Sam Smith announces To Be Free: San Francisco residency, releases cover of Ain't No Sunshine
Sam Smith is hosting a residency at the iconic San Francisco LGBTQ+ venue the Castro Theatre.
Sam Smith has announced a special San Francisco residency at an iconic venue steeped in LGBTQ+ history.
The Stay With Me hitmaker will bring the To Be Free: San Francisco residency to the Castro Theatre from February 10 2026, as the venue opens its doors for the first time since the historic building underwent a two-year, $41 million renovation.
In a statement about the residency, Sam said: "I LOVE San Francisco and The Castro especially has been so central to the Queer community here over the years. These shows will also celebrate the official reopening, so it's truly an honour to become part of this iconic venue's history.”
By the '60s and '70s, the venue and neighbourhood become a haven for LGBTQ individuals seeking community and visibility.
The Castro’s rise as a political and cultural hub was cemented by Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States. Milk opened his camera shop on Castro Street and used it as a base for grassroots activism, rallying the community around issues of equality and representation. His election to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977 marked a watershed moment for LGBTQ political power. Though his assassination in 1978 was a devastating blow, it galvanized a generation of activists and solidified the Castro’s role in the fight for civil rights.
Today, the Castro remains a vibrant epicenter of LGBTQ life. Rainbow flags line the streets, historic landmarks like the Castro Theatre and Harvey Milk Plaza draw visitors from around the globe, and annual events such as the Castro Street Fair continue to celebrate queer culture and community.
To celebrate, Smith has also released a soulful cover of the Bill Withers classic Ain't No Sunshine filmed at the theatre and the Castro District.
To Be Free: San Francisco tickets goes on sale October 7 at 10 am PT. Head here for the full dates.
The San Francisco residency will follow To Be Free: New York, which kicks off on October 8 at Brooklyn’s historic Warsaw club.
Due to demand, Smith added a further 12 dates on top of the 12 sold-out shows, with the shows running up until December.
The residencies take their name from Smith's single To Be Free, an acoustic ballad about vulnerability being a superpower, featuring raw vocals by The TwoCity Chorus.
The 33-year-old singer - whose last studio album was 2023's Gloria - explained how the song is there for them through life's ups and downs with its calming quality.
Sam said of the moving song produced by their friend Simon Aldred: “I've never had a recording experience like I did making this song. It’s one vocal-and-guitar take from start to finish — one live performance of me and my friend Simon in a pure state of music and expression. I wrote it five years ago while writing my last album, Gloria, and then parked it because I knew it was not a song for that album. It was created during a time in my life where I became free within myself. Over the last five years, Simon and I started to create music that fit into this world of To Be Free and during this time, I’ve continued to turn to this song in happy moments, sad moments, lonely moments, and angry moments. It’s become my sister, my family member, and it ultimately calms me. Hopefully, it can do the same for someone else.”
