Kim Gordon
Castro Theater
July 29,2026
Photos by Raymond Ahner
After releasing her third studio album PLAY ME earlier this year, alt-rock icon Kim Gordon returned to San Francisco last week, playing at the newly remodeled Castro Theatre. The room was packed, and Kim most certainly delivered, proving she does not have to rely on her decades-long back catalog.
Opening with the title track from her new record, Kim quickly established that this show would be a bit of a different affair. With its almost trip hop/trap style sound, Kim seemed right at home sans guitar, and instead had a microphone in hand as she interacted with her fans in the front row. From there, Kim and her band played the new record almost in its entirety, with highlights including “Girl With a Look,” “Dirty Tech,” and “Busy Bee,” which was co-written by none other than Dave Grohl.
After wrapping up the PLAY ME portion of the set Kim dusted off a few older songs from her repertoire including “Cookie Butter,” and “Paprika Pony,” before wrapping up the evening with “Cigarette.”
Although her performance may not have included some of the songs that her fans came to hear, Kim showed that she still remains on the cutting edge, no matter what genre of music she is making.
Support for Kim on this evening came from Sasami, the former Cherry Glazerr member who has broken out on her own, with a style that was one part pop, one part heavy metal, and one part indie. She was the perfect choice to get the crowd primed for the headliner.
Here’s a gallery with more photos of Kim Gordon and Sasami by Raymond Ahner:
Kim Gordon
Kim Gordon
Kim Gordon
Kim Gordon
Sasami
Sasami
