You don’t (and shouldn’t!) choose live music based on the beauty of the venue in which it will be playing. But there’s no denying that atmosphere counts.
Watching an artist you love burn the stage to the ground is all the better when that stage is intricately Art Deco or framed by vineyards. From Berkeley’s historic amphitheater, The Greek, to San Francisco’s Jazz Age music and movie halls, these are the Bay Area’s most beautiful venues for seeing a show.
The Warfield, San Francisco
The Warfield in San Francisco
(Courtesy of @thewarfield)
Theater mogul Marcus Loew dressed his vaudeville and movie palace, The Warfield Theater, in Art Deco elegance for its debut on Market Street in 1922. It had a few good decades before falling into disuse, but even while her exterior lost its luster, the beauty of the grand dame’s interior remained. It was reopened in 1979, welcoming its first act, Bob Dylan, in a series of 14 shows. Since then, the Warfield has become a legendary venue to see huge names in small, intimate performances (the theater only has room for 2,300 people). Look out for the Emotional Oranges (March 29), SG Lewis (April 7-8), and Goose (April 27-28). // 982 Market St. (Tenderloin), thewarfieldtheatre.com
Mountain Winery, Saratoga
The Mountain Winery in Saratoga
(Courtesy of @mountainwinery)
Plenty of wineries host music series during the summer but only one can attract the likes of the Shins, Elvis Costello, and Weird Al. The Mountain Winery in Saratoga began, not surprisingly, as a winery in 1905. A year after the 1906 earthquake, they acquired their iconic amphitheater backdrop: A 12th century Spanish portal pulled from the rubble of a San Jose cathedral. Although vineyards still climb the hills surrounding the Mountain Winery (you can try their estate-grown pinot noir and chardonnay in their on-site tasting room), since building their concert bowl in the late 1950s it has been best known as one of the Bay Area’s most beautiful settings to catch a show. While it's the summer series that draws the crowd, you can get the party started with spring 2023 acts including Sarah Silverman (May 11) and Echo & The Bunnyman (May 19). // 14831 Pierce Rd. (Saratoga), mountainwinery.com
Fox Theater, Oakland
Fox Theatre in Oakland
(Courtesy of @foxoakland)
When the Fox Theater opened in Oakland’s Uptown in 1928, it was the Bay Area’s largest at 3,200 seats. Very nearly named “The Baghdad” for its Middle Eastern design influences, the Fox began as a movie house for early talkies; a 20-piece band and an organist played between performances. The Fox fell on hard times in the '60s and it languished unloved over the next few decades. In 2009, though, the storied theater finally got its comeback. Its rich color palette, distinctive dome, and terracotta and gold accents restored to their former glory and the theater was refashioned into a 2,800 person venue. Look forward to Alt-J (March 23-24), Pixies (May 4), and Rodrigo y Gabriela (June 3). // 1807 Telegraph Ave. (Oakland), thefoxoakland.com
Great American Music Hall, San Francisco
Great American Music Hall in San Francisco
(Courtesy of @greatamericanmusichall)
The Great American Music Hall opened in 1907 as Blanco’s, a nightclub decorated with an elaborately filigreed ceiling and ornate balconies. Through World War II it hosted musicians and burlesque performers, before being rebranded as a clubhouse for the Loyal Order of the Moose in the 50s. But like most of the Bay Area’s most impressive venues, The Great American fell into decline mid-century. But in the early 1970s, the theater was rescued from demolition and its original allure was restored. The venue has gone on to present some of the most interesting, medium-sized acts around; it even once formed the backdrop for a Robin Williams HBO comedy special. This spring, catch Vanessa Carlton (March 31), The Residents (April 17-19), and Bill Frisell (May 4-7). // 859 O’Farrell St. (Tenderloin), gamh.com
The Greek Theatre, Berkeley
The Greek Theatre in Berkeley
(Courtesy of @greekberkeley)
Nestled into the tree-filled UC Berkeley campus, the Greek Theatre is the country’s longest-running outdoor amphitheater. Over the years it has been the site of student productions, political posturing, and social unrest but since the ‘'60s it's primarily music that has taken the stage at the Greek. Neil Young, Miles Davis, Bonnie Raitt, and The Grateful Dead are among the artists who’ve rocked the 8,500-seat theater, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Catch three nights of Phish (April 17-19), the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (June 10), and Fleet Foxes with My Morning Jacket (August 18-19). // 2001 Gayley Rd. (Berkeley), thegreekberkeley.com
