Tucked away on San Francisco’s Market Street, right between SoMa and Tenderloin, is The Warfield Theater, a historic venue that traces its origins way back to the 13th of May, 1922. This timeless hall was built by Marcus Loew, a showman who also owned a chain of theaters, and was initially opened to the public as The Loews Warfield(the name was coined in honor of Loew’s friend, David Warfield, a born-and-bred San Franciscan who began his career as an usher, and went on to become a renowned silent film actor).
Back in the 1920s, the theater wasn’t the music venue we know now. Instead, the hall featured vaudeville performances and other famous acts by acclaimed artists such as Charlie Chaplin, Al Jolson, and Louis Armstrong. In 1979, The Warfield got a new lease of life when Bill Graham Presents booked a series of shows spanning across a fortnight with Bob Dylan. Fuelled by one of the 20th century’s greatest songwriters, the theater transformed into a popular concert venue.
With its exceptional audio quality, stately yet intimate setting, and a generous seating capacity of over 2,000, The Warfield, was a huge success as a live music venue, particularly after seats were removed on the main floor to give space for a closer connection between the crowd and the stage.
American music history has happened on stage at the Warfield ever since. A look into the archives shows us the impressive list of artists, entertainers, singers, bands, and performers who have graced the stage at The Warfield, including The Killers, Faith No More, Kings of Leon, and the mighty, much-missed Prince. It also holds a small but beautiful piece of California music history – the great Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead played the venue no fewer than 88 times, as well as completing a 15-show sold out run with the Dead themselves in 1980.
The venue has also served as an intimate venue for acts like Guns N’ Roses, who staged their initial secret warmup theater recitals at The Warfield before touring Use Your Illusion in 1991. Some of the more recent artists to have played at the venue include greats like Adele, indie heroes like Rodriguez, and Ghost, the renowned Swedish heavy metal band.
It’s also a great venue for shows beyond music. If you’re a lover of the arts, shows as diverse as the classic Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live (performing this Wednesday and Thursday to remind us that the 90s were also witty as hell), or Tim and Eric (performing on August 2nd to remind us that live shows are better than the movies every time) should be great shows in this great theater.
With such an extraordinary history of performances and concerts, it’s safe to say that almost every entertainer has exhibited their talent and passion at The Warfield (and if they haven’t, it’s bound to be on their list). A great San Francisco venue mixes history and everything new; the Warfield is a living, pulsing part of the artistic heart of the city.
Photos courtesy of The Warfield
