SF Music Venues We Love

Legendary music spaces are at the heart of San Francisco. Vintage venues have been upgraded to better suit modern audiences, and new locales continue to spring up. Here’s a list of our favorite music venues across Fog City.

The Masonic

Located on Nob Hill, this icon of mid-century architecture attracts some of the most popular current comedians -- Ricky Gervais, Ali Wong, and Trevor Noah, to name a few. Since its 2014 upgrade, the space has become versatile with a tiered open floor, allowing for general admission or assigned seating options to best fit the event. Check out SF Masonic’s upcoming calendar ahead of time -- Stanford Court Hotel is one of the closest hotels to this excellent venue.

 

SF Jazz Center

The SF Jazz Center is a new venue that opened in 2013 in the Hayes Valley neighborhood. It houses two concert venues and stadium seats, which allows for good visibility. The family-oriented center always has something new, something jazzy, and great acoustics. Check out upcoming shows at the SF Jazz website.

 

The Fillmore

The Fillmore was once a focal point for psychedelic counterculture in the 1960s. Summer of Love brought on an explosion of new music and expression to the scene, and The Fillmore was the temple of all things hippie. Starting with Nico and The Velvet Underground’s show at the venue, audiences later saw the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Frank Zappa, Led Zeppelin and more, all within a short window of time during the ‘60s. The institution closed in 1989 due to an earthquake but reopened five years later. Today, the venue is owned by Live Nation and musical acts are mostly indie. See calendar.

 

The Warfield Theatre

Built as a vaudeville theatre and movie palace, the Warfield saw the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Louis Armstrong in the 1920s. The venue is architecturally stunning, surprisingly spacious, and a favorite among entertainers. Steep balcony seats make for surprisingly good visibility. A trip the the Warfield will leave a lasting impression on your SF experience.

 

Golden Gate Park

This 1,000+ acre park is our favorite for music festivals. One of its most popular events is the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival each Fall. At Stanford Court Hotel, we’re most excited about the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival to be held August 10-12 in the park. The annual fest features indie and alternative rock music, hip hop and electronica. Headliners include Florence and the Machine, Bon Iver, and The Weeknd, to name a few. Planning to attend? Check out our Outside Lands Special and receive up to 20% off your stay.

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