Getting Social In SF

Those familiar with the Regency complex know Social Hall SF as the space underneath the Regency Ballroom that has been used primarily for private events for several years. Goldenvoice SF VP Paul Billings told Pollstar the company, which manages the Center, has had inquiries over the years from artists and agents about the smaller room, and it made sense to convert it to a “turnkey” music hall with its own lighting and sound packages.

With that, a fresh coat of paint and expanded stage and new bar, the 600-capacity Social Hall SF will have a soft opening in early September but kick off with a two-night stand with Neon Indian Sept. 22-23.

It will accommodate 450 for seated shows. Social Hall SF gives Goldenvoice SF a new addition to its portfolio in an extremely competitive market, and a “feeder” room for artist development opportunities to move into the 1,424-capacity Regency Ballroom upstairs, and to the 2,450-capacity Warfield Theatre. “For that size venue it has one of the better ones in the city, and with a full sound package we can accommodate anything in there from electronic to rock,” Billings said. “We built out an entirely new bar. There was an old one in there we took out and revamped the whole bar space to better serve customers. We’re replacing some carpeting in there and redoing bathrooms.

“It’s a really beautiful room as it is, so we didn’t have to do too much besides painting. The biggest part was redoing the bar, stage, and sound and lighting,” Billings said. “We’re always looking at new opportunities in the Bay Area. There’s a lot of competition so we are taking our time and taking the steps that are right for us. We’re not in any rush to make huge jumps anyway, but this was right for us.”