Doyenne of the beat launches new entertainment venue in San Francisco
Nightlife & Restaurant Veteran Gina Milano Presents Halcyon, an Electronica Venue and Private Event/Multi-use space
Halcyon, a new multipurpose space and club, has opened in a Victorian-era warehouse in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood. The entertainment venue, owned by SF impresaria Gina Milano, will host top DJ talent from around the world, and will also be available for private and artistic events. The space – with a capacity for 400 — has been customized to morph into whatever shape and ambiance the production demands. Weekend nights will feature DJs and semi-live performances by both local and world famous techno and electronic artists, while Wednesdays are for cabaret nights, including varied performances and bottle service at the booths.
A veteran in the entertainment scene, over the past twenty years Milano has owned and operated a number of restaurants and nightclubs around San Francisco, including Le Club, a faux members-only club in Nob Hill; Bambuddha Lounge, a precursor to Chambers in the Phoenix Hotel; and Restaurant Maroc, an Upper Haight lounge serving Moroccan-Californian food and cocktails. Most recently, she helped get Audio nightclub and its sister bar, Bergerac, up and running. When the opportunity came to take over the former BeatBox space and launch her own world-class nightclub, Milano jumped at the chance, and was determined to launch a venue that would attract performers, artists and entertainers from all over the globe.
In addition to holding one of the city’s scarce licenses for 24-hour parties, Milano has gathered top international talent in lighting and sound design to better enable the state-of-the art facility to transform from one wondrous manifestation into another.
“We are Pioneer Pro Audio’s flagship in San Francisco Bay Area,” says Milano. “Renowned sound engineers Andy Kayll and Rich Walsh will craft the aural experience, as they did at the legendary DC10 in Ibiza. Geniuses Mike Oku and Willy Nolan have teamed up to fuse the latest technology into bespoke light shows, utilizing cutting edge tools including a laser projection mapping system and pixel control super flat on the original industrial beams. Every show will be different, tailored to each individual act.”
Imported electronic and techno artists plus the best local talent have been tapped to produce an atmosphere that equals that of the most sought after clubs on the planet. Guy J, Sharam, Dubfire, Serge Devant, Fritz Kalkbrenner and label and brand parties Yoshi Toshi, Visionquest and Cocoon are some of the names that have already performed and are scheduled to perform at Halcyon. And in 2017, Halcyon will be hosting the first ever Heist Records Label Showcase in the USA, bringing Detroit Swindle, Adesse Versions & Nachtbracker to San Francisco. (See below for the upcoming schedule of events.)
“Halcyon represents a true confluence of some of the earth’s best experiential artisans. It shifts as it tantalizes, evoking old memories and inspiring new ones – essentially living up to its name,” Milano adds. “It’s the type of space you can get lost in.”
In addition to its use as a nightclub/entertainment space that provides the most awe-inspiring music experience San Francisco has ever seen, Milano is also exploring daytime incarnations for her venue, which could include dance or yoga classes, artistic events, corporate retreats, and more.
“Halcyon is an ever-changing environment that stimulates the senses – but most importantly supports creativity in all of its forms,” states Milano.