No Exit

No Exit is a 4-piece band, playing both original and classic rock & roll and Americana, in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“Harmonies! Michael Rufo and David Johnson are one half of the popular local rock band, No Exit… The tightness of their vocal harmonies really shone through, as did the intricacies of their guitar parts.

The duo’s well crafted originals blended with some tasty covers (Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game a particular highlight). [The audience] took an instant shine to the duo from their very first song (Dead Flowers) and stayed with them through both sets.”
Alexis Harte
Songwriter, co-Founder Pollen Music Group, filmmaker

If you want to contact No Exit, you can message us on Facebook, or use this form.

We are active on Facebook and YouTube. Our band members are also active on Instagram.

Bio

No Exit is led by two singer/guitarists, David Johnson and Mike Rufo. David and Mike sing a wide variety of rock & roll and Americana classics. David’s background in blues and soul, and Mike’s background in folk and Americana, give No Exit an extremely wide range, and a long list of songs to draw from.

David and Mike both live in the East Bay: David has lived in Alameda, CA, for 30 years, and Mike is a long-time resident of Oakland, CA. The other two band members, drummer Brandon Watson and bassist Skot Christopherson, live in San Francisco and South San Francisco, respectively.

Songs

In a typical rock & roll set list, No Exit covers artists like the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Chris Isaak, Santana, The Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, the Meters, Steely Dan, Muddy Waters, Edwin Starr, and Squeeze. The band also can play in a quieter, acoustic mode, covering artists like Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Jim Croce, Michael Daves, Johnny Cash, and the Brothers Comatose.

Mike and David are also songwriters, with distinctive styles. Mike has released three albums of his original songs, which are all available on Spotify and Apple Music. His most recent album, Helsinki, was released last year, and Mike’s tour for it took him to Finland and Germany. David has released an album of original music, The Moonlight Highway, which is available on Spotify and Apple Music. His upcoming second album, REWIND, draws direct inspiration from the Beatles’ REVOLVER, and will be available in late spring 2023.

These are some of the original songs that frequently make their way into No Exit’s live performances.

Video

This video shows a short collection of No Exit performance clips. This gives a quick overview of the sorts of music that No Exit plays, the venues at which they’ve played, and the audience response that they elicit.