Warfield Theatre facts for kids
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Loews Warfield
Fox Warfield |
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Warfield Theatre in October 2008
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| Address | 982 Market Street San Francisco, California U.S. |
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| Coordinates | 37°46′58″N 122°24′37″W / 37.782667°N 122.410268°W |
| Public transit |   Powell Civic Center Market and 6th Street / Market and Taylor Street  |
| Owner | David Addington |
| Operator | Goldenvoice |
| Capacity | 2,300 |
| Current use | music venue |
| Opened | May 13, 1922 |
The Warfield Theatre, often called The Warfield, is a popular music spot. It is in downtown San Francisco, California, in the Theatre District. This venue can hold 2,300 people. It first opened on May 13, 1922. Back then, it was a vaudeville theater. Vaudeville shows featured many different acts, like singers, dancers, and comedians.
Contents
History of The Warfield
Early Days and Famous Performers
In the 1920s, The Warfield was a very busy place. It hosted many vaudeville shows. Big stars like Al Jolson, Louis Armstrong, and Charlie Chaplin performed there. The theater was first named Loews Warfield. It was named after a person called David Warfield. Later, it became known as the Fox Warfield.
A New Era for Music
The Warfield got a fresh start in 1979. That year, Bob Dylan played 14 shows. He returned for 12 more shows in 1980. The Warfield became a favorite spot for rock concerts. It felt more personal than a huge arena. Plus, the sound quality was excellent.
Changes for Dancing
Like many old theaters, the main floor changed in the 1980s. The seats were taken out. This allowed people to stand and dance during concerts. Once, Joe Strummer from The Clash even asked for the first two rows of seats to be removed. He wanted people to be able to dance freely.
The Grateful Dead's Special Shows
In 1980, the Grateful Dead played 15 concerts. All of these shows were sold out. They celebrated the band's 15th anniversary. The band wanted to thank their loyal fans. They recorded two albums from these shows. One was acoustic, called Reckoning. The other was electric, called Dead Set. Jerry Garcia, a member of the Grateful Dead, loved The Warfield. He played there 88 times with his other bands.
Guns N' Roses Performance
On May 9, 1991, Guns N' Roses played a few "secret" shows. These were warm-up concerts. They happened before their big Use Your Illusion Tour officially started.
The Warfield Today: A Music Hub
Concert Films and Special Events
In 2001, the thrash metal band Slayer recorded a concert film there. It was called War at the Warfield. In 2003, the hard rock band Korn played a rare club show at The Warfield. It was unusual for them to play in such a small venue.
Management Changes and Reopening
In May 2008, The Warfield got new managers. The venue closed for a short time for updates. It reopened in September 2008. The comedian George Lopez gave the first performance after the reopening.
Recent Performances
In September 2011, Dream Theater played a show at The Warfield. It was their first U.S. concert with their new drummer, Mike Mangini. This was also their first U.S. show without their original drummer, Mike Portnoy.
