SUPER EGO This one’s for Scott Hardkiss — the actually legendary local-bred DJ and producer who in the early 1990s, along with his Hardkiss brothers in music Gavin and Robbie, helped put the psychedelic-ecstatic sounds of San Francisco house on the underground map. He passed away last week at 43 from what is presently believed to be an aneurysm, leaving behind his wife Stephanie, his two-year-old daughter — and legions of fans who revel in his sonic legacy. (For anyone looking to connect with Scott’s mixing genius, it does not get much better than his ’90s Essential Mixes and his final masterpiece, a gorgeously melodic, three-hour-long, balearic-to-hardcore-funk 2011 mix at Brooklyn’s Room Zero, www.soundcloud.com/scotthardkiss.)
Rave giants like Crystal Method, Derrick Carter, Frankie Bones, Tommie Sunshine, Sasha, and Rabbit in the Moon — and locals like Q-Burns Abstract Message and Jonah Sharp — have been posting tributes to Scott’s total embrace of the creative life. Jenö of fellow psych-rave pioneers the Wicked crew dedicated Midi Rain’s classic 1991 track “Eyes (Mr. C remix)” on his cool Tuesday night Noise from the Void radio show, 9pm-3am at www.90hz.org.
But the greatest musical tribute came from Hardkiss brothers Gavin and Robbie themselves. They’ve started DJing and making music together again, and absolutely ruled playing the Public Works loft a couple months ago. They posted their excellent recent, paradoxically uplifting track “Broken Hearts” (www.soundcloud.com/robgav) whose hook sounds like, “I hope that your broken heart can mend — and we can play music,” and wrote:
“1991 … San Francisco … Drunk on Love … Optimism … Anything is Possible … All in Together … Start a Family … Make Music … Forever … We lost our brother yesterday but he lives in this song. This song does not exist without Scott in our lives. Our hearts are broken that we’ll never make music together here again. We love you Scott.”
And as Q-Burns recalled, “I still remember this sort of hippie-ish thing Scott said to me: ‘This isn’t a song … it’s a living being.'” I think we can all relate. Scott is still raising the dancefloor with life.
ANOTHER WORLD
Another wild Guardian party, y’all. This one’s a can’t-miss festival of fab peacenik freaks, with an indubitably edifying cause. In honor of the deYoung’s timely new show “Eye Level in Iraq: Photographs by Kael Alford and Thorne Anderson,” we’ll be presenting a veritable carnival of underground queer personalities and game military veterans. Right up top: “Make Drag Not War — the Dragsicle!,” a project that pairs veterans with drag artists to help fight depression and produce healing and hilarious flamboyance. Also: Lil Miss Hot Mess, DJs Steve Fabus and Sergio Fedasz of GO BANG!, Phatima, League of Burnt Children, Miss Rahni, Raya Light, Rheal ‘Tea, Tara Wrist, Feyboy Collective, Combat Paper, Iraq Veterans against the War, and more. How do you actualize a more peaceful world? Start with a party, of course.
Fri/5, 6-8:45pm, free. deYoung Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden, SF. www.tinyurl.com/anotherworldsf
CHARLIE HORSE
In the late 2000s, just as Polk Street was inhaling its last breath of cool queer air — soon to be released in a high-pitched squeal of East Bay bachelorettes and party bus brakes — kooky queen Anna Conda and her beloved band of misfit drags mounted one final live assault on good taste. The weekly Charlie Horse drag night focused on punk rock music and even punker and rockier performances by longtime Polk Street denizens and fantastically questionable newbies. It was like the Muppet Show imploded. After three years, Charlie Horse returns as a first Saturday monthly at the new Eagle. Anna and effervescent ob-scene queen Mutha Chucka host, with a cast of flagrant favorites including Miss Nix, Marcy Playground, Anna Warhola, Juanita Fajita, Monistat, Dean Disaster, Dam Dyke, Frieda Laye, Miss Prick, Cookie Dough, and DJ Dirty Knees.
Sat/6, 10pm, $5. SF Eagle, 398 12th St., SF. www.tinyurl.com/charliehorsereturns
CLUB LEISURE: UNDER THE APRIL SKIES
We’re gifted with a darkly springy Jesus and Mary Chain tribute at this rollicking Britpop monthly that covers roughly four decades of great haircuts and greater tunes, mod to Madchester, ’90s indie to Northern Soul. Who else to listen to but JAMC throughout the dark months of April and May? (Well, besides Cocteau Twins, of course.) DJs Omar Aaron Axelsen, and Jeremy are your expert curators, Union Jackoff hosts the Britpop karaoke, Vis-a-Vis projects the psychedelic visuals.
Sat/6, 10pm-late, $8. Cat Club, 1190 Folsom, SF. www.facebook.com/clubleisure
TENSNAKE
Back in November of 2010, heavenly German house- and disco-rejigger king Tensnake was at the height of his powers. With several hit records, including the inescapable “Coma Cat,” and an era-defining mix for Resident Advisor under his belt, he was set to embark on a world tour (including a much-hyped stop in SF) when his hopes were felled by both family tragedy and visa problems. He all but disappeared from the scene for a while, but has recently come raging back with several ace mixes and remixes. In 2013, we’re used to dance music history being shuffled uncannily into new and funkier decks, but Tensnake’s charm and humor have been missed. Who else would successfully mix a tearjerkingly deep Aril Brikha track into a goofy Mr. Oizo rap? Or kick off his 2013 BBC Essential mix with local spiritual jazz goddess Alice Coltrane?
Sat/6, 10pm-late, $16–$25. Monarch, 101 Sixth St., SF. www.monarchsf.com
FRANCOIS K
The EndUp lost the plot for me a few years ago — I can’t even enjoy a little 5am messy on its classic dancefloor or in its one mens room stall anymore, because the music and crowd have gotten way too wraparound shades EDM. And I grew up there, k? Maybe that’s about to turn around with the appearance of this true dance music innovator, one of my top 5 faves of all time, with almost four decades of legendary production work under his belt. We’ll see! Especially with Dubtribe Soundsystem and Adnan Sharif backing up. If this is a cry for rep-restoring help, it’s gonna sound sweet.
Sat/6, 10pm-6am, $20. The End Up, 401 Sixth St., SF. www.theendup.com
V.I.V.E.K.
Dark and menacingly lovely drum-and-bass derived textures from this Deep Medi UK label favorite, who combines stalkery British underground dub sounds with an ear for ethereal percussion and some early Detroit-derived energy. He’s also rather a babe, so there you go.
Tue/9, 10pm, $10. Monarch, 101 Sixth St., SF. www.monarchsf.com