Latest news with #AnotherPlanetEntertainment
San Francisco Chronicle
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Castro Theatre's renovation could revive the iconic S.F. neighborhood. But a new backlash is building
Gregg Perloff is confident that the massive ongoing renovation of the historic Castro Theatre, one of San Francisco's cultural icons, will revive a beloved neighborhood that has struggled in recent years. The CEO of Another Planet Entertainment pointed at the exposed concrete floor in the theater's auditorium during a tour last week, where new seats, a flashpoint in the intense debate over the future of the theater, will soon create more space to hold more spectators for films and concerts once the venue reopens early next year. 'There used to be 250 days of film here, but they averaged 200 people a show. We plan to triple that,' said Perloff, as shrouds of construction dust swirled around him. Despite skyrocketing costs, his team is executing its vision to restore the century-old venue as a nightlife destination for the city's famed Castro neighborhood, he said. 'There's over 20% (retail) vacancy in the Castro, depending on who you talk to,' Perloff said. 'We'll be bringing in over 200,000 people a year, and that is extremely important to the restaurants, the bars, the coffee shops.' Another Planet has a chance to be a hero to the Castro, a global symbol of queer liberation and pride now beset with shuttered stores and difficult street conditions. But controversy is once again brewing around the renovation project, which is contributing to the commercial casualties on Castro Street by pushing out a pair of longtime small business owners. … Riyad and Ken Khoury, brothers who for decades have operated a nail salon and a coffee shop out of separate storefronts that flank the theater and share the same landlord, say they will be displaced once their leases expire next month. Another Planet confirmed that the company needs those spaces to expand its box office. The Khourys said they were initially misled about the extent of Another Planet's plans for the theater's building. They said landlord Chris Nasser told them three years ago that Another Planet's renovation project would not impact their ability to renew their leases. 'He told us, …'Don't worry about it,'' said Ken Khoury. The brothers shared emails with the Chronicle that appear to substantiate their claims. The Khourys said they were shocked to learn in January that the entire building had been signed over to Another Planet. The Khourys, Palestinian immigrants in their 70s, are asking customers to sign petitions to sway Nasser to offer 'options or alternatives.' 'We have built our businesses on the premise of service and being decent, and by working with the community on all aspects — they support us, we support them,' said Ken Khoury, who owns the Castro Coffee Co. at 429 Castro St. The Khourys initially supported Another Planet's bid to revitalize the aging theater, which came as many businesses on the corridor struggled to reopen following pandemic shutdowns. 'Castro was not in good shape. We thought this would give it a shot in the arm. We thought, maybe it will help all of us,' said Riyad Khoury, owner of the Castro Nail Salon at 431 Castro St. 'I did not know that we were going to be the victims of that (the project).' The Khourys said they appealed to Another Planet for assistance, which offered to 'help' cover buildout costs should the brothers secure new storefronts elsewhere. A spokesperson for Another Planet denied that the company made such an offer and suggested that the Khourys relocate their businesses into 401 Castro St., a building adjacent to the theater that's owned by their family. That building's ground floor commercial spaces are occupied by longtime businesses, except for one that was vacated last month. Riyad Khoury said their businesses can't fit in that space. Supervisor Rafael Mandelman said that Another Planet is making a 'very bad call' by displacing the brothers' businesses. 'This is Another Planet's project, and none of this was disclosed to the broader community,' he said. But for Perloff, of Another Planet, the Khourys' situation is 'a landlord-tenant issue.' He said the theater needs those spaces for a 'proper' box office, and that they were included in his lease with Nasser. … Perloff said during last week's tour of the theater that the renovation project faces its own struggles. He argued that multiple meetings and hours of public input delayed the renovation, which along with commitments made to the community, is making it less lucrative. Costs have ballooned from an anticipated $15 million to over $40 million — an 'untenable figure,' Perloff said. 'We're going to have to raise some money,' he said. The theater's reopening has been pushed back to early next year. Another Planet agreed to include 75 days of programming per year for film screenings and festivals, add separate sound systems for films and concerts, and put in a new projector and screen. Other improvements include the restoration of its decorative ceiling, which had turned brown over the years, and replacing its house organ. A motorized raked floor system providing tiered seating, will be installed, and a second floor space will be transformed into a bar and lounge area. Moveable bars will be added on the ground level. 'What would make me happy is we get this theater going and two years later, we just see so much more activity in the Castro District, with people from all over the Bay Area saying: 'Of all the theaters that went away, I'm so glad that this one got saved,'' Perloff said. … Perloff is also worried about empty spaces outside his theater. He pointed to two boarded up storefronts in another building steps from the theater, at 449 Castro St., that have sat vacant for years. Another Planet's attorney, Dan Serot, told Castro stakeholders in February that the company had met 'several times' with the owner of 449 Castro to discuss relocating the Khourys into the vacant spaces. But the owner 'rebuffed every effort,' Serot wrote in an email obtained by the Chronicle. Efforts made to reach the owner for comment were unsuccessful. Mandelman, the supervisor, said there's a 'real challenge around property owners who don't actually seem to have any interest in renting out their properties.' Another large property nearby at 2390 Market St. at the intersection with Castro has been sitting empty since Pottery Barn departed in 2018. Real estate sources told the Chronicle that the city made an offer in the past to purchase the building, potentially to house the LGBTQ history museum. But the parties could not come to terms on pricing. Down the street, at 531 Castro St., a 'for-lease' sign hangs in the window of the former Hamburger Mary's restaurant, which shuttered in 2020 after two years in operation. Before that, the storefront was vacant for nearly two decades. Landlord Les Natali also owns the adjacent building at 541 Castro St., which features another vacant storefront. Real estate agent Cheryl Maloney, who is representing Natali in leasing up both buildings, said he has been working to fill the buildings. Some new businesses that have attempted to set up shop on Castro have struggled to open. The large corner space at 500 Castro St. at the corner of 18th that once housed nightclub Harvey's was supposed to be rebooted with a new bar concept. But the project has stalled due to 'unbelievably high' rents and costly renovations, said Maloney, who does not represent that building's owner. 'Everybody pulled out,' she said. Robert Emmons launched his gift shop, Welcome Castro, out of a storefront at 525 Castro St. in 2023. He said it's been a tough two years. 'It's probably my most expensive rent of all my three businesses, and the least productive,' Emmons said. 'There is just not much draw to the Castro anymore. We have way too many empty storefronts, and with the Castro Theatre closed, we just don't have the activity to keep people coming back into the neighborhood.' Emmons is hopeful that Another Planet can help revive the neighborhood. But across the street, Tim Flint, the owner of a six-decades-old antique shop, is skeptical. 'When Another Planet first came, they said they wanted the support for changing the interior of the theater…and they got that,' Flint said. 'Now they want the coffee shop and nail salon. Well those are established businesses, just like my business. If you allow that, you're destroying neighborhoods.' … The dispute between Another Planet and the Khourys has divided the community. Paul Miller, board president of the Castro Community Benefits District, said the historically gay neighborhood faces changing demographics. 'There's always a sentiment that you want to keep things the way they are, but the world is a changing place, and the needs for LGBTQ heart of the community have changed,' Miller said. 'We also need to make sure that we continue to be a place that serves the community as its identity changes and grows.' Nate Bourg, president of the Castro Merchants Association, said a new entertainment zone allowing alcoholic beverages on streets and sidewalks will begin with the Castro Night Market on Friday, a monthly event that has drawn new crowds to the area. He described the theater renovation project as a 'watershed' moment for the neighborhood. 'There's been some controversy… but there's no doubt that, and by and large, that project is going to be a big game changer for the Castro, and really, for San Francisco, to have such an iconic space reopened and renovated.' Stephen Torres, a bartender at the Twin Peaks bar near the theater, agreed that most want to see the Castro return to the 'vibrancy' it had during the 1970s and again in the early 2000s. But, he said the effects of 'speculative real estate turning a whole generation of landlords into gamblers willing to hold out for that big payoff' are being deeply felt in the neighborhood. 'What we're seeing is people not feeling a connection to their community, or even safe in their communities. One of the things that did actually hold the Castro together was the theater,' he said. 'The best case situation is a return to a more comprehensive venue that remains accessible to the community and is not a private and exclusive space, which is the divide.'
CBS News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Golden Gate Park concerts planned to celebrate 60 years of Grateful Dead
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announced Monday that that city is planning to welcome Dead & Company for a series of concerts at Golden Gate Park this summer to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead. "From Haight-Ashbury and the Grateful Dead house to Ingleside, where Jerry Garcia grew up, the Grateful Dead is embedded in San Francisco's history," Lurie said in a statement. "The weekend will celebrate our city's creative spirit, boost our local economy, and bring generations of fans together. This is more than just a concert—it's a San Francisco homecoming." Three shows would take place at the Polo Fields on Aug. 1, 2 and 3, one week before the annual Outside Lands music festival, according to city officials. The shows would be presented by Another Planet Entertainment and co-produced with Live Nation, in partnership with the city's Recreation and Park Department. Lurie said the concerts would draw up to 60,000 people per day. "Celebrating their 60th anniversary with a Dead & Company performance in the very place where the Summer of Love took root is a powerful tribute to their legacy," said Phil Ginsburg, general manager of the city's Recreation and Park Department. The proposal for the shows is expected to go before the Recreation and Park Commission on Thursday. In a video posted on social media, the mayor said, "Right here, in the city that is the home of the Grateful Dead. What better way to celebrate? We'll see you out here in August." San Francisco is planning to welcome @deadandcompany to Golden Gate Park for three days in August, to mark the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead. Stay tuned for more details from the band coming soon! — Daniel Lurie 丹尼爾·羅偉 (@DanielLurie) May 12, 2025 The planned concerts come 10 years after surviving members of the Grateful Dead staged "Fare Thee Well", a series of shows featuring surviving members of the band that marked 50 years. The shows were held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara and Soldier Field in Chicago. Dead and Company, who are in the midst of a residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas, have not commented on the San Francisco shows.
San Francisco Chronicle
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Outside Lands reveals daily lineup with an unexpected surprise
Outside Lands made a last-minute addition to this year's festival lineup. Beck, the eclectic Los Angeles indie-rock artist who has staged several orchestral concerts in the past year, is set to return to the festival for the fifth time. This time, however, he is billed to perform 'with symphony,' in his first appearance at the three-day San Francisco concert since 2022. In addition to Beck's surprise spot on the bill, the annual Golden Gate Park music festival, run by Another Planet Entertainment, unveiled its daily lineup Tuesday, May 6. The eight-time Grammy winner is slated to help open the festival on Aug. 8 along with headliner Doja Cat, 'Anxiety' rapper Doechii, electronic dance music star John Summit, Bay Area alternative pop artist Still Woozy and singer and producer Thundercat. Rapper Tyler, the Creator is expected to serve as the headliner on Aug. 9, to be joined on the festival's second day by 'Close to You' singer Gracie Abrams, Vallejo rapper LaRussell, Portola Music Festival alum Gesaffelstein and preppy pop band Vampire Weekend, which is billed to perform twice to deliver 'stage opening and closing sets.' Also on the festival's second day, R&B singer, rapper and drummer Anderson .Paak is listed to perform under his alter-ego, DJ Pee .Wee, followed by a set with his band, the Free Nationals, on the festival's final day on Aug. 10. Irish folk singer Hozier is scheduled to close out Outside Lands on Aug. 10. Others performing on the third day of the festival include singer-songwriter Jorja Smith, 'Friday' singer Rebecca Black, indie rock group Glass Animals and the Jack Antonoff-fronted pop rock outfit, Bleachers. Julien Baker and Torres pulled out of the festival, in addition to the remaining dates of their 'Send a Prayer My Way' tour, on Monday, May 5, citing that Baker needs time to 'focus on her health.' Outside Lands single-day ticket presales for Chase cardholders are available now, with the general sale starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 7. Three-day tickets are available now. This year's festival will see the return of the open-air SOMA experience in Marx Meadow, featuring music by DJ/producers including Nico Moreno, Black Coffee, Floating Points and former Dirtybird Records owner Claude VonStroke. The Dolores' stage, which offers programming celebrating LGBTQ+ communities, and City Hall, the festival's wedding venue for devoted couples looking to tie the knot in-between sets, will also be making a comeback this year.
San Francisco Chronicle
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
‘The start of something really good': Channel 24 venue energizes Sacramento arts landscape
For decades, Sacramento concertgoers have packed into cars or boarded trains to see their favorite artists in San Francisco or Oakland. But a new addition to the city's Midtown district could signal a shift in the region's migrational patterns. Channel 24, a mid-size venue developed and operated by Berkeley-based Another Planet Entertainment, the powerhouse independent promoter behind San Francisco's annual Outside Lands music festival, opened last month with a clear mission: Keep Sacramento music fans local. More Information May-June lineup Denzel Curry: 8 p.m. May 7 Madness: 8 p.m. May 14 Hippocampus: 8 p.m. May 16 Hermanos Gutiérrez: 8 p.m. May 21 Jack White: 8 p.m. May 26-27 James Arthur: 8 p.m. May 29 Charley Crockett: 8 p.m. June 8 Social Distortion: 8 p.m. June 14 Pachiko: 8 p.m. June 17 Ryan Bingham and the Texas Gentlemen: 8 p.m. June 18 Channel 24: 1800 24th St, Sacramento. For a full schedule, go to 'We'll go to the Bay Area for shows, like San Francisco, but it's hard to get out there with a job and stuff,' Jeannette Ho, 51, standing in the Channel 24 lobby just before electronic group Tycho took the stage Friday, April 25, as part of the venue's opening celebrations. Ho's boyfriend, John Conley, 56, echoed that sentiment. 'It's harder now than when we were younger to drive to the Bay Area for shows, especially during the week,' he said. 'Having shows here in Sacramento is definitely nice. We're more willing to get out to a show during the week here in town and close to us.' For fans who have long faced a 90-mile trek for mid-level acts, Channel 24 fills a longstanding void. While smaller indie bands regularly play the 530-capacity nightclub Harlow's and megastars hit the more than 17,500-seat Golden 1 Center, the state's capital has lacked a home for artists who sit comfortably mid-lineup on a Coachella poster. 'Over the years, we have had lots of artists ask to play Sacramento. They were bigger than Ace of Spades, and they weren't big enough to play Sacramento Memorial Auditorium,' said Allen Scott, president of concerts and festivals at Another Planet Entertainment, describing the goldilocks conundrum of downtown's concert scene. The former is an all-ages venue that accommodates 1,000, while the latter is a nearly 4,000-capacity space that books more graduation ceremonies than concerts these days. The hole in the market often led the concert production and artist management company to skip the market and send talent to Reno. That calculus changed with the 2016 opening of Golden 1 Center, managed by the Sacramento Kings and the City of Sacramento, that hosts cultural juggernauts like Paul McCartney, Janet Jackson and Kendrick Lamar. 'Golden 1 Center, 10 years later, is still in its honeymoon period,' Scott said, describing how the burst of energy and attendance for a new venue usually dissipates after a year or so. 'That's really a testament to what's happening in Sacramento.' With Channel 24, Another Planet is betting on a city long seen in a perpetual state of striving — but one increasingly ready to stand on its own. For pop culture proof of its underdog status, just look to the plot of the recent comedy ' Sacramento,' which hinges upon the city being a random and detached destination for its Los Angeles characters to find themselves in. Local residents are accustomed to serving up reasons for it to be taken seriously: It's a culinary destination, a mecca for cyclists, close to a lot of (arguably superior) natural attractions like Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. But offering up the city's art scene might not be the most obvious move if one were making the case for it as a sexy metropolis. The addition of Channel 24 might not completely turn that around, but it's certainly a step in the right direction. Sam Kesh, 46, who has produced indie shows in Sacramento as a DJ and booker for most of his adult life, said he has long ventured out to the opulent Fox Theater in Oakland, Berkeley's open-air Greek Theatre and the more intimate room at the Independent in San Francisco well before knowing they were all owned and operated by Another Planet. When he learned of the entertainment company's latest venture in his hometown it was definitely welcoming news. 'All of those venues … they're huge parts of my life,' he said. 'It's just cool that there's something connected to that and means that if there's tours playing those venues, now there's an opportunity to have them in Sacramento.' Serving up a premium sonic experience was, in fact, the dominant objective when building the 2,150-capacity space, which is Another Planet Entertainment's first 'from the ground-up' project. 'This was completely built from the dirt,' Scott noted. 'I think the results will speak for themselves.' The structure, which was erected in place of an old electrical supply warehouse on 24th and R streets, was designed by Sacramento's Ellis Architects and the Bay Area's CAW Architects. With one wall adorned with a towering mural of a roving horse, by Sacramento artist Cheyenne Randall, and a modern auburn facade, the building — whose namesake references the electrical 'channels' of its warehouse days and Sacramento's converging rivers — is an unexpected addition to the mostly residential southeast corner of Midtown Sacramento's grid. Frequent concert goer Nicole Grant Kriege, 46, is hopeful about Channel 24's influence on its surroundings. 'I think it could really grow into a little bit of a micro-hood,' she pondered while sitting in a booth at Round Corner bar, which was buzzing with activity just before Channel 24's Tycho concert. 'You have Round Corner, which is kind of this dive bar institution, you have Racks, a vintage store that's been around forever. I think there's the start of something really good here.' Spotted among the bar crowd, huddled around the pool tables, was Tycho frontman Dan Hansen. The Oakland-based musician, who lived in Sacramento in the early 2000s, was mingling with friends and family ahead of the show. Later onstage, Hansen expressed his appreciation for the city of trees. 'This is amazing and so meaningful to us,' he said warmly as he reminisced about making music in a garage-turned-studio just up the street from Channel 24. Those songs would become the influential 2011 album 'Dive,' which received the loudest cheers at the venue that night. 'It was important to have a local artist play,' said Scott. 'We always knew Tycho would be in that first week.' Although the throng of mostly 30- to 50-somethings was enthusiastic about the chillwave indie rockers that night, Channel 24's roster serves a broad audience, including younger fans with a proclivity for country music. The venue's opening night on April 24 featured Tucker Wetmore, attracting a sold-out crowd outfitted in cowboy boots and wide-brimmed hats. 'Two very popular genres in Sacramento are country music and hard rock music — they perform better in Sacramento than they do in the immediate Bay area,' explained Scott, adding that shows featuring bluegrass singer Sierra Ferrell and alt-country artist Sam Barber were both sold out. From gritty Americana crooner Charley Crockett, who last drifted through the capital city five years ago, to blues rocker Jack White, who has never stepped a booted foot into a Sacramento venue, there's a bit of a sea change coming for the land-locked town. 'I'm hoping it brings shows we wouldn't normally get in Sacramento,' said Conley.
Axios
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
SF brings back free downtown concerts featuring Dirtybird and more
Free downtown concerts are coming back this summer. State of play: The concert series — a partnership with Another Planet Entertainment, the producer of Outside Lands Festival — will return to Embarcadero Plaza, Union Square and Civic Center Plaza. Zoom in: The first concert, slated for June 14 at Embarcadero Plaza, will mark the second annual Back 2 Baysics event and feature the city's homegrown electronic music label Dirtybird as host. The DJ line-up is yet to be announced. The big picture: Last year's shows, which included Dirtybird: Back 2 Baysics at Embarcadero Plaza, Portugal. The Man at Civic Center Plaza and Don Louis and Sophia Scott in Union Square, drew tens of thousands of attendees. The concert in Embarcadero Plaza alone nearly tripled foot traffic in the area relative to a typical Sunday. The initiative, a three-year agreement secured by former Mayor London Breed, is aimed at revitalizing the downtown economy and supporting local businesses as well as San Francisco's arts and culture scene.
