The 4 Star Theater will host the Fresh & Onlys’ first live performance in six years, showcasing how the quiet neighborhood became a vibrant musical hub
For generations, San Francisco ’s neighborhoods have long defined its music scene. But the Richmond, a sprawling residential neighborhood known for its proximity to Golden Gate Park and affordability, has never boasted of a distinct musical legacy.A new cohort of musicians has proudly set up home in the neighborhood, and the advent of venues with unique and exciting programming have suddenly made the quiet community a bustling and vibrant artistic hub.
Much of the Richmond’s newfound artistic vigor can be attributed to Adam Bergeron, the proprietor of the 4 Star and Balboa theaters. His neighborhood cinemas have greatly expanded their offerings in recent years. In late 2021, he took over operations at the 4 Star Theater, which had been shuttered for nearly two years due to COVID-19. After a slow start, Bergeron applied his formula of interlaying live music, interactive Q&A events and movie screenings to the venue, eventually building a new following to match the Balboa.
Those artists added heft and credibility to Bergeron’s project — but managing the venues did not come without difficulty. Initially, 4 Star struggled to attract customers, and CinemaSF even hosted a GoFundMe campaign to support its theaters’ mission. Things changed when Bergeron invited Tunnel Records owner Ben Wintroub to set up a second location within the 4 Star. Wintroub, a Marin County native who opened up Tunnel Records in the Outer Sunset in 2017, leaped at the opportunity to work with his longtime customer.
The masses of musicians who have moved to the neighborhood in search of low rent and more living space have undoubtedly had an effect, too. Members from bands such as April Magazine, The Umbrellas and Sad Eyed Beatniks all call the Richmond home. But the band’s second album — “Play It Strange,” which landed on Pitchfork’s coveted year-end music list in 2010 — eschewed much of that dissonance, yielding beautiful, haunting songs such as “Waterfall,” a once-in-a-generation track that captured the band at their high point.
4 Star Theater Fresh & Onlys San Francisco San Francisco Music
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