Yes, we are a little late with this wee nostalgia trip through 2025! Forgive us—with Greenland, Venezuela, Minneapolis, ICE everywhere, CCA closing, and every other daily fresh hell, we’ve kind of been white-knuckling it through the current year so far. It’s the perfect time to look back on recent local cultural bright spots that showed how San Francisco still shines through all the muck. Our fabulous arts writers compiled 15 moments from the past to give you a little lift. Check our terrific daily arts and culture coverage for more, and don’t forget to subscribe to our 48 Hills Daily newsletter so you don’t miss a beat.
MYCHAL THE LIBRARIAN BECAME THE NEW HOST OF READING RAINBOW Reading the news in 2025 was frequently fraught, but learning that Mychal Threets—the Bay Area’s most TikTok-famous librarian—was chosen to be the new host of a newly revived Reading Rainbow was delightful. Threets’ viral videos are deeply earnest and infused with a deep love of literature, exuding radical positivity and embracing the role of libraries as community hubs for all. His recent foray into hosting is a welcome direction, and we’re excited to see where this rainbow connection leads him. Watch for the release of his book I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy, on February 3. (Nicole Gluckstern)
COYOTE MEDIA DASHED ONTO THE LOCAL MEDIA LANDSCAPE Sustaining local journalism can feel quite like the liminal space between a rock and a hard place, and the list of outlets lost or shrinking is constantly being added to. But one indicator of longevity can be local ownership, and who better to own local media than local journalists? Welcoming Coyote Media, a worker-owned collective of veteran Bay Area reporters, to the pack was a high point of the year. A clarion call to journalists everywhere to seize the means of production, and create spaces for stories really worth howling about. (Nicole Gluckstern)
GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES BRIGHTENED BOTH SIDES OF THE BAY It made no difference whether the Golden State Valkyries won or lost at Chase Center this summer; anyone commuting to the East Bay on BART, or vice versa, saw nothing but smiles, high fives, great cheer, and Bay Area pride generally reserved for a Giants win or a Dodgers loss. Women—all shades, shapes, and sizes—men, children, BART police, even folks hustling for change, seemed to bask in the much-needed civic spirit. This was a found community during a summer when the Oakland As baseball organization chose to play at the rinky-dink 15,000-seat venue of the minor league Sacramento River Cats from the Pacific Coast League. Meanwhile, the Valkyries, who established themselves as Women’s Basketball royalty in year one and reached the playoffs in their inaugural season, quickly fortified a strong and lively home base. (John-Paul Shiver)
DIANA ROSS SLAYED THE GAYS AT STERN GROVE As a gay man of a certain age from Detroit, you’d think I’d know my way around a Diana Ross concert. But nothing prepared me for the stratospheric uplift of 10,000+ gays and friends screaming their blessed little hearts out at Stern Grove when she came out singing… well, “I’m Coming Out.” In a flowing canary yellow gown, no less, that soon gave way to a fabulous pink marabou feather ensemble. (Miss Ross knows how to do a costume change.) Later, she launched into so many hits they whizzed by in medley form, yet still filled the two hour show. Sounding as impeccable as she looked—at 80!—the Supreme leader proved thoroughly why she will always be the Boss. (Marke B.)
JAMES TAYLOR SHOWED US HOW SWEET IT IS A guy with a guitar perched on a stool and singing a sweet song can slay a person’s heart. That’s what happened on a balmy May evening at the Frost Amphitheater on the Stanford University campus, when multi-Grammy Award winner James Taylor appeared with his All Star Band. Wearing everyday clothes—simple slacks, button-down shirt, gray driving cap—the ’70s legend rendered the crowd into reverential silence or jingled their jive, causing them to singalong, stand and sway, embrace strangers and loved ones, and basically, surrender their souls to the master songwriter. It was a sweet note of harmony in a fractious world. (Lou Fancher)
HISTORY OF THE BAY DAY’S RAP ROYALTY THREW US BACK With live music, art, food, podcasts, and discussion panels, Dregs One’s annual History of the Bay Day festival produces insightful local hip-hop moments worthy of being in history books. Too $hort hosted a discussion of OG local/international rap legends during this year’s edition, held on November 9 at Public Works. It began as an expectedly masculine affair, until CMG from The Conscious Daughters arrived. She shared that it was her group that originally moved producer Rick Rock from Alabama to Northern California, where he’d later be credited as one of the main architects of hyphy. A memorable, metaphorical mic drop! (Tamara Palmer)
DEAD & CO FILLED THE CITY WITH GRATEFUL LOVE I was on an 8am flight home from NYC thinking I’d have plenty of time to catch the final night of Dead & Co’s historic three night run in Golden Gate Park. A couple delayed flights and a re-route later, I was sitting at a boarding gate in Detroit with at least a dozen Deadheads decked out in tie dye and a swath of Grateful Dead tour shirts from decades past, hoping the air traffic control stars would align for us. I made it to the concert in the nick of time, and I know in my heart of hearts that my Detroit friends did too. Having my arms around my wife and her then seven-month pregnant belly when Dead & Co opened its second set with “Scarlet Begonias,” I felt more at home in San Francisco than I maybe ever had. Things I’ll never forget: A damn near 20-minute version of “Fire On The Mountain,” joined by Phish’s Trey Anastasio. Or a stetson and poncho-clad Bob Weir leading 57,000 people that were as present in the moment as any crowd I’d ever seen at a concert—a perfect swan song before he passed. All the way to set closer “Touch of Grey,” generations of people who’d been touched by the Dead were locked in to every note. (Adrian Spinelli)
THE ART BOOK FAIR EXPLODED Whatever perfect collusion of elements—sunny weather, exploratory spirits, DIY brilliance—brought thousands of people to the San Francisco Art Book Fair at Minnesota Street Projects last July, we certainly hope it strikes again for years to come. Rarely in today’s SF have so many hot nerds been spotted in one space, supporting local artists and writers at dozens of booths, flipping through hundreds of vinyls at the KUSF record Swap outpost, listening in on musicians like Toro y Moi and Dan the Automator speak in the Discogs Listening Room, and just generally make the city feel like the coolest place in the wold again. This year’s date is TBD, but hang tight to your tote. (Marke B.)
LEGENDARY ARTIST VIOLA FREY GETS THE TRIBUTE SHE DESERVES Born in 1933 and active until the very end, Viola Frey produced thousands of artworks before she passed in 2004: sculptures, paintings, drawings, pastels, photographs. While she was primarily known for her colorful, monolithic ceramic forms, many of women, she was also a huge connector in the local scene. This year, 228-page monograph Viola Frey: Artist’s Mind/Studio/World was released in conjunction with a wonderful show at pt. 2 Gallery in Oakland that made sure this singular local artist received the attention she still deserves for her 50-year career. Gathered from the gigantic Viola Frey Archives, the tributes show that her work looks as fresh and unique as ever. (Lou Fancher)
ST. VINCENT EVOKED SF BONA FIDES AT GRACE CATHEDRAL Getting a chance to see St. Vincent perform at Grace Cathedral during Noise Pop 2025 was a bill of goods that sold itself immediately, right? While I sat in the choir section, the 42-year-old indie rock maverick expressed gratitude between songs to their San Francisco aunt and uncle, renowned jazz duo Tuck and Patti, who flew her out to the Bay Area at a young age. St. Vincent reminisced about her local experiences, describing strolling down Haight Street, visiting Amoeba Music for the first time, buying a Replacements T-shirt, and sharing a laugh with a young cashier about forming a band. That’s the city she enthusiastically referred to as “San Francisco, that shiny city on the hill.” (John-Paul Shiver)
SUN RA SHONE DOWN ON THE CHILDREN AT SFJAZZ It was on a night when San Francisco was visibly tripping, dancing bears were projected upon the Embarcadero clock tower, and a certain legendary Haight Street band was being celebrated in its modern 21st-century realignment. Yet, in contrast, I witnessed a majority of young families attend a rare performance of Sun Ra’s Arkestra at SFJAZZ. Active since 1952, it is the oldest and most influential Black big band jazz group still touring in the world. Period. Still essentially delivering the sounds of Herman Poole Blount, aka Sun Ra, who was born in Alabama in 1914 and would go on to become the Chicago-based jazz keyboardist, composer, philosopher, and all-around cultural force. These young and predominantly white families—with children aged 4 through ten sitting in chairs, turning, nodding, being rambunctious, well… kids—chose to anoint their offspring in cosmic avant-garde musical stylings. You can’t help but salute the courageously great parenting. (John-Paul Shiver)
EMPIRE 15 GOT SHABOOZEY WITH US In September, blockbuster SF record label EMPIRE marked a decade and a half with an exciting free festival in Civic Center. Empire 15 was meaningful from start to finish, a celebration of countless major global music business moves achieved by a proudly independent local business. When the electric Nigerian star Fireboy DML sang, “I’m in San Francisco jamming,” which is part of the hook of his international hit “Peru,” it was a small world after all. And after Shaboozey was presented with a plaque marking 10 million sales of “Tipsy (A Bar Song),” he played it twice, jumping in the crowd to celebrate with us. (Tamara Palmer)
A BRILLIANT CHEF SUPERGROUP LAUNCHED FIRST INDIAN RESTAURANT WEEK It was impossible not to feel joy, and also a little verklempt, at the announcement of the first Indian Restaurant Week in San Francisco at a press conference and tasting at Taj Campton Place. Indian Restaurant Week took place last October at New Delhi Restaurant, Copra, ROOH, Tiya, Amber India, and Bombay Brasserie. Each offered elaborate, reasonably priced tasting menus in honor of Diwali. New Delhi’s Ranjan Dey shared that the initiative created a bond of support and community among the chefs. Mark those calendars: The second Indian Restaurant Week is coming February 22-March 1, 2026, right before Holi on March 4. (Tamara Palmer)
MAE POWELL DRENCHED THE INDEPENDENT WITH SUNFLOWERS Sunflowers. Buckets of them. Decorating the front of the stage during Mae Powell’s album release show at The Independent in late August. Much like those warm pollinators, local favorite Mae Powell radiated humble charm and whimsy; she unfurled that relaxed, effortless ’70s Laurel Canyon vibe from Making Room For the Light before a crowd of mostly friends and artsy folks on a Thursday night. Cozy new soul-jazz trio Okonski opened, led by Brooklyn-based, Baltimore-raised soul singer, drummer, and songwriter Aaron Frazer. Powell, feeling all the love in the room, let those who came out to support take those glorious sunflowers home as a sign of solidarity and San Francisco-ness. Beautiful night. (John-Paul Shiver)
ENDZEIT X PARAMETER RAVED US BACK TO THE FUTURE It had been a long time since I stranded myself deep in Oakland at an underground warehouse rave, after the last BART for SF had departed the station. But this was a full-on three-day bash we’re talking about, last October at a perfect location that hosted multiple stages and excellent sound, with some incredible and very intelligent techno favorites (Speedy J, Wata Igarashi, Ø [Phase], Jason Kendig) alongside some excellent local geniuses (Christina Chatfield’s live set completely rearranged my brain). That made the prospect of facing a platform of morning commuters as I tried to get back home a little more palatable. Best part? Brilliant organizing crews Endzeit and Parameter had prospective ticket-buyers submit why they should attend the queer-centric happening over email, so everyone brought something to the party. (Marke B.)
