I will admit up front that I had originally decided to give Folsom Street Fair a pass this year, mainly because, like so many others, I felt it had grown too big, crowded, and generally uninteresting. But then the boyfriend landed a gig helping stage manage the 12th Street stage, and I figured I might as well go down and hang out for a while.
Kitty agreed to go over with me, and as I walked through Noe Valley on my way to his place in my jeans and rubber shirt, my faux hawk nicely spiked up, I passed two older women, one of whom said, as I passed “oh, that’s right, it’s Folsom weekend.” I smiled over that, and thought that one of the nice things about Folsom is that it gives guys an excuse to be sexy, something that is sadly lacking in our culture. Women can be sexy, but I’ve always felt that it’s much more difficult for a guy to put himself forth as sexy without it raising questions about his masculinity. It’s something I’ve struggled with a lot personally, and walking through Noe I felt a little excited to be out and about in an outfit that was purposefully sexually evocative (it was even better under my jeans, but the day turned out to be a bit cool for really getting down to the basics).
Kitty, Scooter and I met up with some friends in the vicinity of the dance stage, and while we stood there chatting, a Mistress in a lovely Vampirella-esque vinyl outfit came over leading a superhot boy on a leash. I will now make what, for San Francisco, land of bear and muscle worship, is a very politically incorrect statement: I really like cute, smooth, skinny, younger guys who might even verge into being femme. There, I said it. I know it’s an unpopular thing to admit, but sometimes you have to come out about these things. In this case the boy was wearing tattered Tripp pants, a raggedy gray muscle shirt, fishnet gloves, and a collar. On each upper arm he had an armband-like tattoo of a signal spike, sort of like what you see on an EKG monitor, and some eyeshadow around his eye sockets. A dogbone gag was strapped in his mouth, and he was drooling just a little. He was so hot I couldn’t take my eyes off him, and I watched as he and his Mistress posed for several photos, keeping his arms submissively at his sides until she led him off into the crowd. As he turned I saw that he had an Invader Zim messenger bag strapped across his back.
I was a little too dumbfounded by seeing a boy that I actually wanted to molest at Folsom Street to do any of the things I should have done, like walking up and asking the Mistress if I could pet her puppy. But seeing him excited me in more ways than one; maybe, I thought, this will be the year that I run into other cute boys, oh my!
The goth puppy was on my mind as we walked up to the 12th Street stage to check in with the boyfriend, and then when we made our way back to the dance stage. Having now thought up all my good lines, I was hoping I might have a chance to use them. We stayed at the dance stage for a while and then decided to try and rendezvous with our friends at the Cat Club. As we inched our way through the mob I realized that, not only had I missed my opportunity but, judging from the crowd I now saw around me, I wasn’t going to have much opportunity for any similar encounters because the crowd had just gotten too big.
That’s my problem with Folsom; in theory, I love the idea of a fetish street fair, and I’ve had moments of enjoying it in practice. But it has gotten so big that the things I like about it – the opportunity to be exhibitionistic, to run into and possibly flirt with cute goth boys in bondage – are basically lost in the crowd. Whatever effort I might have made to express my own individual fetishistic tendencies simply becomes another person in shiny rubber walking around, while the things that are attractive to me become tiny motes borne away by the churning sea of identical, boring clones in their uniforms of chaps, biker caps, jeans and harnesses. Rather than being an event where I can go to explore my fetish side and connect with others with whom I might share some interests, Folsom has become a place where I just get lost in the crowd. It’s a little too much like real life in that respect, rather than the affirmation of whatever it is I’m trying to affirm, so I think this may be my last year at Folsom Street.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Upcoming Event: Drop the Pressure Happy Hour at UndergroundSF, Premieres Thursday October 2nd
Drop the Pressure! is a weekly Thursday happy hour with yours truly, Lord Kook, and the kids from Lucky Pierre/Bender/Get Lucky (Candy, Donimo, and Six) bringing you booze and beats to set you up for the weekend. We'll be rotating through the DJ slots every week and bringing in special guests, and the drinks are, of course, plenty strong and cheap.
Here's our myspace if you'd like to friend us:
http://www.myspace.com/dropthepressureclub
And here's our website, just in case you're not into the whole myspace thing:
http://dropthepressure.net/
Drop the Pressure!
Every Thursday, 6PM - 10PM
Underground SF, 424 Haight x Webster
FREE!
$4 well drinks, $2PBR
Here's our myspace if you'd like to friend us:
http://www.myspace.com/dropthepressureclub
And here's our website, just in case you're not into the whole myspace thing:
http://dropthepressure.net/
Drop the Pressure!
Every Thursday, 6PM - 10PM
Underground SF, 424 Haight x Webster
FREE!
$4 well drinks, $2PBR
Monday, September 29, 2008
Event Review: Supermayer at Mighty
On Friday the boyfriend and I went with our friend J down to Mighty to check out Kompakt boy darlings and superhero dj team Michael Mayer and Superpitcher, who, with their powers combined, fight against the forces of boring dance music as SuperMayer. It was a fun night of watching the two of them bop around behind the decks, reminding us after the rather heavy set laid down by local boy Nikola Baytala that techno can have some funk and humor in it as well.
The thing about Mighty that continues to drive me crazy is that the sound system, which I’ve been told originally came from 177 Townsend, it just too big for that space. I like a system that’s crisp and lets me really feel the bass, but too often I leave Mighty feeling like I’ve lost yet more of my remaining hearing. When we arrived on the upside of 11 there weren’t yet enough bodies on the dancefloor to dampen the sound, and the tracks Nikola Baytala was playing seemed just too heavy and dark for me at that point, though this may have just been a side-effect of the system being so loud that I couldn’t stay out on the dancefloor. Gradually I was able to ease myself into closer proximity to the speakers, and by midnight Baytala had gotten into more of a progressive groove that had the dance floor nicely populated. At times I thought Baytala’s set was something of a riff on the techno version of an End Up deep house set, very smooth, with one foray off into vocal territory, but with a pretty consistent set of dynamics that focused mainly on a steady bass thump.
Supermayer came on at 12.30 with a track that completely changed the mood of the space, and for most of the first hour the heavy bass that I had gotten used to in Baytala’s set was replaced with more of the “schaffel” sound so closely associated with Kompakt. There was a lot more motion in the mid-range, and occasional forays into what felt like funk, though when they went for techno they had no qualms about bringing in sounds and structures that were buzzy, glitchy, and just plain weird. Mayer and Superpitcher alternated roughly every three tracks and were having an obvious good time behind the decks, though at times their set did feel a little disjointed. One time as Mayer was coming in after Superpitcher, for example, he completely mis-timed the very long intro on the track he was mixing in, so everything just slowed down to a halt for a minute or two. My only complaint about their set was that it was a bit breakdpwn heavy; at times this felt like they were going for a progressive feel, with big buildups, climaxes, and breakdowns, and sometimes it felt like they just didn’t match the measures of the tracks they were mixing. Around 2 they played their big recent release, “Two of Us,” which is all tension and lack of resolution, and at that point I was ready to check out for the night. The dancefloor was packed, though, and I’m sure the party kept going well into the wee hours.
The thing about Mighty that continues to drive me crazy is that the sound system, which I’ve been told originally came from 177 Townsend, it just too big for that space. I like a system that’s crisp and lets me really feel the bass, but too often I leave Mighty feeling like I’ve lost yet more of my remaining hearing. When we arrived on the upside of 11 there weren’t yet enough bodies on the dancefloor to dampen the sound, and the tracks Nikola Baytala was playing seemed just too heavy and dark for me at that point, though this may have just been a side-effect of the system being so loud that I couldn’t stay out on the dancefloor. Gradually I was able to ease myself into closer proximity to the speakers, and by midnight Baytala had gotten into more of a progressive groove that had the dance floor nicely populated. At times I thought Baytala’s set was something of a riff on the techno version of an End Up deep house set, very smooth, with one foray off into vocal territory, but with a pretty consistent set of dynamics that focused mainly on a steady bass thump.
Supermayer came on at 12.30 with a track that completely changed the mood of the space, and for most of the first hour the heavy bass that I had gotten used to in Baytala’s set was replaced with more of the “schaffel” sound so closely associated with Kompakt. There was a lot more motion in the mid-range, and occasional forays into what felt like funk, though when they went for techno they had no qualms about bringing in sounds and structures that were buzzy, glitchy, and just plain weird. Mayer and Superpitcher alternated roughly every three tracks and were having an obvious good time behind the decks, though at times their set did feel a little disjointed. One time as Mayer was coming in after Superpitcher, for example, he completely mis-timed the very long intro on the track he was mixing in, so everything just slowed down to a halt for a minute or two. My only complaint about their set was that it was a bit breakdpwn heavy; at times this felt like they were going for a progressive feel, with big buildups, climaxes, and breakdowns, and sometimes it felt like they just didn’t match the measures of the tracks they were mixing. Around 2 they played their big recent release, “Two of Us,” which is all tension and lack of resolution, and at that point I was ready to check out for the night. The dancefloor was packed, though, and I’m sure the party kept going well into the wee hours.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Your Saturday Guide for September 27, 2008
Holy shit, Saturdays are looking tres lame these days. Help me out here folks, what's fun in the techno/tech house/underground/gay scene these days that I'm missing?
Oh yeah, there's Magnitude at The Regency and The Men of Raging Stallion at The Endup if you're looking for Folsom-related activities.
Weeklies and Bar Nights
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
Manquake at The Gangway
In the words of DJ Bus Station John: "Tremble & quake to the pulse of 70's/80's hi-NRG, disco and R&B classix & curios while enjoying drink specials & xxx-traordinary vintage visuals."
9PM - 2AM
$5
The Gangway, 841 Larkin Street
Starfucker at Deco
Strip twister, $100 best cock contest, etc., etc.
10PM - 3AM
$6 before 11, $8 after
Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin x Turk
VHS Presents Sarcastic Disco with Paul T at 19 Heron Street
Nu-disco (hmmm) with Paul T of Los Angeles, Leonard of Tocadisco, Jeno, Kevin Saunderson, Chad Neiro, Brian B, and JJ Shuy.
10PM - 6AM
$10
19 Heron Street (Harrison x 8th)
Oh yeah, there's Magnitude at The Regency and The Men of Raging Stallion at The Endup if you're looking for Folsom-related activities.
Weeklies and Bar Nights
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
Manquake at The Gangway
In the words of DJ Bus Station John: "Tremble & quake to the pulse of 70's/80's hi-NRG, disco and R&B classix & curios while enjoying drink specials & xxx-traordinary vintage visuals."
9PM - 2AM
$5
The Gangway, 841 Larkin Street
Starfucker at Deco
Strip twister, $100 best cock contest, etc., etc.
10PM - 3AM
$6 before 11, $8 after
Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin x Turk
VHS Presents Sarcastic Disco with Paul T at 19 Heron Street
Nu-disco (hmmm) with Paul T of Los Angeles, Leonard of Tocadisco, Jeno, Kevin Saunderson, Chad Neiro, Brian B, and JJ Shuy.
10PM - 6AM
$10
19 Heron Street (Harrison x 8th)
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Your Friday Guide for September 26, 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 Rich Korach (Paxahau) and Farzana (Black Market Techno) along with residents Javaight and dcoy. Check out my review of Killswitch!
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
Blow-Up at The Rickshaw Stop
With resident DJ Blake Miller (Moving Units) (what happened to Jeffrey Paradise?).
10PM - 2AM
$10 for 21+, $15 for 18-21
The Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell at Van Ness
Lights Down Low at Club 222
Your last chance to check out a genuine MySpace scene in San Francisco. With resident DJs Sleazemore and Rchrd OH!? (Big Stereo blog) and special guests. Check out my previous reviews of Lights Down Low.
10PM - 2AM
$7
Club 222, 222 Hyde Street x Turk
Monthlies and One-Offs
Faktion at Club Anu
Another little mushroom popping up in the techno scene - excellent! Tonight with Alex Windsor (FnF), Amber (SisterSF) and Perla (De'fChild).
10PM - 2AM
$5, FREE before 11
Club Anu, 43 Sixth x Market
Michael Mayer with Superpitcher at Mighty
The stars of Kompakt come out to play. With support from Nikola Baytala of Kontrol.
10PM - "late"
Online tix $19.28, probably $20 at the door
Mighty, 119 Utah Street x 15th
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 Rich Korach (Paxahau) and Farzana (Black Market Techno) along with residents Javaight and dcoy. Check out my review of Killswitch!
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
Blow-Up at The Rickshaw Stop
With resident DJ Blake Miller (Moving Units) (what happened to Jeffrey Paradise?).
10PM - 2AM
$10 for 21+, $15 for 18-21
The Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell at Van Ness
Lights Down Low at Club 222
Your last chance to check out a genuine MySpace scene in San Francisco. With resident DJs Sleazemore and Rchrd OH!? (Big Stereo blog) and special guests. Check out my previous reviews of Lights Down Low.
10PM - 2AM
$7
Club 222, 222 Hyde Street x Turk
Monthlies and One-Offs
Faktion at Club Anu
Another little mushroom popping up in the techno scene - excellent! Tonight with Alex Windsor (FnF), Amber (SisterSF) and Perla (De'fChild).
10PM - 2AM
$5, FREE before 11
Club Anu, 43 Sixth x Market
Michael Mayer with Superpitcher at Mighty
The stars of Kompakt come out to play. With support from Nikola Baytala of Kontrol.
10PM - "late"
Online tix $19.28, probably $20 at the door
Mighty, 119 Utah Street x 15th
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Pondering the State of the Scene
This past Friday the boyfriend and I went down to The Stud for the Shadowplay reunion party, which also served as the ending party for Lucky Pierre and Heat, which had previously occupied two of the The Stud’s Friday night slots. We had a good time, but I wound up spending most of my mental energy running through the catalog of other nights that have ended this year, and what this might mean for the current shape of our scene.
So far this year I’ve seen the end of The Workout, Frisco Disco, and (though they’re not officially done yet) Lights Down Low for the indie/electro/bloghouse scene; The Grind, Fag Fridays, Big Top, Drunk and Horny, Lucky Pierre, Basket, and Trannyshack for the gay scene; Heat, and (again, looking ahead to the closing of Club 222), Techno Tuesdays, and the end of the regular Dirty Bird parties at Anu among the more music-centered nights.
Of course everything is cyclical, the club industry is founded on whim and trend, and eventually more nights will come forth to replace the ones that have passed (it looks like Richard Oh?! and Sleazemore are just moving their scene to Vessel, for example, but on a Wednesday night). But it does give one pause when you look at the present state of things. The gay scene is looking increasingly like the same thing being iterated over and over again; bear party, circuit party, top 40/hip hop night, neo disco party, drag cabaret, lather rinse repeat. And while it’s gratifying to see techno, or at least tech-house, gaining in popularity among the straight set, it’s also difficult to rouse any sense of excitement for heading to yet another party at Mighty or Mezzanine.
There are certainly people doing interesting things within their own scenes; Kontrol, Auralism, and Staple are helping build the techno/tech-house scenes, Honey Sound System has brought underground energy back to the gay scene, and even the couple times I’ve been to Bearracuda the DJs showed a musically adventurous streak. But it feels like San Francisco nightlife is contracting, rather than growing, with a limited number of event producers taking the same ideas around to the increasingly limited number of venues that are available. When I first started this blog it was with a sense of excitement about what I would find as I prowled the clubs and bars of San Francisco. Now, as I put together the weekend events calendars, I find it very difficult to work up enthusiasm for much of anything; the word that comes to mind most often is “stale.”
I’ve devoted endless conversations to this topic, trying to put my finger on what combination of factors has led to this situation, trying to determine if my own jadedness has finally taken over completely, if we are truly in the midst of shift in San Francisco culture, or some combination of both. I don’t doubt that my own experiences in clubland have had an impact on me over the past year, nor do I doubt that the economy has had an impact as well. I also don’t know if I really have enough breadth of experience to talk about San Francisco nightlife as a whole, since I know that there are some clubs and scenes, like drum’n’bass nights at Underground SF, and dub nights at Club 6, that seem to be doing quite well. I do know that at the meeting of the Entertainment Commission to discuss the promoter permits I heard promoters from across the spectrum express the sentiment that San Francisco nightlife is in trouble, but the very circumstances of that gathering might have prompted the participants to paint a picture of the club scene in gloomy tones.
So gang, tell me what you think: is the scene slowing down, or is it just me? Are there things you get excited about, or do you also find yourself thinking that drinking at home with friends is more appealing than dashing off to the club? When you go out, what are you looking for, and what do you find? I really want to know, cuz I need some inspiration.
So far this year I’ve seen the end of The Workout, Frisco Disco, and (though they’re not officially done yet) Lights Down Low for the indie/electro/bloghouse scene; The Grind, Fag Fridays, Big Top, Drunk and Horny, Lucky Pierre, Basket, and Trannyshack for the gay scene; Heat, and (again, looking ahead to the closing of Club 222), Techno Tuesdays, and the end of the regular Dirty Bird parties at Anu among the more music-centered nights.
Of course everything is cyclical, the club industry is founded on whim and trend, and eventually more nights will come forth to replace the ones that have passed (it looks like Richard Oh?! and Sleazemore are just moving their scene to Vessel, for example, but on a Wednesday night). But it does give one pause when you look at the present state of things. The gay scene is looking increasingly like the same thing being iterated over and over again; bear party, circuit party, top 40/hip hop night, neo disco party, drag cabaret, lather rinse repeat. And while it’s gratifying to see techno, or at least tech-house, gaining in popularity among the straight set, it’s also difficult to rouse any sense of excitement for heading to yet another party at Mighty or Mezzanine.
There are certainly people doing interesting things within their own scenes; Kontrol, Auralism, and Staple are helping build the techno/tech-house scenes, Honey Sound System has brought underground energy back to the gay scene, and even the couple times I’ve been to Bearracuda the DJs showed a musically adventurous streak. But it feels like San Francisco nightlife is contracting, rather than growing, with a limited number of event producers taking the same ideas around to the increasingly limited number of venues that are available. When I first started this blog it was with a sense of excitement about what I would find as I prowled the clubs and bars of San Francisco. Now, as I put together the weekend events calendars, I find it very difficult to work up enthusiasm for much of anything; the word that comes to mind most often is “stale.”
I’ve devoted endless conversations to this topic, trying to put my finger on what combination of factors has led to this situation, trying to determine if my own jadedness has finally taken over completely, if we are truly in the midst of shift in San Francisco culture, or some combination of both. I don’t doubt that my own experiences in clubland have had an impact on me over the past year, nor do I doubt that the economy has had an impact as well. I also don’t know if I really have enough breadth of experience to talk about San Francisco nightlife as a whole, since I know that there are some clubs and scenes, like drum’n’bass nights at Underground SF, and dub nights at Club 6, that seem to be doing quite well. I do know that at the meeting of the Entertainment Commission to discuss the promoter permits I heard promoters from across the spectrum express the sentiment that San Francisco nightlife is in trouble, but the very circumstances of that gathering might have prompted the participants to paint a picture of the club scene in gloomy tones.
So gang, tell me what you think: is the scene slowing down, or is it just me? Are there things you get excited about, or do you also find yourself thinking that drinking at home with friends is more appealing than dashing off to the club? When you go out, what are you looking for, and what do you find? I really want to know, cuz I need some inspiration.
Upcoming Event: Lovefest Float Fundraiser for Kontrol/Auralism Records at 222 Hyde, Wednesday Sept 24
Yeah, I know it's pretty last minute, but I only got the email reminder this morning myself.
Kontrol/Auralism Lovefest Float Fundraiser
with
Keith Kemp (live) (Beretta Grey, D Records)
Lance Desardi (Bang the Box, Land Shark, Dessous)
Kontrol v. Auralism tag-team throwdown
9PM - 2AM
Donations taken at the door
222 Hyde, Hyde x Turk
Kontrol/Auralism Lovefest Float Fundraiser
with
Keith Kemp (live) (Beretta Grey, D Records)
Lance Desardi (Bang the Box, Land Shark, Dessous)
Kontrol v. Auralism tag-team throwdown
9PM - 2AM
Donations taken at the door
222 Hyde, Hyde x Turk
Friday, September 19, 2008
Your Saturday Guide for September 20, 2008
Man, Saturday nights are looking weak these days! Glad we decided to make our own fun with a cocktail party!
Weeklies and Bar Nights
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
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
Breaks, dubstep, hip-hop, tech-house, electro, etc. with an-ten-nae, Nicole Doherty, and Alvaro Bravo.
10PM to 12 Noon Sunday (yes, 14 hours)
FREE before 11, $10 with RSVP to www.sensesf.com/show
The EndUp, 6th x Harrison
Black Market Techno at The Oasis, Oakland
A twelve-hour techno BBQ! With Rich Korach, Craig Kuna, Travis Dalton, Roman Stange, Jaime James, Dima, Brendan Finlayson and BMT residents.
2PM - 2AM!
FREE!
Oasis, 135 12th Street x Madison, Oakland
Weeklies and Bar Nights
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
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
Breaks, dubstep, hip-hop, tech-house, electro, etc. with an-ten-nae, Nicole Doherty, and Alvaro Bravo.
10PM to 12 Noon Sunday (yes, 14 hours)
FREE before 11, $10 with RSVP to www.sensesf.com/show
The EndUp, 6th x Harrison
Black Market Techno at The Oasis, Oakland
A twelve-hour techno BBQ! With Rich Korach, Craig Kuna, Travis Dalton, Roman Stange, Jaime James, Dima, Brendan Finlayson and BMT residents.
2PM - 2AM!
FREE!
Oasis, 135 12th Street x Madison, Oakland
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Your Friday Guide for September 19, 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 Christian Mora (Bang the Box) and Guthrie (Tweekin').
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
NO COVER
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
M4M at Underground SF
Joshua J's new weekly. Go-go boys, drinks . . . you get the picture.
10PM - 2AM
FREE
Underground SF, 424 Haight x Webster
Monthlies and One-Offs
The Last Shadowplay at The Stud
I think I went to the very first one, or among the first ones, when I first moved back to San Francisco. Tonight Donimo, Candy, DJ6 and special guests lay out that dark electro sound at The Stud one more time!
10PM - 3AM
$5
The Stud, 399 9th Street x Harrison
Miss Kitten and The Hacker at 103 Harriet Street (aka 1015 Folsom)
Yep, they're still at it. If you haven't seen them on one of their innumerable previous Blasthaus-sponsored tours, well, here's your chance.
9PM - afterhours
$20 advance (with a $3 service fee)
103 Harriet Street x Folsom
Dax Presents Jeff Samuel
Berlin remixer, DJ, producer, and video game music dude extraordinaire, with support from Justin Martin, Christian Martin, Galen, Mozaic, Solar, and Little John
9PM - 4AM
$7 before 11, $15 after
Mighty, 119 Utah Street x 15th
The City Continues to Screw Up Halloween
According to a story in today's SFGate, the City's attempt to create an alternative Halloween event is once again falling apart. You may remember that last year they cracked down on Halloween in the Castro, leading to one of the more depressing Halloweens I can remember, and there was some idea floating around for a while that they were going to do a big party out on one of the piers - you know, in the middle of nowhere, where it's cold. However, the City was unable to put anything together, and so we it was the Year Without a Halloween.
This year Halloween falls on a Friday, so you can bet there will be plenty of people ready to party. And once again, the City has dropped the ball. It seems that they had pretty much the same concept, but were dependent on corporate sponsorship, and charging everyone $31 a pop (why $31, why not $30, or $35) to go to a party with - wait for it - Destiny's Child. Whooo, that sounds like something I'll line up for.
As it turns out they can't get the money they wanted, so they're cutting back on things like tents - you know, things that keep you comfortable if it's rainy and cold. They say no performers have dropped out, but seriously, who is going to go to this, even if it's free?
I haven't mentioned this before, but back in March when I got laid off, I applied for the job of the new event coordinator for the Entertainment Commission. I thought I had a good chance, given the people I had recommending me, my experience with event organization, and having my finger on the pulse of the San Francisco Scene as I do. When I chatted with Audrey Joseph about the job, she told me that it would probably be largely concerned with dealing with things like Halloween. Fine, I thought, I have some ideas around that.
The person they hired (I didn't even get an interview, btw, and they had to extend the application deadline twice before they got what I suppose they considered a good applicant pool), was Laura Fraeza, whose background is in big corporatized events. According to an interview in the Bay Area Reporter, "She plans to use her local connections to bring promoters on board for this year's Halloween celebrations." Well, that's worked out really well, hasn't it?
The problem is that no corporatized event, featuring a lame Top 40 musical act, with an admission fee of $31, will ever attract people in the same way as an unstructured, open street event. And you will never be able to get corporate sponsors to pony up big bucks for an event like Halloween where there's a chance that something could happen that endangers their corporate brand. There is simply no value in being associated with the event in the same way as there is something with inherent cool, drawing a specific demographic, as LoveFest, Pride, the Outer Lands Festival, The Treasure Island Music Festival, Noise Pop, etc.
My suggestion, and the policy I would have tried to implement, is to give Halloween back to the neighborhoods, and encourage neighboring cities, like Oakland, to create events of their own. The reason the Castro got so packed was that it was the only game in town, or even in the area. If every neighborhood came up with their own plan for Halloween and encouraged residents to participate, if Oakland decided to have a Halloween event in Jack London Square, then you would be able to distribue some of the load to different locations. Unfortuantely, I think the City has become convinced that the only way to try and deal with Halloween is to try and control it by putting everyone into the same place, without realizing that no one wants to do that.
This year Halloween falls on a Friday, so you can bet there will be plenty of people ready to party. And once again, the City has dropped the ball. It seems that they had pretty much the same concept, but were dependent on corporate sponsorship, and charging everyone $31 a pop (why $31, why not $30, or $35) to go to a party with - wait for it - Destiny's Child. Whooo, that sounds like something I'll line up for.
As it turns out they can't get the money they wanted, so they're cutting back on things like tents - you know, things that keep you comfortable if it's rainy and cold. They say no performers have dropped out, but seriously, who is going to go to this, even if it's free?
I haven't mentioned this before, but back in March when I got laid off, I applied for the job of the new event coordinator for the Entertainment Commission. I thought I had a good chance, given the people I had recommending me, my experience with event organization, and having my finger on the pulse of the San Francisco Scene as I do. When I chatted with Audrey Joseph about the job, she told me that it would probably be largely concerned with dealing with things like Halloween. Fine, I thought, I have some ideas around that.
The person they hired (I didn't even get an interview, btw, and they had to extend the application deadline twice before they got what I suppose they considered a good applicant pool), was Laura Fraeza, whose background is in big corporatized events. According to an interview in the Bay Area Reporter, "She plans to use her local connections to bring promoters on board for this year's Halloween celebrations." Well, that's worked out really well, hasn't it?
The problem is that no corporatized event, featuring a lame Top 40 musical act, with an admission fee of $31, will ever attract people in the same way as an unstructured, open street event. And you will never be able to get corporate sponsors to pony up big bucks for an event like Halloween where there's a chance that something could happen that endangers their corporate brand. There is simply no value in being associated with the event in the same way as there is something with inherent cool, drawing a specific demographic, as LoveFest, Pride, the Outer Lands Festival, The Treasure Island Music Festival, Noise Pop, etc.
My suggestion, and the policy I would have tried to implement, is to give Halloween back to the neighborhoods, and encourage neighboring cities, like Oakland, to create events of their own. The reason the Castro got so packed was that it was the only game in town, or even in the area. If every neighborhood came up with their own plan for Halloween and encouraged residents to participate, if Oakland decided to have a Halloween event in Jack London Square, then you would be able to distribue some of the load to different locations. Unfortuantely, I think the City has become convinced that the only way to try and deal with Halloween is to try and control it by putting everyone into the same place, without realizing that no one wants to do that.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
The End of 222 Hyde?
A reader just sent me a tip that Club 222 is closing at the end of September, and a rather cryptic note, as well as comments on their Myspace profile, seem to confirm this. So, no more Lights Down Low, no more Techno Tuesdays, no more Garth & Jeno back to back. Anybody got the scoop? You gotta wonder what this town is coming to.
Update: Another tipster pointed me to this All Shook Down blog post from SFWeekly's Jennifer Maerz that confirms that the owners have sold the space and may be opening another club in the Mission. I guess they got tired of a neighborhood where people in the neighboring buildings threw bottles at the people smoking outside the club.
Update: Another tipster pointed me to this All Shook Down blog post from SFWeekly's Jennifer Maerz that confirms that the owners have sold the space and may be opening another club in the Mission. I guess they got tired of a neighborhood where people in the neighboring buildings threw bottles at the people smoking outside the club.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Bar Review: The Telephone Booth, 25th and South Van Ness
After a long day of domestic chores on Saturday, including finally getting the rest of our dusty gear washed and put away, the boyfriend and I wanted an easy night out centered mostly around drinking. We got in touch with our friend Rick and met up at a cute, aptly named hipster bar called The Telephone Booth at 25th and South Van Ness.
We got there around 9.45 and the place had enough crowd to make it seem lively, but not so much of a crowd that we couldn’t get drinks. There was one bartender on duty, and he did a great job of keeping things moving, even when the guy next to me couldn’t count out four single dollar bills in less than ten minutes – the bartender rolled his eyes, looked at me with a twenty in my hand, set us up with libations, and still the guy next to me didn’t seem to get the hint that he needed to pay for his drink.
We were able to find a seat at one of the small tables, and though it was pretty loud, we could still keep a conversation going if we leaned in toward each other. The music was rather painfully post-collegiate hipster rock; I heard The Stooges, The Ramones, and then Madonna’s “Vogue,” which, if I had only recently discovered the first two bands as part of my collegiate experience, would have been cool. As it was I mostly ignored the music, since that wasn’t what I was really there for anyway.
The drinks were cheap, and seemed to get stronger as the evening progressed. Don’t be fooled by those little hotel room water glasses, there’s plenty of booze in those drinks for your buck. There were several drink specials that came in under $7, and even call drinks weren’t more than $5.
The crowd seemed to have an average age of about 27, with lots of shaggy hair, funky eyeglasses, and thrift store blazers, but they were friendly and generally pretty fun. There was a birthday party at the table next to ours and they offered us ice cream, but we declined since we couldn’t settle on a flavor that would go with Jamesons and PBR, or Stoli and tonic. There’s a pool table in back if you need something to occupy your time, but I saw more people leaning against it than knocking balls around. Keep in mind that the place is pretty small, so if you show up with a bunch of people you’ll probably mob the place, or at least have to wait a bit to find a comfortable seating situation.
The Telephone Booth seems like a nice little hipster dive bar that’s off the beaten path enough to keep it from being insufferably crowded or scenster, and if I was looking for a place in that neighborhood to drink with a buddy or two, it would be high on my list of places to check out.
We got there around 9.45 and the place had enough crowd to make it seem lively, but not so much of a crowd that we couldn’t get drinks. There was one bartender on duty, and he did a great job of keeping things moving, even when the guy next to me couldn’t count out four single dollar bills in less than ten minutes – the bartender rolled his eyes, looked at me with a twenty in my hand, set us up with libations, and still the guy next to me didn’t seem to get the hint that he needed to pay for his drink.
We were able to find a seat at one of the small tables, and though it was pretty loud, we could still keep a conversation going if we leaned in toward each other. The music was rather painfully post-collegiate hipster rock; I heard The Stooges, The Ramones, and then Madonna’s “Vogue,” which, if I had only recently discovered the first two bands as part of my collegiate experience, would have been cool. As it was I mostly ignored the music, since that wasn’t what I was really there for anyway.
The drinks were cheap, and seemed to get stronger as the evening progressed. Don’t be fooled by those little hotel room water glasses, there’s plenty of booze in those drinks for your buck. There were several drink specials that came in under $7, and even call drinks weren’t more than $5.
The crowd seemed to have an average age of about 27, with lots of shaggy hair, funky eyeglasses, and thrift store blazers, but they were friendly and generally pretty fun. There was a birthday party at the table next to ours and they offered us ice cream, but we declined since we couldn’t settle on a flavor that would go with Jamesons and PBR, or Stoli and tonic. There’s a pool table in back if you need something to occupy your time, but I saw more people leaning against it than knocking balls around. Keep in mind that the place is pretty small, so if you show up with a bunch of people you’ll probably mob the place, or at least have to wait a bit to find a comfortable seating situation.
The Telephone Booth seems like a nice little hipster dive bar that’s off the beaten path enough to keep it from being insufferably crowded or scenster, and if I was looking for a place in that neighborhood to drink with a buddy or two, it would be high on my list of places to check out.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Review: Sasha's Invol2ver
Wow. It's not often I put on my headphones at work and find myself really wanting to listen to something in a serious way, but Sasha's Invol2ver isn't just any DJ mix. After so many disappointments recently, where the mix seemed, at best, an exercise in Ableton, Sasha has put out a deep, engaging reminder of what a truly talented producer can accomplish.
In many ways I'm reminded of the classic Northern Exposure, but there are more vocals samples here, and straight up rock moments, and while Northern Exposure offered the listener a vast space in which to lose themselves, Invol2ver, perhaps true to its name, comes off as a more plaintive, anxious, and personal statement. This makes it difficult, at times, to think of this as a dance mix; there are moments when I can imagine the lights and the crowd, the rush of exhilaration, but as it slowly unwinds toward the end I find myself meditating on what this final statement of "the one thing I've yet to find/has found me" means. But then, this is an mix that brings in two of the most angst-ridden tracks in contemporary music, Apparat's "Arcadia" and Thom Yorke's "Eraser."
I've always liked Sasha's sound; where others go for the easy anthem, he treads lightly, kicking in a sharp bass beat to propel things along but maintaining a sense of space and expansion. Sasha's scale is symphonic, and he has a real composer's sense of texture and arrangement. After hearing so much over-compressed bloghousery lately, where it's all amount the most bang for your buck, Sasha's sound is a breath of fresh air.
In many ways I'm reminded of the classic Northern Exposure, but there are more vocals samples here, and straight up rock moments, and while Northern Exposure offered the listener a vast space in which to lose themselves, Invol2ver, perhaps true to its name, comes off as a more plaintive, anxious, and personal statement. This makes it difficult, at times, to think of this as a dance mix; there are moments when I can imagine the lights and the crowd, the rush of exhilaration, but as it slowly unwinds toward the end I find myself meditating on what this final statement of "the one thing I've yet to find/has found me" means. But then, this is an mix that brings in two of the most angst-ridden tracks in contemporary music, Apparat's "Arcadia" and Thom Yorke's "Eraser."
I've always liked Sasha's sound; where others go for the easy anthem, he treads lightly, kicking in a sharp bass beat to propel things along but maintaining a sense of space and expansion. Sasha's scale is symphonic, and he has a real composer's sense of texture and arrangement. After hearing so much over-compressed bloghousery lately, where it's all amount the most bang for your buck, Sasha's sound is a breath of fresh air.
Your Friday Guide for September 12, 2008
Hmmm, lookin' like a slow Friday. I'll be at Killswitch for a while after 7, say hi if you're in the neighborhood.
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 a DJ set from Broker/Dealer.
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
NO COVER
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
M4M at Underground SF
Joshua J's new weekly. Go-go boys, drinks . . . you get the picture.
10PM - 2AM
FREE
Underground SF, 424 Haight x Webster
Monthlies and One-Offs
Lights Down Low at Club 222
For all your hipster bloghouse needs. Check out my previous reviews of Lights Down Low.
10PM - 2AM
$7
Club 222, 222 Hyde Street x Turk
The Rod at Deco Lounge
The retro endures. Must be that midnight wet jockstrap contest. Check out my review of The Rod.
10PM - 4AM
FREE before 10PM, $5 After
Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin at Turk
Monday, September 8, 2008
Another One Bites the Dust: No More Hot Mess at The Stud
Over the weekend a source familiar with The Stud's booking situation told me that Gus Presents will no longer be presenting Hot Mess at The Stud. According my source, Gus wanted to bring in his own bar staff, and to take a bigger percentage of the bar income, to which The Stud said no.
With the loss of Trannyshack and Hot Mess, as well as Lucky Pierre and Heat/Loose, and only David Harness' Manifesto to support Friday nights, one wonders what will become of The Stud in the days ahead. It looks to me like they really need to find another strong night for Saturdays to keep things afloat, though I have no idea how well Planet Big and some of the other monthlies are doing there.
With the loss of Trannyshack and Hot Mess, as well as Lucky Pierre and Heat/Loose, and only David Harness' Manifesto to support Friday nights, one wonders what will become of The Stud in the days ahead. It looks to me like they really need to find another strong night for Saturdays to keep things afloat, though I have no idea how well Planet Big and some of the other monthlies are doing there.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Your Saturday Guide for September 6, 2008
Wow, with no more Frisco Disco, and no more Drunk and Horny (yep, not even as a monthly), the Saturday night listings are starting to look a little sparse! And that's even before I start cutting out the stuff that I wouldn't go to in a million years.
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. This week: "underbear" party (really, will the puns never stop?)
9PM - 3AM
$6
Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin x Turk
Monthlies and One Offs
Kontrol at the End Up
With special guest Dan Curtin from Berlin. 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.
Bob Mould and Rich Morel present Blowoff at Slim's
Okay, this is how it's described in an event listing elsewhere: "Bob Mould and Rich Morel bring their indie dance club with a bearish clientele to San Francisco. " Personally, I think San Francisco needs another bear party about as much as it needs another diva pop/hip hop party, but I'm much more interested in what they do for the music rather than what kind of guys show up for it. These parties have been huge in DC, and the one they brought to New York tallied up 1200 people, so this could be quite an event that's well worth checking out.
ALL AGES
10PM - 2AM
$15 (buy tickets online through the Slim's site)
Slim's, 333 11th Street x Folsom
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. This week: "underbear" party (really, will the puns never stop?)
9PM - 3AM
$6
Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin x Turk
Monthlies and One Offs
Kontrol at the End Up
With special guest Dan Curtin from Berlin. 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.
Bob Mould and Rich Morel present Blowoff at Slim's
Okay, this is how it's described in an event listing elsewhere: "Bob Mould and Rich Morel bring their indie dance club with a bearish clientele to San Francisco. " Personally, I think San Francisco needs another bear party about as much as it needs another diva pop/hip hop party, but I'm much more interested in what they do for the music rather than what kind of guys show up for it. These parties have been huge in DC, and the one they brought to New York tallied up 1200 people, so this could be quite an event that's well worth checking out.
ALL AGES
10PM - 2AM
$15 (buy tickets online through the Slim's site)
Slim's, 333 11th Street x Folsom
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Music on the Playa
If there's one definitive thing I can say about music on the playa this year, it's that I've now heard all the James Brown I need to hear for an entire year. Every day, several times a day, I would hear The Godfather testifying from somewhere, and even saw him being towed in effigy around the Esplanade behind a bicycle one day.
The aural omipresence of James Brown was an indication of what seemed like the general musical mood; breaks and big electronic thumps certainly had their place at 10 O'clock and along the Esplanade, but when you got into the small soundsystems the vibe was much more about easygoing party pop 'n' rock. On Thursday night, trying to find my way among various pathways of the mind, the dance party at a camp down Allante made me think I had stumbled back into Drunk and Horny, while during the day I had happened into a Rolling Stones party at the Solar Snow Cone camp.
There were of course plenty of big whoo-whoo parties with electronic music, but distance and the difficulty of getting around on bikes due to the sand traps kept me from really going out to the big dance camps like Opulent Temple. There's something about the scale of those camps, too, that I find a bit off-putting; if being around a thousand fucked-up people at 1015 seems a little much to deal with, try adding a couple thousand more people to the mix. Just think about the amount of dust generated by all those stomping feet.
My best musical moment came on Friday at the Deep End, where Worthy of Dirty Bird fame had the opening set. I had been up for a pretty intense twenty-four hours at that point, and had become even more doggie than usual, but Worthy's set sparked me back to life for a few more hours. After that, though, I was basically done with dancing at Burning Man; I checked into the Honey Sound System party at Comfort and Joy after midnight that night, deemed it too hot and reeking of sweaty faeries for my physical condition, and soon after was passed out in my tent (J, though, later told me that Pee Play laid out a fun set).
I did play a set at Camp Zoom on Wednesday night, but it was Lord Kook who can lay claim to two truly awesome sets, both at Glitter Camp on the Esplanade. On Tuesday, after struggling through a dust storm on Monday and then spending all day Tuesday working on our camp art project, we were ready to party, and so, it seemed, was everyone else there. LK held that space for a solid two hours that night, drawing in lots of wandering gay boys, including Pee Play, who was drawn in by the whoops that went up when LK dropped Lindstrom's "Another Station." LK returned on Wednesday to play a tag-team with Jovino that lasted a full five hours, until both of them were just too exhausted to play another track.
On the Burning Man census this year there was a section to check off the things that brought you to the playa, and one of them was "the music scene." I ticked this off as one of my attractions, but I really think that the version of the Burning Man music scene that I experience here, through Opulent Temple, Space Cowboys, and the host of fundraisers is a lot more interesting for me than what I've encountered on the playa. In many ways, the sound of the playa has become pretty predictable, and the scale of the event makes it both very difficult to find things that are more off the beaten path, and to get to them when you do find them. I know, though, that all these things move in cycles, and just as breaks superseded trance as the sound of the playa, something else new will eventually come along; I just wish it would hurry up and happen already.
The aural omipresence of James Brown was an indication of what seemed like the general musical mood; breaks and big electronic thumps certainly had their place at 10 O'clock and along the Esplanade, but when you got into the small soundsystems the vibe was much more about easygoing party pop 'n' rock. On Thursday night, trying to find my way among various pathways of the mind, the dance party at a camp down Allante made me think I had stumbled back into Drunk and Horny, while during the day I had happened into a Rolling Stones party at the Solar Snow Cone camp.
There were of course plenty of big whoo-whoo parties with electronic music, but distance and the difficulty of getting around on bikes due to the sand traps kept me from really going out to the big dance camps like Opulent Temple. There's something about the scale of those camps, too, that I find a bit off-putting; if being around a thousand fucked-up people at 1015 seems a little much to deal with, try adding a couple thousand more people to the mix. Just think about the amount of dust generated by all those stomping feet.
My best musical moment came on Friday at the Deep End, where Worthy of Dirty Bird fame had the opening set. I had been up for a pretty intense twenty-four hours at that point, and had become even more doggie than usual, but Worthy's set sparked me back to life for a few more hours. After that, though, I was basically done with dancing at Burning Man; I checked into the Honey Sound System party at Comfort and Joy after midnight that night, deemed it too hot and reeking of sweaty faeries for my physical condition, and soon after was passed out in my tent (J, though, later told me that Pee Play laid out a fun set).
I did play a set at Camp Zoom on Wednesday night, but it was Lord Kook who can lay claim to two truly awesome sets, both at Glitter Camp on the Esplanade. On Tuesday, after struggling through a dust storm on Monday and then spending all day Tuesday working on our camp art project, we were ready to party, and so, it seemed, was everyone else there. LK held that space for a solid two hours that night, drawing in lots of wandering gay boys, including Pee Play, who was drawn in by the whoops that went up when LK dropped Lindstrom's "Another Station." LK returned on Wednesday to play a tag-team with Jovino that lasted a full five hours, until both of them were just too exhausted to play another track.
On the Burning Man census this year there was a section to check off the things that brought you to the playa, and one of them was "the music scene." I ticked this off as one of my attractions, but I really think that the version of the Burning Man music scene that I experience here, through Opulent Temple, Space Cowboys, and the host of fundraisers is a lot more interesting for me than what I've encountered on the playa. In many ways, the sound of the playa has become pretty predictable, and the scale of the event makes it both very difficult to find things that are more off the beaten path, and to get to them when you do find them. I know, though, that all these things move in cycles, and just as breaks superseded trance as the sound of the playa, something else new will eventually come along; I just wish it would hurry up and happen already.
Upcoming Event: Benefit for Aaron of SPAZ Collective, Saturday September 6, Oakland
This is a real underground so I will only direct you over to the SPAZ website for more info. I will say that SPAZ is a bit infamous for "difficult music," and one of the DJs is listed as playing "power noise," but Tom Kat of Bassaholics Anonymous will be bringing the minimal, and it's all for a good cause.
Your Friday Guide for September 5, 2008
It's back, the new and improved Friday Night Guide (see if you can figure out what the improvement is)!
One of the big academic stars from my grad school days, expect deep thoughts, a heavy slavic accent, and maybe some Alfred Hitchcock references.
8PM
$20
Herbst Theater, 401 Van Ness x McAllister
Ellen Allien and Modeselektor at Mighty
Okay, this is probably the biggee for the night, I only wish it wasn't in a club with such a shitty sound system where I actually enjoy hanging out. Oh, and it's expensive as fuck. I think I'll just treasure my memories of seeing both artists back at the Rx Gallery.
9PM - "after hours"
$27 pre-sales at Tweekin, prolly $30 at the door
Mighty, 119 Utah Street x 15th
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
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 reviews of Charlie Horse at The Cinch.
9PM - close
NO COVER
The Cinch, 1723 Polk Street (between Clay and Washington)
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
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
Lucky Pierre at The Stud
It's the last one kids, come enjoy some electro bangin' with DJ6 and Donimo, strip poker with Artemis Chase, and fun fun fun.
10PM - 3AM
$5 before 11PM, $7 after
The Stud, 9th x Harrison
One of the big academic stars from my grad school days, expect deep thoughts, a heavy slavic accent, and maybe some Alfred Hitchcock references.
8PM
$20
Herbst Theater, 401 Van Ness x McAllister
Ellen Allien and Modeselektor at Mighty
Okay, this is probably the biggee for the night, I only wish it wasn't in a club with such a shitty sound system where I actually enjoy hanging out. Oh, and it's expensive as fuck. I think I'll just treasure my memories of seeing both artists back at the Rx Gallery.
9PM - "after hours"
$27 pre-sales at Tweekin, prolly $30 at the door
Mighty, 119 Utah Street x 15th
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
No More Big Top at The Transfer?
Just before heading off to the playa I heard from a pretty reliable source that, along with Frisco Disco, Big Top had also been banished from The Transfer. Given that Big Top always seemed to do quite well, it makes one wonder, if the rumor is true, what's going on there? I've heard a few speculations, but since they're just that, I won't repeat them here.
Since Joshua J is starting up a new party at UndergroundSF on Fridays (M4M), and recently had Booty Call at The Bar hailed as one of the best gay nights by SFWeekly, I'm sure that the demise of Big Top won't really affect him very much. Still, you have to wonder exactly what they're trying to do at The Transfer, and who else they'll shaft in the future.
Since Joshua J is starting up a new party at UndergroundSF on Fridays (M4M), and recently had Booty Call at The Bar hailed as one of the best gay nights by SFWeekly, I'm sure that the demise of Big Top won't really affect him very much. Still, you have to wonder exactly what they're trying to do at The Transfer, and who else they'll shaft in the future.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Burning Man Meditation: An Exercise in Solipsism
When I return from the playa I always have this feeling that I’m returning to civilization after several months in the bush; everything is familiar and expected, but I spend a lot of time wondering about why things the way they are, and wondering if they could be different. And, like the explorer who has gone a bit native, I wonder if I’m not more suited to life in the bush than I am life among my civilized peers.
Having made it through my third burn, I’ve given up, in some ways, on thinking of Burning Man as a significant, life-altering, culturally revolutionary event. It is, for me, simply an opportunity to have fun, absolve myself of certain quotidian responsibilities, and experience challenges that are more physical and material than intellectual in nature. For a few days every year I get to swing a sledgehammer and build things with a drill, eat camp-out cuisine and enjoy a beer with my morning eggs without any feelings of guilt. It is ultimately an exercise in solipsistic self-indulgence, and this is the reason why, for me at least, attempting to dress it up with themes and rhetoric that position it as a force of cultural movement ultimately seems hollow.
I think that just about everyone who goes to Burning Man wants to come back to the world feeling that something significant has happened to them, that a question they’ve been asking has been answered, that a new path has opened up before them, and if those things haven’t happened, then the event is a disappointment. I definitely felt that way the first time I went, and to a lesser extent the second time as well. But the problem is that life in the bush can only prove to you something about life in the bush; you can try to bring those ideas and lessons back to civilization with you, but if you try to bring the structures of one paradigm into another, you only generate un-resolvable conflict – I can only be depressed that civilized life isn’t bush life, and, eventually, give up on the civilized world.
Instead of expecting the Burning Man experience to change my life, I’ve come to look at it in the same way as I do New Year’s Eve, as a marker in time that provides an opportunity for rumination and resolution as I try to create change for myself. Having now passed through the portal of a New Burning, I’m ready to act on my resolutions.
This year, I have two things that I’ve been pondering. The first, as you all might expect, is the value of our “scene” and my own role in it. The second, slightly more personal problem, is what I want to be when I grow up.
Regarding the scene, I did have a moment of realization at Burning Man that has helped set my course. Lord Kook was throwing down a great set at Glitter Camp on Tuesday night when I spied PeePlay in the audience and started chatting with him. “Maybe now you can understand why I’m so down on the concept of ‘the scene’” I said to him, to which he replied “The scene is all about money.” Of course this is obvious, but when you’re deep into the scene and the who’s who if it, it’s easy to lose track of this basic idea. So, I realized at that moment that, as much as I enjoy music and DJing and the culture surrounding it, I really don’t like the scene. From this follows my first resolution, to scrap the whole idea of being a scenester, and instead be somebody who champions the things I find really interesting and creative. I had been chewing on this idea well before I left, but it took the experience of trying to be part of the scene, of playing certain games and exploring certain avenues, to make it clear to me (among those certain things, writing for Beatportal demonstrated for me the general emptiness behind so much of what passes for music journalism these days). Burning Man helped put a point on all this for me because, once you’re there, it’s about as anti-scene as you can get.
Regarding the issue of figuring out what I’m going to do with my life, I already had some strong ideas about this before setting off for the Burn, or at least some ways to approach the problem. If anything, Burning Man creates a situation that is much more open than others, one that lets you catch a glimpse of other possibilities, But if I hadn’t already been primed to think about these things, I doubt that Burning Man would have provided me with any kind of crystallizing experience. I went because I already have a dislike of the corporatized, regimented, capitalist world I have to live in on a daily basis, and want to experience something at least a little different for a few days every year; it’s not like going to Burning Man suddenly made me think about things in a way I never had before.
The thing about trips to the bush is that they remove constraints and let things within us come out that are normally hidden or repressed; sometimes those are good things, and sometimes, pretty often in fact, they’re bad. Events like Burning Man don’t change us in any way that wasn’t already potentially there, they just let us get to know ourselves a little better. When the dust has all been washed away, when we’ve settled back into the routine of work, the thing that endures is whatever we’ve learned about ourselves, for good and bad, and maybe the desire to be more of who we are during those few weeks out of every year.
Having made it through my third burn, I’ve given up, in some ways, on thinking of Burning Man as a significant, life-altering, culturally revolutionary event. It is, for me, simply an opportunity to have fun, absolve myself of certain quotidian responsibilities, and experience challenges that are more physical and material than intellectual in nature. For a few days every year I get to swing a sledgehammer and build things with a drill, eat camp-out cuisine and enjoy a beer with my morning eggs without any feelings of guilt. It is ultimately an exercise in solipsistic self-indulgence, and this is the reason why, for me at least, attempting to dress it up with themes and rhetoric that position it as a force of cultural movement ultimately seems hollow.
I think that just about everyone who goes to Burning Man wants to come back to the world feeling that something significant has happened to them, that a question they’ve been asking has been answered, that a new path has opened up before them, and if those things haven’t happened, then the event is a disappointment. I definitely felt that way the first time I went, and to a lesser extent the second time as well. But the problem is that life in the bush can only prove to you something about life in the bush; you can try to bring those ideas and lessons back to civilization with you, but if you try to bring the structures of one paradigm into another, you only generate un-resolvable conflict – I can only be depressed that civilized life isn’t bush life, and, eventually, give up on the civilized world.
Instead of expecting the Burning Man experience to change my life, I’ve come to look at it in the same way as I do New Year’s Eve, as a marker in time that provides an opportunity for rumination and resolution as I try to create change for myself. Having now passed through the portal of a New Burning, I’m ready to act on my resolutions.
This year, I have two things that I’ve been pondering. The first, as you all might expect, is the value of our “scene” and my own role in it. The second, slightly more personal problem, is what I want to be when I grow up.
Regarding the scene, I did have a moment of realization at Burning Man that has helped set my course. Lord Kook was throwing down a great set at Glitter Camp on Tuesday night when I spied PeePlay in the audience and started chatting with him. “Maybe now you can understand why I’m so down on the concept of ‘the scene’” I said to him, to which he replied “The scene is all about money.” Of course this is obvious, but when you’re deep into the scene and the who’s who if it, it’s easy to lose track of this basic idea. So, I realized at that moment that, as much as I enjoy music and DJing and the culture surrounding it, I really don’t like the scene. From this follows my first resolution, to scrap the whole idea of being a scenester, and instead be somebody who champions the things I find really interesting and creative. I had been chewing on this idea well before I left, but it took the experience of trying to be part of the scene, of playing certain games and exploring certain avenues, to make it clear to me (among those certain things, writing for Beatportal demonstrated for me the general emptiness behind so much of what passes for music journalism these days). Burning Man helped put a point on all this for me because, once you’re there, it’s about as anti-scene as you can get.
Regarding the issue of figuring out what I’m going to do with my life, I already had some strong ideas about this before setting off for the Burn, or at least some ways to approach the problem. If anything, Burning Man creates a situation that is much more open than others, one that lets you catch a glimpse of other possibilities, But if I hadn’t already been primed to think about these things, I doubt that Burning Man would have provided me with any kind of crystallizing experience. I went because I already have a dislike of the corporatized, regimented, capitalist world I have to live in on a daily basis, and want to experience something at least a little different for a few days every year; it’s not like going to Burning Man suddenly made me think about things in a way I never had before.
The thing about trips to the bush is that they remove constraints and let things within us come out that are normally hidden or repressed; sometimes those are good things, and sometimes, pretty often in fact, they’re bad. Events like Burning Man don’t change us in any way that wasn’t already potentially there, they just let us get to know ourselves a little better. When the dust has all been washed away, when we’ve settled back into the routine of work, the thing that endures is whatever we’ve learned about ourselves, for good and bad, and maybe the desire to be more of who we are during those few weeks out of every year.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Back from the Playa!
We rolled back into down on Saturday around midnight after leaving the playa at 4.20 in the midst of a crazy dust storm, and are still cleaning the dust out of our bodies and belongings. I'll be weighing in with some deep mediations in the next few days, but in the meantime the boyfriend has posted up some photos and commentary on his Livejournal blog you all might enjoy.
Below Zero Minus One Ambient & Downtempo Compilation
For all fans of the ambient/downtempo radio show Below Zero on San Francisco's 92.7 Energy, there's now a 16-track compilation available at Streetlight Records and Virgin Megastore locally, or you can download it from the Below Zero website or Beatport.
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