48 Hills | Independent daily San Francisco news + culture

Year in Music 2025: We will not be dumbed down

Artists are finally teasing out a happy medium between digital and analog, with surprisingly audacious releases.

Music Daniel Bromfield - December 30, 2025

‘Nonsense, folly, and impertinence:’ Some predictions for 2026

Wherein the Month, and Day of the Month, are set down, the Persons named, and the Great Actions and Events of next Year related as they will come to pass.

Opinion Joel Schechter - December 30, 2025

Year in Music 2025: The Bay made magical noise

SPELLLING's R&B wild-out, Orcutt Shelley Miller's moonlit jams, Spiritual Cramp's guerrilla punk... a watershed year for local ears

Music John-Paul Shiver - December 30, 2025

Screen Grabs: Our favorite films of 2025

Features and docs we couldn't shake in a very terrible political year. Plus: 'The Plague' adds one more to the list

Movies Dennis Harvey - December 30, 2025

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Featured

For more than half a century, the progressives in SF have been right—and the developers wrong

Tim Redmond - December 29, 2025

We have murals and books and movies celebrating the opponents of demolitions like the I-Hotel and redevelopment. What will we look back on 20 years from now?

Party Radar

Comedowns are for losers: New Year’s Day parties 2026

Marke B. - December 29, 2025

Don't flag out once the ball drops: From Breakfast of Champions to Supper of Survivors, we've got your marathon revels covered.

The Agenda

PG&E offers more excuses, and will seek to delay and obfuscate over public power

Tim Redmond - December 28, 2025

Public power is cheaper, more reliable, and would make money for the city. Just look at the numbers

Stage Review

Drama Masks: Year on Stage 2025, part 1—the not-so-great stuff

Charles Lewis III - December 26, 2025

A year of devastating cuts, wild uncertainty, and unexpected departures left its mark on the SF scene.

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Under the Stars: Noise Pop’s latest scores? Jay Som, Giraffage, CupcakKe, Open Mike Eagle…

Music John-Paul Shiver - December 26, 2025

Plus: A perfect, purple way to spend NYE, RIP Jellybean Johnson of the Time, Say She She, Altın Gün, more music news.

Screen Grabs: Triumph of the pencil-‘stached uber weasel

Movies Dennis Harvey - December 25, 2025

Timothée Chalamet scores in 'Marty Supreme.' Plus: Park Chan-wook takes on vulture capitalism, and 1941 'Texas' returns.

SF could move to take over PG&E’s system right now, if city officials had the political will

City Hall Tim Redmond - December 23, 2025

We don't need a new state bill or more hearings. The city could start the public power process immediately—and send a powerful message to the state

Good Taste: Fantastic food moments of 2025

Food & Drink Tamara Palmer - December 23, 2025

Burgers, bagels, sandwiches, and a giant slice of chocolate cake: our columnist reflects on the dishes that ate.

Rachel Wolfe-Goldsmith’s art is empowerment writ large

Art Mary Corbin - December 22, 2025

'Oakland inspires me daily,' says creator, who works with incarcerated men and depicts 'change-makers and world-builders.'

A small piece of land in SF for unhoused people to build their own future …

Homelessness Tiny - December 22, 2025

... And already, the complaints have started

Cruising for Christmas: A horny gay guide to the holidays

Sex Marke B. - December 22, 2025

'(Analog) Cruising' author and back-alley aficionado Leo Herrera spills seasonal tricks for sliding down those chimneys.

It’s time to kick PG&E out of the city. In fact, it’s long, long overdue

The Agenda Tim Redmond - December 21, 2025

Plus: Robocars could cause a massive crisis in an emergency— and the budget for next year is going to be awful. That's The Agenda for Dec. 21-28

The great PG&E debacle: A timeline 1898-1997

News + Politics Tim Redmond - December 21, 2025

A deep dive into the scandalous history of the power company, including the Raker Act and Hetch Hetchy dam deal.

As alarm over massive blackout grew, some found camaraderie at local spots

Culture Emma Lorraine Garcia - December 21, 2025

Power outage shut down businesses in essential holiday shopping season, but many tried to make the best of it.

A year of living dangerously: Trump’s war on public health—and how to fight for the future

Healthcare Bruce Mirken - December 19, 2025

MAHA-calypse 2025 saw devastating cuts, wild propaganda, and infectious diseases unleashed. Experts tell us how to move forward.

Drama Masks: Let’s get ‘Ruthless!’ for the holidays

Arts + Culture Charles Lewis III - December 18, 2025

New Conservatory Theater spices up the holidays with camp. Plus: Circus Bella's 'Starlight' brings delightful twists.

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Movies

Screen Grabs: Our favorite films of 2025

Features and docs we couldn't shake in a very terrible political year. Plus: 'The Plague' adds one more to the list

Movies Dennis Harvey - December 30, 2025

Screen Grabs: Bi Gan’s dazzlingly hubristic ‘Resurrection’

Screen Grabs: On the lam with excellent ‘The Secret Agent’

Screen Grabs: ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ rolls onto big screens

Music

Year in Music 2025: The Bay made magical noise

SPELLLING's R&B wild-out, Orcutt Shelley Miller's moonlit jams, Spiritual Cramp's guerrilla punk... a watershed year for local ears

Music John-Paul Shiver - December 30, 2025

Under the Stars: Noise Pop’s latest scores? Jay Som, Giraffage, CupcakKe, Open Mike Eagle…

Under the Stars: Karl Denson’s ‘Sexy 69th’ is your post-holiday treat

Live Shots: Circus Bella brings warm cheer (and super stunts)

Art

Rachel Wolfe-Goldsmith’s art is empowerment writ large

'Oakland inspires me daily,' says creator, who works with incarcerated men and depicts 'change-makers and world-builders.'

Art Mary Corbin - December 22, 2025

Old Masters meet old laptop in John Tarahteeff’s evocative canvases

John Mavroudis doesn’t hold back from speaking out through art

Contrarian art giant Jim Melchert found hope in the cracks

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Housing

A small piece of land in SF for unhoused people to build their own future …

... And already, the complaints have started

Homelessness Tiny - December 22, 2025

The bogus (and needless) politics of austerity

The dangerous fantasy of upzoning

The creepy sleeping pods might not even be legal

Politics

PG&E offers more excuses, and will seek to delay and obfuscate over public power

Public power is cheaper, more reliable, and would make money for the city. Just look at the numbers

The Agenda Tim Redmond - December 28, 2025

It’s time to kick PG&E out of the city. In fact, it’s long, long overdue

Delivery drones in the skies above SF?

Under Lurie, affordability is in free fall

Opinion

‘Nonsense, folly, and impertinence:’ Some predictions for 2026

Wherein the Month, and Day of the Month, are set down, the Persons named, and the Great Actions and Events of next Year related as they will come to pass.

Opinion Joel Schechter - December 30, 2025

It’s the city’s fault that a rare earthquake shack is almost gone

Dear Gavin: Here are some (free) tips for your presidential campaign

Drama Masks: In no mood for theatrics

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48 hillsIndependent San Francisco News + Culture

48 hillsIndependent San Francisco News + Culture

48 Hills is community-supported journalism

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