Any night of the week—and most days, too—you can catch a musical performance somewhere in the city that will knock your socks right off. There’s just one problem: the quality of the act is all too often marred by poor acoustics, low-quality sound systems, and other auditory fails.
Just what’s an audiophile to do?
Settle for nothing less than the exceptional, soul-moving acoustic experiences at these seven unique San Francisco venues.
The Audium
(Courtesy of @audiumsf)
The first theater of its kind in the world, The Audium is like a sound bath on steroids. Listeners sit in total darkness as 176 speakers ping-pong the audio across multiple spatial planes in multiple directions, speeds, and intensities. There are just 49 seats strategically positioned throughout the circular, sloping-walled auditorium custom built in 1975 (its original theater location opened in 1967). Between April 17th and May 16th, they’ll be immersed in The Moment: A Residency Replay from Audium alumni Alex Abalos and Roco Córdova, a work shaped by sounds from SF’s Filipino community and daily life in Gaza. It's a transportive experiment in sonic immersion that adeptly carries on the unusual venue’s legacy.
// 1616 Bush St. (Lower Nob Hill), audium.org
Grace Cathedral
(Dianne Jones)
Grace Cathedral is many things to many people: a place of worship, a place of labyrinthine meditation and movement, a place of community. But several times a month, Grace Cathedral is something else, too: a place of sound so exceptional, it virtually purifies the soul. That’s how the performance of Dana Lawton Dances’ Carmina Burana, which appeared at the Gothic church for the first time last year and returns for two encore performances on April 19th, has been described as its haunting score ricochets from buttress to stained glass window—but it’s just the tip of Grace’s iceberg. From monthly sound baths, like the upcoming Earth Day event combining the “voices” under the sea at the Monterey Bay with the music of Fractals of Sound, to organ recitals and immersive performances like last year’s Aura, this Nob Hill cathedral remains one of the city’s most unique spaces not just for listening to sound but for feeling it.
// 1100 California St. (Nob Hill), gracecathedral.org
SoundBox at SF Symphony
(Courtesy of @sfsoundbox)
Think the symphony is outdated like a certain Gen Z actor-who-shall-not-be-named? Tell that to the SF Symphony’s new SoundBox, an experimental performance space hidden inside Davies Symphony Hall. What happens at SoundBox isn’t a straightforward performance; it's a multisensory experience that can be anything the curator desires, like this week’s Urban Forest, a collision of nature and music accented with lights and projected imagery. Part underground club, part cathedral of sound, this inventive speakeasy-like venue is an acoustic adventure waiting to happen.
// 201 Van Ness (Civic Center), sfsymphony.org
Old First Presbyterian Church
(Courtesy of @oldfirstconcerts/@chrispang.productions)
The historic Old First Presbyterian Church at Sacramento Street and Van Ness Avenue may not have the name recognition of nearby Grace Cathedral, but like the Gothic beauty on the hill, it has become a singular space for extraordinary acoustic experiences. Since the 1970s, some of the eclectic performances presented by Old First Concerts—a 501(c)(3) that operates independently from the church itself—revolve around the meticulously cared-for Steinway concert grand piano. Others feature global traditions like this month’s Wooden Fish Ensemble, and Duo Soriga, which combines voice with the Korean gayageum, in June. What they all have in common are acoustics that reverberate from the soaring ceilings and fill the space with sound.
// 1751 Sacramento St. (Lower Nob Hill), oldfirstconcerts.org
The Lost Church
(Courtesy of @thelostchurchsf)
If this list proves anything, it's that churches—especially monumental historical ones—have exceptional acoustics. The Lost Church in the Mission isn’t that; it isn’t even actually a church. But the intimate venue literally carved out of the living room of its co-founders is no less breathtaking as a music venue. There are exactly 49 seats in the 1,000-square-foot space, a low stage lined with footlights, and acoustics so good that even unplugged performances feel powerfully amplified. From indie and bluegrass to experimental electronica, The Lost Church lineup is diverse, punctuated by comedy shows, open mics, and the occasional one-woman show. The venue's founders are also currently revamping a similarly cozy, congenial, and acoustically distinctive space in Santa Rosa.
// 65 Capp St. (Mission), thelostchurch.org
Joe Henderson Lab at SFJazz
(Courtesy of @jonbauer)
Opened in 2013, the heart of the SFJazz Center, its 700-seat auditorium, has been called one of the best jazz concert halls in the world. While the main performance space attracts some of the venue’s biggest acts, the Center’s much smaller Joe Henderson Lab leaves its own distinctive audible impression. Encased on two sides by floor-to-ceiling glass, the Lab’s sound was designed by one of the country’s top acoustical consultants and is filtered through a custom Meyer system. Only 100 people at a time can fit in the small, light-filled jewelbox, making it an intimate, communal experience for powerhouses like the African Rhythms Alumni Ensemble, three-time Grammy-winner Ulysses Owens Jr. and his ensemble Generation Y, and edgy pianist Connie Han.
// 201 Franklin St. (Civic Center), sfjazz.org
Sigmund Stern Grove
(Courtesy of @sterngrovefestival/@paigekparsons)
Every summer, the country’s longest-running music festival comes out of hibernation, turning Stern Grove from a simple city park into a stunning outdoor venue. While not San Francisco’s only outdoor amphitheater, Stern Grove has the best acoustics by far. Tucked inside a bowl-shaped cove, the natural topography here amplifies performances on stage enough to flood the 20,000-person venue with sound. Every Sunday from mid-June through mid-August has a different vibe, with a huge range of performances from pop and rock to hip-hop and classical. Though this summer’s acts haven’t yet been announced, seeing just about anyone here is an exceptional (and quintessential) sound experience. The shows are free but are so popular that they operate on a lottery system, which opens six weeks before each event.
// Sigmund Stern Grove, 19th Ave. and Sloat Blvd. (Parkside), sterngrove.org
