The polished up and sonic wonder The Castro! March 9, 2026

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Castro
• Sam Smith 
  • Sam Smith's San Francisco insta foodie page @samserved

Check out past episodes of this podcast at the To Do San Francisco podcast archive.

©2026 Sublime Experiences LLC. ℗2026 Sublime Experiences LLC. All rights reserved.

Transcript

Jamie Whitaker 0:17

Greetings, this is Jamie, and you're listening to the To Do San Francisco podcast for Monday, March 9th, 2026. I'm so glad you're starting your week with me. Before we dive into the city's heartbeat, let's take a second for a quick Monday mindset shift. You are the architect of your own energy today. You don't need to finish the whole marathon by noon. You just need to take the first step with intention. You've got this, and San Francisco has got you. Now, if you've walked down Castro Street, South of Market Street lately, you've seen that neon Castro Blade glowing a little brighter. After two years and a staggering forty-one million dollar renovation by Another Planet Entertainment, the theater finally reopened its doors last month. For the newcomers, this isn't just a theater. It's landmark number one hundred, built in nineteen twenty-two by the legendary Timothy Pflueger, his first solo gig, its Spanish colonial Baroque facade and Italian Renaissance interior murals, those scravito walls, have seen a century of radical joy. We are currently in the home stretch of the Sam Smith To Be Free Residency concert series at the Castro. They've been absolutely commanding that stage since February 10th. I went to see their show this past Wednesday and it was pretty wonderful. The new Meyer sound system at the Castro for live music performances is crystal clear. While the removal of the fixed-rate seating caused a literal seat in protest back in 2024, the new motorized platform system is proving its worth. It's allowed for a general admission dance floor vibe for Sam Smith, but don't worry, the balcony still has those classic, though much more comfortable, refurbished seats for those of you just not up for standing for two to three hours in the general admission on the main floor of a live music performance. What people are saying The ceiling restoration is the real star. They scrubbed off decades of ambiance, also known as smoke residue, and the gold leafing is finally popping again. Before the show started last Wednesday, I noticed a lot of folks were just taking in the ceiling's polished brilliance. Yes, the organ stayed. David Haggarty is still the master of the keys, though it's now a massive custom hybrid digital pipe setup. Sam Smith wraps up their Castro residency this Saturday, March 14th, and the schedule is staying busy. Here's a sampling of what is coming up at the Castro. On March 15th, Kim Petrus is taking over for a one night only blowout. March 17th, St. Patrick's Day, gets a campy twist with Frameline's Trash Talk featuring John Waters. He'll be doing a live commentary on the movie Serial Mom. March nineteenth through the twenty second, the 30th anniversary Berlin and Beyond Film Festival kicks off, proving that cinema is still very much in the building's DNA. March 22nd, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival presents Clara Beau in IT or it, accompanied by that brand new organ. Given the Castro give the Castro a try. It may just become my new preferred music venue after the Masonic has stood up as a number one for me for years. Here's your kindness and civility tip. Since the neighborhood is seeing a massive influx of foot traffic again, let's practice a little good neighbor etiquette. When you're heading out of a late show at the Castro, remember that people live in those beautiful Victorians right above the bars on Castro Street. Keep the post show high volume down until you hit Market Street at least. Also, if you're grabbing a slice or a taco after the curtain closes, maybe offer to bust your own table. Our local shop workers are doing the heavy lifting to keep the Castro vibrant. Let's make their night a little easier. Stay curious, stay kind, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.