San Francisco’s legendary Castro Theater is finally reopening in 2026 after an extensive remodel, and the venue is recruiting Sam Smith to kick off their new era.
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On Tuesday (Sept. 30), Smith and Another Planet Entertainment announced the singer’s upcoming eight show residency at the Castro. Titled “To Be Free: San Francisco,” the new set of dates for Smith will kick off on Feb. 10 at the iconic venue, with the residency wrapping on Feb. 21. Tickets for the upcoming shows go on sale Oct. 7 on Smith’s website.
“I LOVE San Francisco and The Castro especially has been so central to the Queer community here over the years,” Smith wrote in a statement shared alongside the news. “These shows will also celebrate the official reopening, so it’s truly an honour to become part of this iconic venue’s history.”
To celebrate the news, Smith also shared an acoustic cover of Bill Withers’ 1971 hit song “Ain’t No Sunshine,” along with an accompanying video filmed at the Castro and its surrounding neighborhood. The clip ends with Smith leading a crowd of onlookers to the theater, where they step inside and begin giving out tickets to their new show.
The new set of shows comes on the heels of Smith’s forthcoming New York residency, which will see the singer taking over Brooklyn’s Warsaw for a whopping 24 dates beginning on Wednesday, Oct. 8 and lasting through to Dec. 13. Both of the new residencies are named after Smith’s latest song “To Be Free,” which saw them return to their signature adult contemporary sound.
Check out the full list of dates to Smith’s To Be Free: San Francisco residency and watch their cover of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” below:
