48 Hills | Independent daily San Francisco news + culture

A decade in, the Back Room still holds space for intimate musical encounters

Berkeley mainstay hosts 10-day concert series marking 10 years of diverse, all-ages, BYOB, communal gigs.

Music Joshua Rotter - April 12, 2026

Record Store Day 2026 brings a ‘1983’ treat

The annual music shop celebration re-releases a Flying Lotus classic (among many others) to tempt you inside, April 18.

Music John-Paul Shiver - April 12, 2026

Puff: Flying high for 420 with a full week of Space Walk fest

Clone Fest, Cutie Pipes, the Herb Somm, dub dancing, Brownie Mary doc, and mind-blowing strains. Plus: You need this fast food bong.

Puff Dan Karkoska - April 12, 2026

Rich people are lying to seniors about the billionaire tax; does the news media care?

Plus: Protecting civilian control of the cops, and is SF 'a liberal oligarchy?' That's The Agenda for April 12-19

The Agenda Tim Redmond - April 12, 2026

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City Hall

Why is the City Attorney’s Office ‘investigating’ a leaked document? It’s unprecedented and alarming

Tim Redmond - April 9, 2026

It's hard to see the focus on Sup. Fielder's Office as anything except a political vendetta, and the Chron should be ashamed to be part of it.

Movies

Screen Grabs: Balboa Theater hits 100—and honors a costuming legend

Dennis Harvey - April 9, 2026

Plus: 'Return to Oz,' a new Camus, Doris Day's cult lesbian moment, Paleolithic Herzog, 'Faces of Death,' more

Culture

How to catch a crab

Kajsa Kedefors - April 9, 2026

Reeling in a delicious catch—and finding a friendly community—at Pacifica Pier and beyond.

Music

Under the Stars: Stoked for Stern Grove and SF Bay Popfest lineups, ‘lesbian doom folk’

John-Paul Shiver - April 8, 2026

Ulrika Spacek, Slake, Little Hill Lounge, Mortified, Vinyl Williams, Radio Sofia—so much great music.

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Drama Masks: Keeping the monsters of the world at bay

Stage Review Charles Lewis III - April 8, 2026

Perk yourself up with 'Lost in Yonkers' or 'Compton's' riot. Meanwhile, Berkeley Rep's 'The Monsters' tells a sadly familiar tale.

Supes reject illegal conversion that turned four rental units into one mansion

Housing Tim Redmond - April 7, 2026

Critical vote not to accept Sauter deal sends a message to speculators—but there are plenty of other examples that the city has ignored

You can double our reporting power! Our $50k Spring Bloom match drive is here

Featured Marke B. - April 7, 2026

Help us save independent media, fight the billionaires, and keep government accountable.

Grab a free pass to see new doc ‘Lorne’

Promotion Marke B. - April 7, 2026

Catch a behind-the-scenes look at the legendary 'Saturday Night Live' producer—but act fast!

With New Works Festival, Lenora Lee Dance opens doors to radical voices

Dance Aimée Ts'ao - April 7, 2026

Seven diverse dance-makers premiere pieces exploring nuanced empowerment, quiet observation, immersive healing, more

What’s up at the Black Cat? Great jazz, for one

Music John-Paul Shiver - April 6, 2026

The TL joint treads in the giant steps of the legendary Blackhawk venue, as Veotis Latchinson's D'Angelo tribute made clear.

In Oakland, a tiny-home community is forced back onto the streets

Homelessness Tiny - April 6, 2026

They had a modest place to live. Now they are unhoused once again. How long does this have to go on when unhoused people have solutions that work?

At 20, CubaCaribe looks back—and ahead—at vibrant diasporic culture

Dance Aimée Ts'ao - April 6, 2026

The essential fest boasts a bonanza of Caribbean and related dance, as well as community gatherings, a photo exhibit, more.

Four rental units become one $4.75 million mansion. Will the supes legalize it?

The Agenda Tim Redmond - April 5, 2026

Vote on Vallejo St. property would set a dangerous precedent for speculators to destroy rent-controlled housing

CBS workers win tentative contract

Labor Ian Firstenberg - April 5, 2026

While the agreement still needs to be ratified, the preliminary deal bodes well for writers and producers.

Brian McDonald’s waggish works key into an overstimulated world

Art Mary Corbin - April 3, 2026

Mission-based mixed media collagist cites Basquiat, Rauschenberg, and 'Xavier: Renegade Angel' as influences.

John Elberling, advocate for economic and housing justice, dies at 79

Development Tim Redmond - April 2, 2026

'Elbo' helped define the affordable housing and slow-growth movement that was a critical part of the San Francisco left for decades

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Movies

Screen Grabs: Balboa Theater hits 100—and honors a costuming legend

Plus: 'Return to Oz,' a new Camus, Doris Day's cult lesbian moment, Paleolithic Herzog, 'Faces of Death,' more

Movies Dennis Harvey - April 9, 2026

Screen Grabs: Aliens, witches, mermaids, and other swell company

Screen Grabs: Tributes to three trailblazing women filmmakers

Screen Grabs: Back to the USSR

Music

A decade in, the Back Room still holds space for intimate musical encounters

Berkeley mainstay hosts 10-day concert series marking 10 years of diverse, all-ages, BYOB, communal gigs.

Music Joshua Rotter - April 12, 2026

Under the Stars: Stoked for Stern Grove and SF Bay Popfest lineups, ‘lesbian doom folk’

What’s up at the Black Cat? Great jazz, for one

Under the Stars: Welcome to the Womack Sisters era

Art

Brian McDonald’s waggish works key into an overstimulated world

Mission-based mixed media collagist cites Basquiat, Rauschenberg, and 'Xavier: Renegade Angel' as influences.

Art Mary Corbin - April 3, 2026

Four decades later, seminal queer punk zine ‘Homocore’ blasts back into view

For Iranian artist Shiva Ahmadi, ‘ornamentation becomes a form of resistance’

At Superfair, art is more than what’s on the walls

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Housing

Supes reject illegal conversion that turned four rental units into one mansion

Critical vote not to accept Sauter deal sends a message to speculators—but there are plenty of other examples that the city has ignored

Housing Tim Redmond - April 7, 2026

Is the tide finally turning on the ‘abundance agenda?’

Supes approve affordable senior housing project—but discussion raises larger issue

Finally, a media breakthrough of the pro-Yimby narrative that has dominated press and politics

Politics

Rich people are lying to seniors about the billionaire tax; does the news media care?

Plus: Protecting civilian control of the cops, and is SF 'a liberal oligarchy?' That's The Agenda for April 12-19

The Agenda Tim Redmond - April 12, 2026

Four rental units become one $4.75 million mansion. Will the supes legalize it?

CBS workers win tentative contract

SF budget picture improves as mayor tries to cut the tax that is part of the recovery

Opinion

The US war economy and the ‘threat of peace’

In 1957, I.F. Stone suggested that global peace would kill the military industrial complex. That's even more true today.

Humor Joel Schechter - March 23, 2026

United Nations, won’t you come on home?

HIV denialist Peter Duesberg is dead. Good.

Optional vaccines? CDC chair’s bizarre views would turn US into deadly experiment

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Performance

Drama Masks: Keeping the monsters of the world at bay

Perk yourself up with 'Lost in Yonkers' or 'Compton's' riot. Meanwhile, Berkeley Rep's 'The Monsters' tells a sadly familiar tale.

Stage Review Charles Lewis III - April 8, 2026

48 hillsIndependent San Francisco News + Culture

48 hillsIndependent San Francisco News + Culture

48 Hills is community-supported journalism

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