Avalon Ballroom, Music venue in Polk Gulch, San Francisco, United States
Avalon Ballroom is a music venue located at 1244 Sutter Street in a 1911 building with a large hall featuring wooden floors, mirrored walls, and red wall decorations. The L-shaped balcony above and columns throughout the space accommodate up to 500 visitors.
The building was designed by architect Alfred Henry Jacobs in 1911 and initially served as a dance studio before being converted to a concert hall in 1966. This transformation marked the start of a new era in the city's music history.
The venue was a gathering place for musicians and artists who presented their most experimental performances here. Audiences discovered bands at this location that would later achieve worldwide success.
The hall offers good sightlines from most spots thanks to the balcony layout and is easy to navigate. Visitors should expect light shows projected onto sheets hanging from the balcony during performances.
Local artists created specialized concert posters for each show featuring psychedelic designs that later became valuable collectibles. These posters document the events while serving as artworks that define the visual culture of that era.
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