Monday, October 29, 2007
Paul Addis At It Again: Caught Trying to Torch Grace Cathedral
Wow, that Paul Addis sure loves to burn things down; this time he was nabbed in an alleged attempt to burn Grace Catheral. Perhaps all the praise heaped upon him for his Burning Man "prank" gave him an inflated sense of his own abilities and status. In any case, this "hero" now faces four pretty serious counts here, and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if his $25K bail from Nevada got revoked (nice way to pay back all those folks who helped you out, Paul).
Event Review: Halloween Saturday from the Marina to the Mission
This weekend started out as a quiet one for the boyfriend and I, with our major Friday night activities including him remixing tracks in Ableton while I attempted to clear Nazi gun emplacements from a small Italian town. This was all calm before the storm, however, as Saturday took us from a wedding at the Presidio to a serious rave-up of a party in the Mission, with a death-march from the Marina to the Castro, explorations into the world of alpha-numerics, and a visit to the vomitorium all in between.
The wedding was for our friends Matt and Lisa, who I have known since I first moved to The City in 1999. They were part of my original crew of party peeps, all of us recent transplants to the city who were drawn here by the .com boom and managed to hang on through the subsequent bust. They first met at a Thump radio party (I believe it was X-Dream), and have moved on since then to buying a house and having dogs, so it was about time they actually got married. The reception turned into a reunion of sorts, since our table was all old friends who I haven’t seen for quite a while, and one of them just happened to have several pills of 2-CB he wanted to share with us. After sitting through the requisite drunken speeches, terrible slow jams from the DJ, and the cutting of the cake the boyfriend, Kitty and I finally took off from the Presidio officer’s club around 9.30. Thus begins the death march.
Woe to the person who needs a taxi at 9.30 on a Saturday night; we called both DeSoto and Yellow, and were told “we’ll try to get a car out there.” Well, trying just isn’t enough; after twenty minutes of waiting we knew we’d be stranded there unless we could find a taxi ourselves, so we hoofed it off toward Lombard Street. When I saw the first sexy convict trying to hail a cab, I knew we were doomed; every corner was filled with sexy nurses, sexy tennis players, sexy convicts, sexy vampires, and all the guys in bad wigs and cow costumes who accompany them, trying to get a cab. We walked up Fillmore and finally were able to get a bus to Church and Market, and after a few more blocks of walking were able to find a conveyance up the hill to home. Total travel time from the Presidio to Castro: one hour and thirty minutes.
We went through a rapid costume change, took the blue pill, and headed out to a costume party at Liberty and Valencia, fortunately within walking distance of the apartment. We passed plenty of costumed folks on our way, but arrived just in time to see most of the people we knew headed out the door; we had mis-timed our arrival by about an hour, so that much of the party was moving on the next destination. We came in, had a drink, and I collapsed on the couch for about twenty minutes; even if everybody else was going to another party, I had to stop moving for a little while.
There’s nothing like the hassles of dealing with transportation on a big party night, and the general guido atmosphere of the Marina on a Saturday night, to put me in a bad mood; combine that with drinking a couple Jack and Cokes, and then ingesting a quantity of substance with which I heretofore had no experience, and you have all the ingredients necessary for whipping up an nasty case of indigestion. Sure, things were looking kinda sparkly, and I could see the wallpaper starting to swirl around, but it was difficult for me to make the mental move from “jeezus, what a fucking pain in the ass this is,” to “oooh, cool, I think I’ll stare at the wall for a while.” After all, I had just dealt with the squealing sounds of the Marina, been crushed on a slow moving bus, and was pretty fucking tired after miles of walking, only to arrive at the party and find that it was starting to wind down.
My evening’s salvation came with the arrival of Sister Viva L’Amour who whisked us off to a “dance party” over on Oakwood. Along the way I worked on getting my tripping walk down, a formidable feat since the sidewalk seemed to now curve out along the edges, and everything had a fuzzy shimmer around it. While I made it to the party okay, and was even starting to feel a bit giddy, my stomach had other, increasingly insistent, ideas about what it wanted to do.
The party was off the hook, with dancing, DJs, a courtyard with faerie lights and “In the Mouth of Madness” projected on a wall. Thinking that my problem might be a need to move past a certain boundary state, I decided to augment my alpha-numeric with a vowel, but ten minutes later I was involved with an intimate examination of the groundcover in the courtyard garden. Yep, squirming, writhing biomass, check, here, have some freshly digested nutrients. Having purged my system (and, unfortunately, all the effects of the second pill), and been handed the requisite napkin, beer, and stick of chewing gum, I was now ready to party.
We stayed and danced until almost 2.30; the crowd was absolutely fabulous, the small dance floor packed with costumed revelers, the tracks were total monsters (though the second DJ’s mixing left something to be desired), and I can honestly say I have not enjoyed any dance event in months as much as I enjoyed the few hours we spent at that party. I had a moment of thinking back to the underground raves of a few years ago, when it was all about getting together with friends for a big party and dancing, and I realized: fuck the big clubs, fuck the name-brand DJs, fuck the scenesters and their ambitions, fuck bottle service, all of it was but an attempt to simulate the energy and straight out fun of this scene, where gay boys and straight girls danced together, where you could puke in a corner and no one bats an eye, where your friend can come and move a dancefloor with the records he’s been spinning in his bedroom, and where everybody leaves thinking “man, what a great party” and spent n’ary a dime to be there.
The Mission and Castro were still bustling with activity when we left, and though our night was far from over, I had no desire, and no need, to go in search of any more partying. Halloween is the holiday of mischief, of random encounters with the strange and bizarre. We had embraced it from the moment we left the Presidio, both treats and tricks were handed out to us, and the veil between the worlds had been raised.
The wedding was for our friends Matt and Lisa, who I have known since I first moved to The City in 1999. They were part of my original crew of party peeps, all of us recent transplants to the city who were drawn here by the .com boom and managed to hang on through the subsequent bust. They first met at a Thump radio party (I believe it was X-Dream), and have moved on since then to buying a house and having dogs, so it was about time they actually got married. The reception turned into a reunion of sorts, since our table was all old friends who I haven’t seen for quite a while, and one of them just happened to have several pills of 2-CB he wanted to share with us. After sitting through the requisite drunken speeches, terrible slow jams from the DJ, and the cutting of the cake the boyfriend, Kitty and I finally took off from the Presidio officer’s club around 9.30. Thus begins the death march.
Woe to the person who needs a taxi at 9.30 on a Saturday night; we called both DeSoto and Yellow, and were told “we’ll try to get a car out there.” Well, trying just isn’t enough; after twenty minutes of waiting we knew we’d be stranded there unless we could find a taxi ourselves, so we hoofed it off toward Lombard Street. When I saw the first sexy convict trying to hail a cab, I knew we were doomed; every corner was filled with sexy nurses, sexy tennis players, sexy convicts, sexy vampires, and all the guys in bad wigs and cow costumes who accompany them, trying to get a cab. We walked up Fillmore and finally were able to get a bus to Church and Market, and after a few more blocks of walking were able to find a conveyance up the hill to home. Total travel time from the Presidio to Castro: one hour and thirty minutes.
We went through a rapid costume change, took the blue pill, and headed out to a costume party at Liberty and Valencia, fortunately within walking distance of the apartment. We passed plenty of costumed folks on our way, but arrived just in time to see most of the people we knew headed out the door; we had mis-timed our arrival by about an hour, so that much of the party was moving on the next destination. We came in, had a drink, and I collapsed on the couch for about twenty minutes; even if everybody else was going to another party, I had to stop moving for a little while.
There’s nothing like the hassles of dealing with transportation on a big party night, and the general guido atmosphere of the Marina on a Saturday night, to put me in a bad mood; combine that with drinking a couple Jack and Cokes, and then ingesting a quantity of substance with which I heretofore had no experience, and you have all the ingredients necessary for whipping up an nasty case of indigestion. Sure, things were looking kinda sparkly, and I could see the wallpaper starting to swirl around, but it was difficult for me to make the mental move from “jeezus, what a fucking pain in the ass this is,” to “oooh, cool, I think I’ll stare at the wall for a while.” After all, I had just dealt with the squealing sounds of the Marina, been crushed on a slow moving bus, and was pretty fucking tired after miles of walking, only to arrive at the party and find that it was starting to wind down.
My evening’s salvation came with the arrival of Sister Viva L’Amour who whisked us off to a “dance party” over on Oakwood. Along the way I worked on getting my tripping walk down, a formidable feat since the sidewalk seemed to now curve out along the edges, and everything had a fuzzy shimmer around it. While I made it to the party okay, and was even starting to feel a bit giddy, my stomach had other, increasingly insistent, ideas about what it wanted to do.
The party was off the hook, with dancing, DJs, a courtyard with faerie lights and “In the Mouth of Madness” projected on a wall. Thinking that my problem might be a need to move past a certain boundary state, I decided to augment my alpha-numeric with a vowel, but ten minutes later I was involved with an intimate examination of the groundcover in the courtyard garden. Yep, squirming, writhing biomass, check, here, have some freshly digested nutrients. Having purged my system (and, unfortunately, all the effects of the second pill), and been handed the requisite napkin, beer, and stick of chewing gum, I was now ready to party.
We stayed and danced until almost 2.30; the crowd was absolutely fabulous, the small dance floor packed with costumed revelers, the tracks were total monsters (though the second DJ’s mixing left something to be desired), and I can honestly say I have not enjoyed any dance event in months as much as I enjoyed the few hours we spent at that party. I had a moment of thinking back to the underground raves of a few years ago, when it was all about getting together with friends for a big party and dancing, and I realized: fuck the big clubs, fuck the name-brand DJs, fuck the scenesters and their ambitions, fuck bottle service, all of it was but an attempt to simulate the energy and straight out fun of this scene, where gay boys and straight girls danced together, where you could puke in a corner and no one bats an eye, where your friend can come and move a dancefloor with the records he’s been spinning in his bedroom, and where everybody leaves thinking “man, what a great party” and spent n’ary a dime to be there.
The Mission and Castro were still bustling with activity when we left, and though our night was far from over, I had no desire, and no need, to go in search of any more partying. Halloween is the holiday of mischief, of random encounters with the strange and bizarre. We had embraced it from the moment we left the Presidio, both treats and tricks were handed out to us, and the veil between the worlds had been raised.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Help Otto!
Otto Schutt is one of those scenesters everybody seems to love, and unfortunately, he needs lots of it right now, having been diagnosed with colon cancer (really, just about the worst kind you can get, and he's got it bad). There have been some great fundraisers for Otto, with Space Cowboys, Opel, and many other crews getting together to help him through this, both spiritually and financially. If you want to help Otto, check out his website and hit the PayPal link.
Your Saturday Guide for October 27, 2007
Ah, Halloween, the last big party party before we head into the nesting season. I've had some really fun times out at big Halloween parties, most notably Tantra's SoMarts party about two years ago, but this year I've got a wedding at 5PM, and will probably be headed for a house party thereafter. I'm sure that there will be huge to-dos at Ruby Skye, 1015, and all the other usual locales, but here's a select list of things I might check out if I wasn't already occupied.
Space Cowboys at Temple
Featuring the Drumattic Twins (Finger Lickin') performing live. Main room with Space Cowboys DJs Brad Robinson, the Geometrist, Mancub, 8Ball, Rrrus, Kapt'n Kirk, Ernie Trevino, and Brett Pinkin. Catacombs with Evil Breaks DJs, Aaron Jae, Bam, M.O.D., Athena, and Special Guest Son of the Electric Ghost from Texax.
10PM - 6AM
$10 in advance and at the door for the undead and the living in costume, $20 for everybody else
Temple, 540 Howard Street between 1st and 2nd
Opel Presents Night of the Living Bass at Mighty. With Dylan Rhymes (Lot 49, UK) and Elite Force (Used & Abused Records, Lot 49, eliteforce.co.uk / UK), plus Opel residents Syd Gris, Hoj, Melyss, + ICON, Spesh, Fred Funk, Alain Octavo, Scottino, Dirtyhertz, Tamo, DJ Hill, Vinkalmann, & MACE.
Discounted pre-sales on sale for $15 HERE.
10PM - 4AM
Mighty, 119 Utah Street
Honey Sound System Underground with Mauricio Aviles
No other details, so hit the link to check the Honey Sound System website the day of the party.
Spektikal at Shine
A new tech-house party start-up, the (unfortunately named) Teknosexual crew will be hosting their first party at Shine, with Dead Seal (Auralism), J.Phlip (The End Up), Barclay (Next Door, Hawaii), The Dirty Duo (Alibi, Anu), Jaime James (Fahrenheit 360).
9PM - 2AM
FREE before 11 and all night in costume, $5 after and without costume
Shine, 1337 Mission
FilterSF at Anu
Live PA by resident Kontakt, with special guest Butane (Alphahouse, St. Louis/Berlin). Best bef for your deep minimal techno fix.
9PM - 2AM
$5 before 10.30, $10 afterwards
Anu Bar, 43 6th Street x Market
And for your Sunday recovery, how about a FREE psytrance day party in Golden Gate Park? Starting around 10 or 11 AM, Marx Meadows off 26th in Golden Gate Park.
Space Cowboys at Temple
Featuring the Drumattic Twins (Finger Lickin') performing live. Main room with Space Cowboys DJs Brad Robinson, the Geometrist, Mancub, 8Ball, Rrrus, Kapt'n Kirk, Ernie Trevino, and Brett Pinkin. Catacombs with Evil Breaks DJs, Aaron Jae, Bam, M.O.D., Athena, and Special Guest Son of the Electric Ghost from Texax.
10PM - 6AM
$10 in advance and at the door for the undead and the living in costume, $20 for everybody else
Temple, 540 Howard Street between 1st and 2nd
Opel Presents Night of the Living Bass at Mighty. With Dylan Rhymes (Lot 49, UK) and Elite Force (Used & Abused Records, Lot 49, eliteforce.co.uk / UK), plus Opel residents Syd Gris, Hoj, Melyss, + ICON, Spesh, Fred Funk, Alain Octavo, Scottino, Dirtyhertz, Tamo, DJ Hill, Vinkalmann, & MACE.
Discounted pre-sales on sale for $15 HERE.
10PM - 4AM
Mighty, 119 Utah Street
Honey Sound System Underground with Mauricio Aviles
No other details, so hit the link to check the Honey Sound System website the day of the party.
Spektikal at Shine
A new tech-house party start-up, the (unfortunately named) Teknosexual crew will be hosting their first party at Shine, with Dead Seal (Auralism), J.Phlip (The End Up), Barclay (Next Door, Hawaii), The Dirty Duo (Alibi, Anu), Jaime James (Fahrenheit 360).
9PM - 2AM
FREE before 11 and all night in costume, $5 after and without costume
Shine, 1337 Mission
FilterSF at Anu
Live PA by resident Kontakt, with special guest Butane (Alphahouse, St. Louis/Berlin). Best bef for your deep minimal techno fix.
9PM - 2AM
$5 before 10.30, $10 afterwards
Anu Bar, 43 6th Street x Market
And for your Sunday recovery, how about a FREE psytrance day party in Golden Gate Park? Starting around 10 or 11 AM, Marx Meadows off 26th in Golden Gate Park.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Your Friday Guide for October 26, 2007
Cosmic Gypsy Happy Hour with DJ Mak at the W Hotel
Get your lounge groove on with DJ Mak in this swank hotel bar.
6PM - 8PM
No cover
W Hotel, 181 3rd Street x Howard
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Charlie Horse at the Cinch
Best place to go out and have a cheap drink while being entertained by drag queen antics. Recently voted Best Drag Show in San Francisco by the SF Weekly! Music by DJ Dirty Knees and Bearzbub is more rock and new-wave oriented, but at least it won't interfere with your conversation. Check out my latest review of Charlie Horse at The Cinch.
9PM - close
NO COVER
The Cinch, 1723 Polk Street (between Clay and Washington)
Fag Fridays at Pink
The second night of Fag Fridays at their new location, with residents Rolo and David Harness, with guest DJ Honey Dijon (what's with this trend of drag queen DJs lately?)
10PM - "late"
Cover "TBA" (and what's up with that?)
Pink, 2925 16th Street x South Van Ness
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Lights Down Low at Club 222
This installment features guests The Young Americans, Rev DJ Dr Davidson, and Miss Toats, with resident DJs Sleazemore, Rchrd OH! and now "hosted" by Billy C. Check out my previous reviews of Lights Down Low.
10PM - 2AM
$7
Club 222, 222 Hyde Street x Turk
Monthlies and One-Offs
Shark Attack!
Residents 0rko, Rubyacht, Starr (Bondage-a-Go-Go), Macro spinning "Electro/Progressive/Techno/Grime/Popdancecrap."
9.30PM - 2AM
FREE before 10, $5 after
Julie's Supper Club, 1123 Folsom x 7th
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Honey Sound System at The Transfer
No muss, no fuss, just bangin' tunes from Pee Play, Ken Vulsion, and Robot Hustle.
9PM - 2AM
FREE before 11, $5 after
The Transfer, Church and Market
Get your lounge groove on with DJ Mak in this swank hotel bar.
6PM - 8PM
No cover
W Hotel, 181 3rd Street x Howard
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Charlie Horse at the Cinch
Best place to go out and have a cheap drink while being entertained by drag queen antics. Recently voted Best Drag Show in San Francisco by the SF Weekly! Music by DJ Dirty Knees and Bearzbub is more rock and new-wave oriented, but at least it won't interfere with your conversation. Check out my latest review of Charlie Horse at The Cinch.
9PM - close
NO COVER
The Cinch, 1723 Polk Street (between Clay and Washington)
Fag Fridays at Pink
The second night of Fag Fridays at their new location, with residents Rolo and David Harness, with guest DJ Honey Dijon (what's with this trend of drag queen DJs lately?)
10PM - "late"
Cover "TBA" (and what's up with that?)
Pink, 2925 16th Street x South Van Ness
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Lights Down Low at Club 222
This installment features guests The Young Americans, Rev DJ Dr Davidson, and Miss Toats, with resident DJs Sleazemore, Rchrd OH! and now "hosted" by Billy C. Check out my previous reviews of Lights Down Low.
10PM - 2AM
$7
Club 222, 222 Hyde Street x Turk
Monthlies and One-Offs
Shark Attack!
Residents 0rko, Rubyacht, Starr (Bondage-a-Go-Go), Macro spinning "Electro/Progressive/Techno/Grime/Popdancecrap."
9.30PM - 2AM
FREE before 10, $5 after
Julie's Supper Club, 1123 Folsom x 7th
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Honey Sound System at The Transfer
No muss, no fuss, just bangin' tunes from Pee Play, Ken Vulsion, and Robot Hustle.
9PM - 2AM
FREE before 11, $5 after
The Transfer, Church and Market
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Another One Bites the Dust: End of The Workout?
Back during the summer I was very enthusiastic in my review of The Workout, a monthly excursion into noveau disco from Baron von Luxxury, Johnatron, Pozibelle, and special guests. They moved from Le Duplex, arguably the worst club space in downtown (about which I have heard nothing in months), to House of Shields, and as recently as last month were still doing their monthly. Now, however, I find no listing of them for this Thursday, and no mention of any upcoming events on their blog, discoworkout.com (but lots and lots of cool MP3s for those of you into that sound). These guys were putting together a fun vibe, and I hope to hear about another of their events soon (I have seen Johnatron on the bill for some other events, so keep an eye peeled for their going's on around town).
Monday, October 22, 2007
The Best Laid Plans
Saturday night Kitty, the boyfriend and I all had tickets to go hear Superpitcher at Temple. It was one of those last-minute things that I put together on Thursday, thinking that a) it would be cool to hear Superpitcher, even though I’m not that huge a fan b) it would be a good chance to check out this new club. As it turned out we didn’t make it, for a combination of reasons that Kitty aptly summed up later in the evening as “our passive-aggressive way of saying we don’t want to go,” and which made me think more about the balance of expenditure and reward involved with being an active clubber.
I should preface by saying that I’m usually only good for one big night out a weekend, unless I have substantial chemical assistance, but that kind of weekend is something I can only manage psychically and physically on a quarterly basis, if that often. Friday night at Heat was a big night for the boyfriend and I; we certainly drank enough, and were both really tired after walking halfway there from the Castro, dancing all night, and then walking halfway back. I had to get up and out the door on Saturday to finish a couple large homework assignments, and when I went back to the bedroom to say goodbye, the first works the boyfriend spoke to me were “I don’t think I’m going to want to go out tonight.” The stage was thus set for at least part of the play that would unfold later in the evening.
Whenever the boyfriend decides to stay home it puts a bit of a damper on my party spirit, for reasons I hope are obvious. I love going out with my friends and have had some great nights without the boyfriend, but for a party like this, where I was unsure of how things would go, having him along makes a big difference to me, if for no other reason than having yet another person I can kvetch with. I thus went through the rest of my hungover day, trying to solve a Javascript homework assignment through the use of pure brute force, feeling like I actually just wanted to stay home and play with our new Xbox 360.
Kitty came over early and we all ordered Indian food, which would turn out to the major source of the evening’s undoing. After dinner, in prep for going out, Kitty also treated himself to a party favor. I suspected that this would turn him into a bowl of jelly in about three hours, at which time we would either have to find a good chill space to pass the time at the club, or leave. Since I was going “sober” for the evening I was a little anxious about managing this aspect of things, which may have contributed to what happened next; not suspecting anything was wrong I went into the bathroom and, instead of doing what I thought I was going to do, I threw up dinner. Twenty minutes later, the boyfriend was in the bathroom experiencing some gastrointestinal issues of his own. By this time it was about 9.30, right when I thought we should be leaving, and right about the time that Kitty was beginning to feel some effects. I sat, he sat, we all sat and waited to see what would happen with our respective systems. Around 10 I puked again, but by 10.30 was thinking well, maybe if I can get some air and walk around without getting sick, I’ll make it. So we took a stroll down to 24th and Noe, and by the time we got back I was like “yeah, right, okay, I’m ready to go now.” At which time Kitty said “I just need to sit down and collect myself for a few minutes.” Well, a few minutes turned into about three hours, during which we hung out and watched The Simpsons movie instead of going to hear Superpitcher.
On the one hand, I felt really, really lame – I mean, I couldn’t get it up to get out on a Saturday to hear a major recording artist in my favorite genre of music? But I also realized that I really didn’t want to go out, and the reasons had as much to do with what I anticipated for the evening as they did with the general crappiness I felt after throwing up bad Pakistani/Indian food. The main negative anticipation was about money; I knew that on Friday night I had pretty much blown my budget for the weekend, though I had only bought about six drinks (not all for me), and paid for a cab there. Knowing that I would have to take a cab there and back for a total of about thirty bucks, plus probably about four drinks at downtown prices, made my wallet start to hurt. The other major negatave anticipation was about just being tired; I’ve been to enough of these “until after hours” shows with big names to know that they don’t usually put the headliner on until about 2AM, meaning at least 4AM until I got home. And then I was worried that we would go through all this to get down there, only to find it kind of a lame show, or we would variously be unable to deal with the situation (this is a club with bottle service, after all) and turn around and come back after only an hour or two.
Against these negative anticipations I had very little in the way of positive ones, and this is what made me realize something important about the nature of club life for me; the negative anticipations are usually countered by the ease of the situation, and the amount of effort required to participate. If I know that it’s just about dressing up, going out, hanging with my friends, dancing, and coming home when I’ve had enough, then I can overcome a lot of inertia to get myself out the door. But when expense, difficulty in getting to the club, and the potential of dealing with a non-fun situation comes up, I find it harder to motivate myself. In general, I prefer the smaller club party over the big celebrity hoe-down because it’s easier to match my expectations against what actually goes on. Though the boyfriend and I agree that we want to go out and hear more live music, which generally qualifies as a big event, there’s a different relationship to the event when it’s about a live performance, rather a big name DJ.
The other factor, of course, is that I just wasn’t excited about this event, and I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about why that was. When I used to go out to undergrounds on an almost weekly basis I was always excited, mainly because I had some idea of what to expect, but also because going to those events made me feel like part of a community. Going out to a big club night makes me feel like a sheep about to be fleeced; the bottom line is always about how much money can be extracted from you while you’re inside, and this why they do things like not putting the headline on until late – the longer you’re there, the more you’ll drink. On this occasion, despite my interest in the peformer, I just wasn’t that enthusiastic about the idea that he was largely the magnet for attracting all the money out of my pocket.
I’ve pretty much avoided the big club scene for a while now; I can’t remember the last time I was at 1015, I’ve never been to Ruby Skye, and I don’t know that I’ll make it to Temple any time soon. Instead, I think I’ll turn my attention back to those small events where I feel more like I’m taking part in something, where my presence means more than just another fifty bucks in the bar till, and where there is enough anticipation of something fun, innovative, and exciting to get me out the door even after I’ve barfed twice.
I should preface by saying that I’m usually only good for one big night out a weekend, unless I have substantial chemical assistance, but that kind of weekend is something I can only manage psychically and physically on a quarterly basis, if that often. Friday night at Heat was a big night for the boyfriend and I; we certainly drank enough, and were both really tired after walking halfway there from the Castro, dancing all night, and then walking halfway back. I had to get up and out the door on Saturday to finish a couple large homework assignments, and when I went back to the bedroom to say goodbye, the first works the boyfriend spoke to me were “I don’t think I’m going to want to go out tonight.” The stage was thus set for at least part of the play that would unfold later in the evening.
Whenever the boyfriend decides to stay home it puts a bit of a damper on my party spirit, for reasons I hope are obvious. I love going out with my friends and have had some great nights without the boyfriend, but for a party like this, where I was unsure of how things would go, having him along makes a big difference to me, if for no other reason than having yet another person I can kvetch with. I thus went through the rest of my hungover day, trying to solve a Javascript homework assignment through the use of pure brute force, feeling like I actually just wanted to stay home and play with our new Xbox 360.
Kitty came over early and we all ordered Indian food, which would turn out to the major source of the evening’s undoing. After dinner, in prep for going out, Kitty also treated himself to a party favor. I suspected that this would turn him into a bowl of jelly in about three hours, at which time we would either have to find a good chill space to pass the time at the club, or leave. Since I was going “sober” for the evening I was a little anxious about managing this aspect of things, which may have contributed to what happened next; not suspecting anything was wrong I went into the bathroom and, instead of doing what I thought I was going to do, I threw up dinner. Twenty minutes later, the boyfriend was in the bathroom experiencing some gastrointestinal issues of his own. By this time it was about 9.30, right when I thought we should be leaving, and right about the time that Kitty was beginning to feel some effects. I sat, he sat, we all sat and waited to see what would happen with our respective systems. Around 10 I puked again, but by 10.30 was thinking well, maybe if I can get some air and walk around without getting sick, I’ll make it. So we took a stroll down to 24th and Noe, and by the time we got back I was like “yeah, right, okay, I’m ready to go now.” At which time Kitty said “I just need to sit down and collect myself for a few minutes.” Well, a few minutes turned into about three hours, during which we hung out and watched The Simpsons movie instead of going to hear Superpitcher.
On the one hand, I felt really, really lame – I mean, I couldn’t get it up to get out on a Saturday to hear a major recording artist in my favorite genre of music? But I also realized that I really didn’t want to go out, and the reasons had as much to do with what I anticipated for the evening as they did with the general crappiness I felt after throwing up bad Pakistani/Indian food. The main negative anticipation was about money; I knew that on Friday night I had pretty much blown my budget for the weekend, though I had only bought about six drinks (not all for me), and paid for a cab there. Knowing that I would have to take a cab there and back for a total of about thirty bucks, plus probably about four drinks at downtown prices, made my wallet start to hurt. The other major negatave anticipation was about just being tired; I’ve been to enough of these “until after hours” shows with big names to know that they don’t usually put the headliner on until about 2AM, meaning at least 4AM until I got home. And then I was worried that we would go through all this to get down there, only to find it kind of a lame show, or we would variously be unable to deal with the situation (this is a club with bottle service, after all) and turn around and come back after only an hour or two.
Against these negative anticipations I had very little in the way of positive ones, and this is what made me realize something important about the nature of club life for me; the negative anticipations are usually countered by the ease of the situation, and the amount of effort required to participate. If I know that it’s just about dressing up, going out, hanging with my friends, dancing, and coming home when I’ve had enough, then I can overcome a lot of inertia to get myself out the door. But when expense, difficulty in getting to the club, and the potential of dealing with a non-fun situation comes up, I find it harder to motivate myself. In general, I prefer the smaller club party over the big celebrity hoe-down because it’s easier to match my expectations against what actually goes on. Though the boyfriend and I agree that we want to go out and hear more live music, which generally qualifies as a big event, there’s a different relationship to the event when it’s about a live performance, rather a big name DJ.
The other factor, of course, is that I just wasn’t excited about this event, and I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about why that was. When I used to go out to undergrounds on an almost weekly basis I was always excited, mainly because I had some idea of what to expect, but also because going to those events made me feel like part of a community. Going out to a big club night makes me feel like a sheep about to be fleeced; the bottom line is always about how much money can be extracted from you while you’re inside, and this why they do things like not putting the headline on until late – the longer you’re there, the more you’ll drink. On this occasion, despite my interest in the peformer, I just wasn’t that enthusiastic about the idea that he was largely the magnet for attracting all the money out of my pocket.
I’ve pretty much avoided the big club scene for a while now; I can’t remember the last time I was at 1015, I’ve never been to Ruby Skye, and I don’t know that I’ll make it to Temple any time soon. Instead, I think I’ll turn my attention back to those small events where I feel more like I’m taking part in something, where my presence means more than just another fifty bucks in the bar till, and where there is enough anticipation of something fun, innovative, and exciting to get me out the door even after I’ve barfed twice.
Another One Bites the Dust: No More Starfucker at Deco
I received an email this afternoon informing me of the end of Starfucker at Deco. This is kinda odd, as I wasn't aware that I was on an email list for them, and I thought this night had died weeks ago anyway. Deco is a great club, one of my favorite places in the Tenderloin, but I'm not really surprised that this party has come to an end, since there's not that much to distinguish it from anything else happening on a Friday night. The email itself is kinda telling:
One of the things that killed this party is it's Friday night spot. Between Manhunt, Craigslist and the other Friday parties going on, people have many sinful choices in SF.
So the things that Starfucker compares itself to are hook-up sites; the message then goes on to tout the "shameless cruising in our basement" as a main feature of the last party. I would suggest that this is the reason that the party died; if all you've got to really offer is a hook-up scene, there's lots of other ways to do that, and I don't think that this is what people are looking for right now. From my conversations with people, they want fun, a sense of excitement, good music, and a place to dance. The 1970s model of the gay club as a sex scene seems to be losing some of its luster now (when was the last time you heard anything about a Bus Station John event), while the events that are picking up are those with more emphasis on style, music, and a "scene." I hope that whoever takes up the new Friday night slot at Deco realizes this and plans accordingly.
One of the things that killed this party is it's Friday night spot. Between Manhunt, Craigslist and the other Friday parties going on, people have many sinful choices in SF.
So the things that Starfucker compares itself to are hook-up sites; the message then goes on to tout the "shameless cruising in our basement" as a main feature of the last party. I would suggest that this is the reason that the party died; if all you've got to really offer is a hook-up scene, there's lots of other ways to do that, and I don't think that this is what people are looking for right now. From my conversations with people, they want fun, a sense of excitement, good music, and a place to dance. The 1970s model of the gay club as a sex scene seems to be losing some of its luster now (when was the last time you heard anything about a Bus Station John event), while the events that are picking up are those with more emphasis on style, music, and a "scene." I hope that whoever takes up the new Friday night slot at Deco realizes this and plans accordingly.
Event Review: Heat at The Stud
Friday evening was looking grim for an opening night, what with the rain and the cold and the general pre-Halloween malaise. But the party gods decided to smile upon our fair city, so the skies cleared and Heat caught fire with a fun crowd that was there to show some style, dance, and even get a little flirty.
The night was built around the concept of re-inventing Warhol's factory and to that end most of the dance area walls and pillers were covered in aluminimum foil, with the go-go stands wrapped to resemble the famed Brillo pad boxes. There were reproduction screenprints of Liz and Marilyn, and original footage of the Bay Bridge in the style of "Empire," along with long, static shots of a couple languidly playing cards, reading, and making peanut butter sandwiches. The flyer promised free admission to anyone who came as Andy or in Factory superstar drag, and while I did see a couple platinum wigs, and Artemis Chase as Candy Darling, the crowd seemed to go for its own idiosyncratic SoMa style, though I've not seen so much leopard print in one place in ages. I especially appreciated the punk go-go boy (I think he might be the last queer punk in the Castro) with the aluminum foil briefs. While it might not have been all the glam of the Factory (we really needed Lou Reed shooting up in the corner for that), there was a special vibe that made me think this night could turn into an interesting cultural nexus.
It took until about 11.30 for the dance floor to take off, but DJ6 and Donimo laid down some groovy electro, and some interesting remixes (when was the last time you heard "Heart-Shaped Box" at 130 bpm) that kept the boyfriend and I going until last call. It's been a while since I have seen a dancefloor populated by more than one or two tweeky twirlers, and a while since I felt moved to really dance, but these guys know how to handle a groove and get the crowd moving. I even had one guy pull me out onto the dancefloor while I was being a wallflower off to the side. I can't remember the last time that happened!
On our walk home I thought about how interesting it was to build a party around the idea of The Factory; after all, when we think of that time and place, we think not only of a certain iconic glamour, but also of the creativity that came together there. Earlier in the week I had a conversation with my friend Kitten, the impressario behind the Comfort and Joy camp, about his interest in building out more of an alternative queer community, one that focuses on creativity as much as it does on sex and partying. Heat feels like its after that same thing, marking out a monthly space to experiment with the club experience, and giving those who come an opportunity to engage in creative expression of their own. I like Lucky Pierre, done by the same crew, because they are trying to create an atmosphere of fun sexyness, rather than the grimly determined sexual drive that seems to dominate almost every other gay club night; with Heat, I see a night that has the potential to become the San Francisco version of The Misshapes (though with considerably better music and DJs) because it's about fun, style, and glamour, something that has been sorely, sorely missing in the San Francisco gay club scene. So, get ready kids, hit the thrift stores, dig out your eyeliner, and come down to next month's installment of Heat; it's the place to create what you want to be.
The night was built around the concept of re-inventing Warhol's factory and to that end most of the dance area walls and pillers were covered in aluminimum foil, with the go-go stands wrapped to resemble the famed Brillo pad boxes. There were reproduction screenprints of Liz and Marilyn, and original footage of the Bay Bridge in the style of "Empire," along with long, static shots of a couple languidly playing cards, reading, and making peanut butter sandwiches. The flyer promised free admission to anyone who came as Andy or in Factory superstar drag, and while I did see a couple platinum wigs, and Artemis Chase as Candy Darling, the crowd seemed to go for its own idiosyncratic SoMa style, though I've not seen so much leopard print in one place in ages. I especially appreciated the punk go-go boy (I think he might be the last queer punk in the Castro) with the aluminum foil briefs. While it might not have been all the glam of the Factory (we really needed Lou Reed shooting up in the corner for that), there was a special vibe that made me think this night could turn into an interesting cultural nexus.
It took until about 11.30 for the dance floor to take off, but DJ6 and Donimo laid down some groovy electro, and some interesting remixes (when was the last time you heard "Heart-Shaped Box" at 130 bpm) that kept the boyfriend and I going until last call. It's been a while since I have seen a dancefloor populated by more than one or two tweeky twirlers, and a while since I felt moved to really dance, but these guys know how to handle a groove and get the crowd moving. I even had one guy pull me out onto the dancefloor while I was being a wallflower off to the side. I can't remember the last time that happened!
On our walk home I thought about how interesting it was to build a party around the idea of The Factory; after all, when we think of that time and place, we think not only of a certain iconic glamour, but also of the creativity that came together there. Earlier in the week I had a conversation with my friend Kitten, the impressario behind the Comfort and Joy camp, about his interest in building out more of an alternative queer community, one that focuses on creativity as much as it does on sex and partying. Heat feels like its after that same thing, marking out a monthly space to experiment with the club experience, and giving those who come an opportunity to engage in creative expression of their own. I like Lucky Pierre, done by the same crew, because they are trying to create an atmosphere of fun sexyness, rather than the grimly determined sexual drive that seems to dominate almost every other gay club night; with Heat, I see a night that has the potential to become the San Francisco version of The Misshapes (though with considerably better music and DJs) because it's about fun, style, and glamour, something that has been sorely, sorely missing in the San Francisco gay club scene. So, get ready kids, hit the thrift stores, dig out your eyeliner, and come down to next month's installment of Heat; it's the place to create what you want to be.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Your Saturday Guide for October 20, 2007
Weeklies and Bar Nights
Drunk and Horny
Sorta like those high school parties you'd wished you'd had. Get drunk, flirt with boys, and dance to good-time party standards. Reliable, easy-going, and a short stumble home, but beware that it gets claustrophobically crowded. Check out my reviews of Drunk and Horny.
9PMish - 2.00AM (with maybe an afterparty)
Underground SF, 424 Haight Street x Webster
Frisco Disco at The Transfer
This night just recently started up at this new location and I haven't had a chance to check it out yet, but with tunes provided by the likes of Jefrodesiac and Richie Panic, and Lady Meleksah as the cruise director, there's some great potential for a good time.
No cover listed
9.00PM - 2.00AM
The Transfer, Church at Market
Monthlies and One-Offs
Superpitcher at Temple
One of the leading lights of the Kompakt label will be spinning a DJ set at Temple, with support from Kontrol's Alland Byallo and Hours of Worship.
$10 advance, $15 at the door
9PM - "after hours"
Temple, 540 Howard Street
Dirty at DNA Lounge
Nope, not the bear party - it's Evil Breaks time! With the Lawgiverz, Fine Cut Bodies, M.O.D., Aaron Jae, Bam, Raydeua, Hookerz & Blow, Kitty-D, and Benchun.
10PM - 4AM
$10 presales at Groovetickets, $10 before 11 at the door, $15 after
DNA Lounge, 375 11th Street x Folsom
Drunk and Horny
Sorta like those high school parties you'd wished you'd had. Get drunk, flirt with boys, and dance to good-time party standards. Reliable, easy-going, and a short stumble home, but beware that it gets claustrophobically crowded. Check out my reviews of Drunk and Horny.
9PMish - 2.00AM (with maybe an afterparty)
Underground SF, 424 Haight Street x Webster
Frisco Disco at The Transfer
This night just recently started up at this new location and I haven't had a chance to check it out yet, but with tunes provided by the likes of Jefrodesiac and Richie Panic, and Lady Meleksah as the cruise director, there's some great potential for a good time.
No cover listed
9.00PM - 2.00AM
The Transfer, Church at Market
Monthlies and One-Offs
Superpitcher at Temple
One of the leading lights of the Kompakt label will be spinning a DJ set at Temple, with support from Kontrol's Alland Byallo and Hours of Worship.
$10 advance, $15 at the door
9PM - "after hours"
Temple, 540 Howard Street
Dirty at DNA Lounge
Nope, not the bear party - it's Evil Breaks time! With the Lawgiverz, Fine Cut Bodies, M.O.D., Aaron Jae, Bam, Raydeua, Hookerz & Blow, Kitty-D, and Benchun.
10PM - 4AM
$10 presales at Groovetickets, $10 before 11 at the door, $15 after
DNA Lounge, 375 11th Street x Folsom
Another One Bites the Dust: The Demise of the Grind
According to an email I got today, and a posting on The Grind website, it looks like another gay dance night has bitten the dust. I'm not too surprised, actually, since it seemed to be about the same formula of buff guys, diva pop tribal house blahblah, and lack of originality that has generally marked the mainstream gay club scene. The boyfriend and I went by one night to check it out after FilterSF and stopped when the door opened and we heard what was playing inside - $15 for what sounded like a watered down circuit party? Nope, thanks.
Grinder Sean Greene is moving on to the new GhettoDisco night at The Endup. So what's ghetto about a party that costs $20 - $3o bucks to get in? From the looks of it this it will be an attempt to incarnate what you would expect the Gloss crowd to be into on a weekly basis, but after Marke B.'s article on the death of circuit in the Guardian a few weeks back, I wonder if there is really an audience for this kind of event on a weekly basis? Looking around the gay nightlife scene I see many new and interesting things coming up - the Honey Sound System events, events from the Lucky Pierre crew, the mixing of gay and straight at Lights Down Low and Frisco Disco. What all of these have in common is that gay boys go to them because they can enjoy the music, dancing, and the crowd without all the baggage that is now commonly associated with the gay dance scene, from body politics to expense to crappy music. GhettoDisco is booked out through Thanksgiving with guest DJs, but it will be a real test to see if they can keep that scene going through the winter months.
The Grinders have a survey up that you can take to tell your feelings on the gay dance scene. I urge you all to go and let them know your opinion.
Grinder Sean Greene is moving on to the new GhettoDisco night at The Endup. So what's ghetto about a party that costs $20 - $3o bucks to get in? From the looks of it this it will be an attempt to incarnate what you would expect the Gloss crowd to be into on a weekly basis, but after Marke B.'s article on the death of circuit in the Guardian a few weeks back, I wonder if there is really an audience for this kind of event on a weekly basis? Looking around the gay nightlife scene I see many new and interesting things coming up - the Honey Sound System events, events from the Lucky Pierre crew, the mixing of gay and straight at Lights Down Low and Frisco Disco. What all of these have in common is that gay boys go to them because they can enjoy the music, dancing, and the crowd without all the baggage that is now commonly associated with the gay dance scene, from body politics to expense to crappy music. GhettoDisco is booked out through Thanksgiving with guest DJs, but it will be a real test to see if they can keep that scene going through the winter months.
The Grinders have a survey up that you can take to tell your feelings on the gay dance scene. I urge you all to go and let them know your opinion.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Your Friday Guide for October 19, 2007
Ch-ch-ch-changes, turn and face the change - yep, it's a Friday that sees an old favorite in a new space, a favorite old space starting up a crappy clone night, and Heat breaking out at The Stud!
Weeklies and Bar Nights
Cosmic Gypsy Happy Hour with DJ Mak at the W Hotel
Get your lounge groove on with DJ Mak in this swank hotel bar.
6PM - 8PM
No cover
W Hotel, 181 3rd Street x Howard
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Charlie Horse at the Cinch
Best place to go out and have a cheap drink while being entertained by drag queen antics. Recently voted Best Drag Show in San Francisco by the SF Weekly! Music by DJ Dirty Knees and Bearzbub is more rock and new-wave oriented, but at least it won't interfere with your conversation. Check out my latest review of Charlie Horse at The Cinch.
9PM - close
NO COVER
The Cinch, 1723 Polk Street (between Clay and Washington)
Fag Fridays at PINK!
The opening night of Fag Fridays in its new location! New York's Tedd Patterson is the special guest on the decks, with residents Rolo and David Harness, hosted by Juanita More and Glamamore. I hope I've got enough energy left after Heat to check it out!
10PM - "after hours"
$10? $15? $20? Says cover "TBA"
Pink, 2925 16th Street x South Van Ness
Ghetto Disco at The End Up
Um, yeah. The replacement for Fag Fridays looks to be an ongoing orgy of the same boring circuit music we've all grown to loathe, with this week's guest DJ Peter Rauhofer continuing to flog the dead horse of tribal house, with locals Hawthorne (The Grind), Sean Greene (Dirty) and Jim Hopkins as residents. Upcoming guests include Manny Lehman (yawn), Matt Consola, Jamie J Sanchez, and pretty much the whole stable of guys who have played every gay party for the past decade. This is exactly the sort of thing that made me jaded in the first place. Oh, and if you make a party for circuit boys, they're not going to dress up for a theme, cuz the whole point is to take your shirt off.
11PM - 11AM (I guess Ascension is gone too)
FREE before midnight, $20 after, $30 after 2AM (good luck with that, now it's obvious why they wanted Fag Fridays out)
The End Up, 6th x Harrison.
Monthlies and One-Offs
Blow-Up at The Rickshaw Stop
MC Jelly Donut mixes it up with special guest guest DJs Steve Aoki, Jeffery Paradise. and LNXDR.
9PM - 2AM
18+ $12, 21+ $10
The Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell at Van Ness
New Night! Heat at The Stud
The same crew that brought you Lucky Pierre unleashes Heat, "an indie disco, a confluence of music, art, fashion, drag, and flesh." The Stud will be transformed into Warhol's Factory with Warhol-inspired projections and installations by Ben and resident artists Twig and Candy, Artemis Chase standing in for Candy Darling, porn star go-go dancers, and indie electro dance grooves from Lucky Pierre Residents DJ6 and Donimo. Come in drag as a Factory superstar or Andy Warhol himself and get in for FREE!
9PM - 3AM
$5
The Stud, 9th x Harrison
Weeklies and Bar Nights
Cosmic Gypsy Happy Hour with DJ Mak at the W Hotel
Get your lounge groove on with DJ Mak in this swank hotel bar.
6PM - 8PM
No cover
W Hotel, 181 3rd Street x Howard
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Charlie Horse at the Cinch
Best place to go out and have a cheap drink while being entertained by drag queen antics. Recently voted Best Drag Show in San Francisco by the SF Weekly! Music by DJ Dirty Knees and Bearzbub is more rock and new-wave oriented, but at least it won't interfere with your conversation. Check out my latest review of Charlie Horse at The Cinch.
9PM - close
NO COVER
The Cinch, 1723 Polk Street (between Clay and Washington)
Fag Fridays at PINK!
The opening night of Fag Fridays in its new location! New York's Tedd Patterson is the special guest on the decks, with residents Rolo and David Harness, hosted by Juanita More and Glamamore. I hope I've got enough energy left after Heat to check it out!
10PM - "after hours"
$10? $15? $20? Says cover "TBA"
Pink, 2925 16th Street x South Van Ness
Ghetto Disco at The End Up
Um, yeah. The replacement for Fag Fridays looks to be an ongoing orgy of the same boring circuit music we've all grown to loathe, with this week's guest DJ Peter Rauhofer continuing to flog the dead horse of tribal house, with locals Hawthorne (The Grind), Sean Greene (Dirty) and Jim Hopkins as residents. Upcoming guests include Manny Lehman (yawn), Matt Consola, Jamie J Sanchez, and pretty much the whole stable of guys who have played every gay party for the past decade. This is exactly the sort of thing that made me jaded in the first place. Oh, and if you make a party for circuit boys, they're not going to dress up for a theme, cuz the whole point is to take your shirt off.
11PM - 11AM (I guess Ascension is gone too)
FREE before midnight, $20 after, $30 after 2AM (good luck with that, now it's obvious why they wanted Fag Fridays out)
The End Up, 6th x Harrison.
Monthlies and One-Offs
Blow-Up at The Rickshaw Stop
MC Jelly Donut mixes it up with special guest guest DJs Steve Aoki, Jeffery Paradise. and LNXDR.
9PM - 2AM
18+ $12, 21+ $10
The Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell at Van Ness
New Night! Heat at The Stud
The same crew that brought you Lucky Pierre unleashes Heat, "an indie disco, a confluence of music, art, fashion, drag, and flesh." The Stud will be transformed into Warhol's Factory with Warhol-inspired projections and installations by Ben and resident artists Twig and Candy, Artemis Chase standing in for Candy Darling, porn star go-go dancers, and indie electro dance grooves from Lucky Pierre Residents DJ6 and Donimo. Come in drag as a Factory superstar or Andy Warhol himself and get in for FREE!
9PM - 3AM
$5
The Stud, 9th x Harrison
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Upcoming Event: Kiss (18+!) at The GlasKat, Thursday October 18
LIPLOCK Productions, "catering to the wants of girls who love girls," presents Kiss at the The Glaskat, an 18+ Downe Party, with special performance by the FUNKANOMETRY SF dancers.
10PM - 2AM
18+ $7, 21+ $5 before 11, 18+ $12, 21+ $10 after
The GlasKat Nightclub
520 4th Street
10PM - 2AM
18+ $7, 21+ $5 before 11, 18+ $12, 21+ $10 after
The GlasKat Nightclub
520 4th Street
Upcoming Event: Electropolis at Etiquette Lounge, Thursday October 18th
Every 1st and 3rd Thursday DJ Kidhack and VJ Pete present Electropolis, "a lavish dance party" featuring "ELECTRO ROCK DANCE PUNK HYPHY BOOTY HOP DEATH DISCO TECHNO CRUNK ACID HOUSE INDIE ROCK REMIXES 70’s RE-EDITS 80’s MASHUPS."
This weeks guest DJS: Sleezemore (Lights Down Low) and Playdoughboy.
Open vodka bar (read: free booze) from 9:00p - 10:30p!
9PM - 2AM
Etiquette Lounge, 7th and Market
$5
FREE before 11 with RSVP @ GOING.COM
This weeks guest DJS: Sleezemore (Lights Down Low) and Playdoughboy.
Open vodka bar (read: free booze) from 9:00p - 10:30p!
9PM - 2AM
Etiquette Lounge, 7th and Market
$5
FREE before 11 with RSVP @ GOING.COM
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Upcoming Event: Semi at Truck, Wednesday October 17
The House of Herrera presents Semi at Truck, "a mellow social to get through the week." Featuring visuals by the always-fabulous III, with a "chill and sexy mixtape" from the House of Herrera and Honey Sound System.
10PM - 2AM
NO COVER
Truck Bar, 15th and Folsom
10PM - 2AM
NO COVER
Truck Bar, 15th and Folsom
Monday, October 15, 2007
A Disquieting Death in the NY Club Scene: Dean Johnson
Today's New York Times has an article on the strange and untimely death of Dean Johnson, one of the reigning funky bohemian queers of the New York club scene. I can actually remember his band, Dean and the Weenies, from back in the madcap 80s. It's an interesting article about a life lived through the ups and downs of the New York club scene, including the halcyon days of the 80s, dealing with HIV, and then trying to make a comeback, topped off by an ignomious end. The best quote is at the very end of the article, from our own Lady Bunny:
Sadly, I've come to think that this applies to San Francisco as much as it does New York.
“He was part of the club scene, and the club scene is, to a large degree lost, killed by bottle service,” said Lady Bunny, the drag queen. “New York is not a place for a funky, baroque bohemian to flourish in anymore.”
Event Review: Bender at The Transfer
After Fujiya and Miyagi the boyfriend and I headed over to The Transfer at Church and Market for the opening night of Bender, brought to you by the same crew that produces Lucky Pierre at The Stud. We got there around 1AM, so there wasn't much time left for drinks, dancing, and partying, but it was the perfect nightcap for our big Friday night out.
When we arrived the bar was packed, with a busy dance floor and crazy impromptu go-go dancing by both boys and girls up on the benches as DJ6 laid out synth-driven electro tracks. In the hour we had left we danced, drank, took pix in the photo booth, and eventually were shooed out with the rest of the exhausted partiers when the lights came up. It was a very fun scene, and while not as jam-packed with scenesters as the Honey Sound System or Frisco Disco parties at the same location, it was a great place to pop in, have some drinks, dance, and round out a most excellent evening that reminded me of why I got into electronic music and clubbing in the first place.
Bender is every second Friday at The Transfer, and is recommended by the Jaded Gay DJ as a great no-cover way to spend a Friday evening. I only wish they'd get rid of that damned pool table in the middle of what would otherwise be great dance space.
When we arrived the bar was packed, with a busy dance floor and crazy impromptu go-go dancing by both boys and girls up on the benches as DJ6 laid out synth-driven electro tracks. In the hour we had left we danced, drank, took pix in the photo booth, and eventually were shooed out with the rest of the exhausted partiers when the lights came up. It was a very fun scene, and while not as jam-packed with scenesters as the Honey Sound System or Frisco Disco parties at the same location, it was a great place to pop in, have some drinks, dance, and round out a most excellent evening that reminded me of why I got into electronic music and clubbing in the first place.
Bender is every second Friday at The Transfer, and is recommended by the Jaded Gay DJ as a great no-cover way to spend a Friday evening. I only wish they'd get rid of that damned pool table in the middle of what would otherwise be great dance space.
Event Review: Fujiya and Miyagi at Mezzanine
After a week that included having to get up at 5AM twice, and driving back and forth to San Jose three times, I was not particularly enthusiastic about going to the Fujiya and Miyagi show at Mezzanine this past Friday, but it was one of those things that the boyfriend really wanted to do (and had already bought tickets for), so I managed to rouse up a little extra energy simply for the sake of domestic tranquility. And a good thing, too, because F&M was one of the absolute best shows I've seen in a long while.
Despite any impression given by their name, Fujiya and Miyagi are three British guys playing electronics, guitar, and bass. During the show I had a hard time putting my finger on exactly who they reminded me of - there were quirky literate lyrics and quirky lead singer gestures that put me in mind of The Talking Heads, but then there were swirly and droney electronic moments that made me think of Joy Division , followed by some just crazy keyboard/guitar/bass rock-outs. I picked up a copy of their latest 12" featuring the tracks Ankle Injuries (remixed by Adam Freeland), and Electro Karoake, and when I played it at home on Sunday I was immediately put in mind of Stereo Lab. So, think literate quirkly lyrics, swirly prog psychedelic electronic noises, and traditional rock band instrumentation and rock outs, and you've got F&M. My favorite tracks of the night were Cassette Single (which I heard released as a KEXP Song of the Day), and their encore closer, Electro Karaoke. They played one new track that really whetted out appetite for the next album.
The crowd was one of the best I've come across in San Francisco in a while - I can't remember the last time I've had some many random, friendly interactions. Many people were obvious fans, singing along with the tracks, and everybody in the front of the house (with the exception of two really stiff gay guys) was dancing along. It was a big enough crowd to make you feel that you were at a real event, but it was still easy to get a drink and find enough space to move your arms and hips.
I left the show feeling more jazzed about hearing a band than I have since I heard Cloud Cult lo many months ago (but the crowd at that show left a bitter taste in my mouth). The boyfriend had such a good time that he even got a little drunk, and for something to have brought him to that point, you know it had to be good.
Opening for F&M were Project Jenny Project Jan, a duo of MC and electronics (both guys, keeping up with the night's theme of confusing band names) straight out of Brooklyn who gave us some great raps and visuals backed by various funky ethno and classic dance beats (I swear one track had the rhythm of the samba). Good fun.
If you have a chance to see Fujiya and Miyagi, definitely check it out. I will be watching with anticipation for their next San Francisco appearance.
Despite any impression given by their name, Fujiya and Miyagi are three British guys playing electronics, guitar, and bass. During the show I had a hard time putting my finger on exactly who they reminded me of - there were quirky literate lyrics and quirky lead singer gestures that put me in mind of The Talking Heads, but then there were swirly and droney electronic moments that made me think of Joy Division , followed by some just crazy keyboard/guitar/bass rock-outs. I picked up a copy of their latest 12" featuring the tracks Ankle Injuries (remixed by Adam Freeland), and Electro Karoake, and when I played it at home on Sunday I was immediately put in mind of Stereo Lab. So, think literate quirkly lyrics, swirly prog psychedelic electronic noises, and traditional rock band instrumentation and rock outs, and you've got F&M. My favorite tracks of the night were Cassette Single (which I heard released as a KEXP Song of the Day), and their encore closer, Electro Karaoke. They played one new track that really whetted out appetite for the next album.
The crowd was one of the best I've come across in San Francisco in a while - I can't remember the last time I've had some many random, friendly interactions. Many people were obvious fans, singing along with the tracks, and everybody in the front of the house (with the exception of two really stiff gay guys) was dancing along. It was a big enough crowd to make you feel that you were at a real event, but it was still easy to get a drink and find enough space to move your arms and hips.
I left the show feeling more jazzed about hearing a band than I have since I heard Cloud Cult lo many months ago (but the crowd at that show left a bitter taste in my mouth). The boyfriend had such a good time that he even got a little drunk, and for something to have brought him to that point, you know it had to be good.
Opening for F&M were Project Jenny Project Jan, a duo of MC and electronics (both guys, keeping up with the night's theme of confusing band names) straight out of Brooklyn who gave us some great raps and visuals backed by various funky ethno and classic dance beats (I swear one track had the rhythm of the samba). Good fun.
If you have a chance to see Fujiya and Miyagi, definitely check it out. I will be watching with anticipation for their next San Francisco appearance.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Upcoming Event: French Kiss Sundays at Pink, Sunday October 14 and Beyond
DJ Mykill dropped me an email recently to tell me about his new French Kiss night at Pink on Sundays that he DJs with Forever 21 "spinning the best in new electro, discopunk, bmore, indie rock remixes, mash ups, and various party jams. We have some great drink specials, $4 wells and $2 PBR's plus a free PINK shot for every guest from 10pm - 11pm." It's a tough night for me to make it out, what with my manager doing great things like scheduling meetings for 9AM on Monday morning, but it sounds like it could be a great way to pass a Sunday evening when you're up for the naughtiness of being out late on a school night. Watch for special guests, like tonights appearance by Larry Tee.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Your Saturday Guide for October 13, 2007
Weeklies and Bar Nights
Drunk and Horny
Sorta like those high school parties you'd wished you'd had. Get drunk, flirt with boys, and dance to good-time party standards. Reliable, easy-going, and a short stumble home, but beware that it gets claustrophobically crowded. Check out my reviews of Drunk and Horny.
9PMish - 2.00AM (with maybe an afterparty)
Underground SF, 424 Haight Street x Webster
Frisco Disco at The Transfer
This night just recently started up at this new location and I haven't had a chance to check it out yet, but with tunes provided by the likes of Jefrodesiac and Richie Panic, and Lady Meleksah as the cruise director, there's some great potential for a good time.
No cover listed
9.00PM - 2.00AM
The Transfer, Church at Market
Monthlies and One-Offs
Audiosect Presents Techno Rising at Mighty
With Jason Subhead, Pongoid, Eats Tapes, Forest Green, Mosonik, and Les Autres.
$15
9.ooPM - "after hours"
Mighty, 119 Utah
Kontrol v. Surefire at Temple
The new club on Howard Street, with somewhat iffy Yelp reviews, hosts the Kontrol residents plus Dirk Diggler, with Dubstep (urgh) in the basement area. Oh, and they have bottle service for those of you who like to spend multiple hundreds of dollars on a thirty dollar bottle of vodka.
$15
10PM - after hours
Temple, 540 Howard Street
Drunk and Horny
Sorta like those high school parties you'd wished you'd had. Get drunk, flirt with boys, and dance to good-time party standards. Reliable, easy-going, and a short stumble home, but beware that it gets claustrophobically crowded. Check out my reviews of Drunk and Horny.
9PMish - 2.00AM (with maybe an afterparty)
Underground SF, 424 Haight Street x Webster
Frisco Disco at The Transfer
This night just recently started up at this new location and I haven't had a chance to check it out yet, but with tunes provided by the likes of Jefrodesiac and Richie Panic, and Lady Meleksah as the cruise director, there's some great potential for a good time.
No cover listed
9.00PM - 2.00AM
The Transfer, Church at Market
Monthlies and One-Offs
Audiosect Presents Techno Rising at Mighty
With Jason Subhead, Pongoid, Eats Tapes, Forest Green, Mosonik, and Les Autres.
$15
9.ooPM - "after hours"
Mighty, 119 Utah
Kontrol v. Surefire at Temple
The new club on Howard Street, with somewhat iffy Yelp reviews, hosts the Kontrol residents plus Dirk Diggler, with Dubstep (urgh) in the basement area. Oh, and they have bottle service for those of you who like to spend multiple hundreds of dollars on a thirty dollar bottle of vodka.
$15
10PM - after hours
Temple, 540 Howard Street
Your Friday Guide for October 12, 2007
It's the last minute Friday guide! Sorry kids, I was living in the world of virtual worlds all this week, and believe it or not didn't have access to a computer. Without further ado, here it is:
Weeklies and Bar Nights
Cosmic Gypsy Happy Hour with DJ Mak at the W Hotel
Get your lounge groove on with DJ Mak in this swank hotel bar.
6PM - 8PM
No cover
W Hotel, 181 3rd Street x Howard
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Charlie Horse at the Cinch
Best place to go out and have a cheap drink while being entertained by drag queen antics. Recently voted Best Drag Show in San Francisco by the SF Weekly! Music by DJ Dirty Knees and Bearzbub is more rock and new-wave oriented, but at least it won't interfere with your conversation. Check out my latest review of Charlie Horse at The Cinch.
9PM - close
NO COVER
The Cinch, 1723 Polk Street (between Clay and Washington)
Fag Fridays at The EndUp
Reliable, not all that exciting, typical San Francisco deep house, but it's gay and you can stay until the next afternoon. Tonight is the LAST NIGHT at The Endup.
10PM - 6AM, and then Ascension starts up
$20
The End UP, 6th x Harrison
Monthlies and One-Offs
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Lights Down Low at Club 222
With resident DJs Sleazemore and Rchrd OH!? and special guests. Check out my previous reviews of Lights Down Low.
10PM - 2AM
$7
Club 222, 222 Hyde Street x Turk
Bender at The Transfer
From the creators and DJs of Lucky Pierre, it's Bender!
9PM - 2AM
NO COVER!
The Transfer, Church and Market
The Rod at Deco Lounge
For all the gay boys who want to pretend that it's 1979. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them. Check out my review of The Rod.
10PM - 4AM
FREE before 10PM, $5 After
Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin at Turk
Blasthaus Presents Loco Dice and Martin Buttrich at Mighty
German techno techno, with support from Kontrol's Nikola Baytala
9PM - "after hours"
$15
Mighty, 119 Utah Street
Weeklies and Bar Nights
Cosmic Gypsy Happy Hour with DJ Mak at the W Hotel
Get your lounge groove on with DJ Mak in this swank hotel bar.
6PM - 8PM
No cover
W Hotel, 181 3rd Street x Howard
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Charlie Horse at the Cinch
Best place to go out and have a cheap drink while being entertained by drag queen antics. Recently voted Best Drag Show in San Francisco by the SF Weekly! Music by DJ Dirty Knees and Bearzbub is more rock and new-wave oriented, but at least it won't interfere with your conversation. Check out my latest review of Charlie Horse at The Cinch.
9PM - close
NO COVER
The Cinch, 1723 Polk Street (between Clay and Washington)
Fag Fridays at The EndUp
Reliable, not all that exciting, typical San Francisco deep house, but it's gay and you can stay until the next afternoon. Tonight is the LAST NIGHT at The Endup.
10PM - 6AM, and then Ascension starts up
$20
The End UP, 6th x Harrison
Monthlies and One-Offs
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Lights Down Low at Club 222
With resident DJs Sleazemore and Rchrd OH!? and special guests. Check out my previous reviews of Lights Down Low.
10PM - 2AM
$7
Club 222, 222 Hyde Street x Turk
Bender at The Transfer
From the creators and DJs of Lucky Pierre, it's Bender!
9PM - 2AM
NO COVER!
The Transfer, Church and Market
The Rod at Deco Lounge
For all the gay boys who want to pretend that it's 1979. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them. Check out my review of The Rod.
10PM - 4AM
FREE before 10PM, $5 After
Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin at Turk
Blasthaus Presents Loco Dice and Martin Buttrich at Mighty
German techno techno, with support from Kontrol's Nikola Baytala
9PM - "after hours"
$15
Mighty, 119 Utah Street
Monday, October 8, 2007
Event Review: Glitterbox at The Cat Club
This was one of those odd weekends when I found myself out and about all on my lil ol' lonesome; friends were out of town or otherwise occupied and the boyfriend was way too wrapped up working as a recording engineer for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass to manage any energy for nightclub skulking. I hadn't much in the way of plans for Saturday night, but when the boyfriend decided to pile himself into bed at 10.30 I decided I would make my way down to The Cat Club and check out Glitterbox. Unfortunately, I should have just saved my own time, energy, and money and joined him in the sack.
I had pretty high hopes for the night, and have been meaning to check it out ever since I heard about it. My stylist, Scott, raves about the old Litterbox parties that were put together by the same crew, and with the Glittergoth theme for this installment I was looking forward to a chance to check out my old scene. I didn't feel like putting too much effort into really decking out, but I did spike up the mohawk and dig out some black psychedelic tribal gear. I briefly thought about putting together a whole outfit, but then decided that traipsing around SoMa by myself in platform boots and fishnets didn't sound like that much fun. As it was, I was still dressed up more than anybody else there, so I'm glad I didn't do anything to make me feel more conspicuous than I already was.
I showed up around 11.30 and was surprised at how empty the club was. I really like The Cat Club, it's a great space with a good layout, but they apparently weren't expecting much of turnout to begin with since the back room, with the main dance floor, was closed off. Not a good sign. I got a drink and perched against a wall where I could observe the roughly fifteen people in the club. There was one group of gay guys who, aside from wearing some black shirts, didn't seem particularly goth, or even glittery; another group of four who came in in front of me, and who apparently were friends with one of the DJs, and a random assortment of two and three person groups, all of whom seemed to know a DJ, go-go dancer, or bartender. Aside from one Asian guy in camouflage on the dancefloor, I was apparently the only other person there alone and not somehow associated with the night or the club.
As I sat there, feeling a little odd, a voluptous woman in a cowboy hat came over and introduced herself with the line "Hi, I'm obnoxious." We chatted for a few minutes about our ages and how we didn't show it, she complimented me on my t-shirt design and spectacles, and then tried to get me to come dance with her to "I Know What Boys Like" by The Waitresses. "How can you not dance to this," she asked, and I replied "Like this." She went back out to shake it around for a while, and I wondered exactly what I had gotten myself into.
The music - well, let's just say that if I had put CDs from my old goth collection into a hundred disc changer, and then added some CDs from the boyfriends collection of recent electro, and then a couple 80s compilations, and hit shuffle, that's what the programming and DJing were like. I will say that after midnight, and a DJ change, the mixing was a lot smoother, and the music slightly more interesting, but after hearing LCD Soundsystem's "North American Scum" mixed into "Telegram Sam" by Bauhaus, I had pretty much already made up my mind about whether I would be staying or leaving.
My usual rule at club nights is to have three drinks; that's usually enough time to see if something is really going to get going, if the DJs will find a groove, and to get a sense of the overall vibe. In this case, I decided to cut my losses and just go with two drinks. I left around 12.30, and not only had the crowd not gotten any larger, many people, including the only discernable gay guys, had left. There was one fabulous couple, he in beige leisure suit with orange accessories, she in pink and black PVC corset, but they were the only people there who seemed to have gotten the message that this was supposed to be a theme party, not just a show up at the Cat Club like you do on every Saturday party.
When I got home I figured I'd blown about forty bucks on this night out; ten bucks for cabs each way, five bucks to get in, and about fourteen bucks for drinks and tips. Fortunately, they cut the cover in half starting with this night, or I'd have felt really ripped off at paying ten bucks for music I could have heard at home, drinks that I could have made from my own freezer, and the pleasure of my own company. I don't know what's happened here; I do know that they moved Glitterbox from Friday to Saturday, and that on this particular Saturday they were up against Kontrol at the End Up, and I'm sure many of the gothlings were checking out The Cure at Shoreline. Nonetheless, I couldn't believe that a major SoMa club, with a night that seems to have the benefit of previous associations going for it, could be so unbelieveably lame on a Saturday night. It makes me wonder, once again, if San Francisco really has the kind of population that can support multiple club nights. I like the idea behind an event like Glitterbox, which seems to be about bringing back the glam factor in clubbing, but it also seems to me that a club night has to offer something exciting and innovative, with a real effort to engage attendess, or at least make them feel part of something, to draw in the crowds. Unless Glitterbox can find a way to do this, and unless I was there on a very uncharacteristically off night, I can't imagine that it will survive beyond the first of the year.
I had pretty high hopes for the night, and have been meaning to check it out ever since I heard about it. My stylist, Scott, raves about the old Litterbox parties that were put together by the same crew, and with the Glittergoth theme for this installment I was looking forward to a chance to check out my old scene. I didn't feel like putting too much effort into really decking out, but I did spike up the mohawk and dig out some black psychedelic tribal gear. I briefly thought about putting together a whole outfit, but then decided that traipsing around SoMa by myself in platform boots and fishnets didn't sound like that much fun. As it was, I was still dressed up more than anybody else there, so I'm glad I didn't do anything to make me feel more conspicuous than I already was.
I showed up around 11.30 and was surprised at how empty the club was. I really like The Cat Club, it's a great space with a good layout, but they apparently weren't expecting much of turnout to begin with since the back room, with the main dance floor, was closed off. Not a good sign. I got a drink and perched against a wall where I could observe the roughly fifteen people in the club. There was one group of gay guys who, aside from wearing some black shirts, didn't seem particularly goth, or even glittery; another group of four who came in in front of me, and who apparently were friends with one of the DJs, and a random assortment of two and three person groups, all of whom seemed to know a DJ, go-go dancer, or bartender. Aside from one Asian guy in camouflage on the dancefloor, I was apparently the only other person there alone and not somehow associated with the night or the club.
As I sat there, feeling a little odd, a voluptous woman in a cowboy hat came over and introduced herself with the line "Hi, I'm obnoxious." We chatted for a few minutes about our ages and how we didn't show it, she complimented me on my t-shirt design and spectacles, and then tried to get me to come dance with her to "I Know What Boys Like" by The Waitresses. "How can you not dance to this," she asked, and I replied "Like this." She went back out to shake it around for a while, and I wondered exactly what I had gotten myself into.
The music - well, let's just say that if I had put CDs from my old goth collection into a hundred disc changer, and then added some CDs from the boyfriends collection of recent electro, and then a couple 80s compilations, and hit shuffle, that's what the programming and DJing were like. I will say that after midnight, and a DJ change, the mixing was a lot smoother, and the music slightly more interesting, but after hearing LCD Soundsystem's "North American Scum" mixed into "Telegram Sam" by Bauhaus, I had pretty much already made up my mind about whether I would be staying or leaving.
My usual rule at club nights is to have three drinks; that's usually enough time to see if something is really going to get going, if the DJs will find a groove, and to get a sense of the overall vibe. In this case, I decided to cut my losses and just go with two drinks. I left around 12.30, and not only had the crowd not gotten any larger, many people, including the only discernable gay guys, had left. There was one fabulous couple, he in beige leisure suit with orange accessories, she in pink and black PVC corset, but they were the only people there who seemed to have gotten the message that this was supposed to be a theme party, not just a show up at the Cat Club like you do on every Saturday party.
When I got home I figured I'd blown about forty bucks on this night out; ten bucks for cabs each way, five bucks to get in, and about fourteen bucks for drinks and tips. Fortunately, they cut the cover in half starting with this night, or I'd have felt really ripped off at paying ten bucks for music I could have heard at home, drinks that I could have made from my own freezer, and the pleasure of my own company. I don't know what's happened here; I do know that they moved Glitterbox from Friday to Saturday, and that on this particular Saturday they were up against Kontrol at the End Up, and I'm sure many of the gothlings were checking out The Cure at Shoreline. Nonetheless, I couldn't believe that a major SoMa club, with a night that seems to have the benefit of previous associations going for it, could be so unbelieveably lame on a Saturday night. It makes me wonder, once again, if San Francisco really has the kind of population that can support multiple club nights. I like the idea behind an event like Glitterbox, which seems to be about bringing back the glam factor in clubbing, but it also seems to me that a club night has to offer something exciting and innovative, with a real effort to engage attendess, or at least make them feel part of something, to draw in the crowds. Unless Glitterbox can find a way to do this, and unless I was there on a very uncharacteristically off night, I can't imagine that it will survive beyond the first of the year.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Your Saturday Guide for October 6, 2007
Weeklies and Bar Nights
Drunk and Horny
Sorta like those high school parties you'd wished you'd had. Get drunk, flirt with boys, and dance to good-time party standards. Reliable, easy-going, and a short stumble home, but beware that it gets claustrophobically crowded. Check out my reviews of Drunk and Horny.
9PMish - 2.00AM (with maybe an afterparty)
Underground SF, 424 Haight Street x Webster
Frisco Disco at The Transfer
This night just recently started up at this new location and I haven't had a chance to check it out yet, but with tunes provided by the likes of Jefrodesiac and Richie Panic, and Lady Meleksah as the cruise director, there's some great potential for a good time.
No cover listed
9.00PM - 2.00AM
The Transfer, Church at Market
Monthlies and One-Offs
Glitterbox at the Cat Club
This week's theme: GlitterGoth! Punk Funk Electro Discotheque presented by Lucien Stern and Legendary SF DJ's Javier Natureboy and Junkyard.
FREE before 11, $5 after (note that this is half price of what the cover used to be)
9.30PM - 3AM+
The Cat Club, 1190 Folsom x 8th
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Kontrol at the End Up
This week with legendary techno producers/DJs Daniel Bell and Billy Dalessandro.
$15 (?)
10PM - 6AM
The End Up, 6th x Harrison
Drunk and Horny
Sorta like those high school parties you'd wished you'd had. Get drunk, flirt with boys, and dance to good-time party standards. Reliable, easy-going, and a short stumble home, but beware that it gets claustrophobically crowded. Check out my reviews of Drunk and Horny.
9PMish - 2.00AM (with maybe an afterparty)
Underground SF, 424 Haight Street x Webster
Frisco Disco at The Transfer
This night just recently started up at this new location and I haven't had a chance to check it out yet, but with tunes provided by the likes of Jefrodesiac and Richie Panic, and Lady Meleksah as the cruise director, there's some great potential for a good time.
No cover listed
9.00PM - 2.00AM
The Transfer, Church at Market
Monthlies and One-Offs
Glitterbox at the Cat Club
This week's theme: GlitterGoth! Punk Funk Electro Discotheque presented by Lucien Stern and Legendary SF DJ's Javier Natureboy and Junkyard.
FREE before 11, $5 after (note that this is half price of what the cover used to be)
9.30PM - 3AM+
The Cat Club, 1190 Folsom x 8th
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Kontrol at the End Up
This week with legendary techno producers/DJs Daniel Bell and Billy Dalessandro.
$15 (?)
10PM - 6AM
The End Up, 6th x Harrison
More on the Halloween Mess and the Dismal State of the Entertainment Commission
Yesterday's Bay Area Reporter has a detailed account of how the hand-off of Halloween to the Entertainment Commission failed in a huge, distressing way. Given the Civil Grand Jury report on the Entertainment Commission that came out in July, which I reported on here, this doesn't come as a huge surprise. The upshot of the article is that the Entertainment Commission doesn't have the resources to manage large-scale events, and that the Mayor's Office feels it should only concern itself with the regulation of nightclubs and nightlife (which it also hasn't done such a great job with). The solution proposed is the formation of an Office of Special Events that would deal exclusively and explicity with events like Halloween. I hope this would also extend to street fairs, since, as we've seen in the case of the now-defunct How Weird Street Faire, when it comes down to residents vs. event organizers, the police will always side with the residents, and that's the end of the street faire. However, unless an Office of Special Events turns out to be more effective, and pro-active, than the Entertainment Commission, I'm afraid it will just add to the bureaucracy and patronage politics that are already a maddeing part of The City's political life.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Your Friday Guide for October 5, 2007
My God, it's the weekend again already? How did that happen?
Bar Nights and Weeklies
Cosmic Gypsy Happy Hour with DJ Mak at the W Hotel
Get your lounge groove on with DJ Mak in this swank hotel bar.
6PM - 8PM
No cover
W Hotel, 181 3rd Street x Howard
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Charlie Horse at the Cinch
Best place to go out and have a cheap drink while being entertained by drag queen antics. Recently voted Best Drag Show in San Francisco by the SF Weekly! Music by DJ Dirty Knees and Bearzbub is more rock and new-wave oriented, but at least it won't interfere with your conversation. Check out my latest review of Charlie Horse at The Cinch.
9PM - close
NO COVER
The Cinch, 1723 Polk Street (between Clay and Washington)
Fag Fridays at The EndUp
Go check out Fag Fridays at The EndUp while you still can, remember that October 12 is the last night of the eleven year run in this location!
10PM - 6AM, and then Ascension starts up
$20
The End UP, 6th x Harrison
Monthlies and One-Offs
Garth and Jeno Back2Back at Club222
San Francisco house legends Garth and Jeno in one of the best intimate dance spaces in the city.
10PM - 2AM
$10
Club 222, 222 Hyde Street
Popscene v. Club Loaded at The Rickshaw Stop
This week with live sets from Datarock and Foreign born, along with DJs Omar, Aaron, Nako, and Audrock.
10PM - 2AM
$8 before 11, $10 after
The Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell x Van Ness
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Lucky Pierre at The Stud
This month's theme: Fleet Week! Check out my review of Lucky Pierre!
10PM - 3AM
$5
The Stud, 9th x Harrison
Bar Nights and Weeklies
Cosmic Gypsy Happy Hour with DJ Mak at the W Hotel
Get your lounge groove on with DJ Mak in this swank hotel bar.
6PM - 8PM
No cover
W Hotel, 181 3rd Street x Howard
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Charlie Horse at the Cinch
Best place to go out and have a cheap drink while being entertained by drag queen antics. Recently voted Best Drag Show in San Francisco by the SF Weekly! Music by DJ Dirty Knees and Bearzbub is more rock and new-wave oriented, but at least it won't interfere with your conversation. Check out my latest review of Charlie Horse at The Cinch.
9PM - close
NO COVER
The Cinch, 1723 Polk Street (between Clay and Washington)
Fag Fridays at The EndUp
Go check out Fag Fridays at The EndUp while you still can, remember that October 12 is the last night of the eleven year run in this location!
10PM - 6AM, and then Ascension starts up
$20
The End UP, 6th x Harrison
Monthlies and One-Offs
Garth and Jeno Back2Back at Club222
San Francisco house legends Garth and Jeno in one of the best intimate dance spaces in the city.
10PM - 2AM
$10
Club 222, 222 Hyde Street
Popscene v. Club Loaded at The Rickshaw Stop
This week with live sets from Datarock and Foreign born, along with DJs Omar, Aaron, Nako, and Audrock.
10PM - 2AM
$8 before 11, $10 after
The Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell x Van Ness
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Lucky Pierre at The Stud
This month's theme: Fleet Week! Check out my review of Lucky Pierre!
10PM - 3AM
$5
The Stud, 9th x Harrison
Event Review: Folsom Street Fair
When the boyfriend and I rolled out of bed on Sunday morning I honestly had no idea if we would make it to Folsom Street. After a day of extended disorienting activity at LoveFest on Saturday it was hard to muster the energy for another day of threading through crowds, walking and dancing for hours on asphalt and concrete, and then standing in interminable lines for drinks and the relief of subsequent bodily functions. As it turned out, however, this year’s Folsom Street Festival was easily the most pleasant and manageable I can remember.
The deciding factor was a phone call from our friend Matt, whom we had inadvertently ditched at LoveFest – the boyfriend said “Do you want to go to the fair,” and I said “I dunno, do you?,” an exchange that usually signals agreement between us, and then it was a matter of a rapid costume change and off we went.
It was around two when we arrived and I remarked almost immediately that it didn’t seem as crowded as in years past. We sent out texts to various parties and within twenty minutes had met up with everyone, a new record. We got beers after standing in line for only five minutes, and at one point the boyfriend was able to walk straight into a porta-pottie without waiting – my god, I thought, what’s happened?
We stayed until almost five o’clock and the crowd never seemed to get that packed in. We didn’t make it to the dance stage (I had a pretty good idea of what to expect already anyway), where it may have been more crowded, but as we walked around the fair from one end to the other we never had any real issues getting through. It was, by far, one of the most pleasant and congenial street fairs I’ve experienced. It did not seem particularly naughty to me – after years of San Francisco residency there’s little that does – and more of a costume and camera click-click affair. Had I known that it would be so easy to get around I would have put more effort into a real outfit – somehow the latex gear and leather dog mask just aren’t that much fun when you’re struggling to move a few feet forward – but at least I did have a black shirt and a Mohawk, which seems to have become the default hipster look.
As we left we caught a few songs from Imperial Teen, who were performing on the main stage (where our friend Chris was running the sound). We liked their light and bubbly guitar/synth pop sound, which put us pretty strongly in mind of the B-52s. On the way out we saw Ladytron sitting backstage, looking rather blasé before taking to the stage for their DJ set (how do four people DJ anyway?) At that point, though, it was starting to get windy and a bit chill, and we were somewhat more interested in the chance to pick up an Xbox 360 at Best Buy than spending much more energy in dancing in the streets.
In all, Folsom Street Fair was a pleasant afternoon of hanging out with friends. drinking beer, and having random social interactions, but I'm not sure what it would take for it to really thrill and arouse me the way it did the first time I attended in 1999. Maybe I've just become too jaded, or maybe Folsom Street Fair is really only for those who don't experience the general kinkiness that is San Francisco on a daily basis.
The deciding factor was a phone call from our friend Matt, whom we had inadvertently ditched at LoveFest – the boyfriend said “Do you want to go to the fair,” and I said “I dunno, do you?,” an exchange that usually signals agreement between us, and then it was a matter of a rapid costume change and off we went.
It was around two when we arrived and I remarked almost immediately that it didn’t seem as crowded as in years past. We sent out texts to various parties and within twenty minutes had met up with everyone, a new record. We got beers after standing in line for only five minutes, and at one point the boyfriend was able to walk straight into a porta-pottie without waiting – my god, I thought, what’s happened?
We stayed until almost five o’clock and the crowd never seemed to get that packed in. We didn’t make it to the dance stage (I had a pretty good idea of what to expect already anyway), where it may have been more crowded, but as we walked around the fair from one end to the other we never had any real issues getting through. It was, by far, one of the most pleasant and congenial street fairs I’ve experienced. It did not seem particularly naughty to me – after years of San Francisco residency there’s little that does – and more of a costume and camera click-click affair. Had I known that it would be so easy to get around I would have put more effort into a real outfit – somehow the latex gear and leather dog mask just aren’t that much fun when you’re struggling to move a few feet forward – but at least I did have a black shirt and a Mohawk, which seems to have become the default hipster look.
As we left we caught a few songs from Imperial Teen, who were performing on the main stage (where our friend Chris was running the sound). We liked their light and bubbly guitar/synth pop sound, which put us pretty strongly in mind of the B-52s. On the way out we saw Ladytron sitting backstage, looking rather blasé before taking to the stage for their DJ set (how do four people DJ anyway?) At that point, though, it was starting to get windy and a bit chill, and we were somewhat more interested in the chance to pick up an Xbox 360 at Best Buy than spending much more energy in dancing in the streets.
In all, Folsom Street Fair was a pleasant afternoon of hanging out with friends. drinking beer, and having random social interactions, but I'm not sure what it would take for it to really thrill and arouse me the way it did the first time I attended in 1999. Maybe I've just become too jaded, or maybe Folsom Street Fair is really only for those who don't experience the general kinkiness that is San Francisco on a daily basis.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Event Review: LoveFest
I knew two things starting out on Saturday morning; one was that two friends were coming over for a fortifying breakfast before the commencement of the day’s festivities, and the other was that we were going to LoveFest at Civic Center. Beyond that I had nothing else in mind, no tickets advanced purchased, because my suspicion was that a full day of The Love would be enough for us, and I can say that even though we in fact did not make it out to any of the big hoop-de-do parties, the event at Civic Center delivered just about anything we could have hoped for.
The boyfriend and I arrived at Civic Center with out friends J and Kitty in tow around 12.30, just a few minutes before the Tantra truck appeared on scene. We picked up a few more friends in the first hour, and then it was all down the rabbit hole from there. Over the course of the afternoon we checked out the systems from Qool (which the boyfriend pronounced the best music of the day), Kontrol (where I was totally stunned by a deep, progressive techno sound from Claude vonStroke), and finally, we chased the sun back to the Space Cowboys, which I pronounced best crowd of the day.
This year seemed larger, even though official estimates put the crowd at 65,000, the same size as last year. All I know is that the lines for the portalets were buzz-killingly long, as were those for beverages. At one point we stood for ten minutes while three dude-bras each did three shots and chugged one beer before finally walking away with a drink in hand. They were then followed by a rave fairy with a magic microphone who wanted to interview the bartender. Yes, it was that sort of event.
Going to Lovefest is like having all of San Francisco club culture within one contained, very navigable space (navigable in the sense that even the most gacked kid can find their way around from sound system to sustenance to relief without too much confusion). Walking around the square of Civic Center you could find psychedelic trance, breaks, drum and bass, progressive house and trance, indie club music, and even one renegade Fuck You sound system spitting bits of splintered metal at us. There were thizzin’ thugs and drunken dude-bras, rollin’ ravers and trippy hippies. I saw some of the cutest lil’ candy ravers I’ve come across in ages, and a few escaped American Apparel models. There were moments when I was a little overcome, in fact, by all that was before me, and a few moments when I really couldn’t deal with the sense of being in a crowd half again as big as Burning Man, but then it was all a matter of moving on and finding the next right space. My magic moment of the afternoon was dancing at the Space Cowboys as the sun was lowering in the sky and had come just behind the dome of City Hall, putting it in stark silhouette. Dancing there with my shirt off, feeling the sun on my skin as I looked up and saw the emblem of our civic culture looming above me, I once again thought of how awesome it is to live in a city that gives us the opportunity to run these little cultural experiments on an annual basis. So far, I’d say that this series is delivering very successful results.
My traveling companions and I made our way back to the bachelor pad as the wind was picking up and the shadows got long, and along the way had one of those taxi experiences that leaves you, thank god, with only the vaguest of impressions, mostly of rapid acceleration and stomach-churning g-forces. By eleven o’clock, after hot-tubbin’, beverages, pizza, and Katamari Damarcy, we had splintered off into our separate directions for the night. The boyfriend and I still had some love left in us, but we decided to spend it in front of the fireplace, rather than saddle up for another foray into the wilds. After all, after a spending a day with our friends, dancing, laughing, being amazed, worshipping the dying fall sun, and then collecting everyone around the hearth, what else could we have wanted from our annual Fall ritual?
The boyfriend and I arrived at Civic Center with out friends J and Kitty in tow around 12.30, just a few minutes before the Tantra truck appeared on scene. We picked up a few more friends in the first hour, and then it was all down the rabbit hole from there. Over the course of the afternoon we checked out the systems from Qool (which the boyfriend pronounced the best music of the day), Kontrol (where I was totally stunned by a deep, progressive techno sound from Claude vonStroke), and finally, we chased the sun back to the Space Cowboys, which I pronounced best crowd of the day.
This year seemed larger, even though official estimates put the crowd at 65,000, the same size as last year. All I know is that the lines for the portalets were buzz-killingly long, as were those for beverages. At one point we stood for ten minutes while three dude-bras each did three shots and chugged one beer before finally walking away with a drink in hand. They were then followed by a rave fairy with a magic microphone who wanted to interview the bartender. Yes, it was that sort of event.
Going to Lovefest is like having all of San Francisco club culture within one contained, very navigable space (navigable in the sense that even the most gacked kid can find their way around from sound system to sustenance to relief without too much confusion). Walking around the square of Civic Center you could find psychedelic trance, breaks, drum and bass, progressive house and trance, indie club music, and even one renegade Fuck You sound system spitting bits of splintered metal at us. There were thizzin’ thugs and drunken dude-bras, rollin’ ravers and trippy hippies. I saw some of the cutest lil’ candy ravers I’ve come across in ages, and a few escaped American Apparel models. There were moments when I was a little overcome, in fact, by all that was before me, and a few moments when I really couldn’t deal with the sense of being in a crowd half again as big as Burning Man, but then it was all a matter of moving on and finding the next right space. My magic moment of the afternoon was dancing at the Space Cowboys as the sun was lowering in the sky and had come just behind the dome of City Hall, putting it in stark silhouette. Dancing there with my shirt off, feeling the sun on my skin as I looked up and saw the emblem of our civic culture looming above me, I once again thought of how awesome it is to live in a city that gives us the opportunity to run these little cultural experiments on an annual basis. So far, I’d say that this series is delivering very successful results.
My traveling companions and I made our way back to the bachelor pad as the wind was picking up and the shadows got long, and along the way had one of those taxi experiences that leaves you, thank god, with only the vaguest of impressions, mostly of rapid acceleration and stomach-churning g-forces. By eleven o’clock, after hot-tubbin’, beverages, pizza, and Katamari Damarcy, we had splintered off into our separate directions for the night. The boyfriend and I still had some love left in us, but we decided to spend it in front of the fireplace, rather than saddle up for another foray into the wilds. After all, after a spending a day with our friends, dancing, laughing, being amazed, worshipping the dying fall sun, and then collecting everyone around the hearth, what else could we have wanted from our annual Fall ritual?
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