Choice nightlife and dance floor affairs, Fri/18-Sun/20.
By Marke B.
PARTY RADAR There’s such an astonishing windfall of good parties this weekend, I don’t think many of us will live to see the Folsom Street Fair-centric bacchanalia next weekend. I weep for the lost, but what can you do? If you’re going to pass away, you might as well do it on a great dancefloor, where someone appreciative can clock your last look and note the flawless details.
Anchoring the wild weekend will be part one and part two of the balls-out, multi-pronged As You Like It Fifth Anniversary Celebration — a four-party international deep techno extravaganza spanning the next two weeks. On Sun/20, you can dance with the AYLI crew and special guests for almost 14 hours, daytime through night. Part one will be the sun-drenched As You Like It Open-Air Party (Sun/20, 12:30pm-8pm, $5-$15. Public Works, SF) with DJs Max Graef and Glenn Astro (Germany) Huxley (UK) and AYLI residents Rich Korach and Mozaic.
Hard on that blowout’s heels is, of course, the AYLI Official Afterparty (Sun/20, 8:30pm-2am, $5-$10. Monarch, SF) with great, electro-steamy French DJ Ivan Smagghe, plus our beloved Conor, Jimmy B, and AYLI residents Mossmoss, William Wardlaw, and Brendan Finlayson.
The term “party promoter” can have sleazy connotations — in Europe, good parties are tied more to record labels and in-house club promotion teams than the goofy, self-promotional P.T. Barnum acts the US often seems rife with. But San Francisco has mostly been spared that ridiculousness by indispensable crews like As You Like It, whose Jeremy Bispo (along with Jeremy Linden, Christina Chatfield, and other AYLI members) is known mostly for his actual love for the music, appreciation of a good party well-thrown, and insistent motto “quality.” I love them all so. Here’s to another several five years!
>>>>> FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 <<<<<
>>> LINDSTRØM, OPTIMO, JOAKIM THIS LINEUP! It’s a dream within a dream. Lindstrøm, classic Swedish prince of cosmic disco; Optimo, Scottish masters of forgotten post-punk grooves; Joakim, dreamy French eclectic astronaut performing with a full band (!) — you’ll be spun around the globe and to the moon at this one. PLUS! It’s a Gun Club crew reunion, so you know the party will be blackout fabulous. Fri/18, 9pm-late, $20-$25. Mezzanine, SF. Tickets and more info here.
>>> PUBLIC WORKS FIVE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY Another five-year marker for another institution which has done so much to transform and preserve SF nightlife. I adore the Public Works venue. (And even though I find myself there sometimes three times a week, I’ve not grown tired of it! Testament to true achievement.) Hands wave, please, for special guest DJs Dusky and Pumpkin, and a personal UK bass favorite, Bwana, plus DJ/PW manager Peter Blick and many more — congrats, everyone! Fri/18, 9pm-4am, $5-$25. Public Works, SF. Tickets and more info here.
>>> OCTAVE ONE Detroit techno legends the Burden Brothers, back with a huge sound, one one of the best sound systems in SF? Yes please, beat me with that beat, and dip me in Black Water. With Solar and Vin Sol. Fri/18, 10pm-4am, $15-$20. Mighty, SF. Tickets and more info here.
>>> GUNNAR HISLAM “By day he’s a scholar of particle physics and signal processing, and by night he makes very heady music.” That’s a good start at describing this L.I.E.S. label wonderboy, but his propulsive, organically electronic music will have you moving beyond the textbooks and onto the floor. With hometown techno here Jason Kendig and more. Fri/18, 10pm-4am, $10. F8, SF. Tickets and more info here.
>>>> UNiiQU3 She’s know for her Hula Hoop, but don’t let that catchy ditty fool you, she’ll also rule a mic or two when she hits queer hip-hop party sensation Swagger Like Us. Fri/18, 10pm-3am, $10-$12. Oasis, SF. Tickets and more info here.
>>>>> SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 <<<<<
>>> NON STOP BHANGRA 11TH ANNIVERSARY WITH TIGERSTYLE I’ve followed the wonderful Vickie Virk, DJ Jimmy Love, the dholrhythms dancers, and the whole Non Stop Bhangra crew on their journey for more than a decade now — incredible! Their vision to bring Punjabi dance music to our dance floors and their dedication to keeping SF’s club scene diverse and multifaceted (you’ll find live painting and drumming, dance lessons, and a plethora of special guests at every monthly party) brings a tear to my eye when I think of it. Go to this party! This time around featuring Scotland’s Tigerstyle. Yes, Scottish bhangra, y’all. Sat/19, 9pm, $20 advance. Public Works, SF. Tickets and more info here.
>>> DJ SPEN + KARIZMA Kick your heels up for some real house music, because this classic East Coast pair will take you beyond. With David Harness, Sean Murray, and a host of happy dancers who actually move sideways, rather than just up and down. Sat/19, 10pm-late, $15-$20. Mighty. SF. Tickets and more info here.
>>> LEGOWELT + TRAXX Two incredible DJs, here to celebrate yet another anniversary (seriously what gives this week) — the too-cute intelligent-but-fun techno We Are Monsters crew has been at it for four years. Dutch acid eminence Legowelt provides the mind-melt, Chicago eclectic selector gives you the dark funk. Huzzah! Sat/19, 9:30pm-3am, $10-$20. Monarch, SF. Tickets and more info here.
>>> BEATPIG The best-looking party in a leather fetish bar you’ll attend this month. (It’s a monthly party.) Plus there’s dancing! Drag goddess Juanita More and feisty piglet Walter Gomez + groovemeister and cute lil oinker DJ Sidekick draw all the cool kids out for a night of debauchery. It all benefits the Transgender Law Center. Sat/19, 9pm, $5. Powerhouse, SF. More info here.
>>> BIG DECK Yes, all the rumors about me are true — I did indeed go to this party last month for its debut, and I had a great time. Outdoors at the Eagle on a Saturday afternoon, who knew? A colorful cast of characters, great dance music from Collin Bass, Mark O’Brien, and M*J*R, and a whole lotta deck. Sat/19, 2pm-8pm, $10. The Eagle, SF. More info here.
>>>>> SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 <<<<<
>>> SPILLIN’ TEA Serious chills for this one — it’s gonna be an End Up Tea Dance reunion at Oasis, when classic SF DJs Ruben Mancias and David Harness join forces again in the daylight…. finally! Throw some baby powder down on that floor and twirl aaaaall day long. Sun/20, 3pm-9pm, $10. Oasis, SF. Tickets and more info here.
>>> AFTERNOON DELIGHT This daytime patio throwdown in Oakland is absolutely splendid, featuring a plethora of special guests (I was one of them!) and great, sunny vibes. DJ Allen Craig brings his New Wave/house music expertise for this first anniversary celebration, with residents Justime and Joshua. Hallelu! Sun/20, 3pm-8pm, $7. New Parish, Oakland. More info here.
>>> DISCO DADDY This month’s edition of DJ Bus Station John’s infamous disco party is entitled “Jonesin’ for Grace” — as in Ms. Grace Jones, the legend who’s been blowing up all over again, from NYC’s Afropunk festival to our own fair shores, where she’ll be performing live next weekend. Here’s the warm up — pull up to the bumper for some good stuff from the vaults. Sun/20, 7pm, $5. SF Eagle. More info here.
