San Francisco's Mayor Daniel Lurie has officially dubbed this season the "Winter of Music," kicking off with an impressive lineup of electronic music acts set to heat the city's cooler months. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Lurie posted on Instagram, "More music is coming to San Francisco. These concerts are unlocking venues that are normally quiet during December, drawing out locals and visitors to enjoy great music. Let’s go, San Francisco."
Things are scheduled to get underway at the Moscone Center, with a landmark electronic dance event headlined by DJ Fisher on December 19-20. Then, the scene shifts to Pier 80, a sprawling 200,000-square-foot venue, for back-to-back New Year's bashes. On December 30, Grammy-winner Skrillex joins forces with the genre-bending Four Tet for a special "open-to-close" set. The following evening, Pier 80 welcomes internationally renowned Swedish House Mafia, performing their only confirmed U.S. gig before 2026. As SFGATE reports, these events are presented by Goldenvoice and NPU Live, the same promoters behind the Coachella and Portola festivals.
The chosen location for the New Year's celebrations, Pier 80, has a storied history of serving various purposes, from a temporary homeless shelter to a base for Larry Ellison's yacht-racing team. More recently, it's been one of the main stages for the inaugural Portola Festival and played host to a Facebook holiday party themed around "Game of Thrones."
