Welcome to Big Week, our weekly guide to cool things to do, put together by our expert critics and writers.
GENERAL ARTS
Marke B. keeps an eye and ear and everything else out.
THROUGH SEPTEMBER 12: HAIRSPRAY The exuberant musical based on the timeless John Waters movie has is spritzing SF up into a big, beautiful beehive: “It’s 1962 in Baltimore, and big-hearted teen Tracy Turnblad dreams of dancing on “The Corny Collins Show.” When her wish comes true, Tracy becomes an overnight sensation—and uses her newfound fame to challenge the show’s segregationist rules. Bursting with infectious rhythms, colorful characters, and unstoppable joy, Hairspray is an uplifting celebration of self-expression, inclusion, and standing up for what’s right.” San Francisco Playhouse. More info here.
THU/27: DICK DAY When Lower Haight legend Dick Vivian, salty Rooky Ricardo’s record store owner and keeper of the flames of all things vintage audio, passed away July 24 at the age of 78 (appropriate!) it was as if a huge part of San Francisco went with him. So many soul mights, dusty records, camp tchotchkes, and retro spirits…. Never fear though, he is living on in this tribute night (perhaps fist of many to come) which invites people to bring their own records to spin in tribute to the one and only. 7pm, The Knockout, SF. More info here.
FRI/28: SHOTZ: MAXXING “San Francisco theater is about to get maxxed. On August 28, ShotzSF drops seven brand-new short plays and one short film—written, rehearsed, and ready to detonate—for a single, can’t-miss night at The Eclectic Box in the Mission. Eight world-premiere short works so fresh the ink’s still wet on the scripts. This is Bay Area theater at its scrappiest and most alive: local writers, directors, and actors going all-in on original work, live, unfiltered, and just a little unhinged—the way theater’s supposed to be.” 7pm, Eclectic Box, SF. More info here.
SAT/29: THE TAKE-OFF: QUEER ARTS SHOWCASE 10+ performers come together to show the diversity and resilience of radical queer art now. “The Take-Off is a queer art showcase centering visual artists and performers across disciplines, creating space for experimentation, visibility, and collective expression. Rooted in San Francisco’s lineage of radical queer creativity, this event exists to gather us in a time when collectivism matters most.” 5pm-8pm, The Stud, SF. More info here.
SAT/29: TORI AMOS Let’s not kid ourselves, this is an essential summit of Gen X SFers who will be hanging on every word of this poetic goddess and outspoken advocate. Direct from her luscious lips: “New album In Times of Dragons is a metaphorical story about the fight for Democracy over Tyranny.” Raise those lighters! 8pm, Greek Theater, SF. More info here.
MUSIC
Hit up John-Paul Shiver’s Under the Stars column for great tunes and shows every week.
THU/27: ANNUAL FREIGHT FIDDLE SUMMIT Fiddle me this! It’s time again for The Freight’s Annual Fiddle Summit, hosted by Alasdair Fraser, and let me tell you. After a stellar experience with Jeff Parker last weekend in the wonderful-sounding Berkeley venue, I’m down to try and dig in on Scottish fiddle music tradition, Gaelic airs, and the wondrous world where these storytellers learn from an aural tradition—taught “by ear” rather than via written music. If that sounds like blues and gospel to your ears? You’re not wrong. Open your ears, people. It’s a fascinating study that leans into the idea that these musics of the land are connected, and that’s a beautiful thing. 8pm, The Freight, Berkeley. More info here.
FRI/28: THE GREYBOY ALLSTARS How freakin cool is funk-jazz saxophonist Karl Denson? I don’t know if you can handle it, Mang. He’s a member of, of course, Karl Denison’s Tiny Universe, aka KDTU; the Greyboy All-Stars; and also goes and plays for that little old geriatric band, the Rolling Stones. Heard of em? You can also find his world-renowned band performing as Sexual Chocolate (Karl was in the original band in the movie Coming to America and its sequel). But this Friday night at the new music venue, you know, The Castro Theatre, you can hear Denson serve funk riffs alongside his Greyboy brethren. Go catch them before Karl is called out of town again. 8pm, Castro Theatre, SF. More info here.
FRI/28: DIRECTIONS IN STEREO @ 540 BAR When Circuit73, guest DJ Joe Rice, plus a surprise guest get to the brass tacks of playing wax (that’d be vinyl) at one of the more colorful and artful neighborhood bars and community spaces in the city? Gear up for a Friday, carrying those big autumnal vibes, with major dividends. Your weekend starts when the needle drops. 7pm until late. 540 Bar, SF. More info here.
FOOD & DRINK
Tamara Palmer’s weekly Good Taste column tells you where to stick your fork.
THROUGH THUR/27 HELP EGG PALS BUILD THEIR PALACE Oakland pop-up Egg Pals is trying to raise $50,000 on Kickstarter to build a permanent space called Egg Palace (it’s currently at Molly’s Refresher). As of this writing, the campaign is at just over $44,000. Kickstarter has an all-or-nothing model, and it would be a super shame for them to come this far and not receive any funding. Rewards for kicking in include a wide variety of apparel, opening party tickets, and even a punch card for one monthly breakfast sandwich for a year. Will they crack $50,000? We’re sending sunny side up vibes.
THROUGH SUN/30 DOWN DIRTY DRINKS FOR HEALTHY SOIL “Bottoms up, carbons down!” Zero Foodprint is collaborating with bars and restaurants across the country this week for an initiative called Dirty Drinks. Participants have created a spirited or spirit-free drink around the theme and will donate $1 from each sale of the beverage this week to the nonprofit’s soil restoration grants. SF restaurant State Bird Provisions’ luscious-looking virgin Dirty Pluot Soda caught my eye on Instagram; sister spots The Progress and The Anchovy Bar are also on board for Dirty Drinks, as are locals such as Canela Bistro Bar, Cavaña, Last Rites, Linea Caffe, Linden Room, Pagan Idol, Penny Roma, Terrene, Trick Dog, Viridian, and Zombie Village. Check out the full list here.
STAGE
Charles Lewis III checks out theaters and performance spaces every week in the Drama Masks column.
THROUGH 9/12: D’ARCY DROLLINGER’S DISASTROUS! AT OASIS You know that feeling of wanting to take a holiday to Mexico only find out that you’re smuggling orgasm-inducing white powder on a doomed trip to an island full of monsters ruled over by a Bond villain who wants you dead? Yeah, that old tale. Oasis’ first proper stage play since re-opening is the latest entry in D’Arcy Drollinger’s Shit & Champagne series. This time, the oft-divorced exotic dancer is caught up in SF politics and international intrigue during her never-ending quest for self-satisfaction. Oasis, SF. More info here.
THU/27: OPERA PARALÈLLE’S EXPANSIVE 5: REVOLUTION IS JUST THE BEGINNING. For the fifth straight year, SF’s premiere independent opera company is dedicating a night to queer and trans performers. Not only does the event arrive at a precarious time for queer life in the US, it also marks the 60th anniversary of San Francisco’s very own Compton’s Cafeteria Riots. Host Afrika America and pianist Keisuke Nakagoshi lead a roster of classical music stalwarts that includes Sapphira Cristál, Katherine Goforth, and Nina Jones. Some of the most beloved music in history performed by those who refuse to run back to the shadows. ACT Strand, SF. Further info. More info here.
FILM
Dennis Harvey’s long-running Screen Grabs has tons more flicks to recommend.
Sat/29: SCUMDANCE Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year is the single-day film festival that which originated in a Reno punk club before moving to SF, but remains dedicated to bringing you “the best and weirdest underground films.” Its two programs at 2:30pm and 6:15pm, followed by a 9:30pm awards ceremony, offer a goulash of gore, black comedy, animation and more. Local contributions include Andrew Goldfarb’s The Slow Poisoner Show: Cousin Crumple Comes A-Callin’, a B&W meetup between Sid & Marty Kroftt and Forbidden Zone, plus “cacophony of horror insanity” Disectoid, compiling different bad-taste miniatures from Sonoma County talents. The Lost Church, SF. More info here.
NIGHTLIFE
Marke B. usually knows what’s up.
FRI/28: BLACK HOUSE RADIO If you have not caught the instantly infectious sounds of this media channel’s DJ sets—in which Black house legends DJ form a couch in a very comfy-looking house while real people dance joyously behind them—then you need to get on it now. They just featured SF’s David Harness, and now they are here live, in a big room, with Knights of Zion, Michael Donte, and more. Dancing shoes only, please. 10pm, Folsom, SF. More info here.
SAT/29: HYDE FM PRESENTS CONNIE Who can deny this lineup from one of our precious community broadcasters? “Irreverent rising star CONNIE is joins locals bastiengoat and New Nostalgia to push Monarch’s Void sound system to beautiful extremes through hefty bass and rolling percussion.” 9pm-3am, Monarch, SF. More info here.
