Overview
The Crest Theatre is a restored art deco movie palace and live-performance venue at 1013 K Street in downtown Sacramento. Originally opened in 1912 as the Empress Theatre (a vaudeville house), it was completely rebuilt in 1949 as an art deco cinema, declined through the 1970s, closed in the early 1980s, and was brought back to life with a $1 million restoration in 1995 that returned the gilded lobby, sweeping auditorium, and neon marquee to their 1940s condition. The Crest now operates as a multi-purpose venue hosting concerts, film screenings, comedy shows, and private events — Sacramento's principal large-format historic performance space. [1][2][3]
History
Vaudeville and early cinema (1912–1945)
The building opened in 1912 as the Empress Theatre, a vaudeville palace. It later operated as the Hippodrome Theatre. On September 14, 1946, the Hippodrome's marquee collapsed onto the sidewalk below, killing a bystander — an incident that contributed to the building's subsequent overhaul. [1][2]
The Crest era (1949–1980s)
In 1949, the building was completely remodeled and reopened on October 6, 1949 as "Sacramento's New Perfect Theatre" — the art deco Crest Theatre as it appears today. Through the 1950s and 1960s, the Crest was one of the premier first-run movie palaces in the Sacramento area. By the 1970s it had declined to sub-run programming and closed in the early 1980s. [1][2]
Restoration and revival (1995–present)
In 1995, the Crest received a $1 million restoration that brought Sacramento's last surviving picture palace back to its 1940s aesthetic. The restored venue reopened as a multi-purpose space: classic and specialty film screenings, live concerts, comedy, lectures, and private events. [1][2]
Live music
The Crest's concert history spans an unusually wide range of genres and eras. Notable acts who have performed there include Nirvana, Guns N' Roses, Sonic Youth, The Smashing Pumpkins, Pixies, Slayer, Dinosaur Jr., X, Cab Calloway, John Hiatt, Cyndi Lauper, Shawn Mendes, Los Lobos, and Dwight Yoakam. Current programming (2025–2026) includes Tommy Emmanuel, Pat Metheny, and other national-touring acts. [1][3]
The room's theater-style seating and art deco architecture give it a fundamentally different concert experience from standing-room venues like Harlow's or Ace of Spades — the Crest is a "sit and listen" room, which makes it the default Sacramento stop for artists whose audiences expect seated shows (jazz, folk, singer-songwriter, comedy, spoken word). [3]
Submerge archive: scene significance and atmosphere
Submerge consistently called the Crest one of Sacramento's "most beautiful venues," describing its colorful, ornate interior. [4][5] The lobby serves as an event space for receptions, and the building includes a beer garden and a small bar. [5][6] Concessions at shows have included dollar popcorn. [4] The official booking/ticketing site used across the 2008–2018 period was Crestsacramento.com, with SBL (Scott Brill-Lehn) Entertainment credited as a recurring promotion partner. [8][9]
The Crest's status as an aspirational local milestone is documented in a 2010 Submerge interview with Abe Cunningham, drummer of the Deftones: he recalled that playing the Crest had once been the band's "huge goal" — a benchmark of success beyond their early backyard barbecue gigs and shows at the Cattle Club. [7]
Submerge archive: documented shows (2008–2018)
The following shows are documented in Submerge Magazine's coverage and are not reflected in the current entry:
- Musiq Soulchild — Sept. 20, 2008; R&B/soul show presented by Conscious Vibes Productions; opened by Sacramento performer MarKnoxx (Mr. Knoxx). Nearly every seat was filled. [4]
- Smashing Pumpkins — Monday, Sept. 6, 2010; Billy Corgan's touring lineup at the time included drummer Mike Byrne, guitarist Jeff Schroeder, and bassist Nicole Fiorentino; set drew from Teargarden by Kaleidyscope alongside Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness highlights; Chicago's Bad City opened. [5]
- Hella Metal Fest — Oct. 1, 2011; Northern California metal showcase of 12 bands including A Holy Ghost Revival, Jack Ketch, The Kennedy Veil, and Nightmare in the Twilight; co-sponsored by Submerge. [10][11]
- Chris Hardwick (Funcomfortable Tour) — Aug. 14, 2015; comedy booking. [12]
- Joy and Madness — Nov. 19, 2015; Sacramento funk/soul band's EP release party for Little Bright World, on a bill opening for Ozomatli; promoted by SBL Entertainment. [8]
- Jackie Greene — Dec. 31, 2015; New Year's Eve full-band show ringing in 2016, in the city where Greene got his start. [9]
- Joanna Newsom — April 5, 2016; first North American tour in over four years (supporting Divers); Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes opened. [13]
- José González — Jan. 30, 2018; solo acoustic performance supporting Vestiges and Claws. [14]
Key facts
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Address: 1013 K Street, Sacramento (downtown)
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Originally opened: 1912 (as Empress Theatre)
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Rebuilt as Crest Theatre: 1949
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Restored: 1995 ($1 million)
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Format: Multi-purpose — concerts, film, comedy, lectures, private events
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Box office: Cash only
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Corner: 10th and K streets [5]
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Promotion partner (2008–2018): SBL Entertainment (Sblentertainment.com) [8][9]
Why it matters for Sacramento music
The Crest is Sacramento's only surviving historic movie palace operating as a live-performance venue, and its architectural significance elevates it beyond a standard music room. The building itself — the marquee, the gilded lobby, the auditorium — is part of the performance experience in a way that flat-floor venues can't replicate. More practically, the Crest fills the "seated large-cap" niche that Sacramento otherwise lacks between Harlow's (300 standing) and the Memorial Auditorium or SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center (2,400+). That makes it the venue of choice for a specific tier of touring artist — too big or too seated for a club, too small for an arena — and a key part of Sacramento's competitive routing against nearby markets (San Francisco, Oakland, Davis).
Film and festival use
Beyond music and comedy, Submerge's coverage documents the Crest as a hub for local film events:
- Red carpet world premiere of Left and Loose in the Lot — Aug. 5, 2011; locally produced comedy film premiered at the Crest. [15]
- Sacramento Film & Music Festival — the Crest served as home venue; the 12th-season opening night (Aug. 17, 2011) combined live music by Autumn Sky, a newspaper-couture fashion challenge, and documentary screenings. [6]
- Sacramento French Film Festival — the Crest hosted the 14th annual edition (June 19–28, 2015), with screenings, lobby receptions, and a closing-night champagne party. [16]