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Swedish American Hall
Rating Details »
Category: Venues & Event Spaces [Edit]
Neighborhood: Castro2174 Market Street
(between 15th St & Church St)
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 431-7578
42 reviews for Swedish American Hall
Swedish American Hall is a fantastically intimate venue that hosted my very first LLOYD COLE experience.... just this past weekend
Awesome woods & browns make for a very inviting, cozy atmosphere. Small auditoruim ( which reminds me of a school auditorium that been converted for the school play ) was already packed.....folding chairs in the center w/ plushy ones lining the walls.....remember it's 1st come, 1st served
But not to worry....there's an upstairs! We lucked into 2 seats near the stage w/ great views
Drinky table as we enter but we had arrived a bit late so didn't have enough time to see exactly what was offered besides water
Lloyd played great hits from his solo career, hits from his time w/ The Commotions & made funny jokes about getting older - really connected w/ his audience & created the feel he was playing just for MEEEEEE
Given this was an acoustic show, couldn't really put the sound quality to the ultimate test but I *can* tell you that Lloyd Cole sounded crisp & clear & we could hear everything loudly & perfectly
Swedish American Hall provided the perfect venue for Lloyd & can't wait to explore more great acts!!
Flashback: prepping for the 4th grade Holiday Concert
Jared: la la LA la la
Mom: Honey, what are you doing?
Jared: Exercising my voice like Whoopi taught me in "Sister Act 2"
Mom: Go on
Jared: "Oh happy day..... ohhhhhhh happy day.... when Jesus washed..."
Mom: Okay, hold up for...
Jared: "... washed AWAY my sinnnnnnnsssssss"
Mom: You don't believe in Jes-
Jared: "When Jesus waaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"
Mom: Honey, can't you sing about the Macabees? Or how about Moses? He was a good man.
Jared: But Sister Mary Clarence makes Jesus sound more fun.
Seeing a show at the Swedish American Hall took me right back to my elementary school auditorium. They were about the same size, both had a small balcony that could hold a few parents who wanted to discreetly hit the bottle, and both have really uncomfortable chairs and a tiny stage.
But I still loved it. Saw Noah and the Whale here last night and it was a perfect place. The sound stayed and carried well, I felt like the band members were within reach (because they were... well, if I had arms like Elastigirl), and they couldn't (pretend to) leave the stage before an Encore, so they just stood there while we clapped.
It was especially like elementary school because after the show, I traded some pogs for X-Men cards and told my friend he was a fartface, had cooties, and that his Mom was so dumb she heard it was chilly outside and grabbed a bowl.
I had a great time at w00tfest but the venue sucked.
There are no tables and the chairs are the kind meant to be used for 30 minutes max. Cheap folding crap that hurts your butt after an hour.
Even worse is no booze! I did sneak in my own but that doesn't count.
If you really want to see whoever is playing go ahead but if your on the fence skip it.
Small venue, open floor with folding chairs, no bar. Still fun. The interior is very pretty - I loved the woodwork, the royal chairs in some of the space, and the intimacy of the place. Old buildings like this have a ton of charm. We checked out the downstairs Cafe du Nord at break...
And I got to meet Adam Savage!!! w00t
Okay, so this review is for the venue space. I definitely can't speak to it's awesomeness (or not) for seeing a show.
I would definitely recommend the SAH for a wedding. For me, it was the perfect representation of SF--built right after the big earthquake, it maintains an incredible antique look. It has beautiful woodwork and high ceilings.
Dick, their event manager, was great to work with. They have catering on-site, but you can use and outside caterer if you prefer.
Everything on the day-of went smoothly and I was so happy to find a place in the city that wouldn't break my budget, and wasn't a golf club or gymnasium of sorts.
Heart me some Swedish American Hall.
i saw andrew wk with the calder quartet here. its a very cool venue. its small, and yeah the seats are uncomfortable so we moved to the cushy thrones along the wall and voila! my only complaint is no bar and the cafe was closed early when i was there! i like a beer with my live music!
this place is freakin' awesome!!!
i saw iron & wine and the yogoman burning band here and it was really great (and cheap!!!). top that off with the fact that you are entering some top secret, freemason-esque club (hence you will be yelled at if you try to enter the downstairs) and the beer hall putschy atmosphere and how could you not love it? really, i'm pretty sure hitler visited on his good faith tour across america (too soon?). the space is incredibly intimate; it really was ideally suited to an acoustic show by iron & wine but it also held up well to the more lively incantantions of the yogoman burning band.
who cares if the chairs are uncomfortable? maybe y'all need to eat more and grow an ass. start eating more mayonnaise. it's how i keep this baby nice and padded.
and you can go next door to cafe du nord for beer and wine. and they have blue star on tap. SOLD.
I Recently helped plan an event here and it turned out to be a pretty good space. The interior of the main room has some really special touches. I love the wood floors and the royal-like chairs that line the walls. The balcony is a nice touch for additional seating. The manager of this place is pleasant and happy to walk you through the place and answer all questions.
The event was a continuous conference set-up, and we used two of the upstairs rooms in the Hall. The smaller room was alright, just make sure you check out all details regarding out-lets, audio and wi-fi, because all need to be arranged in advance (if specifics are in order).
Cool venue, something a bit different and I would like to experience an intimate concert here to get a better feel for the place.
I've only been to one show at the Swedish American Hall, and all in all, I enjoyed the experience.
Pluses:
-intimate venue
-affordable tickets! ($15 to see Peter Moren)
Minuses:
-curfew (band has to stop playing at 10 pm)
-uncomfortable seats (my butt was more sore after the concert than after a 20-mile bike ride)
-chilly (skylight windows were open)
-no alcohol
When I enumerate all the pluses and minuses, it may seem like the disadvantages outweigh the advantages, but really, it was fine. Check it out and decide for yourself.
Great venue for a small, live, intimate type of show - you feel like you're right there with the performer(s). Up close, and personal.
While they don't have a liquor license, you should know that you can wander downstairs into Cafe Du Nord (they waive the cover if you have the stamp that shows you were upstairs for the show).
If you're not lucky enough to have some back-side padding like me, though, you might want to bring your own cushion - you know, like you'd do at a baseball game, or something. Otherwise, say night-night to your bottom (apparently). ;)
A sweet and intimate place to see a show (i saw larkin grimm and michael gira. both phenomenal). It was probably built in the late 1800s, and I'd say the design hasn't been updated at all, but maintained beautifully. Although it is very clearly marked as the sweedish american hall, thanks to a sign right above the door, that didn't stop me and a friend from standing in the line to get into the cafe de nord, which is right next door. When I walked up, I thought, wow, this a really long line for such a small show. As it turns out the line was for sarah barilles, who was at cafe du nord. I thought it was funny too, when we got to the front of that line and gave our names because we were on the list, the bouncer was looking and looking for us...then he said, "this is for sarah, right?" and we were like, "no...sarah? sarah who? who's sarah?" and he was like "I don't know!" really? you work here, and you don't know who's playing?
hi - larious! anyways, we told him we were at the sweedish, and he pointed us next door to the place with no line.... when we asked that bouncer if he knew who sarah was, he basically did the same dance with us the first bouncer did....i loved it!
my only gripe was that there was no booze, but have no fear, the lucky 13 is just steps away.....
Great Intimate space. I saw "My Brightest Diamond", there. The space was perfect for that great show.
This place served beer and wine when I came here to see a movie of Old San Francisco and live jazz music. It was so cool to see a black and white movie of San Francisco from 1906 and then to have a orchestra jazz band play live and sitting eating pop corn and drink a cool beer from the bottle......
They did served ALCOHOL very cool!!
There is a first time for everything. Seeing Jandek's second performance in the world and going to the Swedish American Hall are now off my list of firsts. Great show, great space.
This is a great venue for a sit down repertory performance and really did Sterling justice. Hope to see some more great acts here because the BS that passes for music at Du Nord these days is killing me.
Perfect venue for an acoustic "MTV Unplugged" type show. Very cozy and charming, it's great for an interactive feel with the performers.
Only downside is that you can't enjoy wine or beer with the perfomance.
I throw up an extra star for this place on the condition that everyone understands that this venue is perfect for only a certain kind of show. Quiet? Folky? Acoustic Guitar Singer/Songwriter Stuff? This place is perfect for those types of shows.
There is normally plenty of seating, the lighting is nice, the interior is warm and comfortable, and the acoustics are very nice. Almost literally perfect for a quite acoustic set by Brit Daniels of Spoon, Laura Veirs, or a similar set.
However, this place would lose stars rapidly if they started trying to book loud full band shows here. It is fairly small, it lacks any-type of sex appeal, and they offer no alcoholic beverages.
It's cute, it's simple, it's Swedish, it likes acoustic music.
If it was a man, I'd date him. The lack of luster wouldn't keep me around for much longer than a couple of free dinners though.
Reasons I love this place:
1) They book great shows. Liz Phair's acoustic set, Richard Buckner, Josh Rouse, etc.
2) You can sit down (and if you get there early, very close).
3) It's easy to get to and you can go to Cafe du Norde for a drink afterward.
This is the meeting room for a sort of fraternal organization, and it looks like it. Seems like the sort of place where the Elks would be holding a bingo game or a larger version of the town hall on the Gilmore Girls, right down to the folding chairs. You can get sodas and snacks in the back, but it seems like they should really be offering punch and cookies.
Cafe du Nord tends to book acoustic acts here, and it's easy to see why. The crowd is generally going to be cool with sitting, and the energy is different than at a more rocking show. I've seen Kings of Convenience and A Girl Called Eddy here, and the room really suited them.
Love it for acoustic acts, when seating is preferable anyway. Intimate and definitely bizarre retro-feeling, which I kind of dig. It seems like there should be a marionette show between sets instead of recorded music on the PA. Also, I don't give a shit if there's no alcohol, so lucky me.
Same as Cafe du Nord, parking is a nightmare.
My brother had a party in one of their private rooms and it was fab.
The staff was helpful and readily available for all of our needs. They even put up with my frazzled mother, sometimes I can't even do that.
I came here last night for a Sondre Lerche show. It was perfect.
I felt very connected to the music since the venue is so intimate.
If there were ever a show here again, I would definitely make it a point to come back.
interesting venue that's like a cross between a high-school auditorium (a bunch of metal folding chairs facing a tiny stage with a heavy red curtain) and some viking meeting hall (complete with thrones). saw destroyer here and the sound was good but i just wish they serve alcohol here. does this mean i'm alcoholic?
True. They do not serve alcohol. But it is easy to sneak it in.
It does remind me of a cafeteria...but that's not necessarily a bad thing! One can quite readily imagine Chris Farley's Lunch Lady fitting in perfectly at the Swedish American Hall. I just saw Josh Rouse here last week and it was a pretty intimate space and a respectful audience. Sound and acoustics could have been better though. Not the greatest place to see a show, but not terrible either.
Great room for music but please get a liquor license.
I'm a grown up. I can handle it.
It's a precious little place. Very "The Virgin Spring".
I would have had a MUCH better time if it weren't for the damn chairs. They have to be the most uncomfortable chairs on the planet, I swear.
Next time I am bringing a tush cush.
BADASS LITTLE VENUE! I just love the place. Just a hair larger than the Noe Valley church that sometimes do acts. Went recently for a beautiful wedding and have to say... it's hot. Think about it. And for the amorous and adventurous, make sure to check out the third floor when you can slip away. Quite seriously.... do it. ;^)
Funky venue for a small-scale concert or other events. I went to see Nico Muhly here - the venue wasn't bad for the concert, acoustics were pretty good, but the place feels a little worn, not at as intimate as it should given its small size, and mostly the seating was very uncomfortable (wooden chairs...I suppose I should give them points for Scandinavian authenticity). The staff was not particularly nice but not rude either.
This spot is the prepubescent little sister to the edgier, sexier Cafe Du Nord. The Swedish American Hall is exactly that, an event hall. The place has great acoustics and is perfect for your low-key singer/songwriter type show. They don't have a liquor license so you have to go next door for your adult beverages.
Very nice venue. I went there to see Peter Moren (of Peter Bjorn and John) with my girlfriend and her friend. At first we were in the main seating area and we sat in the "king" chairs as we like to call them that were against the interior walls. I saw some people go upstairs to the right and there was more seating up there. It was closer, kinda, but we were higher, which I like. No alcohol there but you could go downstairs to Cafe Du Nord for some if you'd like, which is a pain. Also if you go here you can go for drinks afterwards to Cafe Du Nord and catch a free show if you'd like.
'I know some of you are taking this class for credit and not for a grade,' and the crowd laughs because it really does feel just like a lecture hall. Rhett Miller (of Old 97s fame) had this place pegged. Cool Sweedish decor and decent sound for acoustic shows. Everytime I'm here, nobody seems to get into the music though. Maybe it's due to the lack of alcohol or the fact that they know finals are coming up.
Feels like a really cool high school auditorium in suburban Geneva from like 1973. Sound system needed updating. Could inspire yodelling.
This place is small and cozy. They technically don't serve alcohol--organizers of the event/show are supposed to get a one day permit for the place. (thought i'd note that b/c of all the haters!)
THEY DON"T SERVE ALCOHOL!!!!! THEY DON"T SERVE ALCOHOL!!!
Rating is more of a 3.5. Came here last night for Raul Midon (he was amazing!). A friend of mine managed to be in line waay early, so we picked up front row seats for the performance! The show wasn't sold out either. The hall had this sort of "hall" feeling, like i should have club meetings or bingo here (hopefully you know what i mean). And the seats weren't so comfortable after a while. Too bad they dont serve alcoholic beverages. And when we wanted to go down to cafe du nord for some drinks, they weren't open yet. i think i would have to come here again to make a more honest opinion.
Great small venue to see acoustic acts, but would be better if they served alcohol.
A fairly decent venue. Not terribly large, and sort of lacking in atmosphere, but some pretty good artists frequent perform here. I found the balcony to feel sort of detached from the main floor.
great place to see acoustic shows.
cool "old-timey" swedish charm - the woodwork is pretty cool and the overall vibe reminds me of going to see a school performance in the old gym - not the new one, the old one.
I agree with the recital comment, but that's why I kind of like it. Not sure the acoustics are the best here, but since I was seeing a stripped down acoustic show I couldn't tell fully. If you can't get a decent spot on the floor, try the balcony for a birds' eye view (rather than staring at the backs of the heads of the tall people who will inevitably stand in front of you).
i totally love this place. the acoustics were spot on and the vibe is really laid back. it reminds me of a small ryman auditorium in nashville. church anyone?
