Cornerstone

Cornerstone is one of the most fully realized live music and craft beer experiences in the entire East Bay, a 13,000-square-foot venue in the heart of Downtown Berkeley that was purpose-built to handle everything from a Tuesday night local showcase to a full touring production at 500 capacity. Designed by leading Berkeley architects and conceived by owners Alex Popov and Chris Hoff with a vision for doing everything right under one roof, the complex features a 50-plus foot main bar with 42 carefully sourced craft beers and ciders on tap, a full-service American kitchen with reimagined comfort food available late into the evening, a large beer garden patio with community tables and fire pits, a rear lounge and courtyard for post-show lingering, and a dedicated music venue with its own eight-tap bar, a VIP mezzanine, and a sound system that legitimately competes with any room in the Bay Area. The system is built around a JBL VerTec VT 4886 Three-Way SUBCOMPACT Line Array paired with Crown IT-12000HD amplifiers, a Soundcraft Vi2000 soundboard, and JBL STX828S subs. The large stage handles touring bands and ticketed concerts while a smaller secondary stage is reserved for DJs and more intimate programming. When no show is running the venue converts into a game room with ping pong, cornhole, and giant Jenga. Recent and upcoming performers have included Napoleon Murphy Brock, Soul Blind, and Cydeways, alongside comedy headliners, Latin showcases, and private events. For music listeners, Cornerstone delivers a proper concert experience without sacrificing any of the comfort and hospitality that make a night out worth having.