Party Radar

Party Radar: ULTIMATE PRIDE GUIDE 2019

By
Marke B.
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PRIDE Heeeeeeey, Happy GIANT PRODE, everybody! Party Radar’s been on a wee hiatus while I finish this crazy book, sorry. I miss getting nuts on the dance floor and/or bathroom stall with you! The book is a history of protest in the US for young people, which, surprise, happens to also tie into this year’s big Pride celebration theme, on the 50th anniversary of Stonewall—Generations of Resistance.

Yes, we still live in a time of online #resistance, which is fine. But honestly, we need to get out of the group chats and into the streets. There are trans people dying from lack of adequate treatment at the border (and being murdered everywhere else, it seems), and queer people without a home are being actually swept out of sight. Queer youth still face tremendous challenges. And let’s not even get into the mess that is national politics, ew.

And partying can be revolutionary, too. As Melissa Hawkins’ awesome recent show of queer club photography from the 1980s and ’90s at the GLBT History Museum pointed out, AIDS activism was based in nightclubs and bars, in communicating face to face, in meeting one another, dancing together, and making a plan.

So, to help out with that (and any social anxiety), here’s a wee guide to the massive amounts of parties happening, to help you navigate the rainbow-tutu’d masses and wash up on the proper rainbow shores.

Let’s get this out of the way in the beginning: I’m part of the Stud Collective, which owns the 53-year-old nightclub, and I love being transparent about it! You will see some Stud events in here because we are a chill place to come party. 🙂 But I love all people and embrace all people, so this is really a rundown of all parties I would heartily recommend.

BUT FIRST the main run-down of must-dos for first-timers:

The National Queer Arts Festival and Frameline Film Festival have tons of stuff going on.
Go see my cute friend Adam Tendler play amazing experimental music in Grace Cathedral on Friday.

Friday is the Trans March. 
Saturday is the Dyke March.
Sunday is the big Pride parade and party.
Monday is taquitos and Netflix.

PRIDE PARTIES! 

> MONDAY 6/24 <

QUEER BOWLING This monthly charitable roll in the lanes is date-night perfection (and single-night score-heavy). It’s also just plain fun to spare. This month features the all-vinyl awesomeness of Chulita Vinyl Club, plus cheap themed drinks and a great menu. 6pm-10pm, free. Mission Bowling Club, SF. More info here.    

> WEDNESDAY 6/26 <

PULLIN’ PORK FOR  PRIDE 48 Hills and the Harvey Milk Democratic Club team up for our annual Pride kick-off! Tasty BBQ (yes there are veggie options) and a beer bust to raise funds for these essential local orgs 🙂 Also, pop up drag numbers, some great prizes, and more. 6pm-9pm, free entry, you can buy a plate and beer bust for cheap! Pilsner Inn, SF. More info here.  

SISTER ACT SINGALONG PRIDE MASS I’m not religious, but I am thankful for this, from the folks who brought us the Beyoncé Mass: “We’ll kick it off with a mini-Pride parade and sing all of your favorite Sister Act songs— from “Hail Holy Queen” to “Joyful, Joyful” — led by our #BeyonceMass soloist Logan Williams. And most importantly, we’ll celebrate that we are all made in the likeness of God with a special Pride message from pastor and activist Brandan Robertson. Oh, and don’t be afraid to wear your fiercest outfit!” 6:30pm-7:30pm, free. Grace Cathedral, SF. More info here. 

BONDAGE-A-GO-GO PERVERT’S PRIDE “At BaGG we are not only kinky. We are Trans. We are Queer. We are lesbian, gay, bisexual, two-spirit, polyamorous, monogamous, pan sexual, asexual, agender, demisexual, demiromantic, sapiosexual, leather daddies, femmes, switches, agender, asexual, bears, otters, unicorns and more and some times we are everything and nothing at the same time. We are Bondage-a-Go-Go.” (There will be dancing and fun!) 9:30pm-2:30am, $10-$20. Cat Club, SF. More info here.

Feathered hair and polka dots in the 1980s!

> THURSDAY 6/27 <

POLKA DOT PROM An ’80s club tradition returns, with fab retro vibes galore. The Stud used to hold this annual fun-speckled party back in the day (legend was they would close the doors and carry on all night). I’ll be DJing some underground ’80s classics along with a bunch of amazing folks, including an original Polka Dot Prom DJ, Junkyard! Plus you can score a reprint of an original Stud button. 8pm-2am, $5 before 10pm. The Stud, SF. More info here. 

MR. S. 40TH ANNIVERSARY Oh my goodness, hot folks in leather. Celebrate the big 4-0 of this groundbreaking kink emporium with DJ Fawks and friends. 9pm-2am, free. Oasis, SF. More info here. 

THE TUBESTEAK CONNECTION DJ Bus Station John is a treasure, rescuing authentic disco and bathhouse vibes from the vintage recesses of our collective soul. His long-running weekly club is a must for visitors and (ir)regulars alike—an old-school cruising, cell phone-free event (were they even invented when she started this party?) 10pm-2am, $5. Aunt Charlie’s Lounge, SF. 

FOXES Absolutely love it when still-mourned dyke bar the Lexington Club comes back to life at Virgil’s, with former staff and patrons on deck. This Pride kick-off takeover brings together the best of the lesbian scene with a pop-up patio bar, DJs, beloved hosts and more. 9pm-2am, $5. Virgil’s, SF. More info here. 

Brooklyn-based DJ Cali Rose plays Bustin’ Out

> FRIDAY 6/28 <

BUSTIN’ OUT 14!!! PARTY AGANST THE PRISON-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX An annual post-Trans March tradition, this rad event from the TGI Justice Project features DJs, food, and festive extras to raise money to help our trans family behind bars. 7pm-2am, donation requested. El Rio and Virgil’s, SF. More info here. 

T4T One of my favorite DJs, CarrieOnDisco, plays at this post-Trans March party at Jolene’s—and if you haven’t checked out the new Jolene’s yet, this is your time! 9pm-2am, $5. Jolene’s, SF. More info here. 

STEAM A bathhouse themed party complete with Power Shower™ go-gos, professional massages, and the brilliantly cosmic techno of SF’s beloved Bézier. Hottt. 9pm-2am, $10. Powerhouse, SF. More info here. 

POUND PUPPY Arooooo! Your dogs will be barking after dancing all night at this pup-alar party, with Berlin’s Doc Sleep and NYC’s Physical Therapy bringing you some deep techno dish. 10pm-4am, $20. The  Stud, SF. More info here. 

Likely47 performs at Swagger Like Us.

SWAGGER LIKE US PRIDE Quite possibly the most fantastic queer hip-hop party on the planet goes big, filling 1015 Folsom with drop-dead looks and beats, courtesy of rapper-singer special guest Leikeli47, who will whip the dance floor runway into a frenzy—along with a slew of DJs like Juliana Huxtable and Jasmine Infiniti. 9pm-3am, $40. 1015 Folsom, SF. More info here. 

ELECTROLUXX PRIDE Local art and cuties in neon leggings as far as the eye can see at this party favorite. One of the best DJs in the world, Detroit’s Holographic, is playing, too. Online tix are sold out so rush that door. 9pm-4am, $30-$40. Public Works, SF. More info here. 

CLUB LONELY Two of our city’s best-kept secrets—house rave Club Lonely and insanely talented DJ Carlos Souffront—come together for a Pride “blowout.” 10pm-4am, $10. Club OMG, SF. More info here. 

Infamous Oaklander Kreayshawn DJs the Fake & Gay party.

> SATURDAY 6/29 <

FAKE & GAY  This bananas party takes to DNA Lounge to present Oakland’s infamous Kreayshawn for an 18+ jam. Get there, youths! 9pm-3am, $15-$20, 18+. DNA Lounge, SF. More info here. 

PINK BLOCK Not quite the radical political uprising the name suggests, but a revolutionary takeover of the streets nonetheless. Hercules and Love Affair and Poolside headline, and the wonderful Polyglamorous hosts, but there are literally 100 other performers, DJs, and all-around hotties involved in this massive, and massively cute-looking, event. Noon-9pm, $20-$60. Outside Great Northern, SF. More info here.  

DAD TO THE BONE The zaddy of all DJ dads, New Orleans’ Mark Louque, pops in for this ruff and tender affair, combining the unleashed power of the DAD (Dudes and Disco) and the Fog City Pup Pack. 9pm-2am, $10-$20. Underground SF. More info here. 

Look at this gorgeous flyer.

HOT PANTS The legendary lez party returns! With DJs Chelsea Starr, Campbell, China G, and Miss Pop—plus all the most azz-mazing outfits. 8:30pm-3am, $10 advance. The Stud, SF. More info here.  

WILD THINGS One of the biggest-yet-still-cool parties of the weekend will pack the Public Works with femme power out the wazoo. featuring DJ Kittens and tons of local talent. 7pm-late, $35. Public Works, SF. More info here. 

GLAMAMORE’S PINK SATURDAY NUTZ The grand doyenne of SF drag, Glamamore, is hosting a go-go contest on the eve of Pride: Just go with it, it’s Glamamore. 9pm-2am, $5. Powerhouse, SF. More info here. 

PITCHERS & CATCHERS A slew of eye-popping drag shows at the Pilsner, plus beer! DJ Sergio homes in. 6pm-10pm, free. Pilsner Inn, SF. More info here. 

SUI GENERIS SIP ‘N SHOP You know you need to look good for Pride. Sip complimentary champagne and shop the packed racks (and a discount!) of this super-cool consignment shop in the Castro. noon-4pm, free. Sui Generis, SF. More info here.  

> SUNDAY 6/30 <

HARD FRENCH <3 LOS HOMOS Our #1 queer soul party always bonkers it up for its Pride lineup, and could anything be more lovely than synthpop legends Book of Love? Oh yes, there’s a classic soul block party outside all day, too, plus, just, everything. 3pm-11pm, $35. Mezzanine, SF. More info here. 

JUANITA MORE! PRIDE PARTY Her face is everywhere this year! Drag goddess Juanita More is claiming her throne as the Party Lady—proof comes in her always packed and scenic annual charitable party, this time around with DJs Bobby Viteritti, Kim Anh, Steve Fabus, Nonsuit, and performances galore. Noon-7pm, $50. Jones, SF. More info here. 

MIGHTY REAL Two amazing parties all day/night from this soulful house crew. First, spend the day poolside at the Phoenix dancing to diva CeCe Peniston and DJ David Harness. (More info here.) Then high tail it over Great Northern for the afterparty with deep house legend Kerri Chandler. (More info here.) Beauty!

QUEERLY BELOVED Courtney Trouble’s truly beloved Pride patio party is back, with hip-hoppy happiness from DJs Gangsta Boo, Micahtron, and Mimi Tempestt. 3pm-9pm, $20. El Rio, SF. More info here. 

DISCO DADDY If you are looking for that “authentic disco” Pride feeling, you will find it here: “A 7-Hour Tres-Gay Holiday Disco, Hi-NRG, & R&B Marathon W/ DJ Bus Station John. The ‘Happy Ending’ you requested!” 7pm-2am, $10. SF Eagle. More info here.   

DJ Jubilee plays Honey

HONEY SOUNDSYSTEM PRIDE Not only will this annual bananas-good party take over one of the most exquisitely cool (secret-ish) venues the city, it also promises some of the most interesting contemporary dance music. Oh, and hot new friends. Brooklyn’s DJ Jubilee headlines with some bass boom. And there’s a spacey ambient room featuring actual techno legend Spacetime Continuuum. Goooooo. 10pm-3am, $25-$35. Social Hall, SF. More info here.

STUD PRIDE We got parties! OK, nine parties to be exact, all coming together in one giant party to show off their best bits. Drink specials, wild times, and a special performance by Gia Gunn. 2pm-2am, $15. The Stud, SF. More info here. 

Comedowns are for losers: New Year’s Day parties 2019

By
Marke B.
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Who's ready for round 2?

PARTY RADAR The cliche is that New Year’s Eve is for amateurs, but it’s also for champions—can you outlast, outwit, and outplay your fellow revelers (and your own tolerance) and last through the insane night of parties and into the next day?  

Here’s where you should drag your heels to—after a refreshing shower, breakfast, and change of shades, of course. And perhaps a refreshing plunge into the ocean? Or why not first throw on your bathing suit and hit the ice rink for the Polar Bear Skate? 

Who’s ready for round 2?

NEW YEAR’S DAY PARTIES OF NOTE

NEW BEGINNINGS: DJ HEATHER & COLETTE The Chicago house favorites bring new beginnings vibes to the EndUp with a four-hour set of their signature funky grooves. This one’s more of NYE rager (it’s the EndUp, duh) since it starts at 2am, but there’s a free continental breakfast at 6am, so sweet. 2am-10am, $20. The End Up, SF. More info here.  

LOVE HANGOVER: DAVID HARNESS Our master of soulful house playing the cozy local bear bar has got to be the cutest party going. At the Lone Star, also with Costa Rican DJs from the Get Bumpin’ and more. Noon-9pm, $5-$10. Lone Star Saloom, SF. More info here.    

IT’S A NEW DAY + BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS BLOCK PARTY NYD 2019 This is the big Megillah, our yearly traditional block party bacchanal that draws more than a few Burners. Doc Martin, Marques Wyatt, Kim Ann Foxman, J.Phlip, and tons more headline, it’s nuts. 4am-9pm, $50. Great Northern, SF. More info here.  

FRESH START: GET REAL Our own dirty bird bass mechanic Claude Von Stroke teams up with Chicago freak legend Green Velvet for new duo Get Real. Catch their wild debut at the Fresh Start party at the Midway, with A-Trak, Justin Martin, and more. 4am-8pm, $10+. The Midway, SF. More info here. 

BRASS TAX: SUPPER OF SURVIVORS X The tenth anniversary of this essentially SF NYD party—expect tons of sugary treats and out-there outfits. There is even a triage station with toothbrushes and other refreshing supplies. Plus, of course, some crazy music from a host of Brass Tax DJs. No glitter canon this year :/ but you can engage in a “game of cone,” which you will have to discover the meaning of yourself. 3pm-12:30am, $15-$20. Public Works, SF. More info here.   

SUNSET SOUND SYSTEM NEW YEAR’S DAY Some foundational SF talent repped here with Sunset’s Galen + Solar, plus Sunshine Jones of Dubtribe Sound System. Also: Danny Daze brings his own sunshine from Miami/Berlin, Netherlands’ Interstellar Funk, and a Vinyl Dreams room. 8pm-3am, $20+. Great Northern, SF. More info here. 

Party Radar: Sweet, sweet NYE

By
Marke B.
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Peachy! New Year's Gaiety at the SF Symphony with Peaches Christ and cutie conductor Edwin Outwater

PARTY RADAR Let’s kick this sorry ass-end of a year bah-byeeeeee and hit the dance floor for a couple days running, shall we? Below are my top picks for moving past the sh*t and into the champagne. 

And hey, why not finish off 2018 by saving local media? And nudge your favorite club or party to advertise with us! 💁 Hey, I made it through this without making a “ball drop” joke, surely that’s worth something.  (PS Here’s my annual list of New Year’s Day parties for the real champs.) 

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTIES OF NOTE

NEW YEAR’S EVE AT LA PEÑA WITH SAMBADÁ & BRAZA PARTY! I love the Braza party, and this event sounds full of gorgeous color and flavor. Dance with a Brazil-loving crowd and hear some great live music from Santa Cruz’s SambaDá. 9pm-2am, $35. La Peña Cultural Center, Berkeley. More info here.    

THE MIDWAY NYE 2019 Sure, you’re ready for an all night party with Little Dragon, Modeselektor, TokiMonsta, and Mayan Warrior—but are you ready for a sustainable future? I mean, yes, duh, but this NYE, The Midway is eliminating all single-use plastics going forward. “To compliment the switch, The Midway will install an art exhibit by creative duo YuJo highlighting the negative effects of plastic pollution. The artists are known for creating sculptural works around the world, including the life-size blue whale made from discarded plastic at Crissy Field.” Which sounds pretty cool. 9pm-4am, $89.50. The Midway, SF. More info here. 

NEW YEAR’S GAIETY WITH PEACHES CHRIST + SF SYMPHONY What a combo! “Ring in 2019 with San Francisco’s famed drag sensation Peaches Christ, plus Jane Lynch, Cheyenne Jackson, Edwin Outwater, and the SF Symphony! Featuring a star-studded lineup of surprise guest stars, delectable vocalists, and drag queens galore, you’ll be regaled by big laughs, big fun, and even bigger hair.” 8pm, 35+. Davies Symphony Hall, SF. More info here. 

PLANET STUD NYE The Stud blast off into a pan gender-welcoming future, with Berlin/SF wonderperson Femanyst aka Lady Blaktronica dropping banging techno, plus gayphextwin live, and DJs Siobhan Aluvalot, Adam Kraft, and me, DJ Marke B! Drag bonanza at 9:30 and 11:30. 8pm-4am, $15-$20. The Stud, SF. More info here  

POPSCENE INDIE NYE Local band Geographer should probably be bigger, but they stay our own rather open secret—here they DJ a special set for the awesome indie-dance juggernaut that is the Popscene party. 9:30pm-2:30am, $14+. Monarch, SF. More info here. 

THE QUEEN’S BALL There’s a lot going on with this one: drag show, aerialists, Groovewell playing funky tunes all night in the side room … but the DJs are the main draw: UK’s brilliant Maya Jane Coles, Lily Ackerman, and a live performance by the great Ah Mer Ah Su. 9pm-3am, $60-$70. Great Northern, SF. More info here. 

CAT CLUB NYE It’s an 80s extravaganza! Cat Club SF, Club Gossip, and the 1984 party come together to take you way back. Party like it’s, er, 1985! 9pm-4am, $25. Cat Cub, SF. More info here.   

SHANNON & THE CLAMS Oakland garage rock phenoms ring it in, with Once and Future Band and Glitter Wizard. 9pm, $40-$50. New Parish, Oakland. More info here. 

UNDERGROUND SF NYE BASH Ace house spinner DJ Spun comes in from NYC to throw down, with Elexos Park and Woozy backing up. 8pm-2am, $5-$10. Underground SF. More info here. 

MACEO PARKER A funky New Year indeed, when “the king of the funky saxophone and one of the primary architects of modern R&B” comes raring in to SFJAZZ. Love him. 10:30pm, $60+. SFJAZZ. More info here. 

TRAP CITY NYE The Best of the Bay Best Hip-Hop Club winner throwing a party in a huge video arcade with a superhero theme? Up, up, and a way. 9pm-2am, $10. The Emporium, SF. More info here. 

BOOTIE NYE The crazy kids of Bootie bring you three different balloon drops, dozens of entertainers, like eight different dance rooms, and their patented brand of mashed-up Frankenpop. 9pm-3:30am, $20+. DNA Lounge, SF. More info here. 

GLAMAMORE’S NYE Everyone’s favorite drag matriarch promises a dazzling evening of drink and drag (and plenty of cute baby boy new years, of course). 10pm-2am, $10-$15. powerhouse, SF. More info here. 

Party Radar: Cinthie, Orbital, WonderFull 15 …

By
Marke B.
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Cinthie plays the Werd party, Sun/9

PARTY RADAR Nothing heats up winter like a good “bitch track” scalding your ears and setting the dance floor aflame, and I just published an interview with the queen of bitch tracks, Sweet Pussy Pauline. In the 1980s and ’90s you couldn’t escape her voice—”Work this pussy!” “I put one leg on the ceiling and one on the closet door!” “A big ol’ hateful anteater!”—being sampled on every kind of record.

Anyway, please pull up to the warm glow of your laptop or phone, imagine a crackling fire, and touch the hotness, before we venture out to the local dance floors:

PARTIES OF NOTE

THU/6 ORBITAL The classic techno duo come back to the states after a long absence, filling the Midway with light and sound. 8pm-midnight, $40. The Midway, SF. More info here.  

FRI/7 AH MER AH SU Bay Area queer dance-pop icon is so delightful, see them with the Molly House crew dropping the crowd to the floor. 9pm-2am, $10. Elbo Room, SF. More info here. 

FRI/7 VAGUE TERRAIN Wide-ranging techno goodness at this monthly, featuring “a DJ set from Leipzig’s omnisonic seducer ESCLÉ and a special live set from Venezuelan-born, Brussels-based trip advisor BEAR BONES, LAY LOW.” 9pm-2am, $10. Underground SF. More info here.   

FRI/7 THE FINAL DESPERATE LIVING SoMa’s outrageous queer punk party says “fuck off and die”—with a live set by the Lollygaggers and a host of awesome performers. Punk’s not dead! 10pm-3am, $10. The Stud, SF. More info here. 

SAT/8 NORM TALLEY Incredible classic bouncy house magician from Detroit, coming to the intimate Phonobar in Hayes Valley? Holy shit. “You better believe he’s bringing fat stacks of wax with him for this one. Unlike most parties in this city we let DJs play for 3 hours or more. Expect Norm to go the distance and flex that Detroit muscle.” 9pm-2am, $15-$20. Phonobar, SF. More info here. 

SAT/8 WONDERFULL 15 This is a very good party, hitting 15 years, and full of dance floor treats and surprises. “Globetrotting superstar DJ Spinna headlines WonderFull: a dance party of epic proportions dedicated to Stevie Wonder’s essential compositions, covers, and goodies. 9pm-4am, $25. Mezzanine, SF. More info here.  

SAT/8 POUND PUPPY The scruffy gay monthly promises a special “howligay” party that will “get your egg nogs out,” with residents Oscar Pineda and Kevin O’Connor got-gone delicious techno all night long. 9pm-2am, $10. SF Eagle. More info here.

SAT/8 LADY RYAN The Oakland star comes to the Swagger Like Us Party, the queer hip-hop party that keeps scoring Best of the Bay. 10pm-3am, $10. The Stud, SF. More info here.   

SAT/8 STUDIO 5’4 A party for vertically-different gay guys that is merciless in its use of puns and healthy self-deprecation. “DJ Omnibot will provide the disco beats. He can’t see over the DJ booth though, so raise your hands up really high.” 9pm-2am, $5. Lone Star Saloon. More info here.  

SUN/9 CINTHIE The “queen of the Berlin house scene” finally comes in with musical news of what’s going on over there. This one’s really special for the Werd party family—I’ve been dying to hear her—come out and dance! 9pm-2am, $5 advance. Monarch, SF. More info here. 

A decade of pure disco bliss at Go BANG!

By
Marke B.
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Named for a famed Arthur Russell disco production (“I want to see all my friends at once!”) and featuring an outright disco legend on the decks in DJ Steve Fabus (a resident of the Trocadero Transfer who pioneered both the tea dance and the bathhouse sound in the 1970s), the monthly Go BANG! party is rooted in disco tradition. But the threesome behind the party—rounded out by DJs Sergio and Prince Wolfe—do anything but stick to musty musical relics and ABBA singalongs, though there are plenty of familiar, fabulous tunes.

No, the party, which draws an astonishing 60-year age range of attendees, actively engages with the history of San Francisco disco while attracting younger people with its debaucherous yet good-natured vibe. One recent highlight for me was seeing the Go Bangers hang a massive multi-mirrorball, handmade by one of the Trocadero Transfer’s lighting geniuses, from the ceiling of the party’s current home, The Stud. (Disclosure: I’m a member of the Stud Collective.)

Go BANG! also musically breaks down generational barriers. You hear the evolution of ’70s disco from the hippie-rock ’60s into the synth-pop ’80s, and guest DJs from around the world showcase disco’s continued influence and diverse sounds. 

GO BANG!’s Sergio, Steve Fabus, and Prince Wolfe. Photo by Gooch.

The Go BANG 10-year celebration Sat/1 has DJ Stanley Frank from LA and local duo Robin Simmons and Elaine Denham joining the Bangers, along with the usual cavalcade of dancing, smiling characters—and features lighting from the person behind that massive mirrorball: Carla Ann Nicholson, the Arc Light Diva of the Trocadero Transfer. I asked the trio, who responded as one because they’re so close, about the party’s origins, SF’s disco legacy, and the sexy times.   

48hills How do you feel the old school disco vibe of Go BANG! fits into the scene, and why is it important to continue the San Francisco disco tradition?

Go BANG! Many people and parties continue to connect the dots and forward the story of dance music and San Francisco’s unprecedented impact on this musical form. We have had many times in which the thought to move beyond the ’70s and ’80s disco sound was there, but we’ve been determined to preserve the spirit and story of our city’s sound… The sound of love, respect, and liberation. The sound of joy and pain, love and friendship during the halcyon days of the ’60s and ’70s, through the painful times of the ’80s AIDS crisis, which affected so many of our loved ones, and continues to be a part of the fabric of our party and our city. The spirit of San Francisco culture, which has paved the way for so many of us to find connection with one another and to share moments of love, life, and laughter in times of joy but even more so in times of sadness. 

48h Ten years is pretty huge for a party, especially with he constantly changing (and disappearing) nightlife landscape in SF. Share with us a couple fun stories that have happened in the past decade.

GB! Given our start at Deco Lounge (with its infamously-fun basement) and our party continuing at the storied Stud Bar, we personally enjoy stories of makeout sessions, trysts in basements and bathrooms, stolen glances and welcomed touching in dark corners and hidden booths, packed floors and dark alleyways alike. And we also value stories of love connections made on the dancefloor, or in the ether surrounding our party. We’ve had a select few beautiful couples who began their romance due to our party, and we have heard many tales of “a friend to spend the weekend” found on our dance floor. Love, lust, like, joy, smiles, hugs, kisses, and more… These stories of personal connections are one of our greatest motivators.

Warming up the dance floor at Go Bang! With special guest Kelly Naughton and Carla Ann on lights. Photo by Gooch.

Before we were on first Saturdays, we landed on the fourth Saturdays had a Christmas weekend installment called Ho Ho Ho BANG!. This was back at Deco. Sergio went to Michael’s craft store and got Walgreens bags-full of fake snow, hung them from the rafters, and found the right time to get on a stool in the middle of the floor, poked those bags with a mop handle, and all this plasticky, itchy, fake snow fell on our sweaty dancers and was UGH. He regretted it the moment it happened. And… that was the last time we did that. Ironically, that was the very party where Steve Fabus first DJed as a guest. The very next month—because Steve saw that Sergio and the party was worth being involved with—Steve agreed to join as a resident and co-BANG!er.

48h I adore that you include behind-the-scenes legends and historical moments in the party, like having Carla Ann from the Trocadero do the lighting. 

GB! Carla Ann Nicholson was the Arc Light Diva the The Trocadero Transfer, she has been one of our stalwart dancing friends for so long. We recently purchased two follow spots from legendary SF sound and light man Randy Schiller, who is also a great friend to us. As of the middle of this year, you can find Carla providing the beautiful dance floor lighting— reflected upon a disco ball cluster handmade by her—adding to the authenticity of a true San Francisco disco dance floor. We fondly remember a time, during a recent Trocadero Transfer Tribute, when Steve Fabus played Frankie Valli’s “Soul + Heaven Above Me” (1980) and at *just the right time* Carla made the lights turn bright and sunny during the break of the song, lifting us from elation to ecstasy.

48h I’ve seen 22-year-olds on your dance floor, I’ve seen 80-year-olds on your dance floor (making out, mind you!). What attracts such a range to the party?

GB! In our 10 Years, we’ve been welcomed and loved by so many in our community, and that’s why we continue! We love San Francisco! We love its past and its present, and we’re encouraged by our future as we all work together to share of our art and resistance, our rebellion and unfettered love. We are so lucky to have so many talented friends working with us to make the party so special. It’s really grown into a group effort. We think about the party each and every day, we think about how to make our friends happy, about how to repay them for the joy they give us. We do this for our friends.

48h Give us a Go BANG! top 10 for 10 years.

GB! Dinosaur L., “Go BANG!” 
Lorraine Johnson, “Feed The Flame”

Bryan Adams, “Let Me Take You Dancing”

Two Tons of Fun, “Earth Can Be Just Like Heaven” 

Linda Clifford, “If My Friends Could See Me Now”

Sylvester, “I Need You”

Village People, “San Francisco”</p

Voyage, “Souvenirs”

Dan Hartman & Loleatta Holloway, “Vertigo (Relight My Fire)”

Ashford & Simpson, “Found a Cure”

Donna Summer, “Could It Be Magic” 

Gayle Adams, “Your Love Is a Lifesaver” 

Go BANG 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Sat/1, 9pm-3am, $5-$10
The Stud, SF 
More info here.

Party Radar: AYBEE, Bonobo, Crystal Method, oOoOO….

By
Marke B.
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AYBEE plays the Mixed Forms party, Sat/17

PARTY RADAR Have you looked at all the winners and runners up of our Best of the Bay 2018 Arts & Entertainment Readers Poll? Best DJ, Best Hip-Hop Club, Best Drag Queen .. There’s tons of names you’ll probably recognize, and maybe some new to discover? In any case, it renewed my hope that there’s some oonce-oonce left in San Francisco’s ear-budded, work-stationed heart. So get out there and keep dancing, please.

PARTIES OF NOTE 

FRI/16 THEY’RE HERE “Skin tingles in the dark. Flashing lights on your face. Throbbing in your ear…” The They’re Here party crew plays sweetly darker, harder tunes, celebrating the release of Sepehr’s debut EP “Body Mechanics” on Dark Entries Records. Label honcho Josh Cheon will be sipping up as well. 9pm-2am, $5. Underground SF. More info here.  

FRI/16 GOLF CLAP It probably can’t quite equal the time I caught this excellent Detroit duo playing a cavernous space above a gay strip club deep in tha D at 5am, but it’s worth a shot at Audio. 10pm-2am, $10. Audio, SF. More info here. 

FRI/16 DANCE TO STOMP OUT HUNGER A cavalcade of local tech stars hits the decks at this benefit for Cityteam SF, which has fed homeless people in the bay Area for 60 years. 9:30pm-2am, $5-$20. Monarch, SF. More info here.  

FRI/16 LOOSE JOINTS I love this party. DJs Tom Thump and Damon Bell fill MakeOut Room with soul sounds: Boogie, disco, rare groove, afrobeat, latin, funk and more. 10pm-2am, $5 before 11, $10 after. MakeOut Room, SF. More info here.  

FRI/16 CREATURE Who needs gender when you can dance however you like? The incredible Creature party moves on from the Stud with this star-studded finale, including DJs London Jade and Ophelia and oodles of post-drag insanity. 10pm-4am, $10. The Stud, SF. More info here. 

FRI/16 ASHEQ عشق A queer Middle Eastern/North African dance party? YES PLEASE. 10pm-3am, $10. Oasis, SF. More info here.   

FRI/16 oOoOO + ISLAMIQ GIRLS Oooh! OG Witchy house realness with oOoOO. Hosted by the 120 Minutes crew so you know it will be spoOoOOky. 10pm-2am, $15. Elbo Room, SF. More info here. 

FRI/16 MAKEOUT PARTY Lock lips for Jell-O shots at this fabulously omnisexual patio party, with Robin Malone Simmons and Elaine Denham as your luscious house music DJs. 9pm-2am, $10. SF Eagle. More info here. 

FRI/16 DIGITALISM The ecstatically accessible electronic duo fills August Hall with waving arms and sharp ideas. 10pm, $22.50. August Hall, SF. More info here. 

SAT/17 AYBEE One of my absolute techno heroes, an astro-cultural explorer from Oakland (now in Berlin) who finds a sublime connection between afro-futurism and deeply-rooted grooves. He’s at the Mixed Forms party with Atlanta’s Ash Lauryn and more. 9pm-4am, $10-$20. The Stud, SF. More info here. 

SAT/17 BONOBO I adore Bonobo when he’s behind the decks, bringing big moods and some highly delectable tunes. Oh, and all that charm. 9pm-late, $25. The Midway, SF. More info here. 

SAT/17 RUSSELL E.L. BUTLER Check out this interview I did with Russell to see the full scope of their incredible, inclusive, political vision—and do come down to Vinyl Dreams on Saturday afternoon celebrate the release of their super-anticipated album The Home I’d Build For Myself And All My Friends. 2pm-8p, free. Vinyl Dreams, SF. More info here. 

SAT/17 AFROLICIOUS SOUNDSYSTEM Soe of my favorite people on the scene, brothers Oz + Joe and crew, bringing some much-appreciated Afro-Latin funk and jazzy grooves (plus some killer classic house cuts) into the mix. 9pm-2am, $10-$15. monarch, SF. More info here.  

SAT/17 PUSH THE FEELING: TOM NOBLE Lovely, glowing disco grooves with a DIY feel, at one of the cutest indie parties ever? Sign me all the way up. 9pm-2am, $7. Underground SF. More info here. 

SAT/17 THE CRYSTAL METHOD People really like these guys! (Well, now just a single guy, since one of the duo retired last year.) They stepped in at that big beat moment in the ’90s when rave was briefly arena-sized (presaging EDM), with a funky slinkiness and overt drug references. A fun blast. 9:30pm-3:30am, $20-$25. More info here. 

SAT/17 FRINGE: ROBYN TRIBUTE The Nordic electro-pop goddess of the gays/gals just released a new album, and adorable indie dance party Fringe is going to dance about it! 9pm-2am, $5. Madrone Art Bar, SF. More info here. 

SUN/18 DISCO DADDY Bus Station John takes over the Eagle for his wildly popular tribute to the steamy disco-funk days of ever-relevant yore. “Dr. DISCO DADDY Sez: As Y’all Know, GOOD MUSIC Is GOOD MEDICINE! This Sunday We’re Gonna Take A Few Hours To Dance Off Our Troubles *AND Help Out Our Fellow Humans In Need, As We’ll Be Collecting Donations For Victims Of The California Wildfires (And Throwin’ In A Good $$$ Chunk From The Door!)” 7pm-2am, $7. SF Eagle. More info here. 

SUN/18 CASUAL EUPHORIA: AN ASMR PARTY Do you love the way sounds make you feel? Come to this night of live ASMR demonstrations, with lots of tingles included. 10pm-2am, $5-$10 NOTAFLOF, The Stud, SF. More info here. 

SUN/18 BEER BUST FUNDRAISER FOR THE GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY Hey ya’ll, I’m putting on a show of incredible photos from a golden age of SF gay nightlife 1986-1994 at the GLBT History Museum in February. Come have a bunch of beer at the Lone Star and help us fund it! SJ Chaka Quan is on decks! 4pm-8pm, free but you can pay $10 for all you can drink beer. Lone Star Saloon, SF. More info here. 

Hey, Boo! 17 Halloween parties to keep you up at night

By
Marke B.
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Oddball LA drag duo the Boulet Brothers bring their spooky chill to 'Creatures of the Nightlife" at Cal Academy, Thu/25.

PARTY RADAR For the love of all that’s unholy, I am lighting 666 witchy candles that no one steps out on Halloween dressed as a sexy zombie Tamale Lady. (Instead, let’s honor her spirit at the Day of the Dead Festival of Altars, November 2 in the Mission, and a special celebration of her life at the SF Eagle, also November 2.) 

That said—and also please no one dress up as drunk-ass Brett Kavanaugh, either, we get it, it’s gross—here are 17-plus can’t-miss parties to show off your ghoulie goods. First, though, make sure you take a dip into Peaches Christ’s “Terror Vault” or go see some true horror classics at the Castro Theatre to get you in the mood. And then let’s rave to the grave. 

Afrolicious—win free tickets with corny pumpkin jokes!

FREE TICKET GIVEAWAY Just in: I’ve got two pairs of tickets to give away to see Afrolicious live with Smoked Out Soul on Halloween night, Wed/31! To enter: Send an email to marke@48hills.org with your goofiest Halloween joke and your real name. I’ll pick two winners (each will get a pair of tickets) at random on Fri/26 night. Ghoul luck! 

HALLOWEEN AFFAIRS OF NOTE

THU/25 CREATURES OF THE NIGHTLIFE The Cal Academy of Science’s weekly mixer takes a sinister twist as the creatures of our drag underworld emerge to tingle a few spines. With LA’s Boulet Brothers, DJ Omar, haunted pinball machines from the Pacific Pinball Museum, a dark carnival of animal curiosities, and a “haunted tour of the night sky” in the planetarium. 6pm, $18-$22. Cal Academy, SF. More info here. 

THU/25 TECHNOTIHUACAN Halloween will forever be intertwined with Día de los Muertos here in SF, and of course that means Latinx nightlife wonders galore. This huge art show and party “combines live DJing and Video Art remixing into a living, digital mural exploring the intersectional story of Latinx contemporary life. These videos, a mix of original creations and curated works, will be synced with techno/cumbia/quebradita/salsa music remixes that aim to respond to and support the digital visuals.” Hell, yes. 6pm-9pm, donation requested. SOMArts, SF. More info here. 

FRI/26 LIFEBOAT HALLOWEEN Howdy, sailor! Headliners and purveyors of sparkling hip-hop and psychedelic house Krafty Kuts, Psychemagik, Fort Knox Five, along with dozens of others, will be baying at the moon—from a boat on the Bay. 9pm, $75. Pier 3, SF. More info here.    

FRI/26 NEGLECTED MURDERESSES “Within, we are delighted to bring you the 3rd Annual “Very Gorey Halloween”, featuring the return of Edward Gorey’s “Neglected Murderesses”, an immersive evening of costumes, characters, music, dancing in two rooms all night, and illuminated pop-up theatre to die for.” Featuring Gorey performances by LadyBEAST, Fou Fou HA, Rose Harden, and a host of neglected killers. 9pm-3am, $45. Cat Club, SF. More info here. 

FRI/26 STEREO ARGENTO I absolutely adore this splatterific drag night, “with themes paying homage to different horror genres and directors, while also creating original and horrifying theatre experiences. Inspired by the Glamorous Gore that is filmmaker Dario Argento’s work, Stereo Argento creates community for all the San Francisco’s creeps to witness disgusting art installations, curated film projections, Italo Disco and QUEER ART!” With Galaxy Radio DJs and tons of bloody queens. 10pm-3am, $10. The Stud, SF. More info here. 

Image by Klifford Ganancial

SAT/27 GLOW IN THE STREETS Despite various crackdowns, Halloween in the Castro continues to be a unkillable tradition, even if a mere ghost of itself. This block party from Burning Man camp Comfort and Joy will fill the evening with neon light and music. 4pm-9:30pm, $10-$20 donation requested. Market between Noe and Beaver. More info here.   

SAT/27 NEKROMANTIX + HELLBILLIES Rock out with your spook out to goth-a-billy bands Nekromantix, Oakland’s Hellbillys, SF’s own Lolly Gaggers and Black Coffin at 924 Gilman with all the creepy kiddies. 7pm, $20. 934 Gilman, Berkeley. More info here. 

SAT/27 CREATURE XXI This incredible monthly party is filling the El Rio patio with a pumpkin full of gender-blending, post-human insanity. Music by the incredible Ariel Zetina (CHI / Discwoman) and Bianca Oblivion (LA), and tons of eye-popping-out durational drag shows and installations. 9pm-2am, $10-$15. El Rio, SF. More info here.

SAT/27 POUND PUPPY: SCREAMWORKS A scruffy queer dance party at which to “bury your bone”—and then dig it up again along with that weird dead cat from Pet Sematary. Guest DJs Masha (Dig Deeper, LA) , and Elexos Park (Vague Terrain) drench the transformed Stud in bloody and guts goodness. 9pm-4am, $10. The Stud, SF. More info here.

SAT/27 HORROR STORY: ORIGINAL SIN Chicago house legend DJ Heather kicks the spirits into high gear with fellow deck-masters Jim Hopkins b2b Paul Goodyear, James Cerne, CarrieOnDisco, and loads more at this all-night rave. “Taste the forbidden fruit of our sinister sounds. Polyglamorous and Mystopia bring you a dance party of Biblical proportions in celebration of All Hallows Eve.” 10pm-4:30am, $15-$60. 550 Barneveld, SF. More info here.    

SAT/27 HALLOWEEN: A PARTY This frightfest from undead drag legends Heklina and Peaches Christ, now at Heklina’s club Oasis, has been a favorite for ages. Stunning performances by Taco Zamora, Raya Light, Meredeath, Hollow Eve, and a bodybag’s worth more, plus a pretty crazy costume contest and tunes from this years Halloween MVP DJ Omar. 10pm-3am, $20. Oasis, SF. More info here.  

SAT/27 DUSK TO DAWN OK, here’s my HUMONGOUS PARTY Halloween recommendation. I love rave legend DJ Dan so much, that dancing all night to him at the Midway will be a frightful pleasure. This is an Opel and Vau de Vire party, so there’ll be plenty of Burning Man-style vaudeville, overhead swooping performers, striped tights, and twirling neon. Beetlejuicy! 5pm-4am, $28-$35. The Midway, SF. More info here.  

SUN/28 SUNSET HALLOWEEN BOAT PARTY More costumes on a boat with amazing music! Legendary Sunset crew DJs Galen and Solar join forces with the techno kids from the Sunday Werd parties (you know there will be a cool after affair) and Sunset’s patented amazing guest DJ to be announced (it is always someone outstanding). Anyway, I always gush about Sunset parties because I love them so much. Enough to die for. 5pm-11pm, $10-$80. Pier 3, SF. More info here. 

WED/31 8TH ANNUAL HALLOWEEN HELLRAISER Look, if we can no longer have the actual Cramps perform here on Halloween—an ancient San Francisco tradition—then we can certainly have the Cramp-Ons, an uproarious Cramps tribute band, perform along with Misfits tribute band AstroZombies, and British heavy metal fêters Union Jack and the Rippers. OK, typing all that out just made me really want to rocket from my crypt and go to this. 9pm, $8. Elbo Room, SF. More info here.  

WED/31 HONEY SOUNDSYSTEM HALLOWEEN On the eve of their first Asian tour, homegrown heroes the Honey boys come to scare the stuffing out of you at the Stud, Frankentsteining with the Kosmetik techno crew to bring in special guests Violet (Lisbon, PT) and Photonz. 9pm-3am, $15-$20. Then Stud, SF. More info here. 

WED/31 AFROLICIOUS HALLOWEEN Hell yeah, live Latin beats and Afro-funk grooves with one of the best full bands in the city, Afrolicious, plus the wonderful Smoked Out Soul ensemble. You might just dance your limbs off at this one. That’s OK, borrow someone else’s! And see the top of this article for how to win free tickets. 7:30pm, $15-$20. The Independent, SF. More info here.  

WED/31 ALL HALLOW’S EVE “If there was ever a holiday created just for DNA Lounge that holiday is Halloween, and this is our seventeenth spoooooky year throwing this party! We’re bringing you a double-sized Halloween madhouse in all four rooms!” With the gorgeous Hubby Hubba Revue burlesque and like one million fun DJs. 9pm, $13-$30, 18+. DNA Lounge, SF. More info here. 

FRI/2 LOSING MY EDGE: DANCE TIL YOU’RE DEAD Sounds like a real scream, and oh boy we really will be the walking dead after two full weekends of partying in the afterlife-nightlife: “Face Painting, aerial performances, and music from your favorite indie bands: LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, Franz Ferdinand, MGMT, Cut Copy, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bloc Party and MORE!” 9:30pm-3am, $7-$13. Great Northern, SF. More info here.    

Edge of Sixxteen: ‘Sleazy, salacious’ party goes out with a bang at 20

By
Marke B.
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DJs Omar and Jenny of Sixxteen—back when you could smoke inside bars!

PARTY RADAR DJ duo Jenny and Omar have been such an important part of the our scene for so long, that even though Jenny moved away a while ago and Omar has become a big-time promoter and DJ (playing with legendary indie and Britpop bands and co-producing the incredible, 23-year-old Popscene party), they’re still at the heart of SF’s wild rock club nightlife.

Now, after 20 years, their insanely fun jam Sixxteen is calling it quits on its anniversary (Fri/19)—but you know it’s going to be a glorious bang. 

When it launched in 1998, their club Sixxteen was quite an anomaly on the scene, offering out-of-control, campy rock respite from the serious techno and drum ‘n bass that was de rigueur at both underground and mainstream parties, and the washes of bland pop-house drowning the gay bars. This was where metal-heads could compare denim cut-offs, drag queens could live their Lita Ford fantasies, and cute Pulp-via-Smiths fans could show off their tour buttons. (In its attraction for all genders and styles bent on partying to the end of the night—or at least the end of consciousness—it resembled another, earlier classic club, Baby Judy’s.)

Where else could you hear Hole, The Dead Boys, Van Halen, New York Dolls, Bikini Kill, and the Donnas (and a slew of live bands) all smashed together in a glorious, ahistorical racket of rebellion? The club later morphed into an annual, must-attend Halloween party tradition, but it managed to keep up the same crazy energy, and surprise guest appearances. I talked to Jenny and Omar—who are so melded as the Sixxteen DJs that they answered as one—about the party and its rocking, rolling history.   

48 HILLS What compelled you to start Sixxteen, and what was the scene like then? 

SIXXTEEN We wanted to dance to Rock ‘n Roll and there wasn’t a club that played what we wanted to hear. It honestly started out as innocent as that. There were bars and people’s houses where we could go to nerd out to Dutch Glam and hear Patti Smith, ac/dc or The Misfits, but no room to dance. Once we got the chance to throw the party, we wanted to do away with the misconception that punks, rockers, metal heads, mods, drag queens, and club kids could not get along under one roof. We turned haters into lovers and fighters into dancers.

We had no real idea that others would respond to it the way they did. It was sleazy, sweaty, debaucherous and everything we wanted it to be. A place to get lost, make out with a stranger and do everything in excess. Once the word got out that everyone was having a  good time, bands like the Murder City Devils, Drunk Horse, Vue, Black Cat Music and BRMC hit us up to play. One of our fondest and scariest memoies is of the Murder City Devils setting their drums ablaze in the middle of the Cat Club. We’ve come to realize that feeling simultaneous fondness and fear is succinctly Sixxteen.

Headbanging at Sixxteen

48H What changes have you observed over the nightlife scene in the past two decades? 

SIXXTEEN We can say with the utmost certainty that we could never do now what we did back then. There is no way we could get away with all the fun we had… haha. We have some great stories, let’s just say that. When we started, there were more artists and musicians hanging around who needed a place to let loose. No internet and no social media meant that if you wanted to meet someone with the same music or fashion sense, you had to socialize with them in person. Also, once people caught wind that Motörhead, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Blondie would hang at Sixxteen, they showed up in droves for a guaranteed good time. 

Posted by Jill Reiter on Tuesday, October 16, 2018

48H Why are you ending Sixxteen, and what can we expect at the final party? Will there be a rock ‘n roll funeral?

SIXXTEEN We think the 20-year mark is as good a place  as any to celebrate the party, the friendships, the amazing and lasting support we’ve had from our patrons, as well as a great stumbling-off point to ride out in a spectacular manner as ungracefully as possible. This is very much a celebration of the wonderful eccentrics that made the nightlife thrive, so we’re not expecting to spend too much time grieving because we will be rocking out to some maximum rock n roll at maximum volume!

SIXXTEEN: A ROCK ‘N ROLL NIGHTCLUB’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY!
Fri/19, 9pm-3am, $10
Cat Club, SF. 
More info here. 

Party Radar: El Rio’s 40th, Bardot-A-Go-Go, Juliana Huxtable …

By
Marke B.
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Juliana Huxtable plays the Molly House records party, Sat/13

PARTY RADAR Welp, it took me two weeks to recover from Folsom Street Fair, so that means we’ve got a lot to catch up on! First, let’s admire the look my friend Hunter, aka drag legend Felicia Fellatio, put together for the fair. 

I had to stop watching “Handmaid’s Tale” after the third episode because I was so traumatized, but sexy woke leather handmaid might reel me back in? 

EL RIO TURNS 40 I cannot believe this vibrant Mission patio hot spot is twice my age! It’s a true SF treasure, mixing Latinx neighborhood vibes with queer community. Kudos to owner Dawn and crew for keep El Rio true to the spirit of the city when so many have sold out as the area has become gentrified. I love it so much. Hit up the special Sat/13 40th Anniversary Party featuring a glorious amalgamation of El Rio’s best parties: Swagger Like Us + Mango + Hard French + Soulovely + Sazon Libre and more.  

ELBO ROOM FINALLY CLOSING After many false starts, promises, news releases, and controversies, there’s finally a date on the shuttering of the Elbo, one of the few adventurous nightlife spots left in the Mission. January 1, 2019, the 30-year-old Elbo will turn into condos (probably), so dive into a final lineup of parties until then that includes Literary Death Match, White Ring, Tormenta Tropical, and the classic Saturday Night Soul Party. www.elbo.com  (PS the new Jack London Square Elbo Room will remain open, give it a visit.) 

IS THE SFPD DISCRIMINATING AGAINST HIP-HOP CLUBS? Read this explosive report from Sam Lefebvre of KQED about the SFPD’s super-shady campaign against North Beach club Hue (formerly Atmosphere). It pretty much has everything: lies, deceit, a bombing, Aaron Peskin … everything! 

CALLING ALL ICE QUEENS Drag Queens on Ice is one of the essential SF holiday traditions, and some of them are very good on those skates. (Some are, well, not so good but make it up with endless charm—I see you Motha Chucka!) The call is going out to any queens who want to audition. “From fierce to festive, applicants are asked to don their gayest apparel and record a short video of them showcasing their act or routine.” Then the Union Square Ice Rink will share it across its social media so people can vote on your frosty moves. Check here for more info 

GHOST SHIP HALLOWEEN CANCELLED Look, there were already questions about whether the humungous, two-day Halloween rave could stage its 10th installment at newly refurbished venue SVN West (which still has bulldozers parked outside of it). How do you compress a sprawling carnival that once filled Pier 70 into a large but limited indoor space? Do you put the neon Pirate Ship ride on the roof? And how do you continue to produce such a massive party when most of your artists have fled the Bay Area because it’s too expensive?

Those are not the reason the organizers originally gave for cancelling the party, though. Last year, it changed its name to Love Boat out of respect for the survivors and friends of those lost in the terrible, wholly unrelated Ghost Ship fire. But this year—despite putting out advance promotional materials with the perfect name Barco Fantasma—the organizers decided to change it back to Ghost Ship, igniting a small firestorm of social media comments (which it then proceeded to respond to pretty unsympathetically). Then suddenly, it was announced that the whole thing was cancelled due to this easily resolvable controversy, which seemed a bit overboard.

Finally, Hush Hush promoter head Robbie Kowal, who is one of the Ghost Ship Halloween founders and a great guy, cut through the BS on the Ghost Ship Facebook account to talk about the real reasons, which included a mass artist exodus from the area and the pressure of finding a solid venue. Those of us who lost friends and family in the fire are still a bit put out about being scapegoated for all this drama, but at least there’s some honesty happening. And there are still tons of fun Halloween parties to be had (my full guide’s out soon), including Life Boat, put on by some of the Love Boat promoters in an attempt to salvage some fun out the whole debacle, and not leave much of the booked Barco Fantasma talent high and dry.


PARTIES OF NOTE

FRI/12 MERCURY SOUL: GAVIN HARDKISS I love the Mercury Soul parties, which aren’t afraid to experiment with the nightlife experience itself. This one takes on a “future folk” theme, “to dive into the world of folk music with performances of folk-inspired electronic, classical, and bluegrass music, interspersed with DJ sets spanning the global folk music landscape.” With DJs Gavin Hardkiss (legend!so good!), Mason Bates, and Justin Reed, plus band bluegrass band Hot Buttered Rum, “as well as classical musicians from Vitamin Em performing works by American classical composers such as John Adams and Mark O’Connor in addition to classical favorites by Brahms and Bartók. 9pm-2am, $20-$25. Great Northern, SF. More info here. 

FRI/12 DAEDELUS + HUXLEY ANNE LA’s mad scientist of knob-twiddling Daedelus and “liquid wax aboriginal broomstick riding free base electric sorceress” Huxley Anne explore artistic identity and creative process in conversation, Q&A, and performance. 9pm-2am, $10-$15. The Midway, SF. More info here. 

FRI/12 LAST NITE The 2000s have been back! But not in that awful Bush way that’s happening in the political world. No party gives me more confidence we will dance this mess around than this one, in which DJs Jamie Jams and Rocky really pull out the indie dance numbers. “It’s like we ate Pitchfork, stole your iPod and then rode off on your track bike.” 10pm-2am, $10. Make-Out Room, SF. More info here. 

FRI/12 VIVVY’S GRAND OPENING: PUNKIN Wild monthly drag night Vivvy’s Grand Opening always has some jaw-dropping performances in store. This time for all hallow’s the Church of Nihilism takes over. “Suggested dress code: Witch fail, ethical zombie, sexyscaredycat, spooky ooky cookie, Headless, HoresMan, Mystery Meat, Smug Slug.” 10pm-3am, $10. The Stud, SF. More info here. 

SAT/13 FLAGGING IN THE PARK Flagging in the Park is the most gay San Francisco thing you can go to ever, paying tribute to one of the great gay nightlife traditions, but in the sunshine—and this installment with the brilliantly chill CarrieOnDisco on decks will be indescribably cute. 1pm, free. AIDS Memorial Grove, SF. More info here.   

SAT/13 BARDOT-A-GO-GO 20TH ANNIVERSARY We’re pretty far from Bastille Day, when this fabulous party brings out the French kisser in all of us. But, mon dieu!, the crew is gonna have a 20th anniversary blast. “All three co-founders—Brother Grimm, Pink Frankenstein, and Cali Kid—will be spinning the best in decadent ’60s French pop and other International and American garage/soul/bubblegum sounds.” 9pm-2am, $10. Rickshaw Stop, SF. More info here. 

SAT/13 BREAKBOT Woah, a throwback to the glory days of Ed Banger and melodic hardcore electro. Art school grad Thibaut Berland found fame creating singalong, dance-a-long tunes that fuse disco vibes and yacht rock sensibility with Daft Punk grooves. It worked! 9pm-late, $20-$25. Mezzanine, SF. More info here. 

SAT/13 ONE NIGHT ONLY W/ DAVID HARNESS The Bay Area’s version of Frankie Knuckles has come out about suffering from diabetes: Come dance all night to his impeccable soulful house groove and help raise money for a good cause. Sat/13, $20-$40. The Foundry, SF. More info here. 

SAT/13 JULIANA HUXTABLE The multi-talented, outspoken NYC DJ-performer-magical being lands in town to show the children how it’s done at the Molly House party. Juliana’s sets are voracious! Also featuring super electronic BB Russell E.L. Butler.  10pm-4am, $10 advance. The Stud, SF. More info here.   

SAT/13 POUND PUPPY Scruffy, woofy gay dancing to the far-reaching techno sounds of the local Kosmetik crew, Jordee and Matthew Paul. 9pm-2am, $10. The Eagle, SF. More info here.   

SAT/13 AURORA HALAL The Brooklyn artist operates on the shadowy side of electronic music, and her psychedelic sensibility makes her a perfect fit for the We Are Monsters party. 9:30pm-3am, $10-$15. Monarch, SF. More info here. 

SUN/14 AS YOU LIKE PICNIC Techno in the park! Techno in the park! Spend a lovely Sunday with the As You Like It crew/family (BYO-everything). Chicago/SF’s Chrissy plays with Lily Ackerman, Patrick Lotilla, Rich Korach, and more. Noon-6pm, free. (donations accepted) Elk Meadow, Golden Gate Park, SF. More info here. 

SUN/14 DISCO CABANA, MONSTER MASH The goofy-fun Disco Katz crew is at it again, for Halloween of course, with some real house legends to get you all the way through Sunday: Charlotte the Baroness, Chris Orr, and tons more. 2pm-10pm, $8 advance. Natoma Cabana, SF. More info here. 

Party Radar: Quick ‘n dirty guide to Folsom 2018

By
Marke B.
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Bondage Bearz from www.dollskill.com

PARTY RADAR It’s that time, almost! Time to coordinate your leather-chic looks, eat whole grains, polish up your spurs, and tackle that jumble of raw bodies and tanned cowhide we call Folsom Street Fair (Sun/30). Obviously, you will not need sleep, and I’m here to help. Below are the 20+ essential parties for the week/end, so stay upright and erect! 

(Oh, and looking ahead, and down, on October 17 don’t miss the 48 Hills + Litquake celebration of Tom of Finland at the Eagle, Beefcake! It’ll be kind of like Decompression but for Folsom.) 

PARTIES OF NOTORIETY

WED/26 KOSMETIK With JEFFREY SFIRE Detroit Italo and early house maven Sfire (who gave us this eternal anthem) actually sets dance floors aflame. He’s with Dallas’ TX Connection at this Folsom edition of the weekly techno Kosmetik party. 9pm-2am, $5. The Stud, SF. More info here.  

WED/26 MUTANTE: CYBORG DOMINATION Pummeling and outré electronic music is usually the name of the game at this weekly party: For this Folsom edition dancing robots rule, with “Bay Area veteran and disco dominator” Bad Girl Bailey on the decks. 9pm-2am, free. Lone Star Saloon, SF. More info here. 

THU/27 FOLSOM PRISON The Mister Drummer 1979 party crew recreates the look and feel of classic leather bars of yore inside other bars, and makes a damn good dance party out of it (plus there are t-shirts!) This time around it’s quintessential Miracle Mile biker hangout Folsom Prison—which in this day and age of wokeness around the oppressive prison-industrial complex would be a very problematic name, the kind of valuable perspective these reincarnations bring up—with absolutely wonderful DJ Carlos Souffront and Matthew Paul taking us back to sweatier, leatherier times. 9pm-2am, $10. Underground SF. More info here.  

THU/27 THE TUBESTEAK CONNECTION DJ Bus Station John kicked off the whole bathhouse/cruising nostalgia wave more than a dozen years ago, with his awesome weekly tribute to steamy disco and vintage man-meat. If you want an authentic taste of old school gay life, traipse to his vinyl tunes all night on Aunt Charlie’s carpeted dance floor. 10pm-2am, $5-$7. Aunt Charlie’s Lounge, SF.

THU/27 JUNK It wouldn’t be Folsom without an underwear party? Hosted by the effervescent Dulce de Leche and Mister Pam, with beats by DJ Bugie, there’s a cash prize for the skivvies master. (And a Bare Chest Calendar jock strap auction, which confuses me.) 9pm-2am. Powerhouse, SF. More info here.  

THU/27 PORN: QUEER SEXWORKERS DANCE PARTY “Cum and dance your delicious hardworking queer asses off in preparation for Folsom 2018! Watch amazingly hot DIY porn while cruising for your next date or networking with new heaux friends.” 9pm-2am, $7-$10. The Stud, SF. More info here. 

FRI/28 PEGASUS One of my favorite Folsom traditions, toasting the weekend with fashionable and cute friends at Castro store Sui Generis, the one with the cute leather-chic window displays. Ace DJ Rich King, who I adore, will be spinning tunes while we sip champagne. 7pm-10pm, free. Sui Generis, SF. More info here.      

FRI/28 HONCHO The boys of Pittsburgh’s scandalous Honcho crew have been credited with helping to open the East Coast gay scene to underground techno sounds and nouveau rave culture (you might be reminded of our own Honey Soundsystem here), and now they’re bringing their incredibly popular party, visual design and impeccable decks skills and all, to the Stud in their West Coast debut. Do not miss ’em! 9pm-4am, $25. The Stud, SF. More info here.   

Find CDMX’s Perfect Lovers and friends upstairs at Bearracuda

FRI/28 BEARRACUDA A honking huge bear party full of lusty mens and stretched waistbands (I stan)—but you’ll want to make your way upstairs through the carnival atmosphere, to the Public Works loft where two great DJs—Victor Rodriguez of LA’s Bears in Space and Perfect Lovers of CDMX’s Por Detroit club will be making fur fly. 9pm-4am, $25. Public Works, SF. More info here.   

FRI/28 STEAM DOES FOLSOM Eternal cutie Walter Gomez’s monthly salute to bathhouses, but inside a bar, gets Folsom-y with dancers in shower stalls, a wet towel competition, massages, and awesome DJ Lorant Duzgun from NYC. 9pm-2am, $5 benefits Queer Lifespace. Powerhouse, SF. More info here. 

FRI/28 CLUB LONELY My secret favorite club falls on Folsom and features Oakland’s rad 8ulentina of the Club Chai collective, so beats will be banging. Expect a colorful, pan-everything crowd under Club OMG’s weird dancefloor dome. 10pm-2am, $10. Club OMG, SF. More info here. 

SAT/29 LOVE HANGOVER Wondrous afternoon dancing at the bear bar, as this super-queer party brings in NOLA’s Mark Louque and PDX’s Sappho—gah they are sooo good! 3pm-9pm, $5-$10. Lone Star, SF. More info here.

SAT/29 GEARED UP More sippin’ & shoppin’ & slippin’ & slidin’ at the infamous Mr. S leather shop’s annual instore party. Go here, get some looks, dance to DJ Fawks, who is a very good boy. noon-6pm, free. Mr. S, SF. More info here.  

Donna Sachet

SAT/29 THE ROAST OF DONNA SACHET The leather community’s Scarlet Empress, the Lady in Red, who has given her long and storied life to supporting the community, finally gets the roast she deserves. With emcee Bruce Villanch and a star-studded panel of roasters, including Cleve Jones, Mark Leno, and Sister Roma. Love this crazy lady. 7pm, $30-$50. Castro Theatre, SF. More info here.   

SAT/29 MISCHIEF Our biggest queer hip-hop party, Swagger Like Us, and our biggest lesbian party, UHAUL, are joining forces for a kinky Folsom affair, with DJs DavOMakesBeats, JiBBz, Lady Tragik, and Micahtron. So much QTPOC magick. 9pm-2am, $20. Verso, SF. More info here.     

SAT/29 BONDAGE A GO GO One of SF’s longest-running pansexual weekly parties is also a total hoot, and dipping into the red zone for Folsom. Rope demos and burlesque performances, plus DJs Tomas Diablo, Damon, and special guest DJ Bit of Death Guild “spinning a sinister blend of goth, pop, industrial, punk, rock, and electro.” Interactive play space! 9pm-3am, $10-$20. Cat Club, SF. More info here.

SAT/29 GOD SAVE THE QUEENS A queer punk night in the Mission might be the perfect way to ease into the festivities … with DJs Scott Toxsin and Jimmy Swear. 9pm-2am, $5. El Rio, SF. More info here.  

SAT/29 THE HACKER An electro god for several decades—and one of the pioneers of electroclash—this Parisian will bring funky-dark sounds to the Stud. With Mozhgan, Solar, and more, plus “anti-gogo” from the Creature crew. 10pm-4am, $25. The Stud, SF. More info here. 

SAT/29 ELECTROLUXX Literally and figuratively a ton of good DJs and cute artists coming together for this wheeling romp, which also includes “2 indoor stages & silent disco outside, face painting, tarot reading, photobooths, performances, and more!” 9pm-4am, $15-$30. Public Works, SF. More info here. 

SAT/29 THE FIGA More leather history! “On the eve of the Folsom Street Fair, Jonesy and Jamie C Knight premier their film, “The FIGA,” an oral herstory of the legendary San Francisco Catacombs; featuring Dr. Gayle Rubin. Post film chat between Jonesy and Dr. Rubin moderated by Andy Campbell. Screening and chat to be followed by a very special Catacombs inspired DJ set by Gayle Rubin.” 5pm-8pm, $5. The Stud, SF. More info here.  

SAT/29 GLAMAMORE’S FILTHY FOLSOM NUTZ Legendary drag performer Glamamore can do no wrong, so why not throw a party about it? With DJ Guy Ruben and lots of dancing. 10pm-2am. Powerhouse, SF. More info here. 

SAT/29 NEW BREED THE all-night rave of Folsom, but you’ll have to get there early for tickets! The Polyglamorous Crew always puts on a great joint, and DJs Massimiliano Pagliara (Italy) and Chris Cruse (LA) will make the Folsom fireworks pop. 10pm-6am, $60. Club Six, SF. More info here.  

SUN/30 AIRTIGHT “Dark corners for cruising, spanking benches for bruising, and SOMA’s cutest dance floor” — with DJs Gayphex Twin, Gag Reflex, and more. A dyke-centered space but all are welcome! 2pm-9pm, $5-$10. The Stud, SF. More info here. 

SUN/30 DADDY DAYCARE The raunchy boys of the D.A.D. Dudes and Disco party get wild in the daytime, with DJ Robin Malone Simmons, Rich King, Sergio Fedasz, and more. Noon-8pm, free. Driftwood, SF. More info here.  

SUN/30 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: FOLSOM EPISODE More of the magical DJ Sappho as she and Zoz play Hayes Valley’s Phonobar for an afternoon Folsom getaway. I think also it may be an impromptu flea market? 3pm-9pm, free. Phonobar, SF. More info here. 

SUN/30 TEENAGE DREAMS DJs Brown Amy, The Creatrix, HEAVY PLEASURE, La Frida (live set), Moths Protect Me and more come together to send you to heaven on a little dancefloor. 9pm-4am, $10-$13. The Stud, SF. More info here.    

SUN/30 WERD. FOLSOM STREET FAIR AFTER AFFAIR One of my favorite local techno DJs, Lily Ackerman, is headlining this weekly shindig that will have all the stragglers rejoicing. 9pm-2am, $5. Monarch SF. More info here. 

SUN/30 HOUSE OF BLACK LEATHER Honey Soundsystem brings in Munich’s banging Zenker Brothers, Londons Debonair, and Portland’s Orographic, plus tons more surprises, as this awesome party returns to round out the fair. 3pm-4am, free before 6pm. Audio, SF. More info here.

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