Brief
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium to be managed by Another Planet Entertainment
Another Planet Entertainment will manage the 8,500‑seat Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, aiming to revitalize the nearly century‑old venue.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Another Planet Entertainment (APE) is poised to assume management of San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, a venue that opened in 1915 and has hosted a range of historic events and performers.
APE senior vice president Mary Conde explained that while the city’s bid demanded a high fee, the company believes it can restore the venue’s vitality. She recalled the building’s past, noting its origins as the San Francisco Exposition Auditorium for the 1915 Panama‑Pacific International Exposition and its later use for Democratic conventions, opera, boxing, the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, and speeches by Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks.
The auditorium, which seats 8,500, fell out of favor after the 1981 opening of the larger Moscone Convention Center, despite hosting acts such as the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Beastie Boys, Pearl Jam, Snoop Dogg and Lady Gaga under Bill Graham Presents. Conde emphasized the need for continuous care, saying the space is "a living, breathing thing here that needs care and attention and love."
Conde, who began working for Bill Graham in 1976, highlighted the venue’s Beaux‑Arts architecture and central location across from City Hall and Civic Center Plaza, near public transit and the annual Pride festival. She said APE aims to change the narrative around the auditorium while honoring Graham’s legacy of independent concert promotion.
Key facts
- Another Planet Entertainment will manage the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. (billboard.com)
- The venue opened in 1915 as the San Francisco Exposition Auditorium for the Panama‑Pacific International Exposition. (billboard.com)
- The auditorium seats 8,500 and has hosted events ranging from Democratic conventions to performances by the Grateful Dead and Lady Gaga. (billboard.com)
- Mary Conde, senior VP of APE, began working for Bill Graham in 1976. (billboard.com)
Sources
- [1] billboard.com — originally reported as “How San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium Carries Namesake’s Independent Spirit”
