48 Hills | Independent daily San Francisco news + culture

Music

Swell’s reunion tour harkens back to SF’s ’90s indie rock sanctuary

Daniel Bromfield - December 1, 2023

Band suffered the loss of lead singer David Freel—but with 300 unreleased tapes in the archive, it's ready to ride a new wave.

Performance

Việt Lê embodies the divine of ‘MOTHER | GODDESS’ with Southeast Asian ‘spiritual drag’

Joshua Rotter - November 30, 2023

Drawing on ceremony practiced in one of the oldest Indigenous Vietnamese religions, event looks to support audience's own intuition.

Art

Tintype photographer Jenny Sampson captures women on wheels, roundness of meals

Mary Corbin - December 1, 2023

Collage, her work in professional kitchens, skate culture inspire Sampson's images.

Lit

10 cult classics: Books on charismatic leaders to nourish your squint-eyed cynicism

Zack Ruskin - November 30, 2023

Popularity of follower docs aside, unraveling sects might be best as a book-length pursuit. Here are titles that take on the task.

Hot topics

Crank up support for local music with holiday merch madness

John-Paul Shiver - November 30, 2023

Is that the ...? From Larry June's supple slippers to take-home St. Mary's Pub sips, a couple clicks and it could be.

Stage Review

SF Opera’s ‘The Elixir of Love’ presents case for resuscitating problematic ‘classics’

Charles Lewis III - November 30, 2023

'Nice guy' trope and love drugs aside, are you drinking the potion?

News + Politics

War criminal who cared nothing for the lives he destroyed is dead at 100

Tim Redmond - November 30, 2023

Henry Kissinger represented that worst of the United States. We should remember the lessons of his life of cold brutality.

Housing

No, the supes didn’t ‘punt’ on housing bill

Tim Redmond - November 29, 2023

A measure that makes no sense is still on track; here's what it might mean for the city.

Sponsored link

Ruffled muppet slaughterhouse? Another Hole in the Head still stocks the campiest of gore

Movies Dennis Harvey - November 29, 2023

Film festival's 20th edition features 1920 classic 'Dr. Caligari,' ice mummies—and even Freddy Krueger as waterbed.

‘Shere Hite actually did change society’: Revindicating the woman who demystified orgasm

Movies Pam Grady - November 29, 2023

New documentary takes on life of bestselling, game-changing author—who was forced to flee the country.

Lorraine Hansberry Theatre stages Black women’s healing with joyful jeté

Onstage Lou Fancher - November 29, 2023

Artistic director Margo Hall celebrates company's mentorship opportunities and high-spirited holiday production 'Soulful Christmas.'

Holiday booze news: Casements’ educational advent, floriani corn whiskeys top our tree

Food & Drink Adrian Spinelli - November 28, 2023

Plus: Next year's hottest beer bust, Fort Point's Dungeness-laden beer cocktails.

No words: Savor the Castro’s last moments as movie palace with ‘A Day of Silents’

Movies Dennis Harvey - November 28, 2023

Start off with 10am all-cartoon bill, and stay for slapstick, swashbuckle, and romantical burlesque on the beloved screen.

Good Taste: Mochi crust to paneer pies, 2 pizza shops that aren’t serving your average slice

Food & Drink Tamara Palmer - November 28, 2023

Mochiko Mochi Pizza and Mr. Singh's offer up some roundly innovative 'za.

Jasmine Milan: Best of the Bay 2023 Editors’ Pick

Best of the Bay Charles Lewis III - November 28, 2023

Standout Oakland actress shines light on stories of Black and queer liberation—and even crafts dreamy costuming.

On Giving Tuesday, please support the future of local news in San Francisco

Featured Tim Redmond - November 27, 2023

Local newspapers are dying all over, threatening democracy. We are trying to keep community journalism alive. Can you help?

Housing bill that makes no sense at all moves forward with reluctant committee vote

Housing Tim Redmond - November 27, 2023

Trickle-down economics from the Reagan Era rules as the state forces San Francisco to give luxury developers what they want (and ignores affordable housing).

Under the Stars: It’s gonna be a very The Roots December

Music John-Paul Shiver - November 27, 2023

Plus: Maya Rudolph's Prince cover band comes to town, synth wiz Franck Martin takes San Jose, more music news

Coco Peru dons Heklina’s tunic (metaphorically) for ‘Golden Girls: Christmas Episodes’

Onstage Joshua Rotter - November 27, 2023

'I felt like Bea Arthur was pushing me on my shoulder and saying, 'Do it,'' says drag star of beloved show.

Supes push back on state-mandated housing disaster

The Agenda Tim Redmond - November 26, 2023

Plus: An honest discussion about the cops and budget priorities. That's The Agenda for Nov. 26 to Dec. 3

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