So by now I'm sure you've all figured out that, since we're doing Mr. at Mighty, we won't be doing our regular monthly at Deco (seems arrangements were made months ago for Starfucker to have our gay pride Friday - but then, a "best cock contest" and naked twister is more in the spirit of pride than techno). However, that doesn't mean we won't be reprayzentin' - in addition to Lord Kook playing at Mr. on Friday, on Saturday night the FSLD banner will be up in the parking lot of Walgreen's on 18th Street for Pink Saturday, with sets from Neonbunny, Neco D, Lord Kook, and myself, and then on Sunday Lord Kook will be DJing on the Shadowplay stage from noon until 1PM (and I expect I'll be lounging in a shady space, nursing an epic hangover). Soooooo, if you don't make it to Mr., come by and see us for Pink Saturday or at the Shadowplay stage, we'll be happy to see you.
Oh, and we will be back at Deco in July, with a night of minimal and techno from Lord Kook and yours truly all night long. Rave, rave, rave against the coming of the light.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Hearing on Proposed Culture and Music Amendment, Friday June 27
Terrance Alan has been spearheading a movement to amend the San Francisco city charter to include a section on preserving music and culture - among various other practical things, this means that all downtown development, such as the proposed Easter Neighborhoods plan, would have to take the existence of current cultural and music venues (clubs) into consideration when putting together development plans. It would also stipulate that any increases in fees for cultural events would have to be approved by the Board of Supes, rather than just being levied by city department (this has been a huge issue for events like How Weird, and even Pride, which have faced exorbitant fee increases that challenge their ability to produce the events).
Having made its way past the Entertainment Commission, the new amendment is slated for a hearing this Friday, June 27, at 10AM in front of the Board of Supervisors' Rules Committee at City Hall, Room 263. If it passes this hurdle, the next step would be a vote before the Board, and then I believe it goes to the voters for approval in November. So, if you have an interest in seeing San Francisco nightlife preserved, you should go and show your support at this hearing.
Having made its way past the Entertainment Commission, the new amendment is slated for a hearing this Friday, June 27, at 10AM in front of the Board of Supervisors' Rules Committee at City Hall, Room 263. If it passes this hurdle, the next step would be a vote before the Board, and then I believe it goes to the voters for approval in November. So, if you have an interest in seeing San Francisco nightlife preserved, you should go and show your support at this hearing.
Upcoming Event: Comfort and Joy Afterglow Party, Saturday June 28
Okay kids, there's just so much going on this weekend that I've decided to dispense with the usual Friday and Saturday night guides cuz it's just too complicated, so I'm simply going to tell you about what I think the best parties of the weekend will be. Aside from our own Mr. party at Mighty on Friday Night (which is also up against a private party from queer Burners The Burning Marys, also a recommended event), my main recc for the weekend is Comfort and Joy's Afterglow party, which is now in it's third consecutive year. Alterna Burner queers, cozy private residence, good music, play space - what more do you want? Check out the Comfort and Joy blog for info about both Afterglow and Burning Marys.
Paul Addis Pleads Guilty to Arson Charge for Burning the Man at Burning Man
I heard a rumor last night, but today The Laughing Squid confirms that Paul David Addis has pled guilty to arson in the burning of The Man at Burning Man last year. I guess he and his lawyer realized that the whole cutesy story about a covert operations group, which Addis concocted out of his Hunter S. Thompson fantasies, wasn't going to cut it in front a jury. Now he's looking at one to four years in a Federal pen (because he committed the crime on Federal land), and has to fork over $25,000 in restitution.
Update: Apparently the charge Addis pleaded guilty to was not arson, but destruction of private property.
Update: Apparently the charge Addis pleaded guilty to was not arson, but destruction of private property.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Upcoming Event: Mr. at Mighty, SF Pride Opening Party, Friday, June 27
Okay kids, here's all the info for Mr., the big San Francisco Pride Opening Party we're doing with the guys from Fag Fridays, Big Top, and Beatbox Events. We'll have two rooms of music inside and a chill lounge outside. Here's the line-up:
Plus go-go boys (and one fierce tranny) and a Levi's 501 giveaway for the first folks showing up wearing a mustache and 501s (yep, that's right, FREE JEANS!)
$10 advance tix are going fast at Ticketweb; it's $10 at the door until 11PM, and then goes up to $20.
Mighty is at 119 Utah Street x 15th
- Omar (Popscene) and DJ Zax (Cockblock) spinning pop in the side room
- Kidd Sysko (Hot Mess), David Harness (Manifesto, Big Booty Productions) and Lord Kook (FSLD) in the main room
- Neco D (FSLD) and DJ Mak (FSLD) spinning in the MIGHTYBUS outside
Plus go-go boys (and one fierce tranny) and a Levi's 501 giveaway for the first folks showing up wearing a mustache and 501s (yep, that's right, FREE JEANS!)
$10 advance tix are going fast at Ticketweb; it's $10 at the door until 11PM, and then goes up to $20.
Mighty is at 119 Utah Street x 15th
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Baron von Luxxury in The Chronicle
They write about him under his real name of Robin Blake, but here at SF Scene we all know him as Baron von Luxxury - yep, the guy I wrote about over a year ago in connection with The Workout, and who spun at the second installment of Fuck Shit, Let's Dance, is now the focus of an article in SFGate about folks with alternative work situations. I think the Baron is shaping up to not only be a very talented guy, but also something of a local celeb, so you should check out both this article for a look at the world of a professional musician and any chance you have to hear his music.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Your Saturday Guide for June 21, 2008
Weeklies and Bar Nights
Frisco Disco at The Transfer
Every Saturday night they're lined up on the street for this party; haven't made it past the sweating crowds myself yet, but this looks like one of the hottest things going right now, you should check it out yourself and let me know what you think.
No cover listed
9.00PM - 2.00AM
The Transfer, Church at Market
Hot Mess at The Stud
A Gus Presents production with DJ Kidd Sysko spinning a little disco punk, a little hip-hop, and a lot of club. Check out the link for his Top 20 and decide for yourself. I hear there's also baby oil wrestling.
10PM - 3AM
$5
The Stud, 9th x Harrison.
Bistrotheque with Ken Vulsion at Cafe Flore
I've been remiss in not previously mentioning Ken Vulsion of Honey Sound System's Bistrotheque at Cafe Flore on Satuday evenings. A great place to go have a bite, warm up with a couple drinks, and groove along with Ken.
6PM - 12AM
NO COVER
Cafe Flore, 2298 Market Street x Noe
Monthlies and One-Offs
Bearracuda at Deco Lounge
For bears and those who love them. With DJs Byron Bonsall and Fifty Pound Note .
9PM - 3AM
$6
Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin x Turk
Chrome at The Gangway
A queer rock monthly from the same guys who bring you Trans Am.
9PM - 3AM
$3
Larkin x Geary
The Show at The EndUp
House deepness with Hipp-E and Halo, H Foundation, Michael Tello, Dawn of Sound, DJB,
FREE before 11, $10 with RSVP to www.sensesf.com/show
The EndUp, 6th x Harrison
Frisco Disco at The Transfer
Every Saturday night they're lined up on the street for this party; haven't made it past the sweating crowds myself yet, but this looks like one of the hottest things going right now, you should check it out yourself and let me know what you think.
No cover listed
9.00PM - 2.00AM
The Transfer, Church at Market
Hot Mess at The Stud
A Gus Presents production with DJ Kidd Sysko spinning a little disco punk, a little hip-hop, and a lot of club. Check out the link for his Top 20 and decide for yourself. I hear there's also baby oil wrestling.
10PM - 3AM
$5
The Stud, 9th x Harrison.
Bistrotheque with Ken Vulsion at Cafe Flore
I've been remiss in not previously mentioning Ken Vulsion of Honey Sound System's Bistrotheque at Cafe Flore on Satuday evenings. A great place to go have a bite, warm up with a couple drinks, and groove along with Ken.
6PM - 12AM
NO COVER
Cafe Flore, 2298 Market Street x Noe
Monthlies and One-Offs
Bearracuda at Deco Lounge
For bears and those who love them. With DJs Byron Bonsall and Fifty Pound Note .
9PM - 3AM
$6
Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin x Turk
Chrome at The Gangway
A queer rock monthly from the same guys who bring you Trans Am.
9PM - 3AM
$3
Larkin x Geary
The Show at The EndUp
House deepness with Hipp-E and Halo, H Foundation, Michael Tello, Dawn of Sound, DJB,
FREE before 11, $10 with RSVP to www.sensesf.com/show
The EndUp, 6th x Harrison
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Peeplay's Big Adventure
Some of you may already be aware that our local DJ-about-town, Peeplay, is on a big European adventure from London to Rome to Berlin and then back to DJ with Horsemeat Disco at the Glastonbury Festival (yes, I know, if he wasn't such a nice guy I'd totally hate him for being so fabulous). For anyone who would like to follow his adventures (which so far includes Gay Bingo in London, playing for a massive crowd of Roman freaks, having the lovely experience of dealing with the Italian transportation system, and having the "dirtiest sex of my life in a backroom" in Berlin) he is chronicling them all on the Homochic blog. I just hope that once he's been to Berlin he'll still want to come back - lord knows, when I lived there in 1996 I sure didn't want to.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Your Friday Guide for June 20, 2008
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
KillSwitch Happy Hour at UndergroundSF
Techno happy hour, this week with Monocle (Live PA).
6PM - 10PM
NO COVER
UndergroundSF, 424 Haight x Webster
Charlie Horse at the Cinch
Best place to go out and have a cheap drink while being entertained by drag queen antics. 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
FREE!
Sick! at The Matador
A nice dive bar with techno tunes, a perfect place to start your night or to spend it. Residents D Spurlock, Jeffrey Allen, Jonathon Neil, Kuze, and Meekrob. Check out my review of Sick!
9PM - 2AM
FREE
Matador, 10 6th Street x Market
GhettoDisco at The EndUp
With DJs Pete Avila, Hawthorne, Cuervo, and Jim Hopkins.
11PM - 11AM
FREE before midnight, $20 until 2AM, $30 after 2AM
The EndUp, 6th x Harrison
Blow-Up at The Rickshaw Stop
Jeffrodesiac presents Guns and Bombs, Tiny Bones, and Dani Deahl, with a birthday DJ set from Richie Panic.
10PM - 2AM
$10 for 21+, $15 for 18-21
The Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell at Van Ness
Monthlies and One-Offs
Fancy Casino: All-Night Cabaret Circus Disco Party at Underground Location
Hosts: Sylvester McMillions & Crystal Chandelier
Djs: Robot Hustle (hnysndsystm), Conor (Ferrari, Red Dot), and Paul (Club Lovely)
Performances by: Ambrosia Salad, Monistat, Kimi (lilofee), Pillars of Silence (live!),
Karen Bond, and so much more...
Visuals By: Tom Bates
11pm til DAWN!!
For location and $10 RSVP email fancycasino@gmail.com
or call hotline day of: 415-738-7537
Shadowplay Stage Benefit at The Stud
With DJs Donimo and DJ6, strip poker with Artemis Chase, and Drag Queen Wrestling!
10PM - 3AM
$5
The Stud, 9th x Harrison
Burning Man Pre-Compression Party at 1015 Folsom
Okay, it's a Burning Man party, so expect fire, costumes, performances, and lots and lots of DJs.
10PM - 4AM
Cover not listed (um, $10? $20?)
1015 Folsom Street, Folsom x 6th
Shark Attack! at the Cat Club
Orko, Starr, Rubyacht, and Macro spin dark indie electro pop minimal prog dance.
9PM - 2AM
FREE before 10, $5 after
Cat Club, 1190 Folsom x 9th
Upcoming Event: Steve Lawler at Mighty, Thursday June 19, 2008
Lawler's "Courses for Horses" has been one of my fave tracks lately, so it might well be worth being up late on a school night to hear some fun techno.
Steve Lawler at Mighty
With Alain Octavo and Hoj.
$10
10PM - ?
Mighty, 119 Utah Street x 15th
Steve Lawler at Mighty
With Alain Octavo and Hoj.
$10
10PM - ?
Mighty, 119 Utah Street x 15th
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Reverb Records is Now Shaxul
On a recent trip to the Haight I noticed that Reverb Records, arguably once ground zero for the San Francisco rave scene, and one of the few DJ records stores that branched out beyond house to drum and bass, trance, and even psytrance, is now Shaxzul, which specializes exclusively in black metal music. (I think the name is a smoosh between "Shazam," as in Captain Marvel, and Xul, as in Ghostbusters. Say it with me now, "Shaxul!")
This brings to three the number of specialist DJ record stores I know of that have folded since I started this blog (Zen City Records and BPM Records are the other two). I think this is enough to now say that we're seeing a trend, one in which the DJ record store is becoming increasingly irrelevant in the face of new media technology. When I think of the DJs I know, almost all play CDs, and almost all get the majority of their music though downloads. I even made, and wrote about, my own switch from vinyl to CDs, in the past few months.
It's easy enough to bemoan this trend, since the DJ record store provided a lot more to its patrons besides just a commercial channel for the music industry - it's always fun to listen in on the conversations between patrons and shop owners, to get unexpected reccomendations from same, and to just pass the time listening to a lot of new music. The internet makes it easy to get new music, and lots of it, and CDs are a far more convenient medium than vinyl, but then there's also the phenomenon of blog house, where everybody is reading, and downloading, from the same music blogs and the same online sources - one of the best things about the DJ record shop is the specific eccentricity of the owners, where you know where to go for a certain sound, but you never know exactly what you'll find in the bins.
I'm curious to see if the market has finally shaken out enough that there's now a profitable ratio between the number of DJ record buyers versus record shops, or whether we're watching the demise of an entire commercial sector, like the dry goods store. The only record stores I know of that are still selling new DJ vinly are Soundworks on Valencia, which is undoubtedly shored up by its close ties to the Castro scene and its record pool; Tweekin' Records on Haight, which stocks local labels like Dirty Bird and has been my source for techno and tech house; and Amoeba, which has a great selection but you can't listen to any of it. I guess it's a good thing I decided to start focusing on CDs, since it seems like I might eventually have been forced in that direction anyway.
This brings to three the number of specialist DJ record stores I know of that have folded since I started this blog (Zen City Records and BPM Records are the other two). I think this is enough to now say that we're seeing a trend, one in which the DJ record store is becoming increasingly irrelevant in the face of new media technology. When I think of the DJs I know, almost all play CDs, and almost all get the majority of their music though downloads. I even made, and wrote about, my own switch from vinyl to CDs, in the past few months.
It's easy enough to bemoan this trend, since the DJ record store provided a lot more to its patrons besides just a commercial channel for the music industry - it's always fun to listen in on the conversations between patrons and shop owners, to get unexpected reccomendations from same, and to just pass the time listening to a lot of new music. The internet makes it easy to get new music, and lots of it, and CDs are a far more convenient medium than vinyl, but then there's also the phenomenon of blog house, where everybody is reading, and downloading, from the same music blogs and the same online sources - one of the best things about the DJ record shop is the specific eccentricity of the owners, where you know where to go for a certain sound, but you never know exactly what you'll find in the bins.
I'm curious to see if the market has finally shaken out enough that there's now a profitable ratio between the number of DJ record buyers versus record shops, or whether we're watching the demise of an entire commercial sector, like the dry goods store. The only record stores I know of that are still selling new DJ vinly are Soundworks on Valencia, which is undoubtedly shored up by its close ties to the Castro scene and its record pool; Tweekin' Records on Haight, which stocks local labels like Dirty Bird and has been my source for techno and tech house; and Amoeba, which has a great selection but you can't listen to any of it. I guess it's a good thing I decided to start focusing on CDs, since it seems like I might eventually have been forced in that direction anyway.
Friday, June 13, 2008
The Story of Mr.
This was supposed to appear as a bit of advertorial in Gloss, but for some reason they "dropped the ball" and it didn't make it - I will refrain from bitchy speculation about why that might have happened (oh, to hell with it, I think it's because I actually know how to do things like use a comma), but I like being able to tell the story of how Mr. came together, so here it is for you all.
*********************
There’s nothing like throwing a party for your friends and knowing that you’ve provided them with a memorable evening. Unless it’s getting together with a group of those friends to throw a party. For several hundred people. That’s how Mr., the Official Friday Night Opening Party for San Francisco Gay Pride, came into being – because a group of friends from across the gay party scene wanted to collaborate to create something special for one of the most special weekends of the year.
It was while we were working together to defeat the promoter permit legislation that David Peterson of Fag Fridays told me about putting together a Gay Pride party, and invited me and my crew from Fuck Shit, Let’s Dance! to participate. As result, one very warm and slightly hungover Saturday morning we met with David and his partner Jose, Juan from Beatbox Events, and Joshua J from Big Top to talk about what we’d like to do, and Mr. was born. Though we come from across the spectrum of the gay party scene, from the Castro to the Tenderloin, from pop music to techno, from small dive bars to major clubs, we all agreed that this party should represent the diversity of the San Francisco scene, and that anyone from out of town should leave thinking they had had a quintessentially San Francisco experience. We came up with Mr. as the name because we liked that it could be both tough and silly, depending on how you said it, and settled on a mustache theme for our flyers because we think of ourselves as drawing a subversive little mustache on the typical party scene expectations.
After that it was all about putting together a DJ line-up that could truly do justice to the wide range of talent in our scene. We came up with so much talent, in fact, that we need three areas to hold them all. From the pop side we have DJ Zax, Kidd Sysko, and Omar, with Lord Kook and DJ David Harness bringing the techno and dirty electro, and the downtempo team of Neco D and DJ Mak in the outdoor lounge. Whatever your taste in music, we’ve got something that will make you groove.
Mr. takes place at Mighty, 119 Utah Street, from 10PM – 6AM on Friday, June 27. It’s $10 at the door until midnight, $20 after, and $10 advance tickets are available at Ticketweb. Hope to see you there smiling!
*********************
There’s nothing like throwing a party for your friends and knowing that you’ve provided them with a memorable evening. Unless it’s getting together with a group of those friends to throw a party. For several hundred people. That’s how Mr., the Official Friday Night Opening Party for San Francisco Gay Pride, came into being – because a group of friends from across the gay party scene wanted to collaborate to create something special for one of the most special weekends of the year.
It was while we were working together to defeat the promoter permit legislation that David Peterson of Fag Fridays told me about putting together a Gay Pride party, and invited me and my crew from Fuck Shit, Let’s Dance! to participate. As result, one very warm and slightly hungover Saturday morning we met with David and his partner Jose, Juan from Beatbox Events, and Joshua J from Big Top to talk about what we’d like to do, and Mr. was born. Though we come from across the spectrum of the gay party scene, from the Castro to the Tenderloin, from pop music to techno, from small dive bars to major clubs, we all agreed that this party should represent the diversity of the San Francisco scene, and that anyone from out of town should leave thinking they had had a quintessentially San Francisco experience. We came up with Mr. as the name because we liked that it could be both tough and silly, depending on how you said it, and settled on a mustache theme for our flyers because we think of ourselves as drawing a subversive little mustache on the typical party scene expectations.
After that it was all about putting together a DJ line-up that could truly do justice to the wide range of talent in our scene. We came up with so much talent, in fact, that we need three areas to hold them all. From the pop side we have DJ Zax, Kidd Sysko, and Omar, with Lord Kook and DJ David Harness bringing the techno and dirty electro, and the downtempo team of Neco D and DJ Mak in the outdoor lounge. Whatever your taste in music, we’ve got something that will make you groove.
Mr. takes place at Mighty, 119 Utah Street, from 10PM – 6AM on Friday, June 27. It’s $10 at the door until midnight, $20 after, and $10 advance tickets are available at Ticketweb. Hope to see you there smiling!
Your Saturday Guide for June 14, 2008
Bistrotheque with Ken Vulsion at Cafe Flore
I've been remiss in not previously mentioning Ken Vulsion of Honey Sound System's Bistrotheque at Cafe Flore on Satuday evenings. A great place to go have a bite, warm up with a couple drinks, and groove along with Ken.
6PM - 12AM
NO COVER
Cafe Flore, 2298 Market Street x Noe
Frisco Disco at The Transfer
Rumor has it that the party is starting to die down a bit - check it out yourself and let me know what you think.
No cover listed
9.00PM - 2.00AM
The Transfer, Church at Market
Hot Mess at The Stud
A Gus Presents production with DJ Kidd Sysko spinning a little disco punk, a little hip-hop, and a lot of club. Check out the link to see his Top 20 and decide for yourself. I also hear there's baby oil wrestling.
10PM - 3AM
$5
The Stud, 9th x Harrison.
Monthlies and One-Offs
Habit Forming Burning Man Fundraiser at Mighty
All kinds of breakin' going on with DJs like Murphstar, Syd Gris, Icon, Aaron Jae and more.
9PM - 4AM
$10 pre-sales from going.com
Mighty, 119 Utah Street x 15th
Cockblock at The Rickshaw Stop
Pop dance for lezzies and homos of all varieties with DJs Nuxx and Zax.
10PM - 2AM
$7
The Rickshaw Stop, 122 Fell x South Van Ness
Ferrari at Deco Lounge
Looking for a fix of class, trash, and disco? Then look no further than this fun hipster kid party that benefits West Add pirate radio. With DJs Primo, Nicky B., Conor, Nico, Jordan, and McVick.
10PM - 3AM
$5
Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin x Turk
I've been remiss in not previously mentioning Ken Vulsion of Honey Sound System's Bistrotheque at Cafe Flore on Satuday evenings. A great place to go have a bite, warm up with a couple drinks, and groove along with Ken.
6PM - 12AM
NO COVER
Cafe Flore, 2298 Market Street x Noe
Frisco Disco at The Transfer
Rumor has it that the party is starting to die down a bit - check it out yourself and let me know what you think.
No cover listed
9.00PM - 2.00AM
The Transfer, Church at Market
Hot Mess at The Stud
A Gus Presents production with DJ Kidd Sysko spinning a little disco punk, a little hip-hop, and a lot of club. Check out the link to see his Top 20 and decide for yourself. I also hear there's baby oil wrestling.
10PM - 3AM
$5
The Stud, 9th x Harrison.
Monthlies and One-Offs
Habit Forming Burning Man Fundraiser at Mighty
All kinds of breakin' going on with DJs like Murphstar, Syd Gris, Icon, Aaron Jae and more.
9PM - 4AM
$10 pre-sales from going.com
Mighty, 119 Utah Street x 15th
Cockblock at The Rickshaw Stop
Pop dance for lezzies and homos of all varieties with DJs Nuxx and Zax.
10PM - 2AM
$7
The Rickshaw Stop, 122 Fell x South Van Ness
Ferrari at Deco Lounge
Looking for a fix of class, trash, and disco? Then look no further than this fun hipster kid party that benefits West Add pirate radio. With DJs Primo, Nicky B., Conor, Nico, Jordan, and McVick.
10PM - 3AM
$5
Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin x Turk
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Your Friday Guide for June 13, 2008
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
KillSwitch Happy Hour at UndergroundSF
Techno happy hour, this week with Sammy Dee of Kontrol.
6PM - 10PM
NO COVER
UndergroundSF, 424 Haight x Webster
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. 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 Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Sick! at The Matador
A nice dive bar with techno tunes, a perfect place to start your night or to spend it. Residents D Spurlock, Jeffrey Allen, Jonathon Neil, Kuze, and Meekrob. Check out my review of Sick!
10PM - 2AM
FREE
Matador, 10 6th Street x Market
GhettoDisco at The EndUp
With residents Sean Greene, Hawthorne, and Adrian.
11PM - 11AM
FREE before midnight, $20 until 2AM, $30 after 2AM
The EndUp, 6th x Harrison
Blowup at The Rickshaw Stop
With Sammy Banannas, Paparazzi (LA), and Nasty Gal, with resident DJ Jeffrey Paradise.
10PM - 2AM
$15 for 18-21, $10 for 21*
The Rickshaw Stop, 122 Fell x South Van Ness
Monthlies and One-Offs
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
The Rod at Deco Lounge
I've warmed more to Bus Station John's retro disco since my initial review, but whether you'll be into it really depends on how you feel about late 70s and early 80s gay nostalgia. Check out my review of The Rod.
10PM - 4AM
FREE before 10PM, $5 After
Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin at Turk
Need a little French electrodisco in your life? With support from Lifelike, BT Magnum and Black Shag, and the 92.7 Ghetto House DJs Josser and Jeff Morena in the upstairs lounge.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Adventures in DJing: The 20 goto 10 Gallery
This past Thursday Lord Kook and I were invited to play a gallery opening for a friend of ours, Doghood, who, with his partner worthless, create amazing op-art; worthless creates the patterns and colors on the canvas, while Doghood programs the LEDs that animate the images. It truly has to be seen to believed, so you should go to the gallery and check out their stuff.
We had no idea what kind of set-up the gallery had beyond the fact that there were two turntables and some kind of two-track mixer, all hooked into a home stereo amplifier. We took along our CJD-800s and a Pioneer DJM-300 mixer, which turned out to be a fortunate idea since the entire set-up at the gallery looked like it had been put together by a hip-hop DJ, with a two channel scratch mixer and turntables set up “battle style;” this means they were set-up sideways, with the tone-arms at the top of the case, rather than on the right side. This drove me crazy all night, since I had to reach across the tone-arms to move the pitch slider, and on several occasions bumped the tone-arm out of the groove in the process.
We each played a two-hour set, and despite the fact that I didn’t have a monitor and had to rely on what I could hear of the master channel through the headphones, everything mixed together quite nicely – nothing like a little crowd noise to cover those moments of high-end dissonance. I went for pretty deep techno on vinyl, including tracks like Martin Buttrich’s “Hunted,” Luciano and Melchior’s “Father,” and then into slightly harder territory with tracks like Larsson’s “Automat” and some Dominik Eulberg, winding up with Gui Boratto’s “Experiment in the Lab.” It all went over very well, and made me think more about how much I prefer going for a deep, psychedelic listening experiences rather than dancefloor bangers.
Lord Kook took over from me and played his set on the CDJs, and regretted that, although he had brought all his minimal CDs with him, he hadn’t listed out the tracks on them, so he had no idea what was on them. He wound up playing stuff that was perhaps more dance-oriented, though his set was also very well received.
All in all it was a great DJ experience, despite the somewhat sketchy audio set-up, and taught us both a little bit about our own ability to adapt to a situation. We were really happy to contribute what ambience we could to the event, and I hope we may have turned some people on to music that they otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to hear.
We had no idea what kind of set-up the gallery had beyond the fact that there were two turntables and some kind of two-track mixer, all hooked into a home stereo amplifier. We took along our CJD-800s and a Pioneer DJM-300 mixer, which turned out to be a fortunate idea since the entire set-up at the gallery looked like it had been put together by a hip-hop DJ, with a two channel scratch mixer and turntables set up “battle style;” this means they were set-up sideways, with the tone-arms at the top of the case, rather than on the right side. This drove me crazy all night, since I had to reach across the tone-arms to move the pitch slider, and on several occasions bumped the tone-arm out of the groove in the process.
We each played a two-hour set, and despite the fact that I didn’t have a monitor and had to rely on what I could hear of the master channel through the headphones, everything mixed together quite nicely – nothing like a little crowd noise to cover those moments of high-end dissonance. I went for pretty deep techno on vinyl, including tracks like Martin Buttrich’s “Hunted,” Luciano and Melchior’s “Father,” and then into slightly harder territory with tracks like Larsson’s “Automat” and some Dominik Eulberg, winding up with Gui Boratto’s “Experiment in the Lab.” It all went over very well, and made me think more about how much I prefer going for a deep, psychedelic listening experiences rather than dancefloor bangers.
Lord Kook took over from me and played his set on the CDJs, and regretted that, although he had brought all his minimal CDs with him, he hadn’t listed out the tracks on them, so he had no idea what was on them. He wound up playing stuff that was perhaps more dance-oriented, though his set was also very well received.
All in all it was a great DJ experience, despite the somewhat sketchy audio set-up, and taught us both a little bit about our own ability to adapt to a situation. We were really happy to contribute what ambience we could to the event, and I hope we may have turned some people on to music that they otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to hear.
Event Review: Honey Soundsystem Presents Stefan Goldmann at Club Six
Honey Soundsystem’s party with Berlin producer Stefan Goldmann at Club Six this past Friday was a bit disappointing, attendance-wise, for reasons I suspect having to do with it being in competition with Gentleman’s Techno as well as the location of Club Six, but the music was stellar, in a space that was almost perfect for evoking the vibe of a Berlin techno club.
The boyfriend and I arrived around 10, during Ken Vulsion’s set. He laid down some solid four-on-the-floor acid tracks, including some stuff that I suspect was first issued a decade ago, but it still sounded fresh and engaging, and was some of the best techno I’ve heard since his set at FSLD last month. Unfortunately, I don’t think there were more than fifty people in the club at the time to hear it. When Jason Kendig came on around midnight and dug into some deeper, Detroit-style techno, there was a small dancefloor of about twenty or thirty people, but not nearly the kind of crowd I had expected.
Some of the issue may have been with the party taking place at Club 6, which does not have the best reputation in the club world, mainly because it’s on Sixth Street, and is generally unfamiliar territory for many of the gay boys who make up the core of the Honey Soundsystem constituency. I hadn’t been there for several years myself, but the downstairs space was just about perfect, with plenty of lounge areas off the main dancefloor and a really fabulous sound system. There was the matter of the $8 well drinks, but I would be happy to check out more parties there.
The boyfriend and I took off around 12.30 after getting a text from our friend J, who we met up with over at The Stud, so we missed out on Goldmann’s set. I’m hoping that more folks showed up after we left, but when we got over to The Stud, which was hosting Lucky Pierre, we found a small crowd there as well, leading us into endless speculation about the state of the club scene. It does seem that there is a much smaller audience for DJ-oriented nights these days, such that if you have two techno events on the same night, one winds up cannibalizing the audience for the other. But, in general, it also seems that that the comment made by Joshua J in a conversation we had several weeks ago holds true, that people generally go to a party not necessarily because of the music, but because of the kind of scene they expect to find there, and when it comes to gay club nights, where they expect to find the kinds of guys that they are into. Any night that focuses on bringing in specific kinds of guys, whether they’re muscle boys, bears, Asians, or whatever, will always have a higher turnout, regardless of the music, than music-focused nights, because they offer a well-defined product for their consumers. Music-focused nights, on the other hand, are about appealing to a different expectation of experience, one that’s harder to sell to a sex-focused market. If HSS had advertised “hot go-go boys” or "baby oil wrestling" for the Stefan Goldmann party I have no doubt that they would have attracted more of a gay clientele, but that would have also shifted the focus of the event and made the music something that was simply there to support the prospect of sex. If focusing on the music means getting a smaller, but more enthusiastic, crowd, then I think that’s an acceptable trade-off, and I hope that groups like Honey Soundsystem will continue to bring us more music-focused events despite the somewhat discouraging attendance numbers.
The boyfriend and I arrived around 10, during Ken Vulsion’s set. He laid down some solid four-on-the-floor acid tracks, including some stuff that I suspect was first issued a decade ago, but it still sounded fresh and engaging, and was some of the best techno I’ve heard since his set at FSLD last month. Unfortunately, I don’t think there were more than fifty people in the club at the time to hear it. When Jason Kendig came on around midnight and dug into some deeper, Detroit-style techno, there was a small dancefloor of about twenty or thirty people, but not nearly the kind of crowd I had expected.
Some of the issue may have been with the party taking place at Club 6, which does not have the best reputation in the club world, mainly because it’s on Sixth Street, and is generally unfamiliar territory for many of the gay boys who make up the core of the Honey Soundsystem constituency. I hadn’t been there for several years myself, but the downstairs space was just about perfect, with plenty of lounge areas off the main dancefloor and a really fabulous sound system. There was the matter of the $8 well drinks, but I would be happy to check out more parties there.
The boyfriend and I took off around 12.30 after getting a text from our friend J, who we met up with over at The Stud, so we missed out on Goldmann’s set. I’m hoping that more folks showed up after we left, but when we got over to The Stud, which was hosting Lucky Pierre, we found a small crowd there as well, leading us into endless speculation about the state of the club scene. It does seem that there is a much smaller audience for DJ-oriented nights these days, such that if you have two techno events on the same night, one winds up cannibalizing the audience for the other. But, in general, it also seems that that the comment made by Joshua J in a conversation we had several weeks ago holds true, that people generally go to a party not necessarily because of the music, but because of the kind of scene they expect to find there, and when it comes to gay club nights, where they expect to find the kinds of guys that they are into. Any night that focuses on bringing in specific kinds of guys, whether they’re muscle boys, bears, Asians, or whatever, will always have a higher turnout, regardless of the music, than music-focused nights, because they offer a well-defined product for their consumers. Music-focused nights, on the other hand, are about appealing to a different expectation of experience, one that’s harder to sell to a sex-focused market. If HSS had advertised “hot go-go boys” or "baby oil wrestling" for the Stefan Goldmann party I have no doubt that they would have attracted more of a gay clientele, but that would have also shifted the focus of the event and made the music something that was simply there to support the prospect of sex. If focusing on the music means getting a smaller, but more enthusiastic, crowd, then I think that’s an acceptable trade-off, and I hope that groups like Honey Soundsystem will continue to bring us more music-focused events despite the somewhat discouraging attendance numbers.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Your Saturday Guide for June 7, 2008
Weeklies and Bar Nights
Collide at 222 Hyde
From Jose of Fag Fridays comes a new house night with a little bit of urbanity in the mix (I mean, he's got Samim's "Heater" for the MySpace page, how cool is that?) And it's at 222 Hyde, so it's a swell space too. Past DJs have included Jeno, Garth, Tasho, and Mustafa. Check out my review of Collide.
8PM - 2AM
$5
Club 222, 222 Hyde x Turk
Frisco Disco at The Transfer
Every Saturday night they're lined up on the street for this party; haven't made it past the sweating crowds myself yet, but this looks like one of the hottest things going right now. Check it out yourselves and let me know what you think.
No cover listed
9.00PM - 2.00AM
The Transfer, Church at Market
Hot Mess at The Stud
A Gus Presents production with DJ Kidd Sysko spinning a little disco punk, a little hip-hop, and a lot of club. Check out the link for his Top 20 and decide for yourself.
10PM - 3AM
$5
The Stud, 9th x Harrison.
Bistrotheque with Ken Vulsion at Cafe Flore
I've been remiss in not previously mentioning Ken Vulsion of Honey Sound System's Bistrotheque at Cafe Flore on Satuday evenings. A great place to go have a bite, warm up with a couple drinks, and groove along with Ken.
6PM - 12AM
NO COVER
Cafe Flore, 2298 Market Street x Noe
Bearracuda at Deco Lounge
For bears and those who love them. With DJ Rotten Robbie.
9PM - 3AM
$6
Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin x Turk
Monthlies and One Offs
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Kontrol at the End Up
Third year annivesary with Radio Slave! Check out my recent review of Kontrol.
10PM - 6AM
FREE before 11, $20 after
The End Up, 6th x Harrison
Trans Am at Club Eight
Rock/punk/indie music from resident Dirty Knees, usually with a band performing as well. Check out my review of Trans Am.
10PM - 2AM
$5
Club Eight, 1151 Folsom x Eighth.
Moby with Mstrkrft at Mighty
Looks like this one is already sold out, but you can try to pick up advance tix from Ticketweb. With support from Popscene DJs, Motor, and Shit Disco.
10.00PM - 3AM
$15 advance
Mezzanine, 444 Jessie Street x Mint
Collide at 222 Hyde
From Jose of Fag Fridays comes a new house night with a little bit of urbanity in the mix (I mean, he's got Samim's "Heater" for the MySpace page, how cool is that?) And it's at 222 Hyde, so it's a swell space too. Past DJs have included Jeno, Garth, Tasho, and Mustafa. Check out my review of Collide.
8PM - 2AM
$5
Club 222, 222 Hyde x Turk
Frisco Disco at The Transfer
Every Saturday night they're lined up on the street for this party; haven't made it past the sweating crowds myself yet, but this looks like one of the hottest things going right now. Check it out yourselves and let me know what you think.
No cover listed
9.00PM - 2.00AM
The Transfer, Church at Market
Hot Mess at The Stud
A Gus Presents production with DJ Kidd Sysko spinning a little disco punk, a little hip-hop, and a lot of club. Check out the link for his Top 20 and decide for yourself.
10PM - 3AM
$5
The Stud, 9th x Harrison.
Bistrotheque with Ken Vulsion at Cafe Flore
I've been remiss in not previously mentioning Ken Vulsion of Honey Sound System's Bistrotheque at Cafe Flore on Satuday evenings. A great place to go have a bite, warm up with a couple drinks, and groove along with Ken.
6PM - 12AM
NO COVER
Cafe Flore, 2298 Market Street x Noe
Bearracuda at Deco Lounge
For bears and those who love them. With DJ Rotten Robbie.
9PM - 3AM
$6
Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin x Turk
Monthlies and One Offs
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Kontrol at the End Up
Third year annivesary with Radio Slave! Check out my recent review of Kontrol.
10PM - 6AM
FREE before 11, $20 after
The End Up, 6th x Harrison
Trans Am at Club Eight
Rock/punk/indie music from resident Dirty Knees, usually with a band performing as well. Check out my review of Trans Am.
10PM - 2AM
$5
Club Eight, 1151 Folsom x Eighth.
Moby with Mstrkrft at Mighty
Looks like this one is already sold out, but you can try to pick up advance tix from Ticketweb. With support from Popscene DJs, Motor, and Shit Disco.
10.00PM - 3AM
$15 advance
Mezzanine, 444 Jessie Street x Mint
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Event Review: Camp Zoom Fundraiser, Oasis in Oakland
Saturday was a solid Burning Man day for me, the boyfriend, and J, who, along with our friend Tari, will be on the playa as Pixel Zombies. We went over to the little park at Corona Heights to set up a tent on loan to us (and had a typical BM experience of trying to put up a giant sail in a high wind and having it almost take off on us, resulting in a bent support leg), then that night we went to Oasis in Oakland, where Lord Kook was on the DJ bill as party of a party to raise money for Camp Zoom. I was a little leery of the whole affair at first – it was, after all, in Oakland – but it came off as a wonderful affair that reminded all of us why we enjoy Burning Man culture so much in the first place.
Oasis put me in mind of the bars I used to frequent in the South, in that it is obviously geared toward outdoor entertaining. There was a small bar and dining room on the inside, but the main action was on the large concrete patio area, which had a fully-equipped DJ booth, another bar, a lounge area, and a BBQ grill. It was a pretty chilly night, but that just meant that everyone in Burning Man gear was already well prepared. The theme was Superheroes on Vacation, which is a pretty easy them to interpret, costume-wise. I wore a studded leather visor cap with stand-up doggie ears, a lot of chains, and some military-looking clothes, and was Junkyard Dog, proud defender of the gay community (my superpower was the ability to paralyze my enemies with noxious fumes, while my vulnerability was being easily distracted by big bones). Honestly, all anyone had to do was put on a mask and a cape, or some crazy outfit, and they looked like a superhero.
The odd wrinkle in all of this was the regulars who showed up and at first wandered around looking very bemused. I was a little concerned about how they would mix with the Burning Man freaks, but by the end of the evening everybody was smiling and dancing together, and the bar owner was talking to his staff about what a “beautiful party” it was.
The musical surprise of the evening came from DJ J.C., who played a truly amazing, flawless set (two sets, actually) of straight-up techno into some pretty funky hard trance. I never got his full story, but there was something about him knowing folks involved with creating the series Lucy, Daughter of the Devil (which is produced in San Francisco), and the character of Jesus the DJ being based on him – not only did he have the Jesus look down, and those stand-out intitials, but he also did have some of the “greasy charisma” of that character. We hope to bring him to FSLD real soon.
The party was supposed to end at 2, but at 3AM we still had a moving dancefloor. Things finally shut down around 3.30 because we were all just too exhausted to keep going, but it was probably the best small party I’ve been to in ages. Keep your eyes peeled for more small Burning Man camp fundraisers, as they are certain to present pleasant surprises and re-awaken your empathy for San Francisco freak culture.
Oasis put me in mind of the bars I used to frequent in the South, in that it is obviously geared toward outdoor entertaining. There was a small bar and dining room on the inside, but the main action was on the large concrete patio area, which had a fully-equipped DJ booth, another bar, a lounge area, and a BBQ grill. It was a pretty chilly night, but that just meant that everyone in Burning Man gear was already well prepared. The theme was Superheroes on Vacation, which is a pretty easy them to interpret, costume-wise. I wore a studded leather visor cap with stand-up doggie ears, a lot of chains, and some military-looking clothes, and was Junkyard Dog, proud defender of the gay community (my superpower was the ability to paralyze my enemies with noxious fumes, while my vulnerability was being easily distracted by big bones). Honestly, all anyone had to do was put on a mask and a cape, or some crazy outfit, and they looked like a superhero.
The odd wrinkle in all of this was the regulars who showed up and at first wandered around looking very bemused. I was a little concerned about how they would mix with the Burning Man freaks, but by the end of the evening everybody was smiling and dancing together, and the bar owner was talking to his staff about what a “beautiful party” it was.
The musical surprise of the evening came from DJ J.C., who played a truly amazing, flawless set (two sets, actually) of straight-up techno into some pretty funky hard trance. I never got his full story, but there was something about him knowing folks involved with creating the series Lucy, Daughter of the Devil (which is produced in San Francisco), and the character of Jesus the DJ being based on him – not only did he have the Jesus look down, and those stand-out intitials, but he also did have some of the “greasy charisma” of that character. We hope to bring him to FSLD real soon.
The party was supposed to end at 2, but at 3AM we still had a moving dancefloor. Things finally shut down around 3.30 because we were all just too exhausted to keep going, but it was probably the best small party I’ve been to in ages. Keep your eyes peeled for more small Burning Man camp fundraisers, as they are certain to present pleasant surprises and re-awaken your empathy for San Francisco freak culture.
Your Friday Guide for June 6. 2008
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
KillSwitch Happy Hour at UndergroundSF
Techno happy hour, this week with Nikita.
6PM - 10PM
NO COVER
UndergroundSF, 424 Haight x Webster
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 reviews of Charlie Horse at The Cinch.
9PM - close
NO COVER
The Cinch, 1723 Polk Street (between Clay and Washington)
GhettoDisco at The EndUp
With Jamie J. Sanchez and residents Jim Hopkins and Vince.
11PM - 11AM
FREE before midnight, $20 until 2AM, $30 after 2AM
The EndUp, 6th x Harrison
Sick! at The Matador
Just found out about this techno night that started up in November in the location of the old Arrow bar. Residents D Spurlock, Jeffrey Allen, Jonathon Neil, Kuze, and Meekrob. Check out my review of Sick!
9PM - 2AM
FREE
Matador, 10 6th Street x Market
Monthlies and One-Offs
Zodiac at Deco
Show the doorperson your ID to prove it's your birthday month and get a free drink. Resident DJ Lambchop with guests.
9PM - 3AM
Free before 10, $5 after
Deco, 510 Larkin at Turk
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
Club Loaded at The Rickshaw Stop
Fourth Anniversary party with The Lovemakers live, plus DJs Omar, Dirty Dave, Audrock, and Commodore 69.
10PM - 2AM
$10, $15 for 18-21
The Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell x Van Ness
The Jaded Gay DJ Recommends: Lucky Pierre at The Stud
Electro bangin' with DJ6 and Donimo, strip poker with Artemis Chase, and hosted by Primadonna Reed. Check out my review of Lucky Pierre!
10PM - 3AM
$5 before 11PM, $7 after
The Stud, 9th x Harrison
Honey Sound System Presents Stefan Goldman at Club Six
Honey Sound System presents Berlin techno DJ Stefan Goldman, along with HSS DJs Jason Kendig and Ken Vulsion. Go wish them well before their departure for Europe and the Glastonbury Music Fesitival.
10PM - 2AM
$10
Club Six, 60 6th Street x Market
With CLAWS, Beaner, Mr. Saturday Night, and more.
10PM - "after hours"
$10
Cellspace, 2050 Bryant Street
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Otto Schutt, RIP
Some months back I posted about an event for Otto Schutt, a beloved figure in the local scene and founder of the Power to the Peaceful festival, who had been diagnosed with colon cancer. This week I noticed a big uptick in hits to that posting, so I figured something must have happened. Sure enough, according to the posts on ottoschutt.com, Otto was laid to rest on June 1st. If you knew Otto or would like to know more about him please visit the site and share your thoughts with his many friends and family.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Event Review: Ritchie Hawtin at 1015 Folsom
Friday night J, the boyfriend and I braved 1015 Folsom to see Ritchie Hawtin and were rewarded with one of the most fun nights out in a long time, one that reminded me of why it's worth going out to hear big-name DJs do their thing, and also made me think that 1015 is coming back as the club it used to be.
We stopped off at PeePlay's going-away party at the Gray Area Gallery's new AV space on Folsom, had a drink, and generally milled around with the other artsy types looking awkward with drinks in thier hands. CLAWS provided a passable set of downtempo kitsch, followed by Jonas Rheinhardt, a three piece consisting of Moog and sequencers, bass guitar, and basic drum kit in the space prog vein of Stereolab or Fujiyama and Miyagi. It was an okay place to hang out and have a pre-party drink, but if GAG is going to continue to charge $10 for their parties and standard SoMa bar prices for drinks, I'd like something that feels like more than a really cool college party for my money.
We arrived at 1015 around midnight. We had missed Magda's set but caugh the last half of Hearthrob. As we stood in the front bar waiting for drinks I noticed that there was already a lot of dancing going on. Like his labelmates Hearthrob is a disciple of minimal, but there was nothing low-key about the energy.
When I last saw Hawtin at Mighty I complained about the crowd, which struck me as having just come straight to the party from casual Friday drinks with their workmates. This time the crowd was much groovier, and walking through the smoking area I heard at least a half dozen languages and accents. When we finally went down on the floor there was plenty of room to dance, but also plenty of crowd energy to keep us going. It was also nice to see that the Gestapo-like attitude of the security that previously prevailed at 1015 has given way to a much more relaxed approach, such that people seemed to feel that they really could let themselves go for the party and not worry about getting tossed out.
As for Hawtin, all I can say is that it's nice to know that there are DJs who still really care about the music, their performance, and their skill. I haven't see a DJ that focused on what he was doing, or as able to work a crowd, in a long while. Hawtin isn't even so much a DJ as someone who produces new music out of the scraps of other tracks live; we later remarked that his performance seemed very ephemeral, not because it was forgettable, but because he took any recognizable song elements and recombined them so that you had the feeling of being caught up in an irresistible flow of beats rather than listening to someone putting on one track after another.
We left around three as the crowd was beginning to thin but the energy was showing no signs of dissipation. It was easily one of the best nights out we've had in several months, and I hope that some more fun nights at 1015 are ahead of us for the summer.
We stopped off at PeePlay's going-away party at the Gray Area Gallery's new AV space on Folsom, had a drink, and generally milled around with the other artsy types looking awkward with drinks in thier hands. CLAWS provided a passable set of downtempo kitsch, followed by Jonas Rheinhardt, a three piece consisting of Moog and sequencers, bass guitar, and basic drum kit in the space prog vein of Stereolab or Fujiyama and Miyagi. It was an okay place to hang out and have a pre-party drink, but if GAG is going to continue to charge $10 for their parties and standard SoMa bar prices for drinks, I'd like something that feels like more than a really cool college party for my money.
We arrived at 1015 around midnight. We had missed Magda's set but caugh the last half of Hearthrob. As we stood in the front bar waiting for drinks I noticed that there was already a lot of dancing going on. Like his labelmates Hearthrob is a disciple of minimal, but there was nothing low-key about the energy.
When I last saw Hawtin at Mighty I complained about the crowd, which struck me as having just come straight to the party from casual Friday drinks with their workmates. This time the crowd was much groovier, and walking through the smoking area I heard at least a half dozen languages and accents. When we finally went down on the floor there was plenty of room to dance, but also plenty of crowd energy to keep us going. It was also nice to see that the Gestapo-like attitude of the security that previously prevailed at 1015 has given way to a much more relaxed approach, such that people seemed to feel that they really could let themselves go for the party and not worry about getting tossed out.
As for Hawtin, all I can say is that it's nice to know that there are DJs who still really care about the music, their performance, and their skill. I haven't see a DJ that focused on what he was doing, or as able to work a crowd, in a long while. Hawtin isn't even so much a DJ as someone who produces new music out of the scraps of other tracks live; we later remarked that his performance seemed very ephemeral, not because it was forgettable, but because he took any recognizable song elements and recombined them so that you had the feeling of being caught up in an irresistible flow of beats rather than listening to someone putting on one track after another.
We left around three as the crowd was beginning to thin but the energy was showing no signs of dissipation. It was easily one of the best nights out we've had in several months, and I hope that some more fun nights at 1015 are ahead of us for the summer.
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