SAN FRANCISCO – An online music company that provides a breeding ground for
new musical artists planned to announce Wednesday it has purchased the Great
America Music Hall, San Francisco’s oldest nightclub. Palo Alto-based
Riffage.com bought the historic venue for an undisclosed price. The Great
American Music Hall has hosted performances by Duke Ellington, Count Basie,
Dave Matthews and Carlos Santana.
The dot-com upstart will bring Internet broadcasting of future performances
to the hall and wire the venue with high-tech digital production and
networking capabilities, officials said. Riffage.com CEO Ken Wirt said the
Webcasting feature would broaden the reach of the Great American Music Hall
“so fans worldwide can also enjoy and discover our featured entertainers
through the Internet.”
The hall first opened as Blanco’s in 1907, after the 1906 fire and
earthquake destroyed much of the city. Amid the ceiling frescoes and ornate
marble columns, the Great American Music Hall will also house the high-tech
gadgetry of streaming media during concert performances. Artists who play at
the hall will have the option of Webcasting their performance to an audience
that can’t make the show, but do have computer access.
Riffage.com will showcase artists promoted through its own Web site as well
as established performers booked through traditional methods.
