When Public Works opened in 2010, it was a confirmation that the Bay Area could support a dance music scene that had grown into an international force. There was room here for the kind of deep DJ and live act programming that had ruled Berlin, Amsterdam, London et al for decades. Nevermind the social media hype, gimmicky masks, and prerecorded sets that were watering down the scene: Public Works showed an impressive dedication to musical quality and local roots.
For its 15th anniversary this weekend (Thu/2-Sun/5), the club has programmed an incredible slate of talent over four nights, including Oakland powerhouse Chippy Nonstop, spirited Germain technician Âme Live, colorful Midwestern queer multi-hypenate Wreckno (the name says it all), and local hero David Harness playing some soulful house in the Loft on Sunday evening.
But what really caught my eye a few months ago was the launch of PW Union, a membership initiative that can help save devoted clubbers some dough in these expensive nightlife times, as well as guarantee them some nice perks. Levels include Sound Crew, Floor Supervisor, Master Builder, and Night Boss and range from $8-$149 month, with perks like skip the line entrance and first access to tickets to free admission and a drink to all events. To be honest, considering the average cost of a night out lately, PW Union is a helluva boost.
And while it’s not a proper union, it’s a sweet nod to the club’s loyal audience and Public Works’ family vibe—and of course fits right in with their constructive, DIY community aesthetic (along with their Local 161 SMS alert list, which often offers discounts and early access as well). It also suits the spot’s guest-forward vibe.
“We want Public Works to be an extension of your living room,” Caleb Leglu, Public Works’ general manager, told me. “Somewhere you feel comfortable enough to come hang anytime with your friends. Almost like you just put on a great record at home and then suddenly you’re here, listening to the actual person who made that record, or dancing to this incredible DJ playing that record on this great sound system. We’re going to try to make you feel as comfortable, safe, and welcome as possible.”
For much of contemporary nightlife’s history, clubs were private entities that often required a membership to enter—sometimes out of exclusivity (think Studio 54), sometimes out of necessity (up until 2009, for example, clubs in Salt Lake City required private memberships to serve alcohol, and gay and lesbian clubs often only operated with private memberships to avoid persecution). While PW Union is not like those at all, it was itself born out of a certain necessity to rebuild a solid audience after the pandemic while acknowledging the financial realities of clubbing today.
“This is more of a subscription model, in line with the way many things like newsletters such as [local food goddess] Marcia Gagliardi’s Tablehopper and a lot of delivery services are going,” Public Works’ Brand Strategist (love a good in-house nightlife brand strategist!) Jason Bennett told me. Bennett, who has worked with local businesses for decades, said the Union was born from the regular pitch meetings Public Works management holds to throw around innovative ideas. “We saw what was happening elsewhere, and really wanted to put our own stamp on it. It’s such a fun idea for our guests and a great initiative for the times. Working together so closely on it and seeing it come to fruition was really cool, too.”
Of course the Union is synergizing with the 15th anniversary (including a “10 months for 12”), and Jason broke it all down for me over email:
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Like everything we do at Public Works, we designed the PW Union with the community in mind, and made sure we had options for everyone. The entry level Sound Crew lets you skip the line with a friend at any event plus the member gets free coat check. The second tier is Floor Supervisor, which comes with those perks plus free admission to an event of your choice each month and a drink. Master Builder is next and gives you two free events per month plus a drink at each one. And finally, with the Night Boss tier, you’ll get unlimited events each month and a drink at each one.
With our 15th anniversary this weekend, we really wanted to do something to celebrate. For existing members, they will be invited to a special Happy Hour before Âme on Friday, October 3. Not only that, but Floor Supervisors, Master Builders, and Night Bosses will all be admitted to Âme as a free bonus, which means they don’t need to use one of their allotted events to come. They can also bring a +1, and both of them will get a drink ticket. Sound Crew is also invited to the Happy Hour (and will get a drink), but they will need an Âme ticket to attend.
Finally, to help encourage people to join, we’ll be making special, limited-time annual memberships available for each tier where you can get 12 months for the price of 10. With the economy a bit challenging right now, it felt right to help anyone who really wants to become a member but might need a bit of a discount. They are available now through Sunday, October 5, and anyone signing up will get the Happy Hour/Âme perks mentioned above. Current members can upgrade as well and we hope they do!
PUBLIC WORKS 15TH ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND Thu/2-Sun/5, Public Works, SF. More info here.
