Warfield Theatre

The Warfield, formally known as the Warfield Theatre and commonly called The Warfield, is a historic live-entertainment venue in downtown San Francisco, California. The venue has a stated capacity of approximately 2,454 people and occupies a position between a conventional theater and a large concert club. Its scale allows touring artists to perform for more than 2,000 people while retaining a closer, more acoustically focused setting than a sports arena or major auditorium. The building opened on May 13, 1922, as the Loews Warfield. It was named for David Warfield, a San Francisco-born entertainer and theatrical figure. The original venue was constructed as a vaudeville theater during an era when downtown theaters served as important outlets for stage performers, variety acts, music, and popular entertainment. During its early decades, the theater presented prominent figures associated with American popular culture, including Al Jolson, Louis Armstrong, and Charlie Chaplin. It was later known as the Fox Warfield, reflecting a change in theatrical affiliation and branding. The venue's modern identity was shaped particularly by its use for rock, blues, metal, and other touring music. Bob Dylan's extended engagements in 1979 and 1980 were important moments in the theater's later concert history. Dylan performed 14 shows at the beginning of his first Gospel Tour in November 1979 and returned for 12 performances in November 1980 during his A Musical Retrospective Tour. In 1980, the Grateful Dead played 15 sold-out shows at The Warfield as part of a celebration of the band's fifteenth anniversary and as a gesture to its supporters. The performances included acoustic and electric sets; recordings from the broader series of concerts were subsequently associated with the albums Reckoning and Dead Set. Jerry Garcia also performed at the venue 88 times with various side bands, making The Warfield one of the most significant rooms in his performance history. The interior was adapted to suit contemporary concert use. During the 1980s, seats were removed from the main floor to create a general-admission and dancing area. This change reinforced the building's role as an energetic music venue rather than solely a seated theater. The venue's floor configuration was also consistent with the expectations of touring rock acts; Joe Strummer of The Clash reportedly objected to performing unless the first two rows were removed to permit dancing. The Warfield continued to attract notable performers across several genres. Guns N' Roses used the venue for a secret warm-up performance on May 9, 1991, before the official launch of the Use Your Illusion Tour. Slayer recorded the concert film War at the Warfield there in 2001, later released in 2003. Korn performed at the venue during a small-club tour in November 2003, an unusual setting for a band of its size. In September 2011, Dream Theater played its first United States concert with drummer Mike Mangini at The Warfield during the A Dramatic Turn of Events Tour. Management changed in 2008. The final Bill Graham Presents performance was a Phil Lesh engagement that ended in the early hours of May 19, 2008. The venue then closed temporarily for renovations under new lessee Goldenvoice/AEG Live. It reopened in September 2008, with comedian George Lopez providing the first performance after the renovation period. The Warfield remains identified primarily with live music and performance events, while its historic theater architecture and long association with San Francisco concert culture distinguish it from newer arena-scale facilities.

The Warfield began its life as a downtown San Francisco vaudeville theater. It opened on May 13, 1922, under the name Loews Warfield. The name referenced David Warfield, a San Francisco-born performer associated with American theater. In its early years, the building operated in the tradition of major urban vaudeville houses, presenting a mixture of variety entertainment, music, comedy, and theatrical performances. Artists connected with the theater's early history include Al Jolson, Louis Armstrong, and Charlie Chaplin. The venue later adopted the name Fox Warfield as its theatrical affiliation and operating identity changed. Although built as a theater, the building eventually became best known as a concert room. Its approximately 2,454-person capacity gave it an unusual position in the San Francisco market: it was substantially larger than a club but considerably more intimate than an arena. This combination made it attractive to established performers, touring rock acts, and artists seeking a room with strong audience contact. The venue's architectural character and location in the Theatre District further contributed to its identity as one of San Francisco's historic performance spaces. A major turning point came in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Bob Dylan performed 14 shows at The Warfield in November 1979 at the beginning of his first Gospel Tour, then returned for 12 shows in November 1980 during his A Musical Retrospective Tour. These extended engagements demonstrated that the theater could support substantial artist residencies while preserving the atmosphere of a smaller room. The Grateful Dead's 1980 appearances strengthened the venue's importance within San Francisco's music culture. The band played 15 sold-out shows there to mark its fifteenth anniversary and acknowledge its loyal audience. The performances featured acoustic and electric sets. Material connected with these concerts was later issued through the albums Reckoning and Dead Set, which helped associate The Warfield with an important chapter in the band's performance history. Jerry Garcia subsequently appeared at the theater 88 times with various side bands, making the venue a recurring home for his non-Grateful Dead performances. The building's physical configuration changed as its concert role developed. During the 1980s, seats were removed from the main floor, converting it into a general-admission space suitable for dancing and standing audiences. This adaptation reflected the requirements of contemporary rock performance. The venue's reputation for audience energy was also reflected in the reported insistence by Joe Strummer of The Clash that the first two rows be removed before the band played, allowing room for dancing. The Warfield remained a destination for artists across genres in the following decades. Guns N' Roses performed a secret warm-up show there on May 9, 1991, before the official opening of the Use Your Illusion Tour. Slayer filmed a concert production at the theater in 2001, later releasing it as War at the Warfield in 2003. Korn appeared during a small-club tour in November 2003, an uncommon type of engagement for a band with its level of popularity. Dream Theater used the venue for its first United States performance with drummer Mike Mangini in September 2011, during the A Dramatic Turn of Events Tour. The venue underwent an operational transition in 2008. Management changed in May, and the last Bill Graham Presents show was a Phil Lesh performance that continued until the early morning of May 19. The building then closed for renovations under new lessee Goldenvoice/AEG Live. It reopened in September of that year, with George Lopez as the first performer after the work. The Warfield's continuing identity is therefore based on both historical continuity and adaptation: it retains the legacy of a 1920s theater while operating as a modern music and performance venue.

• 2011

  Dream Theater presents its first United States show with Mike Mangini

  [1]Warfield Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Dream Theater played its first U.S. concert with drummer Mike Mangini at the venue during the A Dramatic Turn of Events Tour.

• 2008

  Management changes and renovation closure begins

  [1]Warfield Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The venue changed management in May and closed after the final Bill Graham Presents performance for renovations under Goldenvoice/AEG Live.

• 2008

  The renovated venue reopens

  [1]Warfield Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The Warfield reopened in September, with George Lopez giving the first performance after renovation.

• 2001

  Slayer records a concert film

  [1]Warfield Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Slayer recorded the concert film later released as War at the Warfield.

• 1991

  Guns N' Roses performs a secret warm-up show

  [1]Warfield Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Guns N' Roses played a warm-up theater performance on May 9 before the official opening of its Use Your Illusion Tour.

• 1980

  Grateful Dead plays a fifteen-show run

  [1]Warfield Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The Grateful Dead performed 15 sold-out shows featuring acoustic and electric sets as part of a fifteenth-anniversary celebration.

• 1980

  Bob Dylan returns for A Musical Retrospective Tour

  [1]Warfield Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Dylan returned for 12 performances in November 1980 during his A Musical Retrospective Tour.

• 1979

  Bob Dylan begins an extended Gospel Tour engagement

  [1]Warfield Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Bob Dylan performed 14 shows at the venue in November 1979 at the start of his first Gospel Tour.

• 1922

  Loews Warfield opens

  [1]Warfield Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The theater opened on May 13, 1922, as the Loews Warfield, a vaudeville venue in downtown San Francisco.

A historic San Francisco theater positioned as an intimate, high-capacity live-performance room, particularly suited to touring music acts that require more audience proximity and character than an arena can provide.

• Live entertainment

  Live music concerts

  The Warfield's principal offering is live music programming in a historic theater configured for approximately 2,454 attendees. Its schedule has included rock, blues, metal, alternative, jam, and other touring acts. The venue is particularly suited to artists who need more capacity than a conventional club but prefer the proximity and atmosphere of a theater over an arena.

• Live entertainment

  Comedy and spoken performance

  In addition to music, the venue can host comedy and other stage performances. George Lopez provided the first performance when the theater reopened after its 2008 renovation period, illustrating the room's use beyond concert programming.

• Recorded entertainment · 2001

  Concert film and recording productions

  The Warfield has also served as a setting for recorded live performances. Slayer recorded the concert film War at the Warfield there in 2001, with the production released in 2003. The venue's association with recordings connected to Grateful Dead performances also contributes to its historical importance in live music.

• 2008

  Transition to new management and renovate the venueStrategy

  Background

  The Warfield changed management in May 2008 after a long period associated with Bill Graham Presents.

  Action taken

  Following the final Bill Graham Presents performance, the venue closed for renovations under new lessee Goldenvoice/AEG Live.

  Aftermath

  The venue reopened in September 2008 and continued operating as a San Francisco live-performance venue.

  Source

• 1980

  Convert the main floor to general admissionStrategy

  Background

  The venue increasingly served rock and other high-energy concert acts whose audiences expected standing-room participation and dancing.

  Action taken

  Seats were removed from the main floor during the 1980s, creating a general-admission area and changing the theater's concert configuration.

  Aftermath

  The change strengthened The Warfield's identity as a large club and touring concert venue rather than a strictly seated theater.

  Source

1. 1Warfield Theatreen.wikipedia.org