Oracle Arena

SF Weekly Letters

Top 8 Ways Going To a Rolling Stones Concert Is Like Living in San Francisco

The Rolling Stones are in the Bay Area this week, biding time between their show at the Oracle Arena and Wednesday's at HP Pavilion. Since Sunday's disappointing performance is still fresh in our minds, we thought we'd compare it to a similar, highly desired, pricey status symbol for Bay Area reside ... More >>

The Who Barrel Through Quadrophenia at Oracle Arena, 2/1/13

The Who Vintage Trouble Friday, Feb. 1, 2013 Oracle Arena Fans of still active '60s-era rock acts are being faced with some stark choices when their heroes hit the road these days. Instead of "Is it worth shelling out the big bucks to see them?" the question has become "Is this my last chance to se ... More >>

Muse Does Stadium Rock Sincerely at Oracle Arena, 1/28/13

Muse Band of Skulls Monday, Jan. 28, 2013 Oracle Arena Better than: Matt Crawley wailing in his best falsetto atop the roof of Downton. From its earliest records to the present day, Muse has maintained the sound and presence of a band that plays arenas. Over nearly two decades it has refined an ep ... More >>

The Killers and M83 Rule Day 2 of Not So Silent Night, 12/8/12

The Killers, M83, Passion Pit, Tegan and Sara, Grouplove, Imagine Dragons Live 105's Not So Silent Night Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012 Oracle Arena Better than: The Not So Silent Night lineup from 10 years ago, which featured Moby, Disturbed, Sum 41, Papa Roach, Good Charlotte, Jurassic 5, and the Donnas. ... More >>

Football Fan Falls From Railing at Raiders Game

A man attending the Oakland Raiders game last night remains hospitalized this morning after falling from a concourse at the Coliseum, authorities said. According to the press, shortly after kickoff at about 5:30 p.m., the man, who has not been identified, climbed over the wall on the concourse outs ... More >>

Sizzle & Fizzle: Highs and Lows from the Last Week in S.F. Music

The 5 Best Concerts in San Francisco This Week

Dum Dum Girls @ Fox Theater, Thursday, Dec, 6 Kristin "Dee Dee" Gundred's yelping on Grand Ole Party's stomping blues-punk already cemented her as an indie rock lifer (and worthy Beth Ditto successor). But with Dum Dum Girls, Gundred ushered back into the fold girl-group pop that would pave the way ... More >>

Sizzle & Fizzle: Highs and Lows from the Last Week in S.F. Music

Andre Ward Pre-Fight Recommended Viewing List

Youtube is doing for boxing what the printing press did for the Bible. We've reached a point where anyone with Internet access can watch every round of virtually any significant prizefight since the New Deal. Literally, as Joe Biden would say. The site has become a bonafide boxing archive. From Lo ... More >>

We're Looking For Smart Local Writers to Review Concerts. Is That You?

We're looking for a few talented, musically literate freelance writers to help cover the incredibly diverse Bay Area live music scene for All Shook Down. We will pay you money -- more like beer money than rent money, but still -- to go to shows, write down your opinions, and tell our readers what ha ... More >>

Sizzle & Fizzle: Highs and Lows from the Last Week in S.F. Music

New Edition: Learn the Funky Dance Moves Needed for Tomorrow's Show

New Edition performs at Oracle Arena on Saturday, June 23. It's a significantly larger venue than the group's last local appearance at the Paramount Theatre in 2007. And with that capacity increase comes a whole lot more folks who will know the key New Edition dance steps that will still be flawless ... More >>

Live Review, 6/3/12: Van Halen Finger-Taps Its Way to Glory at Oracle Arena

Van Halen Kool and the Gang Sunday, June 3, 2012 Oracle Arena Better than: Any of the still-touring Sunset Strip hair-farmers from the 1980s that Van Halen inspired. There aren't too many '70s-era hard-rock bands that can inspire the kind of unabashed hedonism -- a "bring me the skull of Sammy Hag ... More >>

Learn the J12, a New Bay Area Hip-Hop Dance Anyone Can Do

J12, a 19-year-old DJ from Oakland, has started a viral video craze with a dance he invented and posted online earlier this year called, immodestly enough, the J12. Welded to the bassline of "Slow Down" by The Team (the Oakland trio of Clyde Carson, Kaz Kyzah, and Mayne Mannish), the dance mainly co ... More >>

Live Review, 5/4/12: The Black Keys Get Swallowed Up By Oracle Arena

The Black Keys Arctic Monkeys Friday, May 4, 2012 Oracle Arena Better than: The sound of a Guitar Center inside a parking garage. Maybe the Black Keys just aren't an arena band. Sure, the Akron blues-rock outfit sold out Oracle Arena just prior to the start of its Friday show. And the humble duo ... More >>

I Love This City Festival: Tiësto, Duck Sauce, Steve Aoki, James Murphy, Holy Ghost! and More to Play Over Two Days in S.F.

This May, San Francisco is getting a two-day electronic dance music party of titanic proportions: I Love This City will bring huge names like Tiësto, Steve Aoki, Duck Sauce, James Murphy, the Crystal Method, and many more to the AT&T Park parking lot over Memorial Day weekend, May 25 and 26. No do ... More >>

Sizzle & Fizzle: Highs and Lows from the Last Week in S.F. Music

Fauxchella: How to See Your Favorite Coachella Bands Without Leaving S.F.

Christopher VictorioYou could see the Coachella artists... without seeing this.​ Maybe you hate traveling. Maybe you're broke. Or maybe you're allergic to waiting in long lines under the hot sun while privileged pre-teens gyrate to David Guetta. There are many, many good reasons not to go to ... More >>

Katy Perry Plays the Everyday Sweet Treat at Oracle Arena

Christopher VictorioKaty Perry at Oracle Arena last night.​ Katy Perry Monday, Nov. 21, 2011 Oracle Arena Better than: Cavities. Katy Perry is a piece of candy. Or perhaps a cupcake. She's a short, sweet, delicious treat that you can have every day, or at least on a fairly regular basis. She ... More >>

Rihanna Burns Out Retinas at Oracle Arena

Richard HaickRihanna at Oracle Arena last night.​ Rihanna J.Cole June 30, 2011 @ Oracle Arena Better than: Having an actual seizure. I think. There was very little doubt -- after watching a gaggle of high school girls in sequined tube tops and six-inch stilettos almost throw down in broad d ... More >>

Prince in Oakland, Night 3: The White-Suited Spectacle Comes to Its Finale

​Prince Larry Graham February 24, 2011 Oracle Arena Better than: Purifying yourself in Lake Minnetonka Luminescent in draped white clothes, with jewel-encrusted accessories and slick black hair, Prince splays himself across a purple piano and moans seductively. It could be 1984, but it is 2011. ... More >>

Prince in Oakland, Night 2: Here Come the Hits

​PrinceLarry GrahamFebruary 23, 2011@ Oracle ArenaYou need to hear funk-bass pioneer Larry Graham, who opens the show, school you on where Les Claypool came from. You might also dig how Prince embodies history in slick, soft-shoe shuffles lifted from Cab Calloway, James Brown, and Elvis. Prince is ... More >>

The Top 10 Best Big Concerts I Saw in 2010, with Gaga, Green Day, Sir Paul, Pavement, and LCD Soundsystem

It just didn't seem right to lump in Oracle Arena and HP Pavilion fare with the cozy goings-on at S.F. dens like Bottom of the Hill and even Great American Music Hall. So, in search of an even comparison, I'm breaking it up: Today, here are the best concerts I saw with more than 5,000 of my fellow h ... More >>

Sizzle & Fizzle: Highs and lows from this week in S.F. music

Friday Night: Roger Waters Turns The Wall Into A Rallying Cry at Oracle Arena

Christopher VictorioRoger Waters performed The Wall at Oracle Arena Friday night.​Roger Waters' 'The Wall' December 3, 2010@ Oracle Arena Better than: A hippie-dippy stoner protest. We don't need no education We don't need no thought control We sang the anthem as school kids. In bong-fuele ... More >>

India’s Got Talent

Links: Jerry Garcia Biopic Won't Be Able To Use His Songs

Phish​Jerry Garcia Biopic won't be able to use his actual songs. [NY Times]Check out this One Night Music video session with Devotionals, the new project from Two Gallants' Tyson Vogel and the Patzner brothers from Judgement Day. [The Bay Bridged]Tickets for the sold-out Phish shows at the Greek T ... More >>

Justin Bieber Has Never Heard of Germany

 When that intrepid teen sensation Justin Bieber comes to Oracle Arena July 17, please refrain from asking him about anything related to Germany. As this unintentionally hilarious interview clip shows, it seems the entertainer skipped the part in school where they teach you about that country, ... More >>

Friday Night: Not So Silent Night at Oracle Arena

Christopher VictorioEmily Haines of Metric​View more photos in Christopher Victorio's "Not So Silent Night @ Oracle Arena."Not So Silent Night w/ Muse, AFI, 30 Second to Mars, Vampire Weekend, and MetricFriday, Dec. 11, 2009Oracle ArenaBetter Than: What else is there to do on a rainy Friday night? ... More >>

Franz Ferdiand Coming to Oakland for NSSN

Last Night: KMEL Block Party at Oracle Arena

Madonna' "Sticky & Sweet Tour" Visits Oakland's Oracle in Nov.

The Weekend Hitlist: 4/18-4/20

Correction: Van Halen Will Not Run to Oakland, The Devil Considers Solo Appearance

Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige Play Oakland's Oracle in April

Foo Fighters at Oracle Arena 2/2, Tickets on Sale Sunday

Kids, Meet Fox, Your New Dance Instructor

Ozzy Osbourne: Famous Batshit Dad/Rock Star Storms Oakland

Ozzy Coming to Oakland With Rob Zombie in November

Radio Birdman, Roger Waters, The Horrors -- Plugged In: ASD's Live Music Picks, June 19

PT's Legacy

The circus rolls into town, awakening the inner child in all of us

Hear This

The final farewell of Destiny's Child, the return of Olivia Tremor Control, and some girl named Kelly Clarkson

Best Reason to Go to a Warriors Game

Hear This

Kanye West is everywhere, including Oakland; My Chemical Romance delivers its canned goth-pop

Hear This

The bootylicious crowds alone should make the Ladies First Tour worth your while

Football Follies

Hot bowl action at Pac Bell Park

Big-Top Blast

Classic merriment in Oakland

Sandy Land

Castle competition

Live

Q: What do Tori Amos, Nick Cave, and Lyricist Lounge have in common? A: Nothing.