Latest news with #SoSF
San Francisco Chronicle
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Is SoSF the Bay Area's Fyre Festival?
What was supposed to be San Francisco's hottest new Pride Weekend celebration has devolved into confusion and controversy, leaving many ticket holders frustrated and struggling to secure refunds. SoSF, a waterfront concert scheduled for Saturday, June 28, with headliner Kehlani, faced backlash earlier this month after the Oakland R&B singer withdrew from the lineup. Her exit followed a string of concert cancellations due to her outspoken support for Palestinians. DJ Adam Kraft, founder of event company Fake and Gay, and drag queen Nicki Jizz, who created the 'Reparations' drag show, subsequently dropped out, citing disagreements with the festival's stance on the issue. Organizers offered refunds to ticket holders due to the lineup changes, but mere days before the outdoor event, many report they're struggling to get their money back as promised. 'It's pretty sketchy behavior,' Jackson Bowers, 29, told the Chronicle. In the weeks that followed the lineup changes, organizers changed the event's name, switched its venue and wiped its social media presence. 'I was excited that they offered refunds but now it seems like they're just totally ghosting us.' The Cole Valley resident said that organizers sent out an email on June 5 announcing the lineup change. The event, set to take place outdoors at 900 Marin St., across the street from Pier 80's warehouse where it was originally booked, is still set to feature 'Nasty' singer Tinashe and Grammy-winning pop star Kim Petras, among others. After consulting his friends who had also purchased tickets, Bowers decided to request a refund on Thursday, June 19, via the email address provided by organizers. He said he paid a little more than $100 for one ticket. The Chronicle has reached out to SoSF organizers for comment. 'I texted my friend and I asked him, 'If we were rich, would we have fallen for Fyre Festival?' because I kind of feel like I did,' said Manuel Gallardo, referencing the disastrous luxury music festival that was meant to take place in the Bahamas in 2017 but was quickly canceled after its initial attendees lacked basic amenities. The 32-year-old Mission District resident said that he spent more than $200 for two tickets after fees, but decided to request a refund after the lineup changed and the event rebranded to Pride 2025 Block Party, sparking confusion. Like Bowers, he is waiting for his SoSF ticket refund, despite having reached out to organizers several times since June 18. 'I don't have very strong feelings about the political arguments that are being made, but I think that the response to Kehlani's political stance was offputting to me,' he said. 'It's a bummer that the event didn't really seem that it had its attendees top of mind or made us feel very good about going.' Oakland resident Julie F. was similarly bothered by the way organizers responded to the 'After Hours' singer's politics, and said that she and her partner requested refunds to ensure that they're 'standing in solidarity with what we feel is the deplatforming of Kehlani.' She declined to share her full last name due to safety concerns regarding her political opinions. While Julie's partner reached out at the beginning of the month and received a refund on June 11, she is still awaiting a response after sending her own request on June 15, plus several follow-ups. Jeshua John, 31, also received a refund on June 11 after submitting his request on June 8. The Haight-Ashbury resident said he decided not to support the event because it didn't align with his values, and he wanted to respect the local artists who had voiced concerns. 'I think it's important to not just have your ear to the ground but also be able to take cues from local artists that we all know and respect,' he said. 'I just feel better about myself knowing where my dollars are going.' John said that he was already skeptical of organizers when they announced the lineup change on Instagram, and screenshotted the post in which they asserted that all ticket holders would be eligible for a refund. The post has since been deleted. 'It's been frustrating but not necessarily surprising,' Julie, 27, said. 'They haven't really been very forward about what to do, what the process is, and also applying an unfair standard for people based on when they had the capacity to process refunds.' She said she paid $95.61 for her ticket by using a discount code, and has attempted to cancel her transaction directly through her credit card, though the process typically takes a few weeks. Even if their refunds aren't issued before Saturday, Julie, Bowers and Gallardo all said that they don't plan to attend. Instead, Bowers plans to hang out in Dolores Park, while Gallardo says he'll check out a different event. Julie doesn't have anything lined up yet. Gallardo noted that he was particularly disappointed by the SoSF shakeup because he wanted to support the revitalization of San Francisco's party scene. 'I just feel like with nightlife kind of coming back in the city after the pandemic I was wanting to support something that was gonna be new,' he said. Bowers also noted he was looking forward to something different. 'It's a shame since everything has unfolded since then,' he said.
San Francisco Chronicle
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
S.F.'s new Pride festival faces backlash over stance on war in Gaza
Two Bay Area artists have pulled out of SoSF, because of organizers' stance on the war in Gaza, and are instead planning their own competing Pride event. DJ Adam Kraft, founder of the event company Fake and Gay, and drag queen Nicki Jizz, who created the 'Reparations' drag show, opted to part ways with the outdoor music event scheduled for June 28 shortly after Oakland native Kehlani decided to drop off the lineup as SoSF's headliner last week. 'SoSF made a statement regarding Kehlani's stance and language being pro-Palestine, which resulted in a wave of comments asking them to clarify exactly what issues they had with Kehlani's position and language,' Kraft told the Chronicle on Monday, June 9. 'We, along with the majority of our community, stand with the Palestinian people, and felt that message should not be obfuscated.' The Chronicle has reached out to SoSF organizers for comment. The since-deleted statement by SoSF was posted to social media in May shortly after Kehlani faced concert cancellations by Cornell University and Central Park's SummerStage Pride concert over what the Ivy League deemed 'antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments.' As first reported by the Standard, the statement noted that the festival's team 'fundamentally disagree' with Kehlani's language, and went on to explain they were seeking to 'engage with her team' instead of canceling her San Francisco appearance. A joint statement by Kehlani and the festival was also included in an effort to smooth over any new criticism. 'No person should ever fall casualty of a war they did not choose and do not support,' the statement read. 'This sentiment extends to Jewish people, the same way it extends to Palestinian people, the same way it extends to all people.' In April, Kehlani responded to her Cornell concert cancellation with an Instagram video clarifying that she is 'anti-genocide' and 'anti the actions of the Israeli government.' But she has continued to be criticized for her views. The singer has frequently used her platform to voice her opposition to Israel and Zionism, and included the phrase 'long live the intifada' in the music video for her 2024 song 'Next 2 U.' The phrase translates to 'uprising' or 'resistance' in Arabic, but is also considered by some as a call for violence against Jews. While announcing Kehlani severed ties with the event on Instagram, SoSF organizers revealed that the one-day celebration would no longer be at Pier 80's warehouse. Instead, it's set to take place as a block party across the street at 900 Marin St. That post has since been deleted, though this information is still on the event's website. It is still unclear why Kehlani, who identifies as a lesbian and uses she/they pronouns, withdrew from SoSF. But Kraft said that it did influence his and Nicki Jizz's plans to cancel their appearances. 'We pulled out of SoSF because we felt like our and our community's voices were not being heard or considered and for a Pride event, especially in this moment under the current administration, uplifting queer voices should be of the utmost importance,' Kraft said. 'I just couldn't bring myself to be a part of an event which started to feel more and more exploitative of pink dollars during such a crucial time.' 'This was an easy decision to make to stand up for what's right,' Nicki Jizz added. Looking ahead, Kraft and Nicki Jizz are determined to pull together their own Pride weekend event. 'We would love to be able to provide an alternative space where people feel more comfortable and excited to attend, and know that their money is not going to a cause or entity that is actively in opposition to their own views,' Kraft said. 'It is super last minute to attempt to do something, but we are trying our best.' Both Kraft and Nicki Jizz noted that the SoSF organizers they have worked with throughout the process have been 'understanding' and 'supportive.' But Kraft pointed out 'it feels like mixed messaging,' as the way in which organizers have continued to promote the event doesn't align with their behavior behind the scenes. One example he cited is that when SoSF shared its new flyer, sans Kehlani, they made no mention of his or Nicki Jizz's departure. 'To me that speaks volumes,' Kraft said. 'They were only using us for our local audience reach and did not value us as contributors to the event.'
San Francisco Chronicle
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
New S.F. Pride festival loses headliner weeks before event
Oakland R&B singer Kehlani has pulled out of the lineup for San Francisco's new Pride celebration, SoSF, leaving the event without a main headliner three weeks before it's scheduled to take place. The festival, a new one-day block party, announced that the 'After Hours' singer has decided to no longer be a part of the line-up' in an Instagram post shared on Thursday, June 5. Organizers also announced that the event, set for June 28, will no longer be held at Pier 80's warehouse. Instead, it will take place outdoors at 900 Marin Street, just across the street from the original location. The Chronicle has reached out to SoSF for more information. 'Nasty' singer Tinashe and Grammy-winning pop artist Kim Petras remain on the updated bill as headliners, and German DJ and Portola Festival alum Horsegirl has been added as a special guest. Still others on the festival's roster appear to be in flux. San Francisco DJ Adam Kraft, the 'Reparations' drag show and event company Fake and Gay have also dropped out of the lineup according to an Instagram story post from Kraft, which Fake and Gay then reposted. Kraft teased that a statement on the artists' decision to drop out would be 'prepared soon.' None of these acts are listed on the SoSF website anymore. Kehlani has been under fire recently for her stance on the war in Gaza. Her performance at Cornell University's end-of-school-year Slope Day was nixed by the school's president in April due to what he deemed 'antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments." The artist has frequently used her platform to speak out in opposition against Israel and Zionism. She included keffiyehs, traditional Arabic scarves often associated with Palestinian identity, in the music video for her 2024 song 'Next 2 U,' which also uses the phrase 'long live the intifada,' which translates to 'uprising' or 'resistance' in Arabic. The term is also considered, by some, as a call for violence against Jews. Though the Oakland School for the Arts alum quickly responded via an Instagram video, refuting accusations of antisemitism by clarifying that she is 'anti-genocide' and 'anti the actions of the Israeli government,' more concert cancellations followed.
San Francisco Chronicle
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
How to have a hella Bay Area summer
Like foggy summer days, there are certain things that are quintessentially San Francisco. Here are some uniquely Bay Area ways to soak up the season. BottleRock Napa Valley Memorial Day weekend will once again be marked with musical and culinary excellence as BottleRock Napa Valley gets underway in Wine Country. The three-day tradition, set for May 23-25, plans to welcome East Bay rockers Green Day, pop artist Justin Timberlake and singer-songwriter Noah Kahan as headliners at Napa Valley Expo. More than 80 additional acts are slated to take the stage over the course of the festival. — Zara Irshad 'Co-Founders' Since tech companies controlling our brains got started in garages, accelerators and hacker houses in our backyard, the Bay Area is the perfect place for new theater that explores the broader social ramifications of the industry: When you start up, who or what gets left behind? Enter 'Co-Founders,' a hip-hop musical written by locals Ryan Nicole Austin, Beau Lewis and Adesha Adefela making its world premiere at American Conservatory Theater's Strand Theater on May 29. The production runs through July 6. Ilana DeBare discusses 'Shaken Free' To hell and back. So travels the protagonist of 'Shaken Free,' the sequel to Oakland author Ilana DeBare's offbeat 2023 debut novel 'Shaken Loose,' which followed the high-temperature challenges facing a Bay Area woman who finds herself in the underworld. Along with San Francisco writer Audrey Ferber, she plans to talk about her protagonist's not necessarily eternal damnation when Green Apple Books hosts her book launch on June 4. — Kevin Canfield David Nayfeld discusses 'Dad, What's for Dinner?' David Nayfeld's new cookbook offers numerous answers to the question asked in its title. On June 5, the chef and co-owner of Che Fico in San Francisco comes to the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco to discuss 'Dad, What's for Dinner?' (written with Joshua David Stein; foreword by Gwyneth Paltrow). His kid-centric collection of recipes includes the Best Fricking Meatloaf in the World. It's not bragging if you can back it up. — Kevin Canfield SoSF A new Pride Month celebration is hitting San Francisco's Pier 80 this summer. Oakland R&B star Kehlani, 'Nasty' singer Tinashe and Grammy history-making trans pop artist Kim Petras are set to headline the event, dubbed SoSF. It is set to take place June 28, a day before the city's official Pride Parade, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the nonprofit organization Lyric Center for LGBTQ+ Youth. — Zara Irshad Outside Lands San Francisco's biggest musical tradition is returning to Golden Gate Park on Aug. 8-10, for its 17th edition. This year, rappers Doja Cat and Tyler, the Creator and alternative folk singer Hozier are slated to headline Outside Lands, which is also set to offer attendees unique experiences such as on-site weddings, a performance area dedicated to LGBTQ communities and more. — Zara Irshad
San Francisco Chronicle
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Portola Music Festival is returning to S.F. despite history of noise complaints
Portola Music Festival is coming back to San Francisco's Pier 80 for a third year despite its history of noise complaints from residents across the Bay Area. The permit required to host two nights of bass-thumping live performances at the waterfront space on Sept. 20-21 was unanimously approved by the Entertainment Commission during a public meeting in March. Goldenvoice, the festival's producer, also secured the necessary authorization from the Port of San Francisco. Goldenvoice just needs to ensure that the festival is up to date with fire codes and emergency response access, among other precautions, to receive a final approval from SFFD, according to Lt. Mariano Elías. Captain Jonathan Baxter said that the event plan is expected to be finalized during a meeting with Goldenvoice on July 23. Meanwhile, Goldenvoice has teased the festival's return in an X post shared on Monday, May 5. 'Blue smoke has just been spotted coming from Coit Tower, signifying a new Portola lineup has been chosen,' Portola Festival's official account declared, along with an edited video of cobalt blue smoke coming out of the North Beach landmark. Last year's event saw performances by 'Friday' singer Rebecca Black, controversial rapper and producer M.I.A. as well as headlining sets by French DJ Gesaffelstein and English electronic duo Disclosure that drew 42,000 attendees per day. 'There's a whole generation that missed what dancing and going out was about,' festivalgoer Deron Delgado told the Chronicle last year, reflecting on the pandemic era. 'There's more appetite again for it.' But while Portola Festival is becoming a beloved tradition for EDM lovers, the event has evoked equal frustration among the hundreds of Bay Area residents nearby who have filed noise complaints since it began in 2022. Even with increased efforts to reduce noise from the performances last year — such as reorienting its two outdoor stages, hiring someone to monitor noise levels and enlisting additional call center staff — Portola Festival still drew 224 complaints over the festival weekend. That doesn't seem to be discouraging city officials who already approved a new Pride music festival to take place at Pier 80 next month. Dubbed SoSF and scheduled for June 28, a day before San Francisco's official Pride Parade, the event boasts performances by Oakland R&B star Kehlani, 'Nasty' singer Tinashe and pop artist Kim Petras, who in 2023 became the first openly transgender artist to receive a Grammy Award for best pop duo/group performance (for 'Unholy') and the second transgender woman to win a Grammy following electronic music composer Wendy Carlos. It is unclear if SoSF will be both indoors and outdoors, like Portola Festival. But with the event scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., musical performances are likely to extend well into the evening, when noise complaints tend to surge.
