Event Review: Daniel Bell Underground at The Compound

Friday night the boyfriend and I fired up the Element and went adventuring into the wastelands of Bayview in search of a dirt road with a gate at the end, and beyond that gate, the promise of a very groovy night with legend Daniel Bell providing an eight-hour soundtrack. What we eventually found was not only a great night of truly deep techno with a Detroit master, but one of those legendary underground spaces that are fast disappearing from the San Francisco scene.

The party, produced by Kontrol, was at The Compound, a space perhaps best known among techno scenesters for its 16-speaker surround system. When you read that you probably think, “oh, yeah, big deal, sounds like a gimmick,” but once you’ve heard what music sounds like on that system, it makes you realize just how shitty every other club in this city is. It’s a small space that felt crowded with a hundred black-clad techno kids bobbing around in it, but as it filled up, the sound never seemed to get louder, even though every element, from the lowest bass to the highest treble, sounded absolutely clear and distinct. After going to clubs like Mighty, where the sonic philosophy is founded on pure brute force that leaves you feeling dazed and deafened, it was a relief to hear techno on a system that was designed for sonic subtlety and nuance. Bell was set up in the middle of the geodesic dome-like space, and one thing that I noticed almost immediately was that he didn’t have any monitors. Looking up we saw two monitors that were flown from the ceiling, and that’s all he needed, even with a crowd around him. The sound was so perfectly tailored to the space, it didn’t matter where you stood, and I had a hallucinatory moment when I thought that the music and the space were simultaneously giving shape to each other.

The same care and subtlety that went into the sound design of The Compound could also be found in Bell’s set. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a party where the DJ had enough time in their set to develop a true progression of mood. When we first arrived around 11 there weren’t that many other people in the space, and Bell was playing some fairly easy-going deep techno that was flavored with a little house, just the thing to help you unwind a bit. By the time we left around 2.30 he was eliciting whoops, but it wasn’t like he’d switched over to bangers; instead he had lifted the energy of the room subtlely, still playing minimal and deep sounds, and still making smooth mixes with little in the way of knob-twisting theatrics. It was one of the most mature, confident sets of techno I’ve heard in a long time, where the most minimal DJ intervention could have maximal effect.

Of course, one of the best things about underground parties is the crowd; it takes real connection to the scene, and often some degree of effort, to find yourself at one of these events, so there’s a pretty strong process of selection at work before anybody even shows up. The only folks the boyfriend and I knew were Monica and Tom Kat, but that didn’t stop us from having conversations with the guy who helped us park (who thought the boyfriend looked like “a wise guy” in his black hat, black sport coat, and white hoodie), one of the sound guys, and even two guys who disagreed with us over whether or not playing a snippet of the Booka Shade remix of Laurie Anderson’s “O Superman” was trite (we didn’t think it was). It was kind of a strange moment, which, literally disagreeable as it was, still meant we were among people who took the music, the DJing, and the whole vibe seriously. Given that most of my party experience in the recent past has been more about the scene than the music, it was nice to be among fellow heads for a while. It was, in fact, enough to make me wish I’d had the stamina, or at least the stimulants, to get me through the entirety of the night.

The Compound’s days are numbered; it’s in Added Area B, Parcel 1 of the Bayview Re-development plan that was passed back in June, so its likely fate is at the hands of a bulldozer driver. Losing that space will be yet another significant set-back in the development of our nascent techno scene, so let’s enjoy it, and the ideas and connections it fosters, while we can.

Kontrol and Auralism Need Our Help!

Looks like the tough times are hitting everybody, and the kids who have been truly responsible for bringing techno to San Francisco need some help to keep on doing it, or, at least, to bring it to the LoveFest. I've chipped in because I think it's important to support the people who are really doing something to bring interesting, diverse, and fun music to the San Francisco cultural scene. If you can only help out with ten or twenty bucks, think of it as the cover not just for a night, but to keep a whole scene going.

********************

Dear friends and supporters of techno in the SF Bay and around the world,

We've been incredibly busy in the last few weeks, and trust us, we know you're busy too. But if you would please just take one minute out of your day to read this, it would really mean the world to us.

Times are tough, and many of us working in the trenches of the music industry are scrapping by week to week, just like many of you are. It is for this reason that today we are humbly calling on you, and requesting your assistance so that we can collectively create an incredible experience that everyone can enjoy and remember forever. That experience is being able to put on a float representing the music we love in this year's LoveFest.

As most of you are surely aware, pulling this kind of thing off isn't cheap. Just registering to be included in the parade alone costs $1500. Then there are expenses like renting a semi truck and driver for two days, renting a high-end Meyer soundsystem (which we spent TWICE as much on this year) plus people to run it, equipment rentals, decorations, drinks, and a ton of other expenses. All together, creating this float will cost us in excess of $4000. It's a lot of money and a lot of work, but we do this, as they say, "for the love". We want to make Saturday another unforgettable day, and share that day with our friends, our supporters, and with the world.

But the unfortunate truth of the matter is, we can't do it alone.

Last year we were lucky enough to be able to throw an underground after party where nearly all the artists donated their time and talents, and were ultimately able to recoup most of the float expenses. This year, LoveFest lands on the same night as Kontrol. Thus, no opportunity to recoup anything, as any profits gained from this years afterhours are going to, well, The Endup. Thus far, we've thrown two fundraising parties, and with the help from friends and supporters were able to raise around $700. So, you do the math. Float costs = $4000. Funds raised so far = $700.

Unfortunately, none of us in Kontrol or Auralism are rich. No trust-fund babies here, although that would certainly make things simpler. So, bottom line, if we can't raise another $3300, the remainder is shouldered entirely by us. What that means is, in addition to putting in all the work and effort to bring this great music and amazing time to the people, we all end up shelling out literally hundreds of dollars each (that we really can't afford) out of pocket.

So, we humbly call upon you to help us make this happen. If you've enjoyed having great techno events to go to over the last few years, if you know you're going to have another blast at this incredible FREE event, if you want to see this kind of music continue to grow and prosper in Bay, my friends, it's time to pony up.
_______________________________________

To add a bit of incentive, we're giving away a handful of prizes to the most generous donors, and here they are:

The TOP 5 donors will get a GUARANTEED SPOT ON THE FLOAT DURING THE PARADE .

Space on the float is this year is really, really limited. Sadly, even most of our friends will not be able to fit on. If you're amongst the top 5 donors though, we'd love for you to join us on the float as our way of saying thanks. You don't have to "know anyone", don't have to do anything. Just take some pics, dance your ass off, and have the time of your life!

And the big daddy:

The #1 TOP DONOR will receive FREE ADMISSION to ALL [KONTROL] and AURALISM EVENTS for ONE YEAR!!!

At $15/month that's worth almost $200 for the [KONTROL] Endup parties alone. But it's also all the one-offs, all the undergrounds, EVERYTHING. And of course, all the Auralism parties too.
_______________________________________

We love throwing these events and wish to thank each and every one of you who have supported over the last 3 years and helped us to bring the music we live for to the city we so dearly love. We have no intention of slowing down, and promise to continue to give 100% to making sure that the SF scene can hang up there with the big boys. We would deeply appreciate any financial support you can spare. Even a few bucks helps.

Donations can be sent via PayPal (www.paypal.com) to sf.techno.float.08@gmail.com

You don't even need a PayPal account, a simple debit card will do.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANY AND ALL SUPPORT.

We LOVE all of you, and we LOVE SF!

Before we sign off, check out this awesome video that Auralism resident Clint Stewart put together of last year's float.

If this doesn't make you smile, I don't know what will.

http://www.youtube.com/v/GzJJjNwVRYQ

Or, download the whole thing in full size here: (85MB)
www.auralismrecords.com/CLINT/LF_Fundraiser_Vid.mp4

This year's theme is BLACK & WHITE
plus the "special" color... RED!

Thanks again, and we hope to see you out Saturday!

~ Greg Bird (on behalf of the [KONTROL] and Auralism crews)

Upcoming Event: Lovefest Float Fundraiser for Kontrol/Auralism Records at 222 Hyde, Wednesday Sept 24

Yeah, I know it's pretty last minute, but I only got the email reminder this morning myself.

Kontrol/Auralism Lovefest Float Fundraiser
with
Keith Kemp (live) (Beretta Grey, D Records)
Lance Desardi (Bang the Box, Land Shark, Dessous)
Kontrol v. Auralism tag-team throwdown
9PM - 2AM
Donations taken at the door
222 Hyde, Hyde x Turk

Upcoming Event: Booka Shade with Kontrol DJs at Mezzaine, Sunday July 27

Wow, this one snuck up on me!

Booka Shade with Kontrol DJs Craig Kuna, Alland Byallo, and Nikola Baytala
Doors at 8PM
$14 advance through Going.com/BOOKA, $17 at the door
Mezzanine, 444 Jessie Street x Mint

Event Review: Claude vonStroke at Kontrol

And, my review of Claude vonStroke at Kontrol is up over on Beatportal as well. This was definitely the best Kontrol I've been to since they moved to The End Up, and though I'm still trying to figure out exactly what to expect from Claude vonStroke, whose tracks have struck me as moving from the gimmicky ("The Whistler") to the truly deep ("Who's Afraid of Detroit"), it was pretty exciting to see our local guy up there really putting some effort into defining a sound for himself. His label, Dirtybird, will be celebrating their 3rd Anniversary this Saturday at Mighty, so you should go check it out for yourself, it should be quite an event.

Event Review: Kontrol with Alex Smoke at The End Up

Correction: I've found out since I wrote this review that it was actually Craig Kuna, not Nikola Baytala, who was spinning earlier in the evening. Mea culpa.

As we were getting ready to head out to hear Alex Smoke at Kontrol this past Saturday I realized that it has been over six months since the last time we checked out what was once my absolute first choice for San Francisco clubbing. What I discovered on this past Saturday was that, while I am still quite happy that Kontrol has been successful in bringing minimal techno artists to San Francisco, their migration from a quasi-underground art gallery space in the Tenderloin to one of San Francisco's biggest clubs has brought with it some changes in vibe that, for me at least, outweigh some of the positive aspects of the move.

We arrived at 10.30 with our friend J to find a line at the door; apparently doors at 10 really means doors at 10.30. We got drinks and found seats on the patio by the pool table; inside the music was just too loud for us to enjoy hanging out or even dancing. Not that we felt particularly moved to dance, as the first DJ, who I think was Nikola Baytala, was largely playing deep house; every few songs he would slip in something more interesting and techno-oriented, like Ritchie Hawtin's "The Tunnel," but it seemed more like these were conciliatory gestures toward the night's fan base than explorations into a genre that was of interest to him. We would dance for a track or two, but then it would shift back over into house and we would go outside. Unfortunately, I remember this as being the case the last time we came to Kontrol as well, and at that time our friend Tari was very disappointed that a party that had made its reputation as a minimal techno night seemed to have morphed, under the influence of End Up tradition, into yet another survey of deep house.

We had been expecting Alex Smoke to come on at 2.00, and, as a result, missed the first part of his set when he took to the controls at 1.15. What we did get to hear, however, made up for the dullness we experienced earlier in the evening. He was playing "live," and though there were some disconnects between individual songs, and I could have done without the 92.7 voice-overs announcing "Alex Smoke Playing Live at Kontrol," it was among the most interesting, and dance-inspiring, music I have heard in a long time. His tracks have an abstract spacious quality, with dark textures, that remind me of minimal trance, and the grooves are deep and solid. We heard one track off Paradolia, but all the rest was new to us.

Following Alex Smoke was Samim, who gets the prize for most intense DJ face. I almost enjoyed his set more than Alex Smoke's, as it had a slinky, sexy aspect that minimal techno often lacks. By the time 3AM was rolling around so was the majority of crowd, and when the trio of Marina girls in black cocktail dresses began to huddle and massage each other on the dance floor in front of us, and the lines for the bathroom were reaching back to the front entrance, we decided it was time to head out.

It was great to go out an hear, and dance to, good techno that was professionally put together on one of the best sound systems in the city. But the whole time we were there, the vibe seemed off to us. First there was the long digression into house music early in the evening, then, after 2AM, there was the arrival of clubbers in cha-cha heels and button-up shirts who seeemed to be there only because it's one of the few places in town open at that time. As the boyfriend put it, it was like being magically transported into the middle of 1015. The first time I went to a Kontrol party was to hear ModeSelektor at Rx Gallery, an event that remains among the highlights of my San Francisco nightlife experiences. After that we were monthly attendees, and I still have the memory of standing on the Eddy Street sidewalk, looking across the street to a gay strip club, and thinking how much it all reminded me of Berlin squat clubs after the wall came down. It was a slightly sketchy space in a way sketchy part of town, and that was what made it seem like something special and outlaw. Of course, the sound system sucked, they were likely to blow a fuse if they turned on the video projector, and it got so hot that you could see water coming down the walls, so I was thrilled when I heard that Kontrol was moving to The End Up. The benefits of that move - a better sound system, more space - now have to be weighed against the changes that the night has undergone as a result of becoming more mainstream. It is, in many ways, a much "safer" night out than it used to be, in terms of the space and location, but also in terms of the music, at least during the first part of the evening. This increased safety has widened Kontrol's appeal beyond the heads who helped it take off from the RX, and I'm happy for their success, but I rather miss that sweaty, underground vibe it had in the old days; for me techno always sounds better when it takes a little more effort, both physically and intellectually, to go out and hear it.

Upcoming Event: Staple Music with Craig Kuna at Anu, Thursday July 26

Staple Music presents another night of explorations into future house and deep techno this Thursday at Anu, with special guest Craig Kuna of Kontrol and residents DJ Javaight and Fil Latorre.

Staple Music Presents Sabotage, with guest Craig Kuna
Club Anu, 43 6th Street (between Market and Mission)
9PM - 2AM
NO COVER

Upcoming Event: Kontrol v. Bunker in NYC, July 20

Continuing with their trans-continental pollination, the Bunker boys of New York will be hosting our local favorites Alland Byallo, Craig Kuna, and Sammy D at the Galapagos Club in Brooklyn on July 20th. If you're travelling to NY, or are already there, you should check it out for a great evening of techno from two super collectives.

Upcoming Event: Michael Mayer at Mezzanine, May 24

It's been over two years since Kompakt impressario Michael Mayer came through town, and this time he's moved up from Mighty to Mezzanine. Gui Baratto is with him on the tour, and with the Kontrol boys and Dirtybird artist Worthy filling the space between, it should be a grand night of technotechno. Here's a link to the flyer, it's $15 in advance and I think you better scoop up the tix while you can.

Marke B. Interviews Bay Area Beat Drop

Over at the SFBG site SuperEgo columnist Marke B. gives the Bay Area Beat Drop crew (filterSF, FUK Werk Fridays, Low End Saturday, Tabu Sky Bar) a couple column inches. Funny, to read this you'd think nobody else in this city was doing techno, or all night parties (hello, Kontrol, I'm here!), at least according to DJ Solekandi. I guess I'll have to check a party by these kids out soon, but all those sultry women on their flyers are kind of a turn-off for boys like me. See, for example, my comments in last week's Your Saturday Guide about the Tabu Sky Bar flyer and information (and their crappy Flash-driven website).

Upcoming Event: Surprise 420 Underground with Kontrol!

Oh jeez, this totally wrecks my idea of my plans for tonight. Fresh out of my email box courtesty of the kontrolsf mailing list, here it is:

Next, tonight two of our fab residents, Craig Kuna and Alland Byallo, will be playing at a 4/20 underground event in the South of Market area. This will take place at a private loft that has seen very little use thusfar. It's a sweet little spot and a great local lineup, with Kontrol fave SUTEKH headlining with a LIVE performance. It goes from 10pm-6am so drop by early and make a night of it, or head over after whatever it is you're up to earlier in the night, when things really start blazing.

Should be dope! ;)

Full info here:

http://www.allandbyallo.com/420flyer.jpg

Mixes to Download: Kontrol DJs and Guests

Whoo, looks like the boys at Kontrol have been busy with their audio section! In addition to "studio" and live mixes by Sammy D, Craig Kuna, and Alland Byallo, there are also live mixes from guests like Troy Pierce and Modeselektor (which happened on my birthday last year and was one of my most amazing club experiences ever). Hours of listening enjoyment! Click the audio link on the kontrolsf website to get the goods.

Your Saturday Guide

Seems a little quiet this weekend, but two events coming up look promising.

Low End Saturday
Brought to you by Bay Area Beatdrop, some of the same crew involved with the FUK Werk Fridays at 111 Minna, which guarantees some decent minimal techno. At the Retox lounge on 20th Street over in Potrero, a spot I've not visited but heard good things about. Best part: NO COVER!

Activate! with Kontrol DJs and Broker/Dealer
This is where the boyfriend and I plan to spend our evening. Kontrol DJs Alland Byallo and Nikola Baytalla will be appearing with local minimal techno duo Broker/Dealer. The Deco Lounge at Turk and Larkin is a super-cool space with three floors, a back patio area, and much, much less club baggage than the End-Up, if you know what I mean. It's a cheap $5 to get in with proceeds to benefit West ADD Radio 97.3.

Upcoming: Activate! with Kontrol DJs at Deco Lounge, Sat the 14th

Kontrol DJs Allyand Byallo and Nikola Baytalaa will be appearing with local minimal techno duo Broker/Dealer performing a DJ set at Deco Lounge on Larkin at Turk this Saturday, April 14. It's a cheap $5 to get in with proceeds to benefit West ADD Radio 97.3. Check out the flyer here. This is a super-cool space with three floors, a back patio area, and much, much less club baggage than the End-Up, if you know what I mean.

Event Review: Bunny Jam VII

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Upcoming: Kontrol at the End Up

This Saturday, April 7, Kontrol returns to the End-Up with the following line-up:

DAPAYK - LIVE PA ( mo's ferry productions . trapez . resopal )

JUSTIN MAXWELL - LIVE PA ( palette recordings . trapez . pretension )

plus special guest:

ANDRE LUCERO ( wastered)

with resident DJs:

ALLAND BYALLO ( liebe detail . floppy funk . mo's ferry )
NIKOLA BAYTALA ( robsoul . junior boys own . s.w.a.t. )
SAMMY D ( classic . dirtybird . utensil )
CRAIG KUNA ( concept sf . esdjco )

The ENDUP
401 6th St @ Harrison, SF
10pm - 6am / 21+ / $15
http://www.theendup.com

FREE until 11pm!

Bar Review: Love It Wednesdays at Icon Ultra Lounge

At the last minute on Wednesday afternoon the Kontrol kids sent out an announcement on their mailing list (and why haven't you signed up yet) that they were going to be appearing at Love it Wednesdays at the Icon Ultra Lounge (formerly known as the Luna Lounge) on Folsom and 8th. Since the boyfriend was at Mezzanine singing along to "Trapped in the Closet," and I was besotted in the company of bloggers and feeling frisky, we decided that this was a good space to meet in-between, as it were.

I used to frequent the Luna Lounge some years ago when they hosted the Taco Portal psytrance parties on Thursday nights. It was a pretty non-descript bar with too-expensive drinks ($6 each for well) that had the one redeeming quality of selling deep-fried Mexican bar food (hence, Taco Portal). That regular night ended about two years ago, and after that the Luna Lounge passed into deserved obscurity. Now, as the Icon Ultra Lounge it has a lot more flair, but they need to pull their act together if they're going to keep this thing going.

The flyer said 9PM - 11PM, and since it was a school night, I was inclined to be there early. I show up at 9.30 and while the door was open, there was no music and it looked like set-up was still in progress. I took a walk to check out the SoMa street theater, and when I came back ten minutes later sound check was still underway, and the bartenders were still counting out their cash drawers. At 9.45 I finally was able to get a drink, and the tunes started up. Now, I know from experience that, especially on a Saturday night, 9 can mean 9.30. But on a Wednesday, when people are inclined to go out early and leave early, if you put 9.00 on your flyer, you better start at 9PM.

Also on the email flyer was a promise of Kontrol DJ Sammy D. djing a "darker side of light rock" set as Lark After Dark in the back room. During the Taco Portal days this room was closed, and I only saw it once during a big party. I was rather looking forward to this, since I was curious what Sammy's spin would be. However, when the boyfriend and I left at 11.15, this room still wasn't going. On the print flyer it says "KOIT's Storm presents Light Rock Inferno," but nothing was burning as far as I could tell. Again, if you put it on the flyer, you better be making it happen.

The boyfriend and I didn't really spend any time in the main room because we discovered a third room that I had never seen before, a kind of VIP lounge space in the shape of a narrow U in the very back of the bar. There was the standard leatherette banquette seating with a table in the center of the U, but the walls were covered with very narrow mirrored stripes. Seven clear lightbulbs with orange filaments hung from the ceiling, and their reflection in the mirrors created the effect of being in the middle of a shower of sparks, or, if you kinda squinted (or, in my case, took off your glasses), it was like looking out into a cityscape at night. A truly awesome optical effect achieved very simply. Too bad the room was empty, though we did find it a good place for a quick toke.

When we did make it out into the main room, just before we left, we found that it had been considerably reconstructed since the Taco Portal days. The DJ pulpit now towered up in the middle of the dancefloor, and the illumination was provided by red, circular lighting fixtures. Very ultra lounge. A small number of people had showed up by this point, but the party energy had yet to manifest and I was ready for the bed.

This space has a lot of potential, and from the upcoming line-ups on the print flyer it looks like this might be a great night during the week to check out some new tech house sounds. But if you're going to do a middle of the week party you can't be slack in how you set things up and make them run, because us working stiffs aren't going to be patient to wait for things to get up to steam. I'll definitely check it out again.

Upcoming: Kontrol at the End Up with Sammy Dee and Alex Under

Kontrol returns for their monthly at the End-Up this Saturday, March 3rd, with special guests Sammy Dee and Alex Under, the latter performing a "live" set. Sammy Dee is one half of Pantytec, and Alex Under has not only put out some great minimal tracks under his own name, but has also remixed the likes of Mylo. Once again this promises to be one of the hippest nights of new music in The City.

Vinyl Addiction

San Francisco has plenty of places to buy DJ vinyl - if what you play is house. Trance, techno, breakbeat, electro, anything else, you'll have to dig through those bins with a sharp eye to find anything that hasn't been played so much the grooves are gone. Here's a tour of some local DJ vinyl shops starting at Amoeba in the Upper Haight, down to TWeakin' in the Lower Haight, and then across Market onto Valencia for Zen City Records, Soundworks, and Community Thrift.

BPM Records - a couple weeks ago I walked up Fillmore to Hayes to get my monthy dose of minimal techno, only to find that the best DJ record store in San Francisco is no more. Here's hoping they're just on hiatus and I'll be able to update this with an active link soon.

Amoeba Records - Upper Haight. San Francisco's biggest music store has a hip electronica buyer and a whole bin labelled "Minimal." Recent acquisitions include Marek Bois "You Got Good Ash" remixed by Gabriel Ananda and Roman Fluegel, the Steadicam EP on Kompakt's K2 label, and several tracks on the Platzhirsch label. Unfortunately, you can't listen to any vinyl before you buy it, and you have to put up with the constant click-clack of shoppers flipping through the CDs backed with whatever horrible music the staff has put on. Get in, get what you want, get the hell out.

Reverb - across the street from Amoeba and formerly known as F8 - I guess they got tired of being associated with candy raves and cyber trance. The only place you can get current progressive trance (unfortunately mostly of the prole-techno variety), and the very few psy-trance releases that come out on vinyl. Decent breaks selection too, but not my field of expertise. My last big purchase here was when they decided to close out the psy vinyl for two bucks a pop and I needed to stock up for Burning Man.

Tweakin' Records - Lower Haight. Let's not talk about the implications of the store's name and just mention that there's a bin of Tech House right by the register that's offered up some nice finds. Recent acquisitions include remixes of Husky Rescue's "Diamonds in the Sky" and Mikkel Metal's "Victimizer" EP. Also carry vinyl from local tech house label Dirty Bird, where you will find tracks by Kontrol's Sammy D.

Zen City Records - Upper Valencia. Where back catalog stock goes to die. At one time I could find interesting minimal psy on labels like Traktor and Plastic Park here, but as far as I can tell the only new vinyl they bring in is strictly house. Another record shop owner once told me he doesn't know how they stay in business, and I haven't bought anything there for a loooooong time. TIS NO MORE - closed as of May 2007.

SoundWorks - Two blocks down Valencia from Zen City on the right. Where Castro DJs come to get their pop house and Club 40 tracks. Owner Sam LaBelle is a DJ and can be heard out on occasion, and is generally better than most of his clientele. Hang out on a Saturday afternoon and you'll hear all kinds of local gay DJ gossip. Sam and his co-owner Tom Seymour are both super friendly and helpful. Techno leans toward the hard, sounds-sampled-from-a-construction-site variety, but you can also pick up offbeat, older stuff. They also run a record pool, which has some pretty horrendous stuff in it, but if you need cheap Club 40 vinyl, this is a way to get it. My recent acquisitions include Gabriel Ananda's "Waehrend die Andere die Mull rausbracht," which would look cooler if I could do umlauts.

Mission Thrift - Valencia and 17th. You gotta dig in those bins, and ninety-nine percent of it is crap, but at a dollar a disc, you can take some chances. Recently found a 12" of Hanzel and Gretyl's "Galaxia Malakia" here for when I want to throw down some late 90s industrial. Oh, those were the days!