First, it was the Elbo Room, then the Hemlock Tavern, and now the Mezzanine. San Francisco is shamefully losing its independent venues due to corporate greed and commercial development.
For that past 15 years, the two-floor Mezzanine has been the site of numerous events from high-profile shows to benefits. It is the largest independent female-owned music venue in San Francisco and a staple of the SF music scene. It is the place where you got to see artists right before they got big. Acts like Lady Gaga, LCD Soundsystem and Snoop Dogg all performed there. It also is the home to many ongoing Bay Area events like the Dirtybird Quarterlies that I've been going to for years.
Now, the Mezzanine is being forced to shut down due to the building owners' desire for a 600% rent increase. The owners plan to work with greedy developers to convert the property into commercial office space. The building owners wouldn't even extend the venue's lease by three months.
The Mezzanine joins a growing & depressing list of San Francisco music venues that have shuttered or ceded to corporate control this year. Hemlock Tavern and Elbo Room both recently announced their closure due to greedy developers. Both those places were around for decades and I had so many great memories there.
How many more independent venues will we lose? Please sign my petition and ask the landlords & Colton Commercial & Partners to reconsider and keep the Mezzanine open!
