After nearly two years of vacancy, the former Chase Bank branch at 2500 Mission St. will reopen this fall as Hidden Frequency, a small, intimate music venue that will host immersive listening sessions, and electronic and experimental music.
Hidden Frequency founder Naz Khorram also owns Arcana, the wine bar/plant store at 2512 Mission St., right next door.
Khorram had been looking to open a music venue since 2023, they said. They applied for the city’s Vacant to Vibrant program, and was offered a couple spaces downtown. But all of them needed a lot of work and capital to get up and running.
Khorram wasn’t completely sold on downtown. After months of searching, they were ready to give up.
“It’s very emotionally draining to keep wanting a building and then have it not work,” said Khorram.
Then Khorram realized there was a vacant building right next door.
The Chase branch had closed in 2024, after Khorram had begun their search. But the building had recently been remodeled, and was in good shape.
Hidden Frequency filed for an entertainment permit on June 18. Khorram’s design for the new venue includes one listening room and an overall desert/sand dunes aesthetic. Khorram plans to offer cocktails, wine, and beer, and host collaborations between local visual artists and local musicians.
A good way to think about Hidden Frequency, Khorram said, is as a combination of The Lab, the experimental arts nonprofit and music venue at the historic Redstone building; Gray Area, another arts nonprofit that hosts electronic music shows; and Envelop SF, an immersive, 32-speaker listening space within The Midway that hosts listening sessions for albums beloved by audiophiles.
Unlike The Lab and Gray Area, the space won’t be set up for live instrumental bands, but Khorram said there will be live DJs and performers. And Khorram didn’t rule out having musicians at Hidden Frequency; for example, those who “can play an electronic harp.”
Khorram will continue the live shows that happen at Arcana every Thursday.
“People love music. People love being here. People love partying here. Throughout the years, we’ve definitely kept working on the music programming being bigger and bigger and better and better,” they said.
Hidden Frequency will open sometime this fall.
“Honestly, I’m so excited,” said Khorram. “I see the community showing up for us day after day, week after week.”
“I can’t wait. I literally can’t wait to open the doors and start hosting people.”
