Bottom of the Hill, legendary San Francisco live music venue, to shutter in 2026

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(Photo courtesy of Bottom of the Hill)

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's legendary live music venue, Bottom of the Hill announced on Friday that 2026 will be its final year in business.

End of an Era

What we know:

In a post on social media, the owners of the iconic, 35-year-old Potrero Hill venue said that New Year's Eve in December 2026 will be their final day.

The owners consider themselves lucky to have lasted so long for an "independent rock ‘n’ roll venue" of this size.

"It has been a wonderful trip, and we are full of stories and memories. We have hosted tens of thousands of musical artists and have been a community partner as well, holding numerous benefits, school recitals, weddings, birthdays, and memorials," the post read. "Let’s have one more solid year of memories together and bid a fond farewell to a legendary venue."

In 1999, Rolling Stone once called BOTH, the affectionate shorthand for the venue, "the best place to hear live music in San Francisco."

The club's website shows their calendar is full of diverse live music events most nights of the week. They say you can catch up-and-coming acts from around the globe as well as local favorites, spanning genres such as alternative, rock-a-billy, punk, and hard rock, to funk and pop.

Patrons of this National Independent Venue Association member can enjoy bar-food favorites like the Bottom Burger, vegan chili, quesadillas, and the staff favorite – Three-cheese Mac & Cheese from the kitchen, as well as a lively and social outdoor patio space in between acts.

While the social media post doesn't elaborate on the reason for the closure, they do post a link to an article by Coyote Media, where they say the tough decision was partially due to rising costs, but also due to shifting demographics in the city amongst an increasingly corporate media landscape.

In the end, the owners told the outlet they want to end on a high note and take time to work on other personal projects.

'Final revolution'

Bottom of the Hill owners Ramona Downey, Kathleen Owen and Lynn Schwarz branded the venue's last year as its "final revolution" and said 2026 is their big victory lap.

The owners are self-described as "three women in different phases of our lives." They are all from three different generations and backgrounds – something that has given their bookings and business outlook a unique perspective since 1991. They also acknowledged Tim Benetti, a fourth owner who recently passed.

"We will curate one more year of great shows, enticing bands that make up our history to come back for one final play on our stage," they wrote.

The owners thanked the bands, their agents, managers and roadies they have worked with over the years.

They talk about the intimacy of the smaller-sized venue. Anyone who has taken in a show in this space would surely note how up-close you are to the musicians and how special it is to be on the same wavelength with a like-minded community crammed into one room listening to music.

Several people with ties to the Bay Area's legendary music scene lamented the news on Friday night, some calling it one of the greatest venues in the states.

"Played here many-a-time, including just a few months ago. Sad news," posted Andy Duvall from the psychedelic rock outfit, Carlton Melton.

Many on the team of employees at Bottom of the Hill have been working with BOTH for well over a decade, the owners wrote, making their decision all the more difficult, they said.

What's next:

You can catch the final shows throughout 2026.

As the owners insist, "Please come celebrate with us. Not with a whimper, but a bang!"

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