The Transfer, as befits a bar at the crossroads of a MUNI bus and underground line, suffers from something of an identity crisis. Originally the last stop for the hungry ghosts that prowled the Castro at all hours of the day and night, a place so dismal that the one time I entered to use the ATM I felt like I had been sucked down into a Virgilian Hades, the bar was bought about two and a half years ago by Castro entertainment and hospitality mogul Greg Bronstein. He spruced it up, cleaned out the cobwebs, put a cheeky graffiti mural on the back wall, and installed real windows that let in the sunshine and chased the vampires away. The manager at the time, Shawn, had a great relationship with a number of local promoters, and thus Bus Station John established a base in the Castro with his Double Dutch Disco parties, Cock Block appeared for the girls, and there was a steady stream of party nights that transformed The Transfer into a new bar full of hip young things. Then, several months ago, Bronstein sold the bar, fired Shawn, and the whole identity of the bar was brought into question. Ask a gay guy about it and he might say “Oh, isn’t that a straight bar now,” while a straight guy would probably say “Oh, isn’t that a gay bar?” Bus Station John still does Double Dutch Disco parties there every first Sunday, but the bar also hosts bar nights for Mission hipsters riding fixies, and it looks like Cock Block is moving on to Fat City. As for the other parties, they’ve come and gone so quickly that they never had a chance establish themselves or even pull up the bar’s reputation with their own. So what kind of bar is it? Depends on the day of the week and month, it seems.
The bar itself rally has little to distinguish it – there’s a bar, and a pool table, some bench seating built around the pool table like you’d find in any gay bar, some tables and tall chairs for perching, and filthy, filthy bathrooms. A lot of money and effort has gone into the DJ setup and on my last visit, during Refuge by the Staple crew (which is also moving on to other venues), there was a nice set of Mackie speakers for sound. But I don’t understand how this bar turns into a dance space, or if it really even does. Without moving the pool table the dance space is smaller than UndergroundSF, and there’s not much in the way of seating beyond the bar itself on the other side of the room. Move the pool table and the space opens up, but all the real action here seems to be at the bar. So, is it a bar or a dance club? It’s definitely the former, and wants to be the latter, but I haven’t seen it take off yet.
This bar is three blocks from my apartment and yet I’ve rarely set foot inside because I have no idea what’s going on with it. If I want an easy drink there’s the Pilser at equal distance, with a back patio that’s much nicer than sitting inside when the weather’s good. If I want to go dancing there are plenty of other options, though they might be further away. So what does The Transfer have to offer that other bars don’t? I dunno, if you all have an answer, let me know.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
May Day!
It's May Day, and to celebrate here's a bit of doggerel from my friend Ian:
Hooray Hooray
It's the First of May
Outdoor Sex
Begins Today!
Now get to it kids, we need to jumpstart the freak breeding program and just plain out-populate everybody else.
Hooray Hooray
It's the First of May
Outdoor Sex
Begins Today!
Now get to it kids, we need to jumpstart the freak breeding program and just plain out-populate everybody else.
Upcoming Event: Cloud Cult at Bottom of the Hill This Thursday, May 3
My favorite new band, Cloud Cult, will be performing at Bottom of the Hill this Thursday, May 3. Doors open at 8, show starts at 8.30. Expect a super powerful experience that includes crazy visuals and artists painting live on stage. All ages, $10, with Music for Animals, Amateurs, and Jeff D Johnson. Check out my review of their new album, "The Meaning of 8."
Monday, April 30, 2007
Happy Birthday to Jeff!
Friday night I had the great privilege of going to a small birthday party for Jeff, of Jeff and Gary fame, who I think is turning about 29. Two highlights: Jeff telling us that what made his birthday really great was that he had such a terrific group of friends, and hearing the Luciano Sci.Fi.Hi.Fi mix coming out of the host's stereo system. As much as I might disagree with some of Jeff and Gary's aesthetic choices when it comes to Drunk and Horny, they are still two great guys who I totally support on the personal level. And finding out that the boyfriend and I aren't the only two gay guys in San Francisco who appreciate minimal techno did much to lift our spirits. Now if we could only get some more of those boys out to the clubs.
Event Review: Refuge at The Transfer
Refuge, put together by Fil Latorre and DJ Javaight aka the Staple crew, featuring Jeno, was a great exploration of "future house and deep techno," though the union of this music with the space of The Transfer bar was less than ideal.
It's always a good sign when you hear two different DJs at the same party play tracks you own, serving as it does as confirmation of your own good taste and that you are indeed in the presence of like-minded individuals. When DJ Javaight laid down Kiki's "Trust Me," and then Jeno later played "You Got Good Ash" by Marek Bois, I had one of those brief moments of feeling not only in synch with what was around me, but that something I had been following for a long time was finally being taken up by others; for the Staple crew I think this would be described in terms of "deepness," a more thoughtful, almost hypnotic approach to techno and tech house that features very smooth mixes and blends between tracks. As much as I love the Kontrol DJs I've always felt that they had something of a tendency toward squonk for squonk's sake, and as they moved on to The EndUp their sound has taken on more of a traditional house sound. In the tracks that Javaight and Fil Latorre laid down you can still hear the house throb, but there were also harder, darker elements that experiment with more artificial, trance-like sonic textures, as well as the occasional saw-tooth bassline, that move you away from the at times almost sacchrine, sleep-inducing feeling of pure deep house.
Unfortunately, The Transfer did not turn out to be the place to really appreciate this music. I arrived with the boyfriend, Kitty, and our friend J around 10 PM, and at that time there was a good crowd around the bar, but the only other place to sit and chill was either on a poorly placed sofa below the windows (where, everytime you tried to lean back, you knocked your noggin on the drink shelf), or back behind the pool table. We settled in and tried to make ourselves comfortable while awaiting for the crowd to arrive, but that never really happened. I would have expected that with Jeno on the bill there would have been a big crowd, and while some dedicated house heads did come through the doors later, most of the action was confined to the bar area. The beats were good enough to get your hips moving, but they didn't even move the pool table out of the way until 11.30, so no real dance energy ever materialized. Even worse, for a supposed gay bar, the crowd was almost entirely straight. I'm not sure what it takes to get gay men out of their musical ghetto, but evidently you can put good music in a cheap, convenient location that's well-known and it's still not enough to keep them from rehashing the same stuff that's been served to them for the past twenty years.
The Staple crew is moving on from The Transfer with their next two events, Sabotage at Anu on the 10th of May, and then a party with Kenny Larkin at the RxGallery on May 11. I'll personally be anxious to see how they carry through with their sonic explorations in a space, and with a crowd, that is more attuned to their vibe.
It's always a good sign when you hear two different DJs at the same party play tracks you own, serving as it does as confirmation of your own good taste and that you are indeed in the presence of like-minded individuals. When DJ Javaight laid down Kiki's "Trust Me," and then Jeno later played "You Got Good Ash" by Marek Bois, I had one of those brief moments of feeling not only in synch with what was around me, but that something I had been following for a long time was finally being taken up by others; for the Staple crew I think this would be described in terms of "deepness," a more thoughtful, almost hypnotic approach to techno and tech house that features very smooth mixes and blends between tracks. As much as I love the Kontrol DJs I've always felt that they had something of a tendency toward squonk for squonk's sake, and as they moved on to The EndUp their sound has taken on more of a traditional house sound. In the tracks that Javaight and Fil Latorre laid down you can still hear the house throb, but there were also harder, darker elements that experiment with more artificial, trance-like sonic textures, as well as the occasional saw-tooth bassline, that move you away from the at times almost sacchrine, sleep-inducing feeling of pure deep house.
Unfortunately, The Transfer did not turn out to be the place to really appreciate this music. I arrived with the boyfriend, Kitty, and our friend J around 10 PM, and at that time there was a good crowd around the bar, but the only other place to sit and chill was either on a poorly placed sofa below the windows (where, everytime you tried to lean back, you knocked your noggin on the drink shelf), or back behind the pool table. We settled in and tried to make ourselves comfortable while awaiting for the crowd to arrive, but that never really happened. I would have expected that with Jeno on the bill there would have been a big crowd, and while some dedicated house heads did come through the doors later, most of the action was confined to the bar area. The beats were good enough to get your hips moving, but they didn't even move the pool table out of the way until 11.30, so no real dance energy ever materialized. Even worse, for a supposed gay bar, the crowd was almost entirely straight. I'm not sure what it takes to get gay men out of their musical ghetto, but evidently you can put good music in a cheap, convenient location that's well-known and it's still not enough to keep them from rehashing the same stuff that's been served to them for the past twenty years.
The Staple crew is moving on from The Transfer with their next two events, Sabotage at Anu on the 10th of May, and then a party with Kenny Larkin at the RxGallery on May 11. I'll personally be anxious to see how they carry through with their sonic explorations in a space, and with a crowd, that is more attuned to their vibe.
Profile of DJ AM in the New York Times
Yesterday's New York Times had a profile of DJ AM, who was here about a month ago to do his own birthday party at Mezzanine. It's an intersting article about a guy who has lived through a lot (after getting hooked on crack he tried to kill himself by putting a gun in mouth, but it jammed when he pulled the trigger), dated a superstar celebrity (Nicole Richie), and now earns big bucks playing parties in Vegas and the NY meatpacking district. His party here was put together by the Vintage 415 group, who seem rather into the bling side of the music scene, which makes this very incisive quote from DJ AM all the more interesting:
After nearly 15 years of playing professionally in clubs, he finds them changed. To him, most places are no longer about dancing and having fun. “They are a tangible representation of what I like to call the universal lie,” he explained. “It’s a place where people pull up in their Porsche, show off their new Marc Jacobs bag or jewelry or, ‘Hey, look at me in V.I.P. with five bottles on my table.’ All this stuff means I’m someone in God’s eyes. But that’s the lie.”Hmmm, really, couldn't really agree with him more.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Democratic Central Committee Resolution to Preserve Nightlife Passes!
Earlier this week I reported that the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee was considering a resolution to support and preserve nightlife, street fairs, and civic events in the city, and urged everyone who was a registered Democrat to let your views be known. It seems to have worked, or, at least, the resolution was passed. Here's the meat of it, but you can read the whole thing on their website:
AND WHEREAS San Francisco has become noticeably less tolerant of nightlife and outdoor events, with City government in recent years proposing large fee increases, policy changes, and other restrictions and impediments that threaten the long-term viability of these venues and events, including, for example, the How Weird Street Faire, the Hairrison Street Fair, the Haight Street Fair, and any event that occurs in a City park;Whether or not this will make any difference at all remains to be seen, but it's always good when you have some potential political muscle to back you up in these matters.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the San Francisco Democratic Party expresses its strong support for San Francisco’s nightlife and tradition of outdoor events, which are vital to the City’s cultural fabric, and which are capable of being conducted in a manner that respects public safety and the surrounding neighborhoods;
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Your Saturday Guide for April 28, 2007
A couple interesting events out of the ordinary this Saturday, though both present unknown qualities. If you go to either, please hit us back with a report.
UPDATE NUMBER TWO: New stuff just keeps popping up, this time a Burning Man fundraiser at the Porn Palace, but it's on the pricey side:
MONKEY: a banana peelin’, vine swingin’, primal primate throwdown featuring two rooms of boom to shake your prehensile tail ‘til the early morn’! 100% of Proceeds to Benefit “Homouroboros”; Peter Hudson’s next playa masterwork. Everyone involved has volunteered to support the production of Peter’s next stroboscopic zoetrope.
In the Art Barn, you’ll view Peter’s past work and speculate on the scope of homouroboros. You can also buy limited edition homouroboros tees, bandannas, panties and more. Plus, preserve your posterior for posterity. Live ass-casting is back! And with all our favorite Playa sound camps and DJ’s under one roof, this is a rare opportunity for those allergic to playa dust to hear some Black Rock legends.
Monkey Room
Laird, Fred Funk, Shissla, Cut la’What v. Tyler T, An-ten-nae, J9 v. ViaJay, Jive v. Smoove, Ernie Trevino v. Ethan Miller
Guerrilla Lounge
Laird, Aaron Pope, Radio Active, El Papa Chango, Tamo
The Porn Palace 415 Jessie St. (@ 6th)
9PM – Very late
$20 Donation
Burning Man Ticket Raffle! (At Midnight)
COSTUMES encouraged/rewarded: Show me the MONKEY!!!
UPDATE: Just found out about this intriguing party at The Transfer with, of all people, Jeno. The crew behind this party, known collectively as Staple, used to promote parties from 1999 - 2001 at The EndUp under the name of Refuge. These kids have serious House cred, so it's interesting to see them starting up again and incorporating techno into their concept of "deepness." Since The Transfer is only about three blocks from my pad, this is probably the party I'll check out.
Refuge: Future House and Deep Techno
with
Jeno
Fil Latorre
DJ Javaight
at The Transfer, 198 Church Street, x Church and Market
$5 after 11.30
No cover with rsvp: rsvp@staplemusic.net
filterSF presents Fumiya Tanaka at Fat City (formerly known as Studio Z)
The same crew involved with FUK Werk Fridays and the Tabu Sky Bar presents Japanese techno producer Fumiya Tanaka in his first ever live US performance. Sounds cool, I just wish the filterSF kids would stop putting boobies on their flyers - that's so 1999, ya know? Are these parties just about hot babes and those who lust for them, or can anybody come? Really, you'd think they were promoting a gay party.
Deets:
11th Street at Folsom
Limited RSVP $10 guest list before 11:00 PM
info@babd.org or filter1@babd.org
$15 before 11 PM
$20 at the door
$10 after 2:00 AM
Note that this party runs until 8AM Sunday
Aural Therapy 2.0
This just popped up on the old radar, afterhours at an underground location with a host of techno/tech house DJs including Kontrol's Alland Byallo. Starts at 2AM (that's 2AM in the morning on Sunday), location will be emailed by Saturday afternoon after you've bought a ticket online. Says that it's at "the compound."
Deets:
$12 + $2.22 service charge (tix online only)
Doors open 2AM, close 10AM (both Sunday morning)
Drunk and Horny
The reliable, sloppy, gay version of a high school party. Check out my review.
$5 Cover, Underground SF (424 Haight Street x Webster), 9PM - 2AM, DJs Big Red and Sparky.
UPDATE NUMBER TWO: New stuff just keeps popping up, this time a Burning Man fundraiser at the Porn Palace, but it's on the pricey side:
MONKEY: a banana peelin’, vine swingin’, primal primate throwdown featuring two rooms of boom to shake your prehensile tail ‘til the early morn’! 100% of Proceeds to Benefit “Homouroboros”; Peter Hudson’s next playa masterwork. Everyone involved has volunteered to support the production of Peter’s next stroboscopic zoetrope.
In the Art Barn, you’ll view Peter’s past work and speculate on the scope of homouroboros. You can also buy limited edition homouroboros tees, bandannas, panties and more. Plus, preserve your posterior for posterity. Live ass-casting is back! And with all our favorite Playa sound camps and DJ’s under one roof, this is a rare opportunity for those allergic to playa dust to hear some Black Rock legends.
Monkey Room
Laird, Fred Funk, Shissla, Cut la’What v. Tyler T, An-ten-nae, J9 v. ViaJay, Jive v. Smoove, Ernie Trevino v. Ethan Miller
Guerrilla Lounge
Laird, Aaron Pope, Radio Active, El Papa Chango, Tamo
The Porn Palace 415 Jessie St. (@ 6th)
9PM – Very late
$20 Donation
Burning Man Ticket Raffle! (At Midnight)
COSTUMES encouraged/rewarded: Show me the MONKEY!!!
UPDATE: Just found out about this intriguing party at The Transfer with, of all people, Jeno. The crew behind this party, known collectively as Staple, used to promote parties from 1999 - 2001 at The EndUp under the name of Refuge. These kids have serious House cred, so it's interesting to see them starting up again and incorporating techno into their concept of "deepness." Since The Transfer is only about three blocks from my pad, this is probably the party I'll check out.
Refuge: Future House and Deep Techno
with
Jeno
Fil Latorre
DJ Javaight
at The Transfer, 198 Church Street, x Church and Market
$5 after 11.30
No cover with rsvp: rsvp@staplemusic.net
filterSF presents Fumiya Tanaka at Fat City (formerly known as Studio Z)
The same crew involved with FUK Werk Fridays and the Tabu Sky Bar presents Japanese techno producer Fumiya Tanaka in his first ever live US performance. Sounds cool, I just wish the filterSF kids would stop putting boobies on their flyers - that's so 1999, ya know? Are these parties just about hot babes and those who lust for them, or can anybody come? Really, you'd think they were promoting a gay party.
Deets:
11th Street at Folsom
Limited RSVP $10 guest list before 11:00 PM
info@babd.org or filter1@babd.org
$15 before 11 PM
$20 at the door
$10 after 2:00 AM
Note that this party runs until 8AM Sunday
Aural Therapy 2.0
This just popped up on the old radar, afterhours at an underground location with a host of techno/tech house DJs including Kontrol's Alland Byallo. Starts at 2AM (that's 2AM in the morning on Sunday), location will be emailed by Saturday afternoon after you've bought a ticket online. Says that it's at "the compound."
Deets:
$12 + $2.22 service charge (tix online only)
Doors open 2AM, close 10AM (both Sunday morning)
Drunk and Horny
The reliable, sloppy, gay version of a high school party. Check out my review.
$5 Cover, Underground SF (424 Haight Street x Webster), 9PM - 2AM, DJs Big Red and Sparky.
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