March 29th, doors open at 7pm. Advance tix highly recommended! See you there.

I feel so lucky to be working with David James now in three ensembles. His GPS ensemble will be recording in early July this year. Russian Telegraph just finished a new recording that will be released soon. Katchapuri Trio formed many years after we toured the MY GRANDMOTHER project. Kachapuri is the name of the wonderful cheesy bread we enjoyed in Tbilisi, Georgia where we played the International Film Festival. I hope we return to perform there again some day!

April brings new work for me, Kara Herold (above) is hiring me to score her Mid-Film Crisis (working title), an hilarious comedy she’s been editing. You may have seen her 39-1/2 at the Mill Valley FF, We’re thrilled to be working together after talking about it for….decades!

Larry Reed (pictured below) has been studying clarinet for years. His wonderful Shadowlight Productions is seeking screenings for his CHAGALL, a delightful 8-minute film I scored. I hope this new work plays near you soon!

As always you can donate to my endeavors. Much obliged and hope to see you out there!

A Brief Pause in my Month of Birth!

A brief pause was much needed. I came down with two nasty bugs in a row but who cares? We’re all gettin’ sick and having to pause. I slept with my legs up on a pillow and read, slept, purged. Ate barely anything and drank lots of warm teas. And moped around in my jammies thinking it would never end!

Deepest apologies to anyone who may have come out to the Feb. 7th Red Poppy Arthouse concert, we had to postpone and did our best to let everyone know, and thankfully it’s rescheduled for March 29th! This is such a delightful trio, come hear us in our fav San Francisco micro venue that’s only 5-6 blocks from 24th St. BART.

This Saturday, Feb. 15, I’m on double duty with Russian Telegraph performing at The New Farm, 3-5pm, and Robley D Variety Show from 2-3pm. Admittance it by donation so line your pockets with cash or your phone that pays(!), take public transportation, bike, or carpool, walk the Heron’s Head Park, eat at a local cafe, and come hear us perform, you will not be disappointed, rain or shine!

Have you ever seen a Shadowlight Productions work? Dalang Larry Reed has directed and performed original works around the globe for decades. I got lucky and got to score his latest release, CHAGALL. Check it out and watch for a release near you to see the whole shebang! Be well and see you out there!

Be well and see you out there! Here’s a sketch by artist Jenny Cole:

Hey everyone, my collective ensemlbe Russian Telegraph will be at The New Farm, SF. We has just laid down a 6-track EP at the glorious Bird and Egg Studio. Originals and a cover includes our renditon of Caetano Veloso’s A Tua Presenca. Here’s my hubby treating me to All Good Pizza, ty you husband! Thanks for visiting, see you out there.

Hello fine people,

That’s keyboardist/composer Jordan Glasgow and trumpeter Chris Grady of our sweet band Russian Telegraph. We go into the studio next week 🙂 and on December 1 we’ll be performing a 5:30pm set at the glorious Ivy Room in Albany, CA. Doors open at 4pm with the definite grooves of B-Side Galaxy (4:30pm) and the full funk of Double Stroke follow. Don’t miss this special concert, wear your sunny smile and your dancing shoes!

I thought I had played all the concert halls in the Bay Area yet no! On November 24 I’ll be fully clothed and singing backups with the Robley D Variety Show at the Condor…strip club! Come bathe in and shake to the sounds of SF’s finest rockers including Mike ‘Che’ McKevitt, Bruce Schlesinger, Mark Yee and of course Robley D Evans. Canastafarians?

The holiday/donation season cometh! When you’re in a good, giving mood consider buying one of my scores, CDs, DVDs, or you can very easily just donate here detritus free! For a top secret unlisted LP that I’m featured on please send a $250 donation and your mailing address!

Also consider regular donations to The New Farm, where magic happens and where this photo of a wonderful neighboring tenant was taken.

Be well, see you out there,

Beth