Fred Again.. plays at the Electric Picnic Festival at Stradbally Estate in Ireland on Sept. 2. This weekend the EDM artist plans to headline a concert with Skrillex in San Francisco’s Civic Center.
Debbie Hickey/Getty Images
After Fred Again.. and Skrillex announced they were throwing a “rave” at San Francisco’s Civic Center earlier this week, some 25,000 tickets sold out “almost instantaneously,” according to promoter Another Planet Entertainment.
But despite it seeming like a surprise, the outdoor event set to take place in the heart of the city on Saturday, June 1, took months to plan.
Allen Scott, president of concerts and festivals at the Berkeley-based company, said the idea first landed on his desk in January, when Fred Again.., the Brian Eno-mentored British music producer born Fred Gibson, requested a unique outdoor event instead of a standard concert venue.
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“Fred Again.. is really eager to do interesting and bespoke events, things that have not been done before,” Scott told the Chronicle, emphasizing Saturday’s show is not actually a rave.
Working with city departments, including the mayor’s office and the Recreation and Park Department, a permit was secured by February. The event details were kept under wraps until they were officially confirmed on Tuesday, May 28, days after electronic dance music star Skrillex, Los Angeles native Sonny Moore, was added to the bill and announced on social media that he planned to “throw a rave” in San Francisco.
Fred Again.. insisted on pricing tickets at a relatively affordable price ($79.50) — “even though he could have charged much more,” according to Scott — and ensuring they were non-transferable.
Skrillex, who performed at Portola Festival at Pier 80 last year, will headline a concert in downtown San Francisco on Saturday, June 1.
Amaya Edwards/Special to the Chronicle
Saturday’s show, Scott revealed, will feature live performances similar to Fred Again.. and Skrillex’s joint set at last year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, when they were tapped to replace Frank Ocean on the final night’s headline slot at the Southern California concert.
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The big difference: San Francisco’s set promises surprise guests.
Another Planet Entertainment estimates that 40% of the people who bought tickets are from outside the Bay Area, with the majority of the demographic falling in the 21-to-40 age range. The company expects it to infuse hundreds of thousands of dollars into the local economy.
Mayor London Breed is giving the concert her full support.
“We are a city that knows how to have fun,” her office said in a statement. “There’s an undeniable jolt of energy in this city, and we’re thrilled to welcome artists and entertainers.”
The show is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., with a strict 10 p.m. curfew.
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Street closures in the area along Polk, Fulton, Larkin and Grove streets are expected through 4 a.m. Sunday, June 2.
Scaffolding began to rise around Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco on Thursday, May 30, in preparation for the weekend pop-up concert by EDM stars Fred Again.. and Skrillex.
Anna Buchmann/The Chronicle
Another Planet Entertainment has experience staging events at Civic Center Plaza, which is situated directly across from City Hall and the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. The company co-produced the ClusterFest comedy festival at the same site from 2017 to 2019. It is also gearing up for the annual Outside Lands festival and the first-ever nighttime concert at Golden Gate Park, featuring System of a Down and Deftones, both set to take place in August.
Fred Again.. x Skrillrex: 6:30-10 p.m. Saturday, June 1. $79.50. Civic Center Plaza, 335 McAllister St., S.F. www.apeconcerts.com
Scott highlighted that the Civic Center’s central location will make it easier to access with public transportation, despite the potential issues that may arise with an EDM concert in the middle of the city. To mitigate noise complaints, Another Planet Entertainment is using several delay towers to evenly distribute the sound. The company has also established a hotline at 415-907-8126 and a website to field issues or concerns.
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“This is one of the reasons I love San Francisco,” Scott said. “Things like this can happen in our city and the city can handle it. People will be talking about this for years.”
Fred Again.. is also slated to headline three nights at the Frost Amphitheater in Stanford from Tuesday-Thursday, June 4-6.
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