Leather Archives — Page 4 of 26 — San Francisco Bay Guardian Archive 1966

Best of the Bay 2013: BEST GAY LEATHER BIKER ROCK AND ROLL RESURRECTION

Michael Redmond

October 15, 2013

Best of the Bay 2013: BEST GAY LEATHER BIKER ROCK AND ROLL RESURRECTION

When it was announced in 2011 that legendary Soma gay leather biker bar the Eagle Tavern was closing, much of the queer population was stunned. Sure, although charitable Sunday afternoon beer busts and renowned Thursday Night Live local rock showcases were packed, the large bar and patio were not exactly swarmed the rest of the time — and the owners had recently sunk much of their money into the revamped Hole in the Wall Saloon. But the Eagle’s closure became a flashpoint for what many saw as the homogenization of SF’s gay population and the gentrification of traditional queer spaces. A determined activist coalition rallied the city’s political forces and helped find new gay buyers — Alex Montiel and Mike Leon — who vowed to keep the spot’s rough-and-tumble, rock and roll gay vibe while revamping the interior and programming to appeal to a new generation of sexy, bearded, kinky men and friends. The SF Eagle flew again in 2013, and has been by all accounts a success: still down and dirty, but the coolest “new” gay hangout in the city.

398 12th St, SF. www.sf-eagle.com

Best of the Bay 2013 Editors Picks: City Living

Jesse Hawthorne Ficks

October 15, 2013

CITY LIVING

BEST RENEGADE RECITAL

And then one day in June, a piano appeared. Not a tiny Schroeder model, but a full-size, stand-up set of ivories, plopped on top of Bernal Hill with an open invitation attached for giggly renditions of “Chopsticks” and gorgeous, soul-stirring Chopin scores alike. Bernal Heights being the magical neighborhood it is, a full-on recital was planned and performed for a grinning crowd of over 200 very lucky folks. The Bernal Heights piano lineup of skilled musicians sent sassy jazz numbers and symphonic pleasures into the breeze and charmed the perching crowd, as the sun set over the city below. The piano may not be a permanent fixture on the Bernal bedrock — indeed, the instrument used for the recital was a replacement, hastily lugged up by the same start-up workers who donated the first, after it disappeared. (“One does not simply get rid of a piano,” one of the gifters wrote in a blog post. “[We] concocted a plan to bring it to a public place so that it could be enjoyed by many.”) All the more reason to hike to the top and play sweet, sweet songs for the city you love.

www.tynan.com/bernal

BEST BART STRIKE BENEFIT

We all got a four-day taste of Bay Area life without BART during the labor strike in early July (with another one coming in October, or so it seems at press time) — and it was hardly a transit flavor we savored. But amid all the bitter, there was a sweet worth noting, for anyone who used the opportunity to finally try commuting by San Francisco Bay Ferry. What a way to go! For instance, did you know we actually live on a bay, with water and everything? It’s true! With the ferry, you’re out on that very water, viewing the Bay’s waterfront cities from new vantage points, traveling in comfort, usually right on schedule — with access to an on-board bar serving reasonably priced beer and cocktails, no less. Plus, the ferries travel to Marin County, that land considered so inaccessible for adherents of non-aquatic public transportation. It’s almost enough to avoid the underground for good. Almost.

www.sanfranciscobayferry.com

BEST SUPERGENIUS BAR

Look, we’ve all done it: accidentally spilled a tall glass of vodka on our laptop keyboard, but kept watching our Breaking Bad marathon anyway. Sure, a few of the keys have stopped working, but we’re far too engrossed in the saga of Walter White to shut down, wipe down, and store that sucker in a bag of rice for a couple days until it dries out. Uh oh, though — the next morning it won’t turn on at all, or the morning after that. No need to hover around the Apple Store’s genius bar in dismay, hoping for a shot at paying $750 for a basic diagnostic — and who knows how much to actually repair the thing. The superfriendly, incredibly attentive folks of Keane Mac Repair can save the day quickly, professionally, and far more cheaply. (Recently they charged us $150 for an out-of-warranty diagnostic.) Full-service, fully licensed, and located somewhat incongruously in the gorgeous historic Flood Building — no wonder were keen on Keane.

870 Market, SF. (415) 835-9800, www.keanesf.com

BEST COMMUNITY CENTERING

As San Francisco’s Mission District undergoes rapid rent increases and neighborhood demographic change, spaces like the Eric Quezada Center for Culture and Politics become fewer and farther between. We need spaces like this, where artists and activists come together to share stories of their fights for economic and social justice, or deliver stirring performance through music, poetry, art, and dance. Named for beloved Mission dweller and Guatemalan activist Eric Quezada, who lost his battle with cancer in 2011, the space seeks to be a cultural gathering spot that is both affordable and accessible — just blocks from 16th Street BART, and in the middle of a stretch of Valencia more known for spendy restaurants and hipster bars than progressive candidate forums and multicultural celebrations. An apt setting for those seeking to retain their sanity in a shifting SF.

518 Valencia, SF. www.518valencia.org

BEST LADY-LOVING BIKE GANG

Roll up hot and cruise in the cool company of other bike-loving women who make up Fixed With Out Dix—a nonexclusive weekly ride for female-identified folks and their two-wheeled BFFs. The crew meets every Wednesday at the Lake Merritt BART station and pedals around parks, crushes hills, and rolls through town with the wind in its grinning faces. Whether you straddle a flashy fixie, speedy road bike, rusty cruiser, or your aunt’s muddy mountain ride, FWOD welcomes your wheels and the company. Share a snack, make new friends, and discover fresh trails for adventure. They’re pumped to empower women and encourage cycling, and these badass biker babes want others to feel good, be safe, and revel in camaraderie on the move.

Weekly rides meet Wednesdays, 6:30pm, free. Lake Merritt BART station, Oakl. fwodoakland.tumblr.com

BEST REPAIR GRAND CENTRAL

Should you need a custom cabinet, a staircase rehab, perhaps a new cupola on your clock tower, you can turn to Clipper Construction’s Mathieu Palmer. But 501 Waller, the storefront Palmer owned and used as storage space — as he told local blog Haighteration — wasn’t the best use of a neighborhood-facing corner shop. Enter Palmer’s friend Dan Daniel, who created Clipper Repair from this clutter, a friendly place for fixing up, designing, or refurbishing anything you could imagine: lamps, cabinets, antique furniture, electrical things. The interior is a gorgeously organized wonderland of screws, nails, tools, gears, and random curiosities. And then! Garret Peters turned Clipper’s back storage room into a bike shop called Wiggle Bikes, conveniently located off the Wiggle, our crosstown thoroughfare for the two-wheeled. Could there be a more useful stop-off for lovers of sustainable transportation and reuse than the Clipper Repair-Wiggle Bikes complex?

501 Waller, SF. (415) 621-4733, www.clipper-construction.com

BEST ROLLING TWEETS

This is the Bay Area — of course our most ubiquitous meteorological feature has a Twitter, and that Twitter belongs to Karl the Fog. Also of course: Karl trains CrossFit, Karl writes poetry about Folsom Street Fair, Karl creeps the “young, new, and pretty” eastern span of the Bay Bridge (although he’s gentlemanly enough to shout out the “babe” western span as well). Oh, and as befits a major part of our cultural landscape, Karl gets political, too. “The Tea Party and I have a lot in common: we’re great at obstruction, we’re really dense, and we’re almost entirely white,” Karl quips. And yet, like a silver-skinned Barry White, this smooth mover rolls a comforting blanket of seduction over all our areas, high and low, uniting and reminding us that there’s no place like home.

www.twitter.com/KarlTheFog

BEST EXCUSE TO ORGANIZE

Earlier this year, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission adopted Plan Bay Area, a regional recipe for funneling an influx of new residents into San Francisco and the Bay’s other urban cores. It calls for San Francisco to somehow absorb 280,000 new souls, who will live in 92,000 new housing units and drive 73,000 more cars, by the year 2040 (see “Planning for displacement,” 5/28/2013), while doing little to preserve the homes of current residents, expand public transit, or discourage driving. In other words, it’s a free pass for developers, masquerading as environmentalism. Though the plan been challenged in court, activism is our best hope at mitigating the worst parts of it. To get involved, visit sfbay.sierraclub.org, www.cbecal.org, www.earthjustice.org, and the websites of other good activist organizations — and keep reading the Guardian.

BEST ANTI-GENTRIFICATION ELECTRO-PUNK SINGLE

It certainly touched a nerve. “Hey gurl, where you moving to? Moving to the East Bay, living life the broke way. SF keep your money. FUCK YOUR MONEY!” Esta Noche drag star Persia and local electro duo Daddies Plastik’s “Google Google Apps Apps” single came bouncing through the Web early this summer and ricocheted off hyperlocal blogs, paradoxically gaining speed through the power of social media. A bouncy yet sardonic party track that seriously skewers the tech industry and its effects on the San Francisco cost of living, the song (and wacky-genius video featuring the whole freak posse) successfully captured the rage of a city caught up in a tragic transition. It was an anger Persia herself felt when Esta Nocha, the Mission’s Latino gay bar, was in danger of closing. But she took that rage and turned it into summer anthem gold. Hey girl, could you tag me in that pic?

www.soundcloud.com/persia415

BEST TIP-TOP SPIFF UP

It has been remarked that West Portal is quite the happy village in the middle of this teeming city. We concur. Tucked into the side of a hill topped by a Twin Peak, slung happily along a leafy central promenade, the neighborhood is not the worst model for Main Street, USA. Tip and Top Vacuum & Shoe Service, particularly seen in this light, is an all-American gem. Bring in your dirt sucker for a fix-me-up and the capable staff will get it back to dirt bunny-busting in two shakes of a dusty rug. And like any good member of a small community, Tip and Top is a multitasker, as evident from the boots in the window. The shop also repairs shoes, and will even custom-cobble you a boot or slipper. To recap: Tip and Top fixes vacuums and shoes, it’s cute as a button, and you kind of need to check it out.

173 W Portal, SF. (415) 664-9320

BEST LITERARY BYWAY

Though the neighborhood can fascinate in a historic sense, sensory overload is a constant threat among the chain stores, tour buses, and souvenir sweatshirts of Fisherman’s Wharf. One can always head to Richard Henry Dana Place for a brief respite, however. Incongruously tacked onto the waterfront edge of Leavenworth Street, the quiet dead end — placid in a sea of tourist turbulence — was renamed in 1988 as part of a City Lights Bookstore proposal to name a dozen streets after local artists and authors. Richard Henry Dana Jr.’s renowned contribution to our canon, Two Years Before the Mast, contains some of the first accurate descriptions of the West Coast from aboard a merchant vessel. (Melville famously wrote of it, “But if you want the best idea of Cape Horn, get my friend Dana’s unmatchable Two Years Before the Mast. But you can read, and so you must have read it. His chapters describing Cape Horn must have been written with an icicle.”) Dana’s namesake street therefore manages to combine both literary and sea-faring history in one charmingly ramshackle locale.

Leavenworth and Jefferson, SF.

BEST TWERK QUAKE

Long before Miley irrevocably shifted the national conversation in the direction of feverishly jiggling glutei, there were the Twerking Girls. This unabashedly trio of bootylicious women joyfully — but with hilariously straight faces — rapidly oscillated that which their mothers gifted unto them up and down the city. They shimmied through the Apple Store and all around Union Square. They headstood on cable cars and cafeteria tables, invaded laundromats and tiny GoCARS, stunned ’em on BART and at Macy’s. In the sight of God and 2Chainz, they twerked their way right down the veggie aisle at the Safeway. The hypnotically undulating hijinks of Cherry Red, Dollface, and Tastee were captured this summer in a viral video, “Twerking in San Francisco Prank” by the Simple Pickup crew (a trio of dudes made infamous by filming themselves aggressively hitting on unsuspecting women; this celebratory video proved there is a spark of good in everyone). At first watch, you can’t stop laughing at the befuddled, bewildered, or frozen faces of some of the people shocked by the Twerking Girls’ hypnotic undulations. But then a larger, deeper point takes over: damn, San Francisco’s gotten mighty uptight. Thank you, Twerking Girls and friends, for shaking some soul in the city’s face.

BEST PLACE TO PADDLE AND WADDLE

The de Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences have the giant advertising budgets and thus get all the press, but Golden Gate Park’s hidden gem lies just down JFK from those twin attractions: the Stow Lake Boathouse, perched alongside the built-in-1893 lake. The historic, recently renovated boathouse (it was getting a little creaky) contains a café stocked with handmade piroshkis and serves as the launch spot for Stow Lake’s fleet of boats, including the iconic paddleboats so beloved by tourists — and locals who aren’t too cool to admit it. If hanging out on the water’s not for you, stroll around the lake, dodging rapidly waddling geese and ducks on the paved path. More ambitious hikers can cruise to Strawberry Hill atop Stow Lake’s tiny, wooded island. On days when the fog lifts, the view there is well worth the huffing and puffing.

50 Stow Lake Dr. E., Golden Gate Park, SF. www.stowlakeboathouse.com

BEST PUBLIC ART-CHITECTS

When the Exploratorium reopened at Pier 15 earlier this year, tech wizards Obscura Digital transformed the historic waterfront building’s façade with an ultra-high definition light projection show, dazzling nighttime gazers who flocked there with an array of spectacular, nature-themed dreamscapes. Enormous blooming crystals, fast-forward budding plants, time lapse microorganism interactions were all brought to life, precisely projected in a way that contained them within the lines of the building’s architecture — yet totally screwed with viewers’ perception. It wasn’t the first time this 13-year-old design studio has treated San Francisco audiences to surreal sound-and-light shows in public spaces. Its “Corazon Under the Dome” exhibit at downtown’s Westfield Centre dazzled shoppers with convex architectural mapping, and Obscura’s “Digital Arts Panorama” at the new San Francisco Public Utilities Commission building offers visitors a dynamic virtual tour of the regional watershed.

www.obscuradigital.com

BEST HOME RUN

If you’re a local baseball fan and you haven’t yet run the Giant Race, you’re missing out, and not just because race entry includes a bobblehead (this year: sparkle-eyed Sergio Romo decked out in running gear) and a shiny medal (also this year: an homage to the World Series ring … with glitter, because WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS). The late summer race, which benefits Project Open Hand and offers nearly pancake-flat 5K, 10K, and half-marathon distances, begins just outside AT&T Park but ends on the field. Sure, certain parts of the sacred grass are roped off, but the bulk of the diamond is open for post-race stretching, hydration, and field-of-dreams fantasies galore. Die-hards take special note: There are companion Giant Races in San Jose and Scottsdale, too. No AT&T Park finish, obviously, but think of the superfan bragging rights!

www.race-sfgiants.com

BEST SCHOOL OF THRASH

Between competing coffee shops and obscured by the whirl of growing foot traffic on Divisadero Street sits an old Victorian, surrounded by a fence, upon which hangs a hand-painted sign. The SF Skate Club‘s mission says it all: “[The club] strives to provide a safe, positive, and fun environment for youth of diverse backgrounds to pursue their passion to skateboard.” Skate Club creators, skateboarder Shawn Connolly and educator Thuy Nguyen, are on their grind to use skateboarding as a medium of youth empowerment and community building, and their school is a hub of fast friendship and solid ollies. Summer, weekend, and after-school programs for kids of most ages are offered which teach the basics and tricks. The school also organizes mobile outings, and hosts drop-in visits from professionals. If its pupils’ enthusiasm is any indication, after just a few months it’s already on a roll.

635 Divisadero, SF. (415) 572-2065, www.sfskateclub.com

BEST EYE ON THE OCEAN

Perched above Sutro Baths near Ocean Beach, on a cliff whose face always seems to be exploding with colorful blooms, the exceedingly graceful 4,050 sq. ft. National Park Service visitor center at Point Lobos known as Lands End Lookout is one of our new favorite places in the world. (Although it’s closed as of this writing due to the government shutdown, boo.) Opened earlier this year, it contains a smart little cafe, oodles of info on the area’s environmental features, wildlife, and historical hot spots, and a nature-loving staff. Most people will come here at a starting point of an energizing down to the or through the surrounding hills. But the low and angular yet surprisingly capacious design of the Lookout itself, by EHDD, fits so perfectly into its Point Lobos surroundings (and puts further to shame the industrial barn-like Cliff House next door) that you may find yourself lingering beyond a cappuccino to enjoy the light and light-filled space, waves frothing on the rocks far below.

www.parksconservancy.org

BEST BAR FOR A SECOND DATE

Fancy foodie joints, indie movies, trendy pop-ups, and all that jazz: all great ways to unwind the weirdness of date No. 2, but when it’s a Tuesday, you worked all day, and exhausted yourself in yoga, let’s be real: you’re hangry and horny. This evening out requires two things immediately: food and liquor. Forget trying to be impressive, go with our proven routine. We call up the Little Chihuahua on Divisadero, order something to go, and walk your awkward and excited date next door to The Page — one of the few chill, homey spots left on the rapidly developing (and stressing out) “Divisadero Corridor” — where one can snag a bar stool, drink some whiskey, and feast on your delicious assortment of salsas and burrito fare. This neighborhood staple is cool with your takeout as long as you promise to clean up your foils and spills — and generously tipping your bartender never hurts. Your date will be well fed, your confidence levels will be on the up, and the night is young. It’s time to turn the page on this.

298 Divisadero, SF. (415) 255-6101, www.thepagebar.com

BEST NEW DRONE HIVE (WITH BUZZ)

Face it: cafes do not want an all-day camper leeching off their wi-fi (and scaring away their customers), and people working on their laptops want a place to work where they don’t have to keep buying single espressos just to get that last report done. Now we out-of-office worker bees can bow to our caffeine-overlords guilt-free: The Workshop Cafe is a spot where laptop use is not only condoned, its encouraged. In fact, calling it a cafe may be a misnomer — it’s really a hip and sleek public office space that a cafe snuck into and never left. (And it’s already looking to expand to a location near you.) Each table is equipped with rows of outlets to charge your gear, and there’s a smartphone app to order coffee without moving your rump. Cubbies deep inside the FiDi coffee joint-cum-workspace come equipped with white boards and markers for impromptu meetings, and widescreen monitors await your PowerPoint-laden laptops. Workshop even offers scanning and printing services: no need to head to FedEx or Kinko’s or whatever the heck they call themselves these days. Pro tip: there are free portable batteries to plug your laptops into if you want to toil at the tables outside. For only two bucks an hour, you can work as long as you like, minus snide looks from annoyed baristas. Now we can work forever! Free time, what’s that?

180 Montgomery, SF. (415) 322-1048, www.workshopcafe.com

BEST SUPER-WELLNESS INSURANCE

Clamber up to the Queen Anne Victorian home on a quiet Richmond corner to find some of the best free health care in the city. For 20 years, the SF Free Clinic has tended to the uninsured and underinsured, doing the work that our great federal government is only just now starting to get to. Started in 1993 by Tricia and Richard Gibbs, two general practitioners who wanted to make the connection between low-income San Franciscans and the city’s high quality health resources, the facilities offer preventative health screenings, vaccines, and non-emergency care. Services like free diabetes screenings are aided by health facilities and pros from across the city who lend a hand at the California Street location. Example: renowned yoga instructor Betty Roi offers a regular healthful yoga class. The SF Free Clinic has seen more than 70,000 patient visits since it opened its doors, a staggering number that shows how valuable the clinic is to the city’s health and wellness.

4900 California, SF. (415) 750-9894, www.sffc.org

BEST MEMOS FROM HELL

“I’m so disappointed in Tartine. They can’t make a real croissant. They’re too heavy!” “I’ve had a really hard weekend, I’m exhausted. All I’ve done is go to music festivals.” “You know him, he’s a serial entrepreneur. We are going to have him give a talk!” Nothing could be more indicative of the tragically funny contemporary state of San Francisco than the exclamations posted to the Dispatches from Entitlementistan Facebook page. As the page’s anonymous proprietor explains “I overhear the most asinine snippets of conversation outside of our window. Here is a handcrafted, artisanal, seasonal, locally-sourced, curated selection of comments from the heart of the Mission.” Links to cringe-worthy tech exposes, snaps of “only in privileged SF” moments, and even some nuanced critiques of the state of this rapidly changing city are posted almost daily. Dispatches is no mere anti-tech hate fest, however. It showed some serious viral power when it posted a Bud Light “Party on the Playa” Costco banner at Burning Man time, and a now-iconic pic, shot by Meredith Perry and picked up by Valleywag, of a Google Glass-sporting nerd with a bicycle at Dolores Park selfie-ing while two leather clad unicorns frolicked in the background. The caption? “Perfection.”

www.facebook.com/entitlementistan

BEST GUIDE FOR A CHALLENGING FUTURE

The organization has offered lectures and panel talks on key policy issues to Bay Area audiences for years, but the Commonwealth Club of California’s Climate One series deserves a shout-out for bringing the most pressing environmental issues of our time to the fore. Climate One was founded by Commonwealth Club Vice President Greg Dalton in 2007 after he visited the arctic circle in a Russian icebreaker boat and saw firsthand the effects of climate change on life in that part of the world. So far, the series has brought together public officials, academic experts, key business players, and advocates for serious, in-depth conversations on everything from fracking and the implications of rising sea levels to “Corn, Cows, and Cars.” The result: scary stuff, but with a reach toward actual solutions. Educate thyself with a Climate One talk at the Club’s San Francisco headquarters or download a podcast from a recent event.

www.climate-one.org

BEST SAIL FROM SOBRIETY (ON WAVES OF NOTORIETY)

The cocktail menu at Virgil’s Sea Room pays homage to our city’s unfathomably quirky, endlessly entertaining heroes: fashionista twins Marian and Vivian Brown, departed philanthropist and devoted banjo player Warren Hellman, drag queen Empress I Jose Sarria, perennial 12 Galaxies sign-hoister Frank Chu. But when speaking of our burg’s best loved, mustn’t we also mention progenitors of accommodating neighborhood watering holes? If indeed we must, hoist a glass to the triple-threat owners of one of Bernal Heights’ new favorite hangouts. Lexington Club owner Lila Thirkield, DJ-promoter-political dervish Tom Temprano, and former Nickie’s drink slinger Gillian Fitzgerald opened their watering hole early this summer in the space that once housed karaoke dive-a-rama Nap’s III. They’ve slapped on some nautical accents, spruced up a surprisingly roomy patio, and nurtured a relaxed, quirky ambience that raises a welcoming flag to buoy local spirits — while saluting San Francisco’s rambunctious past.

3152 Mission, SF. (415) 829-2233, www.virgilssf.com

Best of the Bay 2013 Editors Picks: Food and Drink

Jesse Hawthorne Ficks

October 15, 2013

FOOD AND DRINK

BEST ALL-NATURAL SWEETIE

Juice may be the perky cheerleader in a made-for-tweens drama, but smoothies are the quiet girl that the plot eventually turns on — you know, the one with deeper substance, a touch of shy sweetness, perhaps a few creamy curves. Maybe smoothies aren’t hip to the cleansing trend, and maybe they don’t come packaged in a collectible glass bottle, but nobody puts them in the corner. The ingredient list for Morning Brew Cafe’s Happiness smoothie is deliciously minimal — avocado and whole milk — but your satisfaction will reach maximal heights. The silky combination of rich, ripe avo and thick dairy makes for a delicious sip and a full belly of healthy fat and vitamins. It’s a real meal, great as breakfast or post-workout replenishment. If you’re not a fan of the animal products, request almond milk and reap the additional protein benefits.

401 Sansome, SF. (415) 986-4206, www.morningbrew.com

BEST BUN NOODLIN’

Yes, you will do it in part for the Instagram. However, the hypebeasts were right on this one: Nombe’s ramenburger is something any self-respecting gourmand in this town has to try. (Curious folks waited over an hour to try one at the SF Street Food Festival, and no one laughed at them.) The burger of Wagyu beef and pork belly tucked between two ramen noodle buns is a culinary voyage, sometimes accompanied by miso, shiitake, and blue cheese if you’re looking for a true umami blast-off. Pro tip: come to Japanese-style izakaya Nombe on half-off wine bottle Wednesday and please, sort out the appropriate photo filter after you eat the thing. This is one burger that is best devoured straight from the kitchen, before the hype (or noodle) has had a chance to cool.

2491 Mission, SF. (415) 681-7150, www.nombesf.com

BEST “MADE” PIZZA

If San Francisco’s classier pizza joints ever threw down in some kind of mozzarella-fueled turf war, the smart money would be on Capo’s — the year-old North Beach joint that’s just as versed in Prohibition Era gangster culture as it is in tasty pizza. Chef Tony Gemignani clearly knows what he’s doing with his award-winning, Chicago-style pies (four choices of crust, from deep dish to “cracker thin”), but the man also has a flair for décor: hand-painted tin ceiling, a 1930s phone booth that actually functions, a bar that pays homage to the Golden Gate Bridge, and snappy red leather booths themed around gangsters of note — with memorabilia to match. Where else can you enjoy Quattro Forni (a pie specialty made using four ovens!) while admiring poker chips once owned by Al Capone? Nowhere else, wise guy. Capisce?

641 Vallejo, SF. (415) 986-8998, www.sfcapos.com

BEST BORSCHT IN BERNAL

Even if you don’t much care for piroshkis (although if that’s the case, we feel only sorrow in our hearts for you), the borscht will keep you coming back to Anda Piroshki. Tucked away in the local mini-mall of the Marketplace on Cortland, the counter’s proprietor Anna Tvelova keeps things simple by offering only a handful of menu options. The signature Anda Piroshki borscht is one of the tastiest we’ve ever encountered — no mushy puree, this savory-sweet beet soup is a chunky, earthy stew of slow-cooked veggies and copious dill simmered in a broth and sold in six-dollar pints so flavorful it’s hard to believe that they’re vegan. But they are.

The Marketplace, 331 Cortland, SF. (415) 821-9905, www.andapiroshki.com

BEST ZAP IN A GLASS

One of the most amazing recent dishes to smack the local foodie scene upside the head: Mission Chinese Food’s Chongqing chicken wings, the little crispy limbs buried in so many “explosive” chili peppers that one bite actually numbs your entire mouth. It’s the weirdest, most viscerally addictive experience on our menus. But what if we told you it was also available in cocktail form? Wow and ouch! The Alembic’s Nine Volt leapt onto the ever-innovative Haight Street bar’s summer cocktail menu this year (crafted by bar manager Danny Louie) and zapped us to attention. Served with white Szechuan peppers — yep, sourced from Mission Chinese — but gorgeously balanced with Aviation gin, green tea, and grape juice, this baby gives out a recharging tongue-in-the-socket thrill without any battery-acid stomach repercussions. Here’s hoping the Nine Volt sticks around through winter: we could use the heat.

1725 Haight, SF. (415) 666-0822, www.alembicbar.com

BEST BARLEYWINE BLAST

Although it’s been absorbed to an extent by SF Beer Week, Toronado’s annual Barleywine Festival has been around much longer (20 years as of last February), and it eschews the exuberant trappings of most of its festival kin to focus strictly on what’s most essential — the booze. As strong as wine but brewed as a beer, barleywines fall beyond stouts, doppelbocks, and tripels on the strong beer spectrum, and are best savored slowly and with a degree of reverence, which Toronado facilitates with generous, inexpensive sample pours of over 50 varieties from around the world. And, dear hearts, the festival always falls on the weekend closest to Valentine’s Day, making it the perfect destination (or distraction) for the lovers and loners alike.

547 Haight, SF, (415) 863-2276, www.toronado.com

BEST BURMESE BRUNCH BRUSSELS SPROUTS

The wait line to get into excellent Inner Richmond Burmese restaurant Burma Superstar is legendary — so legendary that most of us stopped considering it as a dinner option. So when, a few years ago, the owners announced they would be opening a “little sister” down the block named B Star Bar, we rejoiced. B Star Bar kept some of Burma Superstar’s favorites, like the lauded tea leaf salad, but it specialized in innovative Asian comfort food twists. Among the surprises: one of the best brunch menus in the city, including a delectable duck hash quesadilla, succulent tocino (bacon-like Asian jerk pork) with garlic rice, and a full selection of jooks (rice porridge) with all the fixings. But the real brunch superstar here is B Star Bar’s brunch “B Sprouts” — perfectly roasted Brussels sprouts tossed with furikake (rice seasoning), fish sauce, Parmesan, and popped rice that adds a cheery wake-up crunch. The diverse flavors combine so well, we could brunch on these little green gems forever (with mimosas, of course).

127 Clement, SF. (415) 933-9900, www.bstarbar.com

BEST SURPRISE SANDWICHES

“Pastries for lunch?” Your friends might scoff, but oh, what a surprise they’re in for upon entering this hidden gem tucked between office buildings and business folks. “Banh mi!,” they will exclaim, and although there will not be streamers or confetti to complement their shocked expressions, these little sandwiches will do the delighting in both taste and value. Muffins Muffins, tucked innocuously off Second Street, serves up delicious, made-to-order banh mi for as little as five bucks. The vegetarian option features some tasty faux meat with a tangy finish, topped with jalapeños and hugged by a soft bun. Carry your lunch to nearby Yerba Buena Gardens for a Financial District adventure that doesn’t require a suit or a fatty wallet.

123 Second St, SF. (415) 342-7588

BEST WORMWOOD WARLOCKS

There aren’t many in the craft-spirit making movement who can boast of having a US Navy nuclear engineer as a master distiller. The story goes: Lance Winters came to St. George Spirits and presented founder Jörg Rupf with a homemade batch of whiskey in lieu of resume. He got the job, and under his watch, St. George churned out its single malt whiskey and a line of gins. In 2007, it became the first in the nation to legally release a wormwood liqueur, and continues to be well known for its excellent Absinthe Verte. In a retrofitted Alameda naval hanger turned HQ, test stills are charmed into producing oddball booze flavors including oysters, Dungeness crab, or even the company Christmas tree. “If we’re not pushing the limits of our creativity,” they explain, “our spirits aren’t going to be any different or better than stuff that’s already out there.”

2601 Monarch, Ala. (510) 769-1601, www.stgeorgespirits.com

BEST CELEB BREAD

Oh, you thought Food Network personality Tyler Florence was the celebrity most likely to appear at the elegant American bistro he owns in the Financial District? Nope. Before you even order off the classy-comfort-food menu, you’ll have your brush with fame. Instead of a bread basket (boring!), at your table will appear Wayfare Tavern’s popovers — crisp, golden brown, egg-battered treats so delicious you’ll be tempted to spoil your meal with multiple servings. (And so legendary that several staff members sport popover tattoos.) In August, Florence tapped a new executive chef in Joey Elenterio and word on the street is new menu items will follow, so this might be a grand time to make a reservation. Just keep those popovers coming, please!

558 Sacramento, SF. (415) 772-9060, www.wayfaretavern.com

BEST POPPED-UP BOTTLES

You know what this place could use? Some no-frills, open-to-all wine tasting. Enter Mugsy Wine Bar, a pop-up most often spotted at El Rio that knows how to class up a place without bringing down the mood, aided by sips from local vintners. The Mugsy tasting notes: “a wine bar with an emphasis on women, urban, and people of color winemakers” with a mouth-feel of “all-around enjoyment.” And this pop-up is pop-cultured. Witness, theme nights: “Mugsy is the New Black” (a play on Netflix smash-hit prison drama series, “Orange is the New Black”) for which the team brought out lesbian-owned Oakland winery Fraina Blanco. Then there was “Popping up for Pride” night, when bottles were uncorked from Alameda’s Rock Wall Wines and Urban Legend Cellars of Oakland. Hooray for local vino pride.

mugsywinebar.tumblr.com

BEST PALETA CLEANSER

So you’ve just gobbled down an incredible meal at Nopalito that began with a heaping bowl of melted-cheese-covered tortilla chips, followed by carnitas and several bites of your tablemate’s chicken mole. You sipped multiple mezcal-laced cocktails (try the Killer Bee). You are officially stuffed. But when the server comes around asking if you want dessert, there’s only one answer: yes, yes you want in on Nopalito’s housemade popsicles. These paletas hechas en casa may be the only dessert option at either of the restaurant’s two locations, but they’re a thick, rich cut above anything you’ll find in the corner store freezer. There’s a choice of flavors: seasonal fruit or chocolate-cinnamon — the latter like eating a big, ice-cold hunk of Mexican chocolate.

306 Broderick, SF. (415) 437-0303; 1224 Ninth Ave., SF. (415) 233-9966, www.nopalitosf.com

BEST LUNCH PARTY IN THE USA

Perish all lunchtime thoughts of those tea-sipping, watercress sandwich-prone Windsors across the pond — in America, our royalty slurps down such delights as fried peanut butter and banana sandos. But, if you’re the worldly sort and prefer a slightly more elegant take on Elvis-inspired cuisine, point your pink Cadillac toward the Lunchpad. At this daytime sandwich pop-up inside new Hayes Valley wine bar Noir Lounge, one can king oneself with an “Almost Elvis,” Nutella and banana on pain de mie (with an add-bacon option, natch). Savory Lunchpad hits include twists on the classics (roast turkey with habañero candied bacon!) and specials (fried chicken sandwich). Oh, and fans of Hollywood royalty take note: A recent lox-and-eggs concoction paid tribute to Leonardo DiCaprio.

581 Hayes, SF. (415) 552-6647, www.thelunchpadsf.com

BEST CULTURED CACAO

Born of owner Arcelia Gallardo and co-owner Amelia Gonzalez’ passion for Latin America’s rich pre-Colombian heritage, Casa de Chocolates offers spicy, artisanal iterations of the divine sweet, expertly accented by the flavors of Mesoamerica’s traditional food staples. The women’s dual interests in the culinary and cultural make for an exciting, informed menu — one can pick up a box of mole, passionfruit, guayaba, and tamarind-filled handmade bon-bons, or leave the realm of cacao entire for a silky pumpkin flan or a chipotle caramel. There is such a thing as a tequila-filled chocolate butterfly! Though many items, like a foot-wide dark chocolate rendering of the revered Aztec calendar, are available in the shop’s online store, you’ll have to make an in-person appearance for some specialties including a piquant glass of frozen Mexican chocolate, or standout tres leches cupcakes.

2629 Ashby, Berk. (510) 859-7221, www.casadechocolates.com

BEST RETRO EGG CREAM

Did you think egg creams were something you’d only ever experience onscreen in a teens-of-the-1950s movie? Then welcome the sweet, bustling counter here — named for its owner’s great-grandmother — which is doing its part to bring retro sippin’ to the FiDi lunch masses. While you’re there, it’s well worth sampling one of the Jewish-style deli’s delicious, rye-bread sandwiches or bagel concoctions, but Shorty Goldsteins’ egg creams (made with syrup, milk, and seltzer) are a cult classic in the making, with flavors that usually include vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and salted caramel. And if you’d prefer not to drink your dessert … Shorty’s thick, decadent cheesecake just might put your head on swivel instead.

126 Sutter, SF. (415) 986-2676, www.shortygoldsteins.com

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER BAR

A cozy bar with unbeatable drink deals, a genre-spanning variety of DJ nights (soul! Classic country! Brazilian! 1950s mod!), undiscovered by the mouth-breathing masses, yet conveniently located just a few meatball-lengths away from the Emmy’s Spaghetti Shack? What is this magical establishment? Look no further than the spot so friendly it’s named El Amigo — offering late-night drink specials and stocking 40 kinds of tequila. Hi! The joint is owned by the same team behind the ever-popular Emmy’s, providing a great perch for drinking away your wait for a table. And join us there for a cheap beer and a shot at midnight, you might become our BFF.

3355 Mission, SF. Facebook: El Amigo Bar

BEST ESCAPE EN ESPAÑOL

Hayes Valley is a neighborhood in constant flux — witness the condo complex that’s rising where the Hayes Valley Farm’s beehives and veggie rows once stood. Just across Fell Street from this construction is year-old specialty market Nosa Ria (speaking of change, the space was previously a hair salon), selling what its sandwich-board sign dubs “quintessential Spanish foods” — and we dub indubitably delicious. Its list of unique, hard-to-find imports includes grocery staples (cured meats, cheese, olive oils, etc.), wines and sherry, and treats (chocolate! Chupa Chups!). Oh yes, there is that ever-elusive jamon serrano in the house, as well as squid in ink, thick and sweety turron, and all the paella fixings you need, including tha pans. That trip to Galicia and/or Andalusia may be still in the planning stages, but you can start refining your palate ahora.

500 Laguna, SF. (415) 529-1506, www.nosaria.com

BEST PASTRY ERUPTION

Certainly, you can visit this Marina bakeshop without ordering Le Marais Bakery’s Volcan, but this is foolhardy. On your last island getaway did you dither about in the airport gift shop, fretting over gaudy short-sleeve button-downs and plastic leis, tempting as they may be? Of course not, you went straight to the top of Kilauea and delighted in its heart-racing flows and crispy geological crusts. And so you will, bold one, at Le Marais. You’ll save that baguette for later and dive straight into a Volcan, one of the shop’s deep dishes of light and flakey crust, molten ricotta, and some kind of something — Llano Seco pork perhaps, or a smattering of sharp Parmesan. But be warned: any tummy rumblings after this first taste of paradise may signal another trip to Chestnut Street for a buttery, savory baked eruption.

2066 Chestnut, SF. (415) 359-9801, www.lemaraisbakery.com

BEST REASON FOR VEGANS TO BRAVE THE FOG

Ramen is a staple of many an SF diet — especially in the chilly summer months laced with our trademark fog. But the dish almost always includes meat, or at the very least those so-called vegetarian noodles and veggies are floating in warm fish broth. It can seem particularly rude to dissect each element of the noodle bowl at a traditional spot, causing headaches for servers and hungry vegans alike. Enter Ken Ken Ramen, a popular Mission brick-and-mortar location that started as a pop-up. It proudly serves both the traditional stuff, unique nightly specials, and the noodle bowl of vegan dreams. No guessing, it’s labeled clearly on the menu: “Miso Vegan Ramen.” Ah, such a relief filling your belly with warm, tender noodles. And that sizzling bowl includes vegan broth, vegan noodles, and “veggies galore.” Vegans rejoice!

3378 18th St., SF. (415) 967-2636, www.eatkenkenramen.com

BEST PATCHED-UP WATERING HOLE

Perhaps it is, as the official line of the newly renovated Dogpatch Saloon goes, high time for a 100-year-old bar to undergo a facelift. The bar’s new ownership headed by Christopher Barry, the mind behind downtown’s 83 Proof, seemed like it had its heart in the right place, but the neighborhood bar’s clientele had a right to be worried about the integrity of its comfy watering hole in a rapidly evolving area. Lo and behold: the change was good. Fresh new cocktails lubricate a complete (but not drastic) rehash of the age-old interior, and the characters assembled around the bar continue to convey the scruffy ragtagliness of the dockside ‘hood. We like it when well-loved institutions move smoothly with the times, especially when that motion involves a cocktail shaker.

2496 Third St., SF. (415) 643-8592, www.dogpatchsaloon.com

BEST OUT-THERE GROCERIES

Houses in the Sunset may be built on dunes, but make no mistake, the neighborhood is no food desert. The flagship of the snacktastic stretch of outer Judah Street (see also: locavore haven Outerlands, beloved Mexican resto Celia’s by the Beach) is without a doubt grocery co-op Other Avenues, about to round the bend on year 40 in the western neighborhood. This is world-class healthy food: happy-making bulk bins, raw milk, vivacious produce, with a thoughtful wine selection and holistic med shelves so complete you’ll never have to trek into neighborhoods that look down on wearing sandals to re-up on herbs and tonics. Plus it’s cute, friendly, and neatly crammed into a smallish storefront, you’ll never lose the gist of your shopping list after giving your neighborhood a hearty “howdy.”

3930 Judah, SF. (415) 661-7475, www.otheravenues.coop

BEST COMMUTER CRUSTS

The Mexican-Italian house of Juan Gutierrez opened The Sandwich Place in 1979 when Gutierrez was only 14 years old. A tiny shop that just fits its refrigerator cases full of bevs and counter, the shop sits a stone’s throw from the 16th Street BART station in a bustling milieu of commuters, street preachers, and the occasional demonstration or spoken word open mic. In such a space, one would expect strict utilitarianism. But Gutierrez would scoff at such assumptions — quickly, in his exuberantly bilingual manner. One look at the Place’s vast menu reveals everything from chicken milanesas and bacon-wrapped hot dogs to a superb Portobello-and-balsamic sando from an impressive veggie section, all served on his fresh homemade breads in standard and gluten-free varieties. Better than the chain stores? By a million miles. And chances are, you won’t have to travel even one to find out.

2029 Mission, SF. (415) 431-3811

BEST GROWTH IN THE YARD

Back in 1992, inmate counselor Catherine Sneed started pioneering programs for former offenders that eventually led to the implementation of the San Francisco Jail’s Garden Project. This in-jail option gives inmates the time and space to plant and tend their own organically grown food gardens at the Jail’s San Bruno complex as a healthy add-in to their rehabilitation. The program has recently been expanded under Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, who pushed for and won a new food service contract to ensure more of this yummy nutrition ends up on the plates of inmates who have traditionally had to endure less than wholesome fare. Soon, if the program catches on, jails might have more shared garden space than San Francisco itself.

www.gardenproject.org

BEST CHILL TREAT

“Rich and creamy, baked with love, and served chilled for the California heat” — did Schulzies Bread Pudding sound intriguing until that “chilled” part? Open your mind, bread pudding snob: Sarah Schulz’s Venice Beach-born, super-moist dessert sensation, which added a Hayes Valley location last year, is too delicious to deny (and the shop has warm options to balance out the cold, FYI). Who needs a cupcake or a cronut when you can spoon up fresh-made flavors such as Maple Bacon Lovers (tasty with optional add-ins like whiskey sauce and chocolate chips), Blissed Out Blueberry, or Salted Caramel Charisma? Seriously — who needs to eat any other type of food, ever again?

364 Hayes, SF. (415) 565-7336, www.schulziesbreadpudding.com

BEST NORTH BEACH FRY BOMB

Oh, the end of a long night in North Beach. There you are, mercifully relieved of your singles after oh-so-lovely times watching the ladies of the Penthouse Club clack their mega-heels all up and down the two-story stripper poles. You’re satiated in the “make it rain” department … but damn, are you hungry. Enter Taqueria Zorro’s Zorro burrito, there to stuff your belly and slash “satisfied” across your chest. What’s in the Zorro, you ask? Well, all the same things you’ve come to expect from a burrito, except instead of using traditional rice and beans they stuff the burrito with French fries. This so-called “California burrito” version, supposedly hailing from San Diego in the ’80s is all the carb-filled rage these days — GQ even claimed last month that it would soon replace the ramenburger (see above) in hip factor. And yeah, you can spot it soaking through menus across the Mission. But Zorro got there first and left its greasy, irresistible mark.

308 Columbus, SF. (415) 392-1299, www.taqueriazorro.com

BEST POP SCENE

You’re welcome to play it safe tastewise in Willy Wonka-like soda paradise The Fizzary. Pop a familiar bottle of orange into the joint’s charming quick chill device, crack, and glug. But even amid that flavor’s designated shelf of sodas you’ll find intriguing variations — a bottle flown in from the Phillipines, a blood orange variation innocuously lounging, a five-gallon jug of your childhood favorite fizz to take your sugar highs to new altitudes. Venture out of the known soda universe — that seems to be what local bubble bottlers Taylor’s Tonics wanted when they opened up this quirky shop selling theirs and other carbonated treats — plus retro and hard-to-find candies — in the Mission. A quick listing of the other flavors you may encounter on the shelves and your tastebuds quiver. Chocolate, lavender, clove, bacon, spruce, amaretto, and cucumber from manufacturers the world over.

2949 Mission, SF. (877) 368-4608, www.thefizzary.com

BEST CURRY QUEUE

Light fare it is not, but are we ever glad to have come around to the gravy-like consistency and rich, complex flavors of Japanese curry. Nothing seems more homey or satisfying than when the comforting heft of a curry-laden lunch plate — chicken or pork katsu, tender cubed beef, steaming veggie, etc. versions available — is directed toward your waiting mouth, a feat made possible at the Financial District’s Muracci’s (a joint that now has a sister location in Los Altos.) Venture here for some of the best Japanese curry that we’ve found in town, served up in a small, no-frills space with less than a dozen seats. Plus: sides of pickles! Be not afraid of the line, an apt indicator of the number of J-curry fans in this town — thanks to Muracci’s efficient express plates, the queue moves fast enough to satisfy even our most ravenous lunchtime cravings.

307 Kearny, SF. (415) 773-1101, www.muraccis.com

BEST SURROUND SOUND DINING

When the sound system at your restaurant outstrips the food when it comes to rave reviews, you might have a problem. But the folks at Berkeleys’s elegant, spare, and forward-thinking Comal are confident enough in their menu to take us to the next level of sensual experience. The haute-Mexican cuisine, emphasizing deep flavors and grilled textures, speaks for itself. But the sound of the place speaks volumes. In order to better control the sonic ambiance of the place — and perhaps to diffuse the persnicketiness of SF’s most prominent food critic, whose aversion to dining room noise is legendary — Comal’s owner John Paluska installed a new, state-of-the-art Libra acoustic image system and complementary Constellation active acoustic system from Meyer Sound. Through a series of unobstrusive iPad-controlled speakers and acoustic absorption tiles, managers can control the “buzz” levels of the place, “washing” and basically “whitening” the noise as needed to quiet things down. The can even turn up the buzz around the bar — although with several flights of tequila on the menu, there’s probably enough buzz already.

2020 Shattuck, SF. (510) 926.6300, www.comalberkeley.com

BEST FREEKEH-BEET TO FREAK ABOUT

It is with good reason that Hella Vegan Eats’ doughnut burger was the runaway star of the San Francisco Street Food Festival this year. No false modesty here: the Bay Guardian had already been praising that sticky delicious beet burger for months, even giving it top billing in our “Vegan Junk Food” feature. But no matter who broke the story; the real scoop here is that special dish, lovingly crafted by couple-founders Tiffany and Sylvee Esquivel, and showing up regularly at places like Dear Mom, Timeless Coffee in Oakland, and Dolores Park through La Cocina. Dig its moist-yet-crunchy patty fashioned from freekah (an ancient cereal) and beets and plopped between two (vegan) sugar donuts, piled high with pickled veggies, and laced with a tangy secret sauce. So wrong that it’s right.

www.hellaveganeats.com

BEST NOLA WEST

Appropriately, the Chapel opened last year with a string of concerts by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, a group named for its origin point at NOLA’s Preservation Hall jazz venue. That’s the spot Valencia Street’s new place for music worship (officially known as Preservation Hall West at the Chapel) is modeled after, and endlessly inspired by, be it in in the form of design, live music, or eats. This year, the well-crafted, multilevel, many-roomed Chapel has expanded its musical offerings, dabbling in folk, rock’n’roll, and indie bands like La Sera, Magic Trick, and Weekend, along with more traditional jazz acts, and what-the-hell randomly awesome offerings like Sparks or actor-musician John C. Reilly with Lavender Diamond. It also opened the attached Vestry Restaurant, which offers a full menu leaning more on the SF gourmet side, with items like the duck confit flatbread or seared scallops with beet risotto. During shows, patrons can peep live acts from the open upstairs balcony, from the dramatic main room down below, or perched on a bar stool in the shiny wooded lounge with closed-circuit flat screens, high-end cocktails like the Old Overholt rye-based Ward Eight, and yummy bar bites like shrimp po’ boys that subtly wink at NOLA pride.

777 Valencia, SF. (415) 551-5157, www.thechapelsf.com

BEST POW WOW PUNK CHEF

You may see Rocky Yazzie at the best live venues around town doing one of two things. Either he’s rocking coveralls and slinging authentic Native American fry bread, or banging it out with his self-described “pow wow punk” band, Sweat Lodge. Either way, you’ll be glad to have stumbled into his special Rocky bubble. A few words on his Rocky’s Fry Bread snacks, perhaps the better known of the two projects. The New Mexico native and member of the Diné tribe makes deliciously deep-fried taco-like handheld meals, stuffed with beans and fresh veggies (there are non-veg versions as well), behind his own pop-up stand. There’s something about that fry bread that just perfectly soaks up all the boozing without landing like a log in your tummy. As the friendly slinger once explained it to Scoutmob, “I love life and it shows in the food.”

www.twitter.com/RockysFrybread

BEST POT LUCK

An invention that seems perfect for the busy-yet-locavore-obsessed Bay Area (though test markets are popping up in Brooklyn, New Orleans, and LA) sustainable ready-to-eat delivery service Good Eggs seems to have it all. But for our money — and yes, it’s not exactly cheap — there is one among Eggs’ many intriguing, locally produced offerings that intrigues the most: caterer Max Pouvreau’s Petit Pot. Did you know that everything tastes better in a Weck jar? This is the height of Bay food trendiness on the go: Try jarred lamb shoulder and spring onion tagine with prunes and roasted almonds, followed by a jarred dark chocolate buttermilk cake with coffee whipped cream and cocoa nibs. All delivered to your door! Bonus: $3 deposits on your round glass meal carriers means return customers get a sweet (savory?) discount.

www.goodeggs.com/petitpot

BEST LATE NIGHT HOT POCKETS

Spurn the crowds across the street at ever-popular Taqueria Cancun’s Bernal-side outpost. You, a seasoned Missionite, have had your fill of what one of our dear ones likes to call “the Mexican death log.” Burrito fiend you are not — which is why in your wisdom your tummy’s late night call has led you to a late-night Salvadorean restaurant, sounding thusly: “pupusa…” They’re no baby-sized gut bomb, the pupusas at El Zocalo. These traditional steaming pocket-like snacks come stuffed with cheese (of course), but also zucchini, loroco, feta even for those sick of stringy quesos. And lucky you, the family joint stays open until three in the morning, so it’s ready for whenever you graduate to the next level with San Francisco snacking.

3230 Mission, SF. (415) 282-2572

BEST WORLD SOUND BITES

Watch live flamenco and Arabian fusion music while you dance with a side of papas bravas and plantains. Take in the All-Star Latin Band on weekly Cuban and world music nights while munching Andean fresh corn tamales and yuca frita with cashew cream. Yes, North Beach’s intimate cultural center and restaurant Peña Pachamama (“on a little side street in San Francisco’s old Latin Quarter somewhere between Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf, and endless Italian late-night cafes”) offers up such startlingly refreshing culinary-auditory pairings, nearly every night of the week. The friendly South American restaurant and performance venue offers an exceptional range of cultural treats for your tummy and mind, and begs this simple question: why is it so damn hard to find vegan, gluten free, and/or deliciously organic cuisine at other music venues in veg-friendly San Francisco? No matter — Peña Pachamama has already delivered the goods, and they are spicy.

1630 Powell, SF. (415) 646-0018, pachamamacenter.org

BEST NEW GOLD RUSH

Friends, we have eaten gold leaf. That’s what they’re serving these days at the new digs of the most lauded restaurant in SF, Saison: a voluptuous dish of sea urchin over grilled root custard in a handmade Japanese ceramic bowl, topped with a generous skin of melted gold. (Let’s settle one question right away: no, our toilet wasn’t gilded the next morning. Nor did we use the leaf to fake a grill.) It’s part of the $248 tasting menu, $396 with insane wine pairing, at this two-star Michelin hotspot. Don’t worry, there’s a bar menu featuring reserve caviar dolloped over corn pudding and grilled Australian black truffle stew, both at $88, cough. Look, we have to hand it to renegade chef Joshua Skenes and sommelier and co-owner Mark Bright — if you ever can/want to shell out $400 for a meal (ours was a press comp), this is the absolutely perfect one. Fourteen courses of the best the world has to offer, served in jaw-dropping ways. Yet it was the metaphorical combination of the dish mentioned above — gold smothering an urchin — that rang particularly true of this moment in San Francisco history. The delicious, flashy rush. And then what lies beneath it, left behind.

178 Townsend, SF. (415) 828-7990, www.saisonsf.com

Best of the Bay 2013 Readers Poll: Shopping

Jesse Hawthorne Ficks

October 15, 2013

BEST OF THE BAY 2013: READERS POLL

SHOPPING

BEST OVERALL BOOKSTORE

GREEN APPLE BOOKS

506 Clement, SF

www.greenapplebooks.com

BEST USED BOOK STORE

AARDVARK BOOKS

227 Church, SF

(415) 552-6733

BEST COMIC BOOK STORE

ISOTOPE COMICS

326 Fell, SF

www.isotopecomics.com

BEST MAGAZINE SELECTION

ISSUES

20 Glen, Oakl

www.issuesshop.com

BEST RECORD STORE

AMOEBA MUSIC

Multiple locations

www.amoeba.com

BEST VIDEO STORE

LOST WEEKEND VIDEO

1034 Valencia, SF

www.lostweekendvideo.com

BEST GROCERY STORE

RAINBOW GROCERY

1745 Folsom, SF

www.rainbow.coop

BEST FRESH PRODUCE

GOLDEN PRODUCE

172 Church, SF

BEST CLOTHING STORE (WOMEN)

AMBIANCE

www.ambiancesf.com

BEST CLOTHING STORE (MEN) (TIE)

SUI GENERIS CONSIGNMENT

2231 Market, SF

www.suigenerisconsignment.com

UNIONMADE

493 Sanchez, SF

www.unionmadegoods.com

BEST CLOTHING STORE (KIDS)

CHLOE’S CLOSET

Multiple locations

www.chloescloset.com

BEST SHOP FOR PARENTS-TO-BE

NATURAL RESOURCES

1367 Valencia, SF

www.naturalresources-sf.com

BEST VINTAGE CLOTHING STORE

RELIC VINTAGE

1605 Haight, SF

BEST LOCAL DESIGNER

COLLEEN MAUER

www.colleenmauerdesigns.com

BEST FLEA MARKET

ALAMEDA POINT ANTIQUES FAIRE

2900 Navy Way, Ala.

www.alamedapointantiquesfaire.com

BEST THRIFT STORE

THRIFT TOWN

2101 Mission, SF

www.thrifttown.com

BEST SHOE STORE

SHOE BIZ

Multiple locations

www.shoebizsf.com

BEST FURNITURE STORE

COMMUNITY THRIFT STORE

623 Valencia, SF

www.communitythriftsf.org

BEST HARDWARE STORE

COLE HARDWARE

Multiple locations

www.colehardware.com

BEST TOY STORE

THE ARK

Multiple locations

www.thearktoys.com

BEST BIKE SHOP

VALENCIA CYCLERY

1077 Valencia, SF

www.valenciacyclery.com

BEST PET SHOP (TIE)

BERNAL BEAST

509 Cortland, SF

www.bernalbeast.com

PAWTRERO

Multiple locations

www.pawtrero.com

BEST GIFT SHOP

HEARTFELT

436 Cortland, SF

www.heartfeltsf.com

BEST PLACE TO BUY EYEWEAR

VEO OPTICS

Multiple locations

www.veooptics.com

BEST CANNABIS DISPENSARY

THE GREEN CROSS

4218 Mission, SF

www.thegreencross.org

BEST STORE STAFF

CHOCOLATE COVERED

4069 24th St, SF

www.chocolatecoveredsf.com

BEST QUIRKY SPECIALTY STORE

PAXTON GATE

824 Valencia, SF

www.paxtongate.com

BEST SPORTING GOODS STORE

SPORTS BASEMENT

Multiple locations

www.sportsbasement.com

BEST FLOWER SHOP

NOB HILL FLORIST

1396 California, SF

www.nobhillflorist.com

BEST PLACE TO BUY LINGERIE

PINK BUNNY

1772 Union, SF

www.pinkbunny.biz

BEST PLACE TO BUY SEX TOYS

GOOD VIBRATIONS

Multiple locations

www.goodvibes.com

BEST PLACE TO BUY FETISH GEAR

MR. S LEATHER

385 8th St, SF

www.mr-s-leather.com

Illustration by Robert Trujillo

The procrastinator’s Treasure Island Music Festival to-do list

Tony Robles

October 14, 2013

From snatching that perfect pair of tolerably uncomfortable shoes to sourcing stamina-inducing party favors, pre-music festival preparations are key.

Unfortunately I’m a procrastinator to the highest degree — a gal who thrives on the thrill of a deadline and thereby ends up highly caffeinated on Saturday morning, buzzing between projects: weaving flower crowns with foliage from the backyard, trying on all my bras in search of the one that will best cozy my flask, baking sugary snacks that minimize long line-induced irritation, taking shots, doing lunges, and yelping with excitement.

I am also a big fan of the to-do list. And since the Treasure Island Music Festival is a personal favorite fully laced with woozy, mushy memories, I’m getting a few-day head start on this year’s to-do list to make sure the fest goes swimmingly. (Treasure Island Music Festival takes place this Sat/19-Sun/20. www.treasureislandfestival.com.)

My Treasure Island To-Do List

1. Cool it — I ain’t makin’ no schedule.

Treasure Island is the perfect babysitter for indecisive music-lovers. I’m gonna shuffle between stages, passing beer tents and high-fiving neighbors, co-workers, and awkward exes along the way. I’m confident in my ability to mosey into just the right kind of trouble.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPaA4HVISLo

2. Valet that bike — make someone else worry about parking.

No lock means I can save the room in the mini backpack for a burrito (aka tallboy wrapped in a tortilla).

3. Booze on the way — duh.

Whisky pulls during the 15-minute bus ride make for happy islanders.

4. Sail away — time to flirt starboard side.

People have boats. Companies are chartering boats. All I’m saying is that there are boat rides to be had. There’s also rumor that one of said vessels will have the boys of Lord Huron on deck. Time to swoon in my stripes.

5. Show up early — fashionably late isn’t fashionable.

I always foolishly take my damn time and land on the island mid-afternoon, sorta sour and wishing I had just packed a bag brunch and picnicked on the grass. Quit pretending like there are better things to do — it’s an island, with music, and sunshine. Done.

6. Pack smart — not light.

Is that sandwich too heavy? Is that trail mix hurting my back? No it’s not because it’s in my belly and I’m happy. The food on site provides a nice array of local fare, but there’s no rule against brining some of your own treats, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIjVpRAXK18

7. Convince the HAIM sisters to be my bffs — get crafty.

I sincerely think we’d make great friends. We could braid each other’s long locks, listen to records while drinking milkshakes, and swap leather jackets. The plan: make friendship bracelets these girls can’t refuse. Camp DIY will have all the supplies and badass crafter, Kelly Malone of Workshop SF will be on island to make sure things are just as charming as they are rock and roll.

8. Track down the balloon chain guy. Just because.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zCoCa6b6cU

9. Be sunset ready — no bathroom line or trinket shopping during the ball drop.

The sun will set at approximately 6:25 both evenings, meaning I’ll be feeling some sky love during Major Lazer’s set Saturday and James Blake come Sunday. Take a puff and make a thoughtful toast to that beautiful Bay called home.

10. Make-out on the 60-foot Century Ferris Wheel — no excuses.

11. Watch Nelson Loskamp cut people’s hair…from afar.

He tapes you down, covers your eyes and mouth, and sonically hacks at your hair with sound-wired scissors. I don’t understand what this means but I’m terrified and beyond curious.

12. Throw down — then stretch.

“When a fire starts to burn, right? And starts to spread? She gonna bring that attitude to halt…”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9saLEZlKEU

13. Get weird with strangers — we’re all smashed together anyway.

A few dirty lyrics, pulsing bass, and silky voices — acts like Antwon and Little Dragon could encourage a few folks to get fresh. I’ll be sure to provide encouragement.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QS10B4k_9g

14. Be observant — and/or some light stalking.

Where or where will the Atoms For Peace crew be hanging out post show? How about Animal Collective? Beck? I probably wouldn’t be able to speak if I find them, but I’m not ashamed to drool in their presence.

15. Solid prep — Monday is for recovery.

Start that fake cough on Friday in order to avoid all work, responsibilities, and obligations come Monday. Sleigh Bells is sure to have me wrecked and amped for hooky.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr-ahiFDkts

Party Radar: Tiara Sensation Pageant, Body and Soul, Peter Kruder, Castro Street Fair, Octo Octa, more

Jesse Hawthorne Ficks

October 3, 2013

Party Radar: Tiara Sensation Pageant, Body and Soul, Peter Kruder, Castro Street Fair, Octo Octa, more

According to recent findings, it would take 4.85×10(15) years to teleport a complete human at 30GHz. That’s 350,000 times longer than the universe has existed. And almost as long as the clothes check line at the Powerhouse.

How will I ever get to all these parties???

Darn you, science. I’m guessing I’ll still at least have one or two out of body experiences at the following, howevs.

>>MAXXI SOUNDSYSTEM

If you’re any kind of dance maven, you’d know Brit Sam Watts’ 2011 hit “Criticize” in three notes, probably — but I adore his remix work and DJ prowess. Hit him up at the neat, super-affordable-for-this-kind-of-talent weekly Base party, which seems to have reemerged after a little hiatus.

Thu/3, 10pm, $5-$10. Vessel, 85 Campton Pl., SF. www.vesselsf.com

>>TIARA SENSATION PAGEANT

All the glorious queens forever! This beloved little underground drag tradition, brought to us by the creators of the great Some Thing party every Friday at the Stud, is going BIGTIME. This year it’s being held at the De Young Museum’s fun Friday evenings (there will be kids there! and a bar!) Of course, it’s a freakishly lovely runway pageant for freakishly freakish queens — and I’ll be one of the celebrity judges, so you know it will be, er, drinky. My fellow judges, far more legendary than I could ever be, are Candis Cayne, Gina La Divina, Lil Miss Hot Mess, and Honey Mahogany. Expect a raucous, wiggy crowd.

Fri/4, 6pm-10pm, FREEEEE. de Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, SF. Info here

>>BODY & SOUL

Three of the world’s greatest house (and Latin, and electrofunk, and disco, and soul) DJs return to resurrect the feeling of their NYC party — wihch changed my life, and the lives of pretty much everyone else on the scene 10 years ago. Golly, I love them! Welcome back, Francois, Joe, and Danny.

Fri/4, 10pm-late, $25. Mighty, 119 Utah, SF. www.mighty119.com

>>PETER KRUDER

One half of infamous Austrian sophiticated house duo Kruder and Dorfmeister, Peter headlines the giant Public Works third anniversary. But wait there’s so much more! Also there: Christian Martin, Jackie House, Afrolicious, J-Boogie, Josh Vincent and a hot-hot crowd. Here’s one of my favorite remixes of all time, btw:

Sat/5, 8:30pm-3:30am, $10. Public Works, 161 Erie, SF. www.publicsf.com

>>OCTO OCTA

100% Silk label cutie blends dreamy classic house sounds with effusive but totally danceable concepts at the ever-awesome Push The Feeling party. (Love the track “His Kiss” of his lovely Between Two Selves LP.) He’ll be joined by Matrixxman (who made me dance till I cried at the deviants party last week) and Yr Skull and Epicsauce DJs. Good times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cz6PkRs4QM

Sat/5, 9pm, $5 advance. UndergroundSF, 424 Haight, SF. octoocta.eventbrite.com

>>#ENDHIV DRAG BALL

Balls are all the rage! This one, MCed by Sister Roma and Pat N Leather and DJed by Guy Ruben, raises money for a possible HIV vaccine — and of course will be loaded with colorful characters.It has an “animal” theme!

Sat/5, 7pm-10pm, $40. Beatbox, 314 11th St, SF. itrulycare.com/events/endhiv-sf-drag-ball

>>CASTRO STREET FAIR

This 40th edition of the fair has an INSANE nightlife focus: Peaches (yes that Peaches) is doing a Sylvester tribute! There is a Legends dance stage featuring David Harness, Pete Avila, Rolo, Blackstone, and Page Hodel. And Cookie Dough will bring her kookielicious Monster Show drag party as well. It’ll be nuts + dancing + cute.OH! And don’t miss one of the best things ever that happens in SF — the two-step line–dance stage behind Castro Theatre.

Sun/5, 11am-6pm, donatiion requested. 18th Street and Castro, SF. www.castrostreetfair.org

Wingin’ It

Michael Redmond

October 1, 2013

marcia@sfbg.com

CHOW NOW

The next time you’re catching a show at The Chapel in the Mission, you’ll be able to grab a bite before — or after, it’s open until 1am! — at a new restaurant that just opened in the compound, The Vestry (777 Valencia, SF. www.thechapelsf.com). The menu is Cal-Med (not to be confused with Club Med, which would be so dated), with pretty straight-ahead dishes like fried squash blossoms with carrot and ricotta purée, flatbreads, meatballs, and a burger. Cocktails are crafty, and dessert includes a spin on the iconic It’s-It, the It IS It. In case you’re wondering what’s up with the stained glass and churchy feel, the building was once used as a mortuary, with a chapel attached. Praise the Lord, there’s also a patio with room for 50.

Part bar, part lounge, SoMa’s new Bergerac (316 11th St, SF. www.bergeracsf.com) has a bit of a louche vibe: its style was modeled after Villa Nellcôte, the French villa where the Rolling Stones recorded Exile on Main Street and things assuredly got a little cray. There’s a walnut bar with room for 25 and some high tables. For a loungier vibe, snag one of the velvet or leather tufted couches (there’s also a fireplace in the back). Chef Randy Lewis has cocktail-friendly food like a spin on a Scotch egg, crispy boneless chicken wings, and trout crudo — try it with a gin cocktail. Russell Davis’s drink menu is getting a lot of buzz for the Fireball Inside Her, a shot of Fireball dropped into a glass of cider: say it out loud. Goodness. I guess Keith Richards would approve. There’s also the Unforgiven, with mezcal, Ransom Old Tom gin, Carpano Antica, maraschino, spring water, a Duke’s orange, and “shined” tobacco tincture. Party on.

If you’re looking for an izakaya vibe before catching a movie at the Sundance Kabuki or a show at the Boom Boom Room, Izakaya Hashibiro Kou (1560 Fillmore, SF. www.izakayakou.com) is now open. The menu of Korean and Japanese dishes (it’s a sister restaurant to the Korean barbecue restaurants Yakini Q in San Francisco and San Jose) features bacon and enoki mushrooms, raw octopus marinated in wasabi, dengaku miso grilled eggplant, and yamakake yam with bigeye tuna.

SF should be fired up to have its very own Champa Garden (613 Faxon, SF.), although it’s a bit of a schlep for some to its location out by City College. The menu — which is just like the original Oakland location, be tee dub — is full of Laotian dishes like fried rice ball salad and noodle soups. Lunch and dinner, woo hoo. Chompa-chompa.

If you spent some time in SoCal (or Walnut Creek), you may know about the popular chain Tender Greens (30 Fremont, SF. www.tendergreensfood.com), which now has its first SF location. As you can tell by the name, salads are the name of the game, but there are also soups and sandwiches to keep downtown workers well-fed and productive.

BALLIN’ ON A BUDGET

If you’re an espresso aficionado (or in need of a replacement for your “I just need a little pick-me-up” cocaine habit), be sure to visit the new Linea Caffe (3417 18th St, SF. www.lineacaffe.com), an espresso bar from Andrew Barnett, the founder of Ecco Caffe, who partnered up with Anthony Myint of Mission Chinese, Commonwealth, and Mission Bowling Club. Not only will you find some of the city’s best shots — Barnett is roasting his own coffee — but you’ll also find tasty salads and waffles, both sweet and savory. Hello pastrami waffle, for reals. The space is the picture of petite (it’s in the back of Duc Loi Supermarket), so all food items are served in to-go containers, or you enjoy ’em while squeezed in at the espresso counter. Open 8am–3pm daily.

YOU GOTTA EAT THIS

Okay people: if you love wings, I really hope you have tried the version at the quirky-charming Fusebox (3417 18th St, Oakland. www.fuseboxoakland.com). These KFC (Korean fried chicken) wings of your dreams are worthy enough to cross the bridge for, trust. Crisp (they’re fried in rice flour), juicy, and saucy, they feature the trifecta of wing nirvana. Your $5.50 will be very well spent. And the rest of the menu also rocks, so bon appétit.

Marcia Gagliardi is the founder of the weekly tablehopper e-column; subscribe for more at www.tablehopper.com. Get her app: Tablehopper’s Top Late-Night Eats. On Twitter: @tablehopper.

Music Listings: Sept. 25-Oct. 1, 2013

Tony Robles

September 25, 2013

WEDNESDAY 25

ROCK

Bottom of the Hill: 1233 17th St., San Francisco. Books on Fate, Ghost Town Jenny, River Shiver, 8:30 p.m., $10.

Brick & Mortar Music Hall: 1710 Mission, San Francisco. The Love Dimension, Electric Magpie, Mario Delia, DJs Joel Gion & Al Lover, 9 p.m., $5.

Hemlock Tavern: 1131 Polk, San Francisco. Bell Witch, Badr Vogu, Larvae, Abstracter, 8 p.m., $8.

The Independent: 628 Divisadero, San Francisco. Blue Sky Black Death, Sister Crayon, Real Magic, 8 p.m., $12-$14.

Milk Bar: 1840 Haight, San Francisco. Joshua Cook / The Key of Now, The Jacktones, Jam, 8:30 p.m., $2.

Slim’s: 333 11th St., San Francisco. Cellar Doors, Sandy’s, Eagle, 8 p.m., $10.

DANCE

The Cafe: 2369 Market, San Francisco. “Sticky Wednesdays,” w/ DJ Mark Andrus, 8 p.m., free.

Cat Club: 1190 Folsom, San Francisco. “Bondage A Go Go,” w/ DJs Damon, Tomas Diablo, & guests, 9:30 p.m., $5-$10.

Club X: 715 Harrison, San Francisco. “Electro Pop Rocks: Animalistic – A Wild Things Jungle,” 18+ dance party, 9 p.m., $10-$20.

DNA Lounge: 375 11th St., San Francisco. Mount Kimbie, Jonwayne, D33J, 9 p.m., $17.50-$20.

Edinburgh Castle: 950 Geary, San Francisco. “1964,” w/ DJ Matt B & guests, Second and Fourth Wednesday of every month, 10 p.m., $2.

Elbo Room: 647 Valencia, San Francisco. “Bodyshock,” w/ Mark Pistel, Ben Stokes, Blk Rainbow, DJ Crackwhore, 9 p.m., $7.

F8: 1192 Folsom St., San Francisco. “Housepitality,” w/ Dwynn, Carlos Souffront, Miguel Solari, Stacey Hotwaxx Hale, 9 p.m., $5-$10.

Harlot: 46 Minna, San Francisco. “Qoöl,” w/ Mark Slee, 5 p.m.

Infusion Lounge: 124 Ellis, San Francisco. “Indulgence,” 10 p.m.

Lookout: 3600 16th St., San Francisco. “What?,” w/ resident DJ Tisdale and guests, 7 p.m., free.

Madrone Art Bar: 500 Divisadero, San Francisco. “Rock the Spot,” 9 p.m., free.

MatrixFillmore: 3138 Fillmore, San Francisco. “Reload,” w/ DJ Big Bad Bruce, 10 p.m., free.

Q Bar: 456 Castro, San Francisco. “Booty Call,” w/ Juanita More, Joshua J, guests, 9 p.m., $3.

HIP-HOP

Cigar Bar & Grill: 850 Montgomery, San Francisco. BPos, 9 p.m., free.

Double Dutch: 3192 16th St., San Francisco. “Cash IV Gold,” w/ DJs Kool Karlo, Roost Uno, and Sean G, 10 p.m., free.

Skylark Bar: 3089 16th St., San Francisco. “Mixtape Wednesday,” w/ resident DJs Strategy, Junot, Herb Digs, & guests, 9 p.m., $5.

ACOUSTIC

Bazaar Cafe: 5927 California, San Francisco. Acoustic Guitar Showcase, w/ Jeff Titus, Doug Young, and host Teja Gerken, 7 p.m.

Cafe Divine: 1600 Stockton, San Francisco. Craig Ventresco & Meredith Axelrod, 7 p.m., free.

Club Deluxe: 1511 Haight, San Francisco. Happy Hour Bluegrass, 6:30 p.m., free.

Fiddler’s Green: 1333 Columbus, San Francisco. Terry Savastano, Every other Wednesday, 9:30 p.m., free/donation.

Hotel Utah: 500 Fourth St., San Francisco. Chris Trapper, Robert Gillies, 8 p.m., $10.

Plough & Stars: 116 Clement, San Francisco. The Toast Inspectors, Last Wednesday of every month, 9 p.m.

JAZZ

Amnesia: 853 Valencia, San Francisco. Gaucho, Eric Garland’s Jazz Session, The Amnesiacs, 7 p.m., free.

Boom Boom Room: 1601 Fillmore, San Francisco. Bjelde & Bros., Fourth Wednesday of every month, 9:30 p.m., $5.

Burritt Room: 417 Stockton St., San Francisco. Terry Disley’s Rocking Jazz Trio, 6 p.m., free.

Jazz Bistro At Les Joulins: 44 Ellis, San Francisco. Charles Unger Experience, 7:30 p.m., free.

Le Colonial: 20 Cosmo, San Francisco. The Cosmo Alleycats featuring Ms. Emily Wade Adams, 7 p.m., free.

Martuni’s: 4 Valencia, San Francisco. Tom Shaw Trio, Last Wednesday of every month, 7 p.m., $7.

Oz Lounge: 260 Kearny, San Francisco. Hard Bop Collective, 6 p.m., free.

Pier 23 Cafe: Pier 23, San Francisco. Macy Blackman, 6 p.m., free.

Revolution Cafe: 3248 22nd St., San Francisco. Michael Parsons Trio, Every other Wednesday, 8:30 p.m., free/donation.

Savanna Jazz Club: 2937 Mission, San Francisco. “Cat’s Corner,” 9 p.m., $10.

Sheba Piano Lounge: 1419 Fillmore, San Francisco. Sebastian Parker Trio, 8 p.m.

Top of the Mark: One Nob Hill, 999 California, San Francisco. Ricardo Scales, Wednesdays, 6:30-11:30 p.m., $5.

United Nations Plaza: Market, San Francisco. Ben Goldberg, Sheldon Brown, and Vijay Anderson, presented by the Center for New Music, noon, free.

Yoshi’s San Francisco: 1330 Fillmore, San Francisco. Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet, 8 p.m., $21-$25.

Zingari: 501 Post, San Francisco. Chris Duggan, 7:30 p.m., free.

INTERNATIONAL

BeatBox: 314 11th St., San Francisco. “Salsa-XS,” queer salsa night, 8 p.m.

Bissap Baobab: 3372 19th St., San Francisco. Timba Dance Party, w/ DJ WaltDigz, 10 p.m., $5.

Cafe Cocomo: 650 Indiana, San Francisco. “Bachatalicious,” w/ DJs Good Sho & Rodney, 7 p.m., $5-$10.

Pachamama Restaurant: 1630 Powell, San Francisco. “Cafe LatinoAmericano,” 8 p.m., $5.

Ruth’s Table: 580 Capp St., San Francisco. Ka-Hon Ensemble, 7 p.m., free.

BLUES

Biscuits and Blues: 401 Mason, San Francisco. Craig Horton, 8 & 10 p.m., $15.

The Royal Cuckoo: 3202 Mission, San Francisco. Big Bones & Chris Siebert, 7:30 p.m., free.

The Saloon: 1232 Grant, San Francisco. Little Jonny & The Giants, 9:30 p.m.

EXPERIMENTAL

The Knockout: 3223 Mission, San Francisco. “Trance Mutations #5,” w/ Black Thread, Bonus Beast, Jungle Jim, Chasms (DJ set), Caitlin Denny, 10 p.m., $5.

THURSDAY 26

ROCK

Amnesia: 853 Valencia, San Francisco. “Mods v. Rockers,” w/ The Fadeaways, The Ogres, DJs Russell Quan & Dutch Crunch, 9 p.m., $5.

Boom Boom Room: 1601 Fillmore, San Francisco. Acorn Project, Feral Fauna, 9:30 p.m., $8-$10.

Bottom of the Hill: 1233 17th St., San Francisco. The Burning of Rome, B. Hamilton, Once & Future Band, 9 p.m., $10.

The Chapel: 777 Valencia St., San Francisco. Suzanne Sundfør, Big Eagle, 9 p.m., $12-$15.

S.F. Eagle: 398 12th St., San Francisco. Thursday Nite Live: Folsom Weekend Kickoff Party, w/ The Ethel Merman Experience, Lucky Jesus, The Whoa Nellies, 9 p.m., $8.

Hemlock Tavern: 1131 Polk, San Francisco. White Cloud, Fine Points, Dylan Shearer, 8:30 p.m., $6.

The Knockout: 3223 Mission, San Francisco. Wild Eyes, Occult Wisdom, Heavy Action, 9:30 p.m., $7.

Milk Bar: 1840 Haight, San Francisco. The Hangover Brigade, The Moonlight Orchestra, Cassandra Farrar & The Left Brains, 8:30 p.m., $8.

Rickshaw Stop: 155 Fell, San Francisco. Breakdown Valentine, Flaamingos, I Am Animal, 8 p.m., $10.

Thee Parkside: 1600 17th St., San Francisco. Sweat Lodge, Industrial Priest Overcoats, Snit, 9 p.m., $7.

DANCE

1015 Folsom: 1015 Folsom St., San Francisco. “A Light in the Attic,” w/ Desert Dwellers, Govinda, David Starfire, Saqi, Le Portal, Jocelyn, Beli3ver, Aire Redtree, more, 10 p.m., $10-$15.

Abbey Tavern: 4100 Geary, San Francisco. DJ Schrobi-Girl, 10 p.m., free.

Asiento: 2730 21st St., San Francisco. Charlie Prowler, benefit for Mutiny Radio, 9 p.m., free.

Audio Discotech: 316 11th St., San Francisco. “Phonic,” w/ Joachim Garraud, Tall Sasha, 9:30 p.m.

Aunt Charlie’s Lounge: 133 Turk, San Francisco. “Tubesteak Connection,” w/ DJ Bus Station John, 9 p.m., $5-$7.

BeatBox: 314 11th St., San Francisco. “Jukebox,” w/ DJ Page Hodel, 9 p.m., $10.

The Cafe: 2369 Market, San Francisco. “¡Pan Dulce!,” 9 p.m., $5.

Cat Club: 1190 Folsom, San Francisco. “Throwback Thursdays,” ‘80s night with DJs Damon, Steve Washington, Dangerous Dan, and guests, 9 p.m., $6 (free before 9:30 p.m.).

The Cellar: 685 Sutter, San Francisco. “XO,” w/ DJs Astro & Rose, 10 p.m., $5.

Club X: 715 Harrison, San Francisco. “The Crib,” 9:30 p.m., $10, 18+.

Elbo Room: 647 Valencia, San Francisco. “Afrolicious,” w/ DJs Pleasuremaker, Señor Oz, and live guests, 9:30 p.m., $5-$8.

Infusion Lounge: 124 Ellis, San Francisco. “I Love Thursdays,” 10 p.m., $10.

Lone Star Saloon: 1354 Harrison, San Francisco. Raunch: Folsom Weekend Kickoff Party, DJ Brian Maier spins beats for bears., 9 p.m.

Lookout: 3600 16th St., San Francisco. “Cub Camp S.F.,” w/ DJs Scooter, Taco Tuesday, and Guy Ruben, 9 p.m., $5.

Madrone Art Bar: 500 Divisadero, San Francisco. “Night Fever,” 9 p.m., $5 after 10 p.m.

Q Bar: 456 Castro, San Francisco. “Throwback Thursday,” w/ DJ Jay-R, 9 p.m., free.

Raven: 1151 Folsom St., San Francisco. “1999,” w/ VJ Mark Andrus, 8 p.m., free.

Ruby Skye: 420 Mason, San Francisco. “Awakening,” w/ Norin & Rad, Maor Levi, 9 p.m., $15-$20 advance.

The Stud: 399 Ninth St., San Francisco. “Porno: Folsom Edition,” w/ DJs Hotwire & Kidd Sysko, 8 p.m., $10-$15.

Temple: 540 Howard, San Francisco. “Solid,” w/ Mancub, Influence, Kimba, Sychosis, 10 p.m., $10.

The Tunnel Top: 601 Bush, San Francisco. “Tunneltop,” DJs Avalon and Derek ease you into the weekend with a cool and relaxed selection of tunes spun on vinyl, 10 p.m., free.

Underground SF: 424 Haight, San Francisco. “Bubble,” 10 p.m., free.

Vessel: 85 Campton, San Francisco. “Base: Local Label Night,” w/ Bardia F, ThuyVu, Mac Vaughn, DJ Playdoughboy, Rishi K, Andrew Shatnyy, Ray Kang, Fabian Campos, Konam, 10 p.m., free with RSVP.

HIP-HOP

Eastside West: 3154 Fillmore, San Francisco. “Throwback Thursdays,” w/ DJ Madison, 9 p.m., free.

The EndUp: 401 Sixth St., San Francisco. “Cypher,” w/ resident DJ Big Von., 10 p.m., $5-$10.

John Colins: 138 Minna, San Francisco. “#Quattro,” w/ DJ Dino, Fourth Thursday of every month, 9 p.m.

Park 77 Sports Bar: 77 Cambon, San Francisco. “Slap N Tite,” w/ resident Cali King Crab DJs Sabotage Beats & Jason Awesome, free.

Skylark Bar: 3089 16th St., San Francisco. “Peaches,” w/lady DJs DeeAndroid, Lady Fingaz, That Girl, Umami, Inkfat, and Andre, 10 p.m., free.

ACOUSTIC

Atlas Cafe: 3049 20th St., San Francisco. Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Jam Session, Last Thursday of every month, 8-10 p.m., free.

Brick & Mortar Music Hall: 1710 Mission, San Francisco. Open Mic with K.C. Turner, 7:30 p.m., $5.

Cigar Bar & Grill: 850 Montgomery, San Francisco. The Neckbeard Boys, 8 p.m.

Hotel Utah: 500 Fourth St., San Francisco. Addie & The Subtrax, Amy Matarazzo, Seapora & Mikus, 9 p.m., $10.

Plough & Stars: 116 Clement, San Francisco. John Caufield & Friends, 9 p.m.

SFSU Campus/Cesar Chavez Student Center: 1650 Holloway, San Francisco. “Strung Out,” acoustic showcase with Tino Drima, Dovetail, Ariana Tibi, Karli Helm, Honeyfingers, 6 p.m., free.

JAZZ

Blush! Wine Bar: 476 Castro, San Francisco. Doug Martin’s Avatar Ensemble, 7:30 p.m., free.

Bottle Cap: 1707 Powell, San Francisco. The North Beach Sound with Ned Boynton, Jordan Samuels, and Tom Vickers, 7 p.m., free.

Cafe Claude: 7 Claude, San Francisco. Nova Jazz, 7:30 p.m., free.

Le Colonial: 20 Cosmo, San Francisco. Steve Lucky & The Rhumba Bums, 7:30 p.m.

Pier 23 Cafe: Pier 23, San Francisco. Ned Boynton & Friends, 7 p.m., free.

The Royal Cuckoo: 3202 Mission, San Francisco. Chris Siebert, 7:30 p.m., free.

Savanna Jazz Club: 2937 Mission, San Francisco. Savanna Jazz Jam with Eddy Ramirez, 7:30 p.m., $5.

Top of the Mark: One Nob Hill, 999 California, San Francisco. Stompy Jones, 7:30 p.m., $10.

Yoshi’s San Francisco: 1330 Fillmore, San Francisco. Jeff Lorber Fusion, 8 p.m., $25.

Zingari: 501 Post, San Francisco. Barbara Ochoa, 7:30 p.m., free.

INTERNATIONAL

Bissap Baobab: 3372 19th St., San Francisco. “Pa’Lante!,” w/ Juan G, El Kool Kyle, Mr. Lucky, 10 p.m., $5.

Cafe Cocomo: 650 Indiana, San Francisco. La Fuerza Gigante, DJ Good Sho, 8 p.m., $12.

Pachamama Restaurant: 1630 Powell, San Francisco. “Jueves Flamencos,” 8 p.m., free.

Red Poppy Art House: 2698 Folsom, San Francisco. Dúo del Sol, 7:30 p.m., $10-$15.

Sheba Piano Lounge: 1419 Fillmore, San Francisco. Latin Breeze, 8 p.m.

Verdi Club: 2424 Mariposa, San Francisco. The Verdi Club Milonga, w/ Christy Coté, DJ Emilio Flores, guests, 9 p.m., $10-$15.

REGGAE

Pissed Off Pete’s: 4528 Mission St., San Francisco. Reggae Thursdays, w/ resident DJ Jah Yzer, 9 p.m., free.

BLUES

Biscuits and Blues: 401 Mason, San Francisco. Tommy Odetto Group, 8 & 10 p.m., $15.

Jazz Bistro At Les Joulins: 44 Ellis, San Francisco. Bohemian Knuckleboogie, 7:30 p.m., free.

Lou’s Fish Shack: 300 Jefferson St., San Francisco. Jo Jo Diamond, 8:30 p.m.

The Saloon: 1232 Grant, San Francisco. T-Wrex & The Primitive Rhythm, 4 p.m.; Cathy Lemons, 9:30 p.m.

EXPERIMENTAL

The Luggage Store: 1007 Market, San Francisco. Fred Frith & Phillip Greenlief Duo, Eat the Sun, 8 p.m., $6-$10.

FRIDAY 27

ROCK

Bottom of the Hill: 1233 17th St., San Francisco. Finish Ticket, Holychild, Ghost (tet), 9:30 p.m., $12-$14.

Cafe Du Nord: 2170 Market, San Francisco. The Inciters, Rue ‘66, The Invisible Cities, 9 p.m., $10.

The Chapel: 777 Valencia St., San Francisco. The Autumn Defense, Bart Davenport, 9 p.m., $15.

El Rio: 3158 Mission, San Francisco. Friday Live: The Galloping Sea, DJ Emotions, 10 p.m., free.

Hemlock Tavern: 1131 Polk, San Francisco. Synthetic ID, Manatee, Cold Beat, The Riflemen, 8:30 p.m., $7.

Hotel Utah: 500 Fourth St., San Francisco. Pebble Theory, On Telegraph, Jimbo Scott & The Hot Mess, 9 p.m., $9.

The Knockout: 3223 Mission, San Francisco. The Fadeaways, The Dukes of Hamburg, 7 p.m., $5.

Mezzanine: 444 Jessie, San Francisco. Peter Hook & The Light (performing New Order’s Movement and Power, Corruption & Lies), Slaves of Venus, 8 p.m., $25.

Neck of the Woods: 406 Clement St., San Francisco. Mister Loveless, Cannons & Clouds, The Hundred Days, Mammoth Life, Danyolsan, Miles the DJ, 8 p.m., free.

Thee Parkside: 1600 17th St., San Francisco. Acid King, Black Cobra, Buffalo Tooth, 9 p.m., $12-$14.

DANCE

1015 Folsom: 1015 Folsom St., San Francisco. Lapalux, Evian Christ, Kode9, DJ Rashad, Ikonika, Brap Dem DJs, 10 p.m., $17-$22.50 advance.

4Fourteen: 414 Mason, San Francisco. “Helix 4th Fridays,” Progressive techno tunes spun by resident DJs Means+Function, David Gropper, Derek Ryan, and rotating guests, Fourth Friday of every month, 10 p.m., $20.

BeatBox: 314 11th St., San Francisco. “Haus of Stiel,” w/ DJ Shane Stiel, 10 p.m., $15-$20.

Cafe Flore: 2298 Market, San Francisco. “Kinky Beats,” w/ DJ Sergio, 10 p.m., free.

The Cafe: 2369 Market, San Francisco. “Boy Bar,” w/ DJ Matt Consola, 9 p.m., $5.

Cat Club: 1190 Folsom, San Francisco. “Dark Shadows,” w/ DJs Daniel Skellington, Sage, Melting Girl, and Skarkrow, 9:30 p.m., $7 ($3 before 10 p.m.).

The Cellar: 685 Sutter, San Francisco. “F.T.S.: For the Story,” 10 p.m.

Elbo Room: 647 Valencia, San Francisco. “120 Minutes,” w/ Pharmakon, DBC, DJs Santa Muerte & Chauncey CC, 10 p.m., $8-$15.

The EndUp: 401 Sixth St., San Francisco. “Fever,” 10 p.m., free before midnight.

F8: 1192 Folsom St., San Francisco. “Vintage,” w/ DJ Toph One & guests, 5 p.m., free; “Hidden Measure,” w/ Splatter, Daya, Alex Xipit, Worker/Parasite, Nackt, Petko Nikolov, 9 p.m., $5 advance.

The Factory: 525 Harrison, San Francisco. Recon Full Fetish, Official Folsom Street Fair dance party with DJ Gordon John, presented by gay fetish hookup site Recon.com., 10 p.m., $30-$40.

The Grand Nightclub: 520 4th St., San Francisco. “We Rock Fridays,” 9:30 p.m.

Infusion Lounge: 124 Ellis, San Francisco. “Escape Fridays,” 10 p.m., $20.

Lookout: 3600 16th St., San Francisco. “HYSL,” 9 p.m., $3.

Madrone Art Bar: 500 Divisadero, San Francisco. “I ♥ the ‘90s,” w/ DJs Samala, Teo, Mr. Grant, & Sonny Phono, Fourth Friday of every month, 9 p.m., $5.

Manor West: 750 Harrison, San Francisco. “Fortune Fridays,” 10 p.m., free before 11 p.m. with RSVP.

MatrixFillmore: 3138 Fillmore, San Francisco. “F-Style Fridays,” w/ DJ Jared-F, 9 p.m.

Mighty: 119 Utah, San Francisco. Dusty Rhino After Burn, w/ The Scumfrog, Zach Moore, DJ Loomer, DJ Dane, Nugz, Alvaro Bravo, Clarkie, Mystr/Htcht, DJMK, 10 p.m., $15-$17.50 advance.

Milk Bar: 1840 Haight, San Francisco. Planet Booty, 8th Grader, dudha.us, 9:30 p.m., $10.

Monarch: 101 6th St., San Francisco. Âme, Solar, DJ M3, Job Jobse, 9:30 p.m., $15-$20.

OMG: 43 6th St., San Francisco. “Release,” 9 p.m., free before 11 p.m.

Powerhouse: 1347 Folsom, San Francisco. Steam Does Folsom, DJ Harry Cross brings a bathhouse vibe to a nightclub setting., 9 p.m., $8.

Project One: 251 Rhode Island, San Francisco. “Rouge,” w/ DJ Mike Parsons, R&D, and Danny Firpo, 9 p.m., $5.

Public Works: 161 Erie, San Francisco. Bearracuda: Folsom Street Friday, Bear dance party with DJs Hifi Sean, P-Play, Mark Louque, Ryan Smith, and Bil Todd., 9 p.m., $20 advance.

Q Bar: 456 Castro, San Francisco. “Pump: Worq It Out Fridays,” w/ resident DJ Christopher B, 9 p.m., $3.

Truck: 1900 Folsom, San Francisco. “Satisfucktory,” w/ DJ Brower, 9 p.m., free.

Underground SF: 424 Haight, San Francisco. “Bionic,” 10 p.m., $5.

Vessel: 85 Campton, San Francisco. “Project X,” w/ DJs Mario Mar, Rufio, and Elvi, 10 p.m., $10-$30.

Wish: 1539 Folsom, San Francisco. “Bridge the Gap,” w/ resident DJ Don Kainoa, Fridays, 6-10 p.m., free.

HIP-HOP

EZ5: 682 Commercial, San Francisco. “Decompression,” Fridays, 5-9 p.m.

John Colins: 138 Minna, San Francisco. “#Flow,” w/ The Whooligan & Mikos Da Gawd, Fourth Friday of every month, 10 p.m., free befoe 11 p.m.

ACOUSTIC

Bazaar Cafe: 5927 California, San Francisco. The Shut-Ins, 7 p.m.

Plough & Stars: 116 Clement, San Francisco. Culann’s Hounds, 9 p.m.

The Sports Basement: 610 Old Mason, San Francisco. “Breakfast with Enzo,” w/ Enzo Garcia, 10 a.m., $5.

JAZZ

Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant: 1000 Great Highway, San Francisco. Johnny Smith, 8 p.m., free.

Bird & Beckett: 653 Chenery, San Francisco. Chuck Peterson Quintet, Fourth Friday of every month, 5:30 p.m.

Jazz Bistro At Les Joulins: 44 Ellis, San Francisco. Charles Unger Experience, 7:30 p.m., free.

The Rite Spot Cafe: 2099 Folsom, San Francisco. Project: Pimento, 9 p.m., free.

The Royal Cuckoo: 3202 Mission, San Francisco. Jules Broussard, Danny Armstrong, and Chris Siebert, 7:30 p.m., free.

Savanna Jazz Club: 2937 Mission, San Francisco. Carol Luckenbach, 7:30 p.m., $8.

Top of the Mark: One Nob Hill, 999 California, San Francisco. Black Market Jazz Orchestra, 9 p.m., $10.

Yoshi’s San Francisco: 1330 Fillmore, San Francisco. Nick Colionne, 8 & 10 p.m., $21-$26.

Zingari: 501 Post, San Francisco. Joyce Grant, 8 p.m., free.

INTERNATIONAL

Amnesia: 853 Valencia, San Francisco. Baxtalo Drom, International shimmying for lovers of Balkan music, bellydancers, and burlesque., Fourth Friday of every month, 9 p.m., $5-$10.

Bissap Baobab: 3372 19th St., San Francisco. “Paris-Dakar African Mix Coupe Decale,” 10 p.m., $5.

Cafe Claude: 7 Claude, San Francisco. Trio Garufa, 7:30 p.m., free; Trio Garufa, 7:30 p.m., free.

Cafe Cocomo: 650 Indiana, San Francisco. Taste Fridays, featuring local cuisine tastings, salsa bands, dance lessons, and more, 7:30 p.m., $15 (free entry to patio).

Cigar Bar & Grill: 850 Montgomery, San Francisco. Montuno Swing, 8 p.m.

Pachamama Restaurant: 1630 Powell, San Francisco. Cuban Night with Fito Reinoso, 7:30 & 9:15 p.m., $15-$18.

The Ramp: 855 Terry Francois, San Francisco. “Samba Soirée,” w/ Sambaxé, DJ Alfie1Bateria, 6 p.m.

Red Poppy Art House: 2698 Folsom, San Francisco. Claudio Santome, 7:30 p.m., $10-$15.

REGGAE

Gestalt Haus: 3159 16th St., San Francisco. “Music Like Dirt,” 7:30 p.m., free.

BLUES

Biscuits and Blues: 401 Mason, San Francisco. Shane Dwight, 8 & 10 p.m., $20.

Cafe Royale: 800 Post, San Francisco. Allister’s Chicago Blues Jam, Last Friday of every month, 9 p.m.

Lou’s Fish Shack: 300 Jefferson St., San Francisco. Little Wolf & The HellCats, 8:30 p.m.

Pier 23 Cafe: Pier 23, San Francisco. Pugsley Buzzard, 8 p.m., free.

The Saloon: 1232 Grant, San Francisco. Jan Fanucchi, Last Friday of every month, 4 p.m.; Ron Thompson, 9:30 p.m.

Sheba Piano Lounge: 1419 Fillmore, San Francisco. Adrian Costa, 8 p.m.

EXPERIMENTAL

Center for New Music: 55 Taylor St., San Francisco. Happy Hour with A/B Duo, 6 p.m., $10-$20 (includes complimentary drinks & snacks).

FUNK

Boom Boom Room: 1601 Fillmore, San Francisco. Sophistafunk, Wicked Mercies, Trio Subtonic, 9:30 p.m., $10-$15.

Brick & Mortar Music Hall: 1710 Mission, San Francisco. Angelo Moore & The Brand New Step, A Million Billion Dying Suns, Rondo Brothers, Vau de Vire Society, Heart Touch, 9 p.m., $12-$15.

Make-Out Room: 3225 22nd St., San Francisco. “Loose Joints,” w/ DJs Centipede, Damon Bell, & Tom Thump, 10 p.m., $5.

SOUL

Edinburgh Castle: 950 Geary, San Francisco. “Soul Crush,” w/ DJ Serious Leisure, 10 p.m., free.

Underground SF: 424 Haight, San Francisco. “Sissy Strut,” w/ The Handsome Young Men (DJs Ponyboy, Lil MC, Katie Duck, & Durt), Fourth Friday of every month, 10 p.m., $3-$5.

SATURDAY 28

ROCK

Bender’s: 806 S. Van Ness, San Francisco. Lost Puppy, Pineapple Princess, 10 p.m., $5.

Bottom of the Hill: 1233 17th St., San Francisco. Teenage Bottlerocket, The Queers, The Copyrights, 9:30 p.m., $15.

The Chapel: 777 Valencia St., San Francisco. Kelley Stoltz, The Mantles, Sopwith Camel, 9 p.m., $12-$15.

El Rio: 3158 Mission, San Francisco. Dialectic, Tall Sheep, Kaizok, 9 p.m., $5-$10.

Hemlock Tavern: 1131 Polk, San Francisco. The Wrong Words, Once & Future Band, City Deluxe, 9:30 p.m., $7.

Make-Out Room: 3225 22nd St., San Francisco. Victory, Blue-Eyed Son, 7:30 p.m., $8.

Neck of the Woods: 406 Clement St., San Francisco. Cold Fronts, The Jaded, The Wearies, Flaggs, 9 p.m., $8-$10.

Slim’s: 333 11th St., San Francisco. The Mermen, plus a screening of the surf documentary Discovering Mavericks, 9 p.m., $20.

Thee Parkside: 1600 17th St., San Francisco. Electric Shepherd, El Topo, Sweet Chariot, 3 p.m., free.

DANCE

111 Minna Gallery: 111 Minna St., San Francisco. “Barracuda,” 10 p.m., $5.

Audio Discotech: 316 11th St., San Francisco. Droog, Pedro Arbulu, MFYRS, 9:30 p.m.

Balancoire: 2565 Mission St., San Francisco. Raime, Josh Cheon, Austin Cesear, TDM, 10 p.m., $12-$15 advance.

Cafe Du Nord: 2170 Market, San Francisco. “Dark Room,” w/ High-Functioning Flesh, Lady Bear & Her Dark Drag Dolls, DJs Justin Anastasi & Le Perv, 9:30 p.m., $15.

Cafe Flore: 2298 Market, San Francisco. “Bistrotheque,” w/ DJ Ken Vulsion, 8 p.m., free.

Cat Club: 1190 Folsom, San Francisco. “Villainy: The Dance Club with a Dark Side,” w/ DJs Tomas Diablo, Chris Zachos, Donimo, Saint James, and Andy T, 9:30 p.m., $5-$8.

Club X: 715 Harrison, San Francisco. Aftershock, Magnitude after-party with DJ Abel (starts 4 a.m. Sunday morning)., $20-$40.

DNA Lounge: 375 11th St., San Francisco. “Bootie S.F.,” w/ Smash-Up Derby; A+D; DJ Dada; DJ ShyBoy; Freddy, King of Pants; more, 9 p.m., $10-$15.

S.F. Eagle: 398 12th St., San Francisco. “Sadistic Saturdays,” Fourth Saturday of every month, 10 p.m., free.

Elbo Room: 647 Valencia, San Francisco. “The Revival: 25 Years of Acid Jazz,” w/ Tom Dick & Harry, Julius Papp, The Selecter DJ Kirk, 10 p.m., $10-$15.

The EndUp: 401 Sixth St., San Francisco. Shangri-La, Asian queer dance party., Fourth Saturday of every month, 10 p.m., $15-$20 (free before 11 p.m.).

F8: 1192 Folsom St., San Francisco. Luther: Folsom 2013, The “roving fetish party and secret supergroup” presents DJs Harry Cross and Aaron Clark., 10 p.m., $15-$20 advance.

The Factory: 525 Harrison, San Francisco. Magnitude, Folsom Street Fair’s biggest — and admittedly priciest — nightlife event, featuring DJs Tony Moran, Jack Chang, Phil B, and Russ Rich (also includes DJs next door at Terra, 511 Harrison)., 9 p.m., $90 advance.

Infusion Lounge: 124 Ellis, San Francisco. “Set,” Fourth Saturday of every month, 10 p.m., $20.

Lexington Club: 3464 19th St., San Francisco. “10th Annual Infamous Uniform Party,” w/ DJs Jenna Riot & Rapid Fire, 9 p.m., free.

Lone Star Saloon: 1354 Harrison, San Francisco. “Bearometer: Leather Edition,” w/ DJ Eur-O-Steve, 9 p.m.

Lookout: 3600 16th St., San Francisco. “Bounce!,” 9 p.m., $3; “Pop the Zipper!: Pre-Folsom Party,” w/ DJ Chi Chi LaRue, 9 p.m., $5.

Madrone Art Bar: 500 Divisadero, San Francisco. “Blunted Funk,” w/ resident DJs Sneak-E Pete & Chilipino, Fourth Saturday of every other month, 9 p.m., $5 (free before 10 p.m.).

Mezzanine: 444 Jessie, San Francisco. Falcon & Raging Stallion Studios Annual VIP Party, The gay porn filmmakers present a free Folsom weekend party with DJ Ricky Sinz., 8 p.m., free.

Milk Bar: 1840 Haight, San Francisco. “Spilt Milk,” w/ The Beat Broker, C.L.A.W.S., Taylor Fife, Shaky Premise, 7 p.m., $5.

Monarch: 101 6th St., San Francisco. “Lights Down Low,” w/ Waze & Odyssey, Locked Groove, South London Ordnance, Sleazemore, Richie Panic, 10 p.m., $15-$20.

Public Works: 161 Erie, San Francisco. “Indian Summer Block Party,” w/ Speedy J, Henrik Schwarz, Tiger & Woods, Midland, Woolfy, Solar, Galen, Rich Korach, Mossmoss, Bells & Whistles, 2 p.m., $20-$40.

Qi Ultra Lounge: 917 Folsom St., San Francisco. V Is for … Virgins in Leather, Lesbian leather party with DJs China G and Saratonin., 9 p.m.

Rickshaw Stop: 155 Fell, San Francisco. “Club 1994,” w/ DJs Vin Sol & Jeffrey Paradise, 10 p.m., $10-$20.

The Stud: 399 Ninth St., San Francisco. “Growl: Official Bearwww Leather Party,” w/ DJ Mike Biggz, 9 p.m., $5.

Temple: 540 Howard, San Francisco. “Life,” w/ The Schmidt, Sk0step, That Sound, J Funk, Omar Johnson, Eddie House, more, 10 p.m., $20.

Truck: 1900 Folsom, San Francisco. “Throttle,” 9 p.m., free.

HIP-HOP

Brick & Mortar Music Hall: 1710 Mission, San Francisco. Black Milk, 9 p.m., $15.

John Colins: 138 Minna, San Francisco. “Nice,” w/ DJ Apollo, Fourth Saturday of every month, 10 p.m., $5.

ACOUSTIC

Atlas Cafe: 3049 20th St., San Francisco. Craig Ventresco & Meredith Axelrod, Saturdays, 4-6 p.m., free.

Center for New Music: 55 Taylor St., San Francisco. Mobius Trio, 8 p.m., $10-$15.

Exit Theatre: 156 Eddy, San Francisco. “Songwriter Saturdays,” hosted by Melissa Lyn, Last Saturday of every month, 8:30 p.m., free/donation.

Plough & Stars: 116 Clement, San Francisco. Old Belle, 9 p.m.

JAZZ

Alfred’s Steakhouse: 659 Merchant, San Francisco. “The Best Is Yet to Come: A Tribute to Tony Bennett,” w/ Mark Robinson & Trio de Swing, 8 p.m., $25.

Cafe Claude: 7 Claude, San Francisco. Vijay Anderson Quartet, 7:30 p.m., free.

Jazz Bistro At Les Joulins: 44 Ellis, San Francisco. Bill “Doc” Webster & Jazz Nostalgia, 7:30 p.m., free.

The Rite Spot Cafe: 2099 Folsom, San Francisco. Mr. Lucky & The Cocktail Party, 9 p.m., free.

Savanna Jazz Club: 2937 Mission, San Francisco. Bryan Girard/Wayne Fettig Quartet, 7:30 p.m., $8.

Sheba Piano Lounge: 1419 Fillmore, San Francisco. The Robert Stewart Experience, 9 p.m.

Zingari: 501 Post, San Francisco. Anne O’Brien, Last Saturday of every month, 8 p.m., free.

INTERNATIONAL

1015 Folsom: 1015 Folsom St., San Francisco. “Pura,” 9 p.m., $20.

Bissap Baobab: 3372 19th St., San Francisco. “Paris-Dakar African Mix Coupe Decale,” 10 p.m., $5.

Boom Boom Room: 1601 Fillmore, San Francisco. La Gente, Non Stop Bhangra DJ Jimmy Love, 9:30 p.m., $10-$15.

Cafe Cocomo: 650 Indiana, San Francisco. Avance, DJ Luis Medina, 8 p.m., $15.

Cigar Bar & Grill: 850 Montgomery, San Francisco. Conjunto Picante, 8 p.m.

El Rio: 3158 Mission, San Francisco. “Mango,” Fourth Saturday of every month, 3 p.m., $8-$10.

The Emerald Tablet: 80 Fresno St., San Francisco. Beaucoup Chapeaux, 8 p.m., $10.

Make-Out Room: 3225 22nd St., San Francisco. “El SuperRitmo,” w/ DJs Roger Mas & El Kool Kyle, 10 p.m., $5.

Pachamama Restaurant: 1630 Powell, San Francisco. Peña Eddy Navia & Pachamama Band, 8 p.m., free.

The Ramp: 855 Terry Francois, San Francisco. Orquesta Borinquen, 5:30 p.m.

Red Poppy Art House: 2698 Folsom, San Francisco. Sol Tevél, 7:30 p.m., $10-$15.

Yoshi’s San Francisco: 1330 Fillmore, San Francisco. The Arsenio Rodriguez Project: Las Estrellas de Arsenio, 8 & 10 p.m., $25-$45.

BLUES

Biscuits and Blues: 401 Mason, San Francisco. Earl Thomas & The Blues Ambassadors with Tia Carroll, 7:30 & 10 p.m., $24.

Lou’s Fish Shack: 300 Jefferson St., San Francisco. Willie G, 8:30 p.m.

The Saloon: 1232 Grant, San Francisco. Dave Workman, Fourth Saturday of every month, 4 p.m.; Ron Hacker, Last Saturday of every month, 9:30 p.m.

FUNK

The Independent: 628 Divisadero, San Francisco. Monophonics, AM & Shawn Lee, DJ B.Cause, 9 p.m., $20.

SOUL

Edinburgh Castle: 950 Geary, San Francisco. “Nightbeat,” w/ DJs Primo, Lucky, and Dr. Scott, Fourth Saturday of every month, 9 p.m., $3.

The Royal Cuckoo: 3202 Mission, San Francisco. Freddie Hughes & Chris Burns, 7:30 p.m., free.

SUNDAY 29

ROCK

Brick & Mortar Music Hall: 1710 Mission, San Francisco. Youth Code, Night Sins, Intimatchine, 9 p.m., $10-$12.

Cafe Du Nord: 2170 Market, San Francisco. Hand of the Hills, Great Apes, 8 p.m., $10-$12.

El Rio: 3158 Mission, San Francisco. 3 Cards Down, Evil Beaver, Kittenhead, 8 p.m., $6.

Hotel Utah: 500 Fourth St., San Francisco. Life Leone, Kongos, Hello Echo, 8 p.m., $6.

The Independent: 628 Divisadero, San Francisco. Savages, Duke Garwood, 8 p.m., sold out.

Make-Out Room: 3225 22nd St., San Francisco. Night Drives, Little Heart, Windham Flat, 7:30 p.m., $8.

Rickshaw Stop: 155 Fell, San Francisco. Zorge, Tinavie, Kiwi Time, 7 p.m., $35-$45.

DANCE

440 Castro: 440 Castro, San Francisco. “Sunday Furry Sunday,” Last Sunday of every month, 4-10 p.m., $1.

BeatBox: 314 11th St., San Francisco. Climaxx: Folsom After Hours, DJ Tristan Jaxx plays late-late-night tunes for Folsom leathermen who don’t wanna let the weekend end (starts 3 a.m. Monday morning)., $20-$25; Deviants: Adult Arcade, Official closing party of the Folsom Street Fair with DJ Boris, Matrixxman, Olga T, and Aaron Clark., 4:30 p.m., $25-$35.

The Cellar: 685 Sutter, San Francisco. “Replay Sundays,” 9 p.m., free.

The Edge: 4149 18th St., San Francisco. “’80s at 8,” w/ DJ MC2, 8 p.m.

Elbo Room: 647 Valencia, San Francisco. “Dub Mission,” w/ Blaze Kulcha vs. No Dough Dub, DJ Sep, Ludichris, 9 p.m., $6 (free before 9:30 p.m.).

The EndUp: 401 Sixth St., San Francisco. “T.Dance,” 6 a.m.-6 p.m.; “Strictly Soul,” w/ Gene Hunt, Stephen Rigmaiden, Bryan Boogie, Steve Madera, Jaclyn Marie, M.D. Mayes, 8 p.m.

F8: 1192 Folsom St., San Francisco. “Stamina Sundays,” w/ guest DJ Robin Weber, 10 p.m., free.

Holy Cow: 1535 Folsom, San Francisco. “Honey Sundays,” w/ Honey Soundsystem & guests, 9 p.m., $5-$10.

The Knockout: 3223 Mission, San Francisco. “Sweater Funk,” 10 p.m., free.

Lookout: 3600 16th St., San Francisco. “Jock,” Sundays, 3-8 p.m., $2.

MatrixFillmore: 3138 Fillmore, San Francisco. “Bounce,” w/ DJ Just, 10 p.m.

Monarch: 101 6th St., San Francisco. “Reload,” w/ Michael Perry, Sharon Buck, Adam Beyer, Prehistoric Reptiles, 9 p.m., $5-$10.

Ocean Beach: Great Highway, San Francisco. “Silent Frisco: Ocean Beach,” w/ Mark Farina, J-Boogie, Motion Potion, Shouts!, Derek Hena, Black 22s, NVO, 1 p.m., $25.

Otis: 25 Maiden, San Francisco. “What’s the Werd?,” w/ resident DJs Nick Williams, Kevin Knapp, Maxwell Dub, and guests, 9 p.m., $5 (free before 11 p.m.).

The Parlor: 2801 Leavenworth, San Francisco. DJ Marc deVasconcelos, 10 p.m., free.

Q Bar: 456 Castro, San Francisco. “Gigante,” 8 p.m., free.

Qi Ultra Lounge: 917 Folsom St., San Francisco. Drtybtch, DJs Ms. Jackson and Kidd Sysko spin electro, trap, hip-hop, and other booty beats at this “music, sex, and fashion experience.,” 7 p.m., $10.

The Stud: 399 Ninth St., San Francisco. Massive: Folsom 2013 Edition, Tea dance for bears at the legendary South of Market gay bar., 6 p.m., $5.

Temple: 540 Howard, San Francisco. “The Gift,” w/ DJ Holiday, Ruby Red I, 9 p.m., $20-$40.

HIP-HOP

Boom Boom Room: 1601 Fillmore, San Francisco. “Return of the Cypher,” 9:30 p.m., free.

SOMA StrEat Food Park: 428 11th St., San Francisco. “The Beat Down: Summer Beats & Eats,” w/ resident DJ Mr. E, Last Sunday of every month, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. continues through Oct. 27, free.

ACOUSTIC

Amnesia: 853 Valencia, San Francisco. Emily Jane White, Spectre Spectre, King Woman, 9 p.m., $7-$10.

Bazaar Cafe: 5927 California, San Francisco. The Hill People, Cara Sarelli, 6 p.m.

The Lucky Horseshoe: 453 Cortland, San Francisco. Sunday Bluegrass Jam, 4 p.m., free.

Madrone Art Bar: 500 Divisadero, San Francisco. “Spike’s Mic Night,” Sundays, 4-8 p.m., free.

Neck of the Woods: 406 Clement St., San Francisco. “iPlay,” open mic with featured weekly artists, 6:30 p.m., free.

Plough & Stars: 116 Clement, San Francisco. Seisiún with John Sherry & Kyle Thayer, 9 p.m.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church: 1755 Clay, San Francisco. “Sunday Night Mic,” w/ Roem Baur, 5 p.m., free.

JAZZ

Jazz Bistro At Les Joulins: 44 Ellis, San Francisco. Bill “Doc” Webster & Jazz Nostalgia, 7:30 p.m., free.

Madrone Art Bar: 500 Divisadero, San Francisco. “Sunday Sessions,” 10 p.m., free.

Red Poppy Art House: 2698 Folsom, San Francisco. Terrence Brewer Trio with Dmitri Matheny, 7:30 p.m., $10-$15.

Revolution Cafe: 3248 22nd St., San Francisco. Jazz Revolution, 4 p.m., free/donation.

The Royal Cuckoo: 3202 Mission, San Francisco. Lavay Smith & Chris Siebert, 7:30 p.m., free.

Union Square Park: 333 Post, San Francisco. Darren Johnston & The Trans-Global People’s Chorus: “Letters to Home,” 2 p.m., free.

Zingari: 501 Post, San Francisco. Lisa Lindsley, 7:30 p.m., free.

INTERNATIONAL

Atmosphere: 447 Broadway, San Francisco. “Hot Bachata Nights,” w/ DJ El Guapo, 5:30 p.m., $10 ($15-$20 with dance lessons).

Bissap Baobab: 3372 19th St., San Francisco. “Brazil & Beyond,” 6:30 p.m., free.

The Ramp: 855 Terry Francois, San Francisco. BrazilVox, 5:30 p.m.

Thirsty Bear Brewing Company: 661 Howard, San Francisco. “The Flamenco Room,” 7:30 & 8:30 p.m.

Yoshi’s San Francisco: 1330 Fillmore, San Francisco. Rana Farhan, 7 p.m., $30-$35.

REGGAE

Il Pirata: 2007 16th St., San Francisco. “Ragga Ragga,” w/ DJs Vinny Ras, Kure All, & Theory, Last Sunday of every month, 7 p.m., free.

BLUES

Biscuits and Blues: 401 Mason, San Francisco. Golden Gate Blues Society IBC Regional Final, 5 p.m., $20.

Lou’s Fish Shack: 300 Jefferson St., San Francisco. Phil Berkowitz & The Dirty Cats, 4 p.m.

Revolution Cafe: 3248 22nd St., San Francisco. HowellDevine, 8:30 p.m., free/donation.

The Saloon: 1232 Grant, San Francisco. Blues Power, 4 p.m.; Takezo, 9:30 p.m.

Sheba Piano Lounge: 1419 Fillmore, San Francisco. Bohemian Knuckleboogie, 9 p.m., free.

EXPERIMENTAL

San Francisco Community Music Center: 544 Capp, San Francisco. T.D. Skatchit & Company, 8 p.m., $10-$20.

SOUL

Delirium Cocktails: 3139 16th St., San Francisco. “Heart & Soul,” w/ DJ Lovely Lesage, 10 p.m., free.

Pier 23 Cafe: Pier 23, San Francisco. Feelosophy, 5 p.m., free.

MONDAY 30

ROCK

Elbo Room: 647 Valencia, San Francisco. The Secret Secretaries, Saturn Cats, CIVC, 9 p.m., $6.

The Knockout: 3223 Mission, San Francisco. CCR Headcleaner, Life Stinks, 9 p.m., $5.

DANCE

DNA Lounge: 375 11th St., San Francisco. “Death Guild,” 18+ dance party with DJs Decay, Joe Radio, Melting Girl, & guests, 9:30 p.m., $3-$5.

Q Bar: 456 Castro, San Francisco. “Wanted,” w/ DJs Key&Kite and Richie Panic, 9 p.m., free.

Underground SF: 424 Haight, San Francisco. “Vienetta Discotheque,” w/ DJs Stanley Frank and Robert Jeffrey, 10 p.m., free.

ACOUSTIC

Amnesia: 853 Valencia, San Francisco. The Earl Brothers, 9 p.m., free.

The Chieftain: 198 Fifth St., San Francisco. The Wrenboys, 7 p.m., free.

Fiddler’s Green: 1333 Columbus, San Francisco. Terry Savastano, 9:30 p.m., free/donation.

Hotel Utah: 500 Fourth St., San Francisco. Open mic with Brendan Getzell, 8 p.m., free.

Milk Bar: 1840 Haight, San Francisco. S.F. Acoustic Sessions #3, w/ Scott Mickelson, Dan Coyle, Jordan Carp, Ash Thursday, 7 p.m.

Osteria: 3277 Sacramento, San Francisco. “Acoustic Bistro,” 7 p.m., free.

The Saloon: 1232 Grant, San Francisco. Peter Lindman, 4 p.m.

JAZZ

Le Colonial: 20 Cosmo, San Francisco. Le Jazz Hot, 7 p.m., free.

Sheba Piano Lounge: 1419 Fillmore, San Francisco. City Jazz Instrumental Jam Session, 8 p.m.

The Union Room at Biscuits and Blues: 401 Mason, San Francisco. The Session: A Monday Night Jazz Series, pro jazz jam with Mike Olmos, 7:30 p.m., $12.

Zingari: 501 Post, San Francisco. Nora Maki, 7:30 p.m., free.

REGGAE

Skylark Bar: 3089 16th St., San Francisco. “Skylarking,” w/ I&I Vibration, 10 p.m., free.

BLUES

Jazz Bistro At Les Joulins: 44 Ellis, San Francisco. Bohemian Knuckleboogie, 7:30 p.m., free.

The Saloon: 1232 Grant, San Francisco. The Bachelors, 9:30 p.m.

SOUL

Madrone Art Bar: 500 Divisadero, San Francisco. “M.O.M. (Motown on Mondays),” w/ DJ Gordo Cabeza & Timoteo Gigante, 8 p.m., free.

TUESDAY 1

ROCK

Amnesia: 853 Valencia, San Francisco. Major Powers & The Lo-Fi Symphony, 9 p.m. Starts . continues through Oct. 29.

Bottom of the Hill: 1233 17th St., San Francisco. Sweat Lodge, Balms, The Cairn, 9 p.m., $8.

Brick & Mortar Music Hall: 1710 Mission, San Francisco. “Wood Shoppe,” w/ Holly Miranda, There’s Talk, Evil Eyes, Different Fur DJs, 9 p.m., free.

Elbo Room: 647 Valencia, San Francisco. Down & Outlaws, Down Dirty Shake, Wag, 9 p.m., $6.

Hemlock Tavern: 1131 Polk, San Francisco. Peach Kelli Pop, Meat Market, The Shanghais, 8:30 p.m., $7.

Hotel Utah: 500 Fourth St., San Francisco. The Del-Lords, 8 p.m., $12-$15.

The Knockout: 3223 Mission, San Francisco. Permanent Collection, Useless Eaters, Mane, DJ Ack Ack Ack, 9:30 p.m., $7.

Rickshaw Stop: 155 Fell, San Francisco. Young Galaxy, Mister Lies, Silver Swans, 8 p.m., $12.

DANCE

Aunt Charlie’s Lounge: 133 Turk, San Francisco. “High Fantasy,” w/ DJ Viv, Myles Cooper, & guests, 10 p.m., $2.

Laszlo: 2532 Mission, San Francisco. “Beards of a Feather,” Enjoy classy house records, obscuro disco, and laid-back late-’80s jams with DJ Ash Williams and guests, First Tuesday of every month, 9 p.m., free.

Monarch: 101 6th St., San Francisco. “Soundpieces,” 10 p.m., free-$10.

Q Bar: 456 Castro, San Francisco. “Switch,” w/ DJs Jenna Riot & Andre, 9 p.m., $3.

Underground SF: 424 Haight, San Francisco. “Shelter,” 10 p.m., free.

Wish: 1539 Folsom, San Francisco. “Tight,” w/ resident DJs Michael May & Lito, 8 p.m., free.

HIP-HOP

Skylark Bar: 3089 16th St., San Francisco. “True Skool Tuesdays,” w/ DJ Ren the Vinyl Archaeologist, 10 p.m., free.

ACOUSTIC

Bazaar Cafe: 5927 California, San Francisco. Songwriter-in-Residence: Olivia Clayton, 7 p.m. Starts . continues through Oct. 29.

Cafe Du Nord: 2170 Market, San Francisco. Jesse Ruben, Caitlin Crosby, 8 p.m., $8-$10.

Plough & Stars: 116 Clement, San Francisco. Seisiún with Suzanne Cronin, 9 p.m.

JAZZ

Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant: 1000 Great Highway, San Francisco. Gerry Grosz Jazz Jam, 7 p.m.

Blush! Wine Bar: 476 Castro, San Francisco. Kally Price & Rob Reich, 7 p.m., free.

Burritt Room: 417 Stockton St., San Francisco. Terry Disley’s Rocking Jazz Trio, 6 p.m., free.

Cafe Divine: 1600 Stockton, San Francisco. Chris Amberger, 7 p.m.

Jazz Bistro At Les Joulins: 44 Ellis, San Francisco. M.B. Hanif & The Sound Voyagers, 7:30 p.m., free.

Le Colonial: 20 Cosmo, San Francisco. Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, 7 p.m.

Oz Lounge: 260 Kearny, San Francisco. Emily Hayes & Mark Holzinger, 6 p.m., free.

Revolution Cafe: 3248 22nd St., San Francisco. West Side Jazz Club, 5 p.m., free; Conscious Contact, First Tuesday of every month, 8 p.m., free.

Verdi Club: 2424 Mariposa, San Francisco. “Tuesday Night Jump,” w/ Stompy Jones, 9 p.m., $10-$12.

Yoshi’s San Francisco: 1330 Fillmore, San Francisco. Tommy Igoe Big Band, 8 p.m., $22; Dayna Stephens Quartet, Pascal’s Triangle, 8 p.m., $24-$28.

INTERNATIONAL

Cafe Cocomo: 650 Indiana, San Francisco. “Descarga S.F.,” w/ DJs Hong & Good Sho, 8 p.m., $12.

The Cosmo Bar & Lounge: 440 Broadway, San Francisco. “Conga Tuesdays,” 8 p.m., $7-$10.

F8: 1192 Folsom St., San Francisco. “Underground Nomads,” w/ rotating resident DJs Cheb i Sabbah, Amar, Sep, and Dulce Vita, plus guests, 9 p.m., $5 (free before 9:30 p.m.).

REGGAE

Milk Bar: 1840 Haight, San Francisco. “Bless Up,” w/ Jah Warrior Shelter Hi-Fi, 10 p.m.

BLUES

The Saloon: 1232 Grant, San Francisco. Lisa Kindred, First Tuesday of every month, 9:30 p.m., free.

FUNK

Biscuits and Blues: 401 Mason, San Francisco. Fat Tuesday Band, 7 & 9 p.m., $15.

Madrone Art Bar: 500 Divisadero, San Francisco. “Boogaloo Tuesday,” w/ Oscar Myers & Steppin’, 9:30 p.m., free.

SOUL

Boom Boom Room: 1601 Fillmore, San Francisco. The JRo Project, First Tuesday of every month, 9:30 p.m., $5.

Make-Out Room: 3225 22nd St., San Francisco. “Lost & Found,” w/ DJs Primo, Lucky, and guests, 9:30 p.m., free.

Hail, Luther

Michael Redmond

September 25, 2013

The music has changed. It’s OK! The music is great. Let me tell you about Luther.

Since about 2005 — with the rise of the iPod, the laptop DJ, and then the vinyl resurgence — there’s been an electrifyingly diverse homosexual dance music scene. A not-so-underground-anymore network of adventurous queer jockeys rings the globe, slicing bleeding edge techno through juicy throwback electro-funk, trancey melodic house, and uncanny contemporary disco.

But for most outside this scene, the stereotype of “gay house” persists: tacky, relentlessly pounding, veering from diva shreik to carnival whoosh in the twink of an shirtless eye. (Hilariously, we’re actually so far from that sound right now that it’s come into post-ironic vogue. Let’s get soaking wet!)

The leather scene took a minute to glom onto the new possibilities of an expanded, sexier sound. But now it’s at the forefront: Folsom Street Fair (Sun/29, www.folsomstreetfair.org) is now a major music festival, with an electro-pop focus. This year, dark duo Light Asylum, aching house nostalgists Hercules and Love Affair, Berlin technoist Boris, Aussie dream-pop quartet Miami Horror, and classic house collagist Mark Moore of S’Express headline the fair amid all the floggings.

Filthy leather parties themselves are also sounding up: a couple of years ago, the mysterious entity known as Luther (www.thisisluther.com) began appearing at major North American fetish gatherings, its multiple members’ identities obscured behind leather facemasks, bobbing in crisp, monochromatic uniforms behind the decks, like a ball-gagged Kraftwerk. The music is hard in an intelligent way: recent mix “Fist Putin” starts with a rework of Sabbath’s “War Pigs” and then slams through any number of spank-ready microgenres. Zip up your hip boots and hear for yourself with a new generation of nasty kids at the Luther Shreds Folsom party: Sat/28, 10pm-4am, $15. 1192 Folsom, SF.

D-WYNN + STACEY HOTWAXX HALE

Two absolute legends from Detroit: D-Wynn, known for his work as R-Tyme, helped invent the deep-funk techno sound, while Stacey’s slamming house energy hits all the sweet spots. They’re at the excellent Housepitality weekly.

Wed/25, 9pm, free before 11pm with RSVP at www.housepitalitysf.com), $10 after. 1192 Folsom, SF. www.facebook.com/housepitalitysf

CUB CAMP

In the annals of gay sling-slang, I guess “cub” now means aspirationally gorgeous muscled young bio-boy with a beard — at least in Toronto, where this cute little undergroundish shindig originated. I miss chubby and awkward and shy, but I’ll take it! With DJ Scooter, Taco Tuesday, and the awesome A Bearded Boy.

Thu/26, 9pm, $5. Lookout, 3600 16th St, SF. Facebook: Cub Camp San Francisco

INDIAN SUMMER BLOCK PARTY

Um, holy crap. Twelve hours of outdoor dancing bliss from the Public Works, As You Like It, and Sunset crews — and here’s the lineup: Speedy J, Tiger and Woods, Henrik Schwartz, Midland, Woolfy, and a ton more stunners.

Sat/28, 2pm-2am, $25 advance. Public Works, 161 Erie, SF. www.publicsf.com

INFAMOUS FOLSOM UNIFORM PARTY

Hot queer grrrl attack! Somebody call the cops … and the firewomen …also, a cowgirl and a road worker would probably do quite nicely. OK this night is more of the hot-hot leather and fetish variety of uniform, but whatever floats your kink boat. The Lexington Club’s 10th annual dress-up night is coming hard upon us, with DJs Jenna Riot and Rapidfire, the House of Babes dancers, and gallons of tequila.

Sat/28, 9pm, free. Lexington Club, 3464 19th St, SF. www.lexingtonclub.com

RAIME

Incredible, deviously dark duo from the UK seeks to “re-establish electronic composition as a physical and emotionally inquisitive force.” Their quest includes hallucinatory grooves and mounting an effects-laden wower of an audiovisual experience that’s earned Raime raves. Let’s have a black celebration.

Sat/28, 10pm, $15. Balancoire, 2565 Mission, SF. www.tinyurl.com/raimesf

DEVIANTS ADULT ARCADE

A Folsom Street Fair party that actually starts within the fair itself (a pervert pop-up!) and takes over two neighboring clubs and a huge outdoor space. Oh yes, the infamous hip-kinky Deviants party is back and whippier than ever. Hard-driving Russian DJ Boris (don’t boycott, he’s a homophile!) headlines, with Matrixxman, Olga T., Aaron Clark, and the Hard French soul and Honey Soundsystem techno crews. Hot slots await.

Sun/29, 4:30pm-2am, $25–$35. 314 11th St., SF. deviants.eventbrite.com

Hot and corny

Michael Redmond

September 24, 2013

culture@sfbg.com

CHOW NOW

The iconic Fog City Diner has finished its transformation into FOG CITY (1300 Battery, SF. www.fogcitysf.com), a more contemporary, less diner-y, all caps version from chef-owner Bruce Hill (Bix, Picco, Pizzeria Picco, and Zero Zero) and founders Bill Higgins and Bill Upson of Real Restaurants, with Erik Lowe as chef. The original location opened in 1985, and coming up with a new look and menu was a great call. The spacious spot has 145 seats, with a triangular Flatiron-type shape, and a huge bar with room for 30. The menu is what they’re calling San Francisco cuisine, with lots of bar bites — try the pickles and ranch, and the deviled eggs are, er, devilishly good (sorry) — while the main menu is divided into vegetable, seafood, and meat selections. At a preview dinner, I really dug the oysters with barrel-aged hot sauce, a fab grilled beef tongue dish with mustard greens, and spicy smashed pole beans (a total flavor bomb). For dessert, you’ll want to order the “frozen custard” using Straus Family Creamery milk and French crullers made every 10 minutes, uh huh.

Over in the infamous “Triangle” in Cow Hollow, you’ll find a newly opened second location of Café Claude (2120 Greenwich, SF. www.cafeclaude.com), and boy, is she a looker, ooh la la. The swankified space has damask wallpaper, gilded mirrors, burgundy leather, and quite the sexy bar. No cocktails, however, but there are aperitifs, and plenty of wines to choose from. It’ll be great for a date, and I foresee lots of ladies enjoying themselves here for girls’ night out. Chef Doug Degeeter’s menu of classic bistro fare includes a smoked trout salad, steak tartare, a Niçoise salad, and a burger. Brunch and lunch will be coming soon.

BALLIN’ ON A BUDGET

This town sure loves brunch. And as long as we keep lining up for it, new options will continue popping up. Let’s get crackin’: Namu Gaji (499 Dolores, SF. www.namusf.com) just started weekend brunch (Sat–Sun 11:30am–4pm), serving food coma–worthy items like a Hangtown Benedict (proceed carefully), bourbon challah — holla! — French toast, an egg sandwich, and a slow-cooked egg with kimchi and a choice of chicken thigh, pork belly, or vegetable tempura. The soju-based Bloody Mary should also cure what ails you.

If you’re in need of a stronger fix, there’s the new Bad Ass Brunch (Sat–Sun 11am–2:30pm) at Jasper’s Corner Tap, with a whole line-up of brunch cocktails (including a mint julep made with bubbly), and inventive dishes like a poblano relleno with egg, and a potato sausage with soft egg, king trumpet bacon, wild mushrooms, and parsley sauce. Bad. Ass.

YOU GOTTA EAT THIS

At the brand-new 1760 (1760 Polk, SF. www.1760sf.com) on Nob Hill, chef Adam Tortosa wasn’t particularly fired up to include a couple pastas on his menu. But when your restaurant is affiliated with the family and group behind Acquerello, it’s kind of a given that pasta is going to make its way onto the menu. And whaddyaknow, one of my fave dishes on the menu was his ridonkulous corn ravioli ($18). Seven very plump, round ravs were resting in a flavorful stock made from baked potatoes steeped in water, plus some butter that spent some time sous vide with roasted potato skins. Mmmm, potato-y.

Once you plunk the entire pillow in your mouth — your choppers sinking into the delicate pasta — the creamy filling is like liquid gold in your mouth. I felt rainbows shoot out of my eyes. Alas, I hear the corn was JUST swapped out with butternut squash (fall, why are you here already?), but I am quite confident this version will be just as terrific, especially with the sweet potato broth and sage-brown butter it comes with. Purr.

Marcia Gagliardi is the founder of the weekly tablehopper e-column; subscribe for more at www.tablehopper.com. Get her app: Tablehopper’s Top Late-Night Eats. On Twitter: @tablehopper

Weekly Picks: September 25 – October 2, 2013

Michael Redmond

September 24, 2013

WEDNESDAY 9/25

Big Book Sale

Over the span of five days this last week of September, as the late summer wind whips up, kids return to academic routines, and Bay Area citizens head indoors for more sedentary pursuits, the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library will host its 49th Annual Big Book Sale. If the selection of over 500,000 books of every genre, as well as audiobooks, DVDs, CDs, and other media does not entice enough, know that a hardcover Stephen King won’t cost more than $3, while the DVD for 1999’s Fight Club will put you back $1. Come early as a member to avoid frantic book squabbling, or late Sunday when every item costs a buck. Daily clues posted on the Friends’ Facebook and Twitter pages will lead down aisles, searching for hidden prizes including restaurant gift certificates, along with symphony, ballet, and opera tickets. All proceeds go to the SF Public Library literacy programs. (Kaylen Baker)

10am-6pm, free

Festival Pavilion Fort Mason

Two Marina, SF

(415) 626-7500

www.friendssfpl.org

THURDAY 9/26

BODYTRAFFIC

There is a tradition in modern dance in which every choreographer aspires to have a company dedicated to his or her own work. Sort of like a symphony orchestra only doing Brahms and a theater company running with Moliere. That might be fun, but it can run thin. That’s not what Lillian Rose Barveito and Tina Finkelman Berkett had in mind when they founded BODYTRAFFIC in LA a few years back. It’s a big world out there, so they look for the best, the brightest, and the biggest concept-shakers. Barak Marshall, (And at midnight, the green bride floated through the village square), Kyle Abraham (Kollide), and Richard Siegel (O2Joy) have something of a name hereabouts, but what we know of their work is pretty bare bones, so these three Bay Area premieres should put some meat on the skeletons. (Rita Felciano)

Through Sat/28, 8pm; Sun/29, 7pm, $20–$25

ODC/Theater

3153 17th St, SF

(415) 863-9834

www.odcdance.org

THURDAY 9/26

Memories to Light

Take advantage of the Asian Art Museum’s final Thursday evening discounted admission and take in snapshots of culture and history through the amateur lens. Memories to Light is a home-movie archiving and digitizing initiative that was launched by the Center for Asian American Media earlier this year. CAAM executive director and film historian Stephen Gong presents highlights from its collection of home-movies. Enjoy an hour of drinks and music from DJ Deeandroid before delving into lost histories through the eyes of those who lived them. The program includes a screening of Mark Decena’s film The War Inside, an intimate look at his own family’s home movies. (Kirstie Haruta)

5pm, $5

Asian Art Museum

200 Larkin, SF

(415) 581-3500

www.asianart.org

THURDAY 9/26

Cannibal Apocalypse

The Vortex Room wraps up its monthlong tribute to Antonio Margheriti, aka “Anthony M. Dawson” — late, staggeringly prolific Italian genre master — with a double feature that aptly illustrates the filmmaker’s complete willingness to embrace what others might dismiss as kinda trashy. (Their loss.) First up: 1976’s Killer Fish (elevator pitch: “Jaws-with-piranhas!”), followed by 1980’s Cannibal Apocalypse, probably the least-known among that era’s cannibal-film explosion. Sure, 1980’s Cannibal Holocaust features real violence against animals, and 1981’s Cannibal Ferox has the immortal alternate title of Make Them Die Slowly. But only Apocalypse stars B-movie king John Saxon — and features a shopping-mall rampage and a disco-tastic score. (Cheryl Eddy)

Killer Fish, 9pm; Cannibal Apocalypse, 11pm, $10

Vortex Room

1082 Howard, SF

Facebook: The Vortex Room

THURDAY 9/26

“Salute to Steinhart” NightLife

While the California Academy of Sciences is often at the forefront of exploration — and always looking ahead to the future of discovery — tonight it looks back, at the history of its own iconic institution. The Academy is celebrating the 90th anniversary of the original Steinhart Aquarium with a roaring ’20s themed party. As part of the weekly NightLife series, this “Salute to Steinhart” will offer guests the chance to sip on old-fashioned cocktails, learn how to swing dance, check out rare items, and hear stories from the archives, all to the sounds of retro-record spinning from DJ Tanoa. (Sean McCourt)

6-10pm, $10–$12

California Academy of Sciences

55 Music Concourse, SF

(415) 379-8000

www.calacademy.org

THURDAY 9/26

Mods vs Rockers

In the battle between mods and rockers, only one can win. Just kidding, there are no clear-cut victors, only a diversity of genres in this week’s edition of Mods vs Rockers, where San Francisco’s very own surfy ’60s-like beat music band the Ogres are throwing down the gauntlet for the good old USA and battling the Fadeaways, a garage-punk outfit from Japan. Both bands seem to be in the business of coordinating outfits (the Ogres wear matching fuzzy vests, while the Fadeaways are often clad in striped shirts), but bring different musical styles to the table — just as the aforementioned event suggests! Cruise over on your Vespa scooter like the mod you are and attend a night of hip-shaking, rebel-rousing fun. (Erin Dage)

With DJ Russell Quan, DJ Ryan Ericksen

9pm, $5–$7

Amnesia

853 Valencia, SF

(415) 970-0012

www.amnesiathebar.com

FRIDAY 9/27

Roller Disco Party

SF IndieFest’s annual benefit rolls on over to the Women’s Building this year, where Black Rock Roller Disco will provide groovy tunes for a night of skating fun. Costumes are highly encouraged, and disco attire will get you in the door for half price. Roll up in your own skates or support the California Outdoor Roller Sports Association by renting skates at the party. Admission proceeds benefit the 15th SF Independent Film Festival, so get your groove on and feel good about every penny you spend! Attendees must be 21 or older. (Haruta)

8pm, $10

Women’s Building

3543 18th St, SF

(415) 431-1180

www.womensbuilding.org

SATURDAY 9/28

Perverts Put Out! Frisky Folsom Fling

Since the late ’90s, Perverts Put Out! has delivered raunchy, riotous readings and spoken word by and for the queer and kinky. In the spirit of the Folsom Street Fair, Simon Sheppard and Dr. Carol Queen of the Center for Sex and Culture will host a special Folsom-eve performance, featuring such great perverted minds as Jen Cross, Greta Christina, Steven Schwartz, horehound stillpoint, Naamen Tilahun, and Xan West. PPO! is a fun and accessible show to benefit the CSC, and an exciting warm-up before a day of leather and lust. (Haruta)

8pm, $10–$25

Center for Sex & Culture

1349 Mission, SF

(415) 902-2071

www.sexandculture.org

SATURDAY 9/28

Phosphorescent

Brooklyn (by way of Alabama and Georgia) folk rock act Phosphorescent — which is the moniker of singer-songwriter Matthew Houck — challenges its fans to not sit idly by enjoying the music. Instead, its imagery-heavy lyrics, ragged vocal harmonies, and heart-wrenching steel guitar riffs urge the listener to contemplate life. Houck’s sound implores one to rediscover pain, fear, and happiness, and to find a beauty in all of these emotions. “Mama there’s wolves in the house/mama they won’t let me out […] bury their paws in the stone/make for my heart as their home,” moans Houck in “Wolves,” with a deep agony, as if he were small animal wounded by a more terrifying creature. Phosphorescent released sixth album Muchacho this past March, and is currently on an international tour. The next stop is SF, and I suggest you catch the show. Actually, I challenge you. (Hillary Smith)

With Indians

9pm, $21.50

Fillmore

1805 Geary, SF

(415) 346-6000

www.thefillmore.com

SATURDAY 9/28

Teenage Bottlerocket and the Queers

Joey Ramone? Dead. Dee Dee Ramone? Definitely dead. Johnny Ramone? So dead. Pop-punk that takes more than a couple pages out of the Ramones’ catchy, three-chord song book? Not so dead. That being said, most of the guys from the Ramones are dead, but its musical style lives on in many bands today such as pop-punk mainstays Teenage Bottlerocket and the Queers. Co-headlining a show at Bottom of the Hill, both bands have a lengthy catalog of snotty pop-punk anthems and cheesy love songs that are undeniably catchy. Also on the bill are Midwest pop-punks the Copyrights, who released an album of rarities and b-sides called Shit’s Fucked on It’s Alive Records earlier this year. (Dage)

9:30pm, $15

Bottom of the Hill

1233 17th St, SF

(415) 626-4455

www.bottomofthehill.com

SUNDAY 9/29

2013 Anime Festival

Green spiked hair, gold glittering rapiers, socked flip-flops, cat ears, leopard heads, puffy party dresses, and very wide eyes amass at Japantown’s Peace Plaza for this year’s Anime Festival. Any fan can enter the costume contest (by contacting tak@japanvideo.com) and come dressed as their favorite bishonen (alluringly beautiful young boy), kemonomimi (human with animal features), gothloli (a gothic, porcelain doll-like girl) or futanari (a feminine hermaphrodite), hoping to score the cash prize. Honoring J-Pop and K-Pop performance art, dancers TI@ MI, Angel Hearts, Animeyu, and Star Brown will work their moves, Mari Watanabe will croon, and the SF Kendo Dojo will wow the crowd with martial arts. (Baker)

Noon-4pm, free

Japantown Peace Plaza

1610 Geary, SF

(415) 440-1171

japancentersf.com/events

SUNDAY 9/29

Jake Bugg

The year 2012 was a big one for Jake Bugg. At age 18, he could finally vote, enlist in the army, buy things over the telephone…and he had the No. 1 album in the UK. The Nottingham native has been writing songs on his acoustic guitar since age 12. Now, at the ripe old age of 19, Bugg is working on another album and is coming across the pond to share his thoughtful, catchy folk tunes with the colonies. Bugg has been called a new Bob Dylan, which may be a bit of a stretch (there can only be one) but the fact that the comparison has been made at all speaks volumes about his extraordinary talent. Plus, he’s feuding with One Direction. Two thumbs up. (Haley Zaremba)

With honeyhoney

8pm, $15

Fillmore

1805 Geary, SF

(415) 346-6000

www.thefillmore.com

TUESDAY 10/1

The Del Lords

Founded back in 1982 by Scott Kempner of the Dictators, Eric “Roscoe” Ambel of the Blackhearts, and Frank Funaro, who later played with Cracker, the Del Lords mixed back-to-basics roots rock with a punk edge and independent sensibility. After they split in 1990, band members went on to a variety of other projects. After reuniting for a series of shows in Spain in 2010, the Del Lords are back with their first new record in more than 20 years, Elvis Club, picking up right where they left off, with infectious tunes such as “When The Drugs Kick In,” “Chicks, Man,” and “Me And the Lord Blues.” (McCourt)

8pm, $12–$15

Hotel Utah

500 Fourth St, SF

(415) 546-6300

www.hotelutah.com

On the Cheap: September 25 – October 2, 2013

Michael Redmond

September 24, 2013

On the Cheap listings are compiled by Guardian staff. Submit items for the listings at listings@sfbg.com. For further information on how to submit items for the listings, see Selector.

WEDNESDAY 25

Marsh Berkeley Happy Hour Marsh Berkeley Cabaret, 2120 Allston, Berk; www.themarsh.org. 7-9pm (bar opens at 6pm), free. Also Thu-Fri. Ongoing. Enjoy drink specials and free musical performances at this ongoing happy hour. Tonight, check out the versatile Randy Craig with guests; Thu, it’s a rotating lineup of jazz musicians; Fri, it’s blues with Wayne Harris and friends.

THURSDAY 26

David Cross, Bob Odenkirk, Brian Posehn Book Passage, 1 Ferry Bldg, SF; www.bookpassage.com. 1pm, free. The comedy actors (Cross is now best-known for Arrested Development, Odenkirk for Breaking Bad) present their new book, Hollywood Said No!: Orphaned Film Scripts, Bastard Scenes, and Abandoned Darlings from the Creators of Mr. Show.

“Remediation Strategies for Urban Soils” Ecology Center, 2530 San Pablo, Berk; www.ecologycenter.org. 7-9pm, free. Soil expert Steve Calanog of the EPA discusses contamination issues that affect urban gardeners.

“Shipwreck: Competitive Erotic Fanfiction (Catcher in the Rye edition) Booksmith, 1644 Haight, SF; www.booksmith.com. 7pm, $10 (includes drinks). “Six great writers destroy one book and one great character at a time” — so Holden Caulfield is in for a night of insane adventures, no doubt.

SATURDAY 28

Annie Barrows BookShop West Portal, 80 West Portal, SF; (415) 564-8080. 11am, free. Calling all young readers: the children’s book author reads from Ivy + Bean Take the Case.

Beth Dean Cartoon Art Museum, 655 Mission, SF; www.cartoonart.org. 2-4pm, free. The Cartoon Art Museum’s artist-in-residence — also the owner of Black Forest, a publishing house and oddities shop — shares her cool, clever, sometimes-creepy works.

World Veg Festival San Francisco County Fair Bldg, Lincoln at Ninth Ave, SF; www.sfvs.org. 10am-6pm, $10 (free for students, seniors, kids under 12, and anyone who shows up before 10:30am). Through Sun/29. The San Francisco Vegetarian Society hosts its 14th annual festival, with authors, community activists, cooking demos, vegan-friendly exhibitors, tips on urban gardening, and more.

SUNDAY 29

“Beat Swap Meet” La Peña Cultural Center and the Starry Plough, 3101-05 Shattuck, Berk; info@beatswapmeet.com. Noon-6pm, $5 with a canned good. Record collectors and dealers from all over California showcase crates of vinyl, with DJs spinning rare cuts while you shop and swap.

“Fall Free for All” UC Berkeley campus, Berk; calperfs.berkeley.edu. 11am-6pm, free. A full day of free performances, including the New Century Chamber Orchestra, Marcus Shelby Quintet, ODC/Dance, San Francisco Opera Adler Fellows, Theatre of Yugen, La Tania Ballet Flamenco, special performances aimed at kids (puppets! Instrument petting zoo!) and more.

Folsom Street Fair Folsom between Seventh and 12th Sts, SF; www.folsomstreetevents.org. 11am-6:30pm, free (suggested donation $7-10). The 30th annual incarnation of the popular leather-and-fetish fair promises to be the biggest yet, with an extra half-hour of fair time to boot.

Nuala Ni Conchuir United Irish Cultural Center, 2700 45th Ave, SF; www.ilhssf.org. 5pm, $5. The Irish author reads from her fourth short story collection, Mother America.

Sunday Streets in the Excelsior Seneca from San Jose to Mission, and Mission from Seneca to Teresa/Avalon, SF; www.sundaystreetssf.com. 11am-4pm, free. The popular, rotating, pedestrian-and-bike-friendly neighborhood party touches down in the Excelsior.

MONDAY 30

Anthony Marra, Karen Tei Yamashita, and Zachary Mason Booksmith, 1644 Haight, SF; www.booksmith.com. 7:30pm, free. Three contributors read from the myth-retelling story collection xo Orpheus: Fifty New Myths.

TUESDAY 1

“Arch Lecture Series: Kengo Kuma” Wheeler Hall, UC Berkeley, Berk; ced.berkeley.edu. 6:30pm, free. The noted Japanese architect speaks about his work.

Linda Spalding Booksmith, 1644 Haight, SF; www.booksmith.com. 7:30pm, free. The award-winning Canadian author reads from The Purchase, about a Quaker family in 1798 Virginia. *

Nice to meat you

Sasha Cuttler

September 10, 2013

CHOW NOW

Whew, so many new openings right now, and none are in the Mission, shocking. First up is La Urbana (661 Divisadero, SF. www.laurbanasf.com), bringing a splashy and funky-chic spin on a classic cantina to Divisadero. Executive chef Ben Klein and chef de cuisine Julio Aguilera are offering modern takes on traditional Mexican dishes (entrees hover around $23), so a huarache comes with duck leg, the quesadillas “Tijuana” have smoked goat cheddar and summer vegetables, and braised short ribs feature bone marrow. Que bueño. There’s also quite the selection of mezcals, featuring some small-batch and hard-to-find producers, and it’s worth noting the house margarita has a bacon salt rim. Well then. The design is pretty tight: the lounge (and bathrooms!) are covered in stunning ceramic tiles from Mérida, and behind the 20-seat zinc bar is shelving made of vintage Mexican furniture—it’s all lit up, giving it a dramatic effect. DRAMA! The dining room has room for 60, and it’s lively to say the least (read: loud), with large windows that look out on the street. Modern Mexican — we are so ready for this!

Another spiffy new opening is 1760 (1760 Polk, SF. www.1760sf.com), bringing a much-needed urban restaurant to the Nob Hill-Russian Hill area. It’s quite the seasoned team: co-owners Giancarlo Paterlini and Suzette Gresham (of Acquerello), with wine director Gianpaolo Paterlini, and their chef they snagged from LA, Adam Tortosa. No tablecloths at this location, but you will find a handsome look, with polished concrete floors, a mirrored wall behind the bar, and a communal seating area. You can swing by for a glass of wine and a couple small plates, or reserve a table for a full-on dinner — the menu is designed to be flexible. Dishes will show influences from Asia and Italy, but there’s no (con)fusion going on here, okay? Envision watermelon gazpacho with Dungeness crab, finger lime, and borage; a few pastas, like bucatini, uni, garlic, red pepper, and bread crumb; and a fried duck sandwich? Quack-quack-hello. Dishes will range from $8–$22. The wine list is packing some heat: look for around 250 European and domestic selections. There’s also some serious bar talent: bar manager Christopher Longoria (previously at Aziza). Cheers to all of this.

Lastly, the long-awaited Palmer’s Tavern (2298 Fillmore, SF.) is now open on Upper Fillmore, sporting a Rat Pack look, with booths and barstools upholstered in dark red leather, and a long mahogany bar manned by white-jacketed bartenders. Owners Albert and Klaus Rainer are known for their other establishment, Leopold’s, and have brought on chef Raymond Tamayo. Classics like steak tartare and a burger, plus some summery items, like chilled corn soup and fried squash blossoms are being served.

LET’S PARTAY

Coming up this Thu/12 is my second tablehopper singles event, this time for gay fellas who love food and wine (and men, der). If you’re single and like to mingle, join us at the newly remodeled MKT Restaurant–Bar (757 Market, SF. www.mktrestaurantandbar.com) at the Four Seasons. There will be eight courses of very tasty dishes, paired wines from Purple Wine Company, and a cocktail from Charbay. You won’t leave hungry (or sober). It’s like a mash-up of a cocktail party, dinner party, and speed dating with cool people with great taste: just like you. Tickets ($95) and info at tablehopper-gaysingles.eventbrite.com.

YOU GOTTA EAT THIS

So a few issues ago I mentioned the ramen burger at Nombe (2491 Mission, SF. www.nombesf.com), so of course I had to go check that thing out, especially after hearing about the massive lines for it at the SF Street Food Festival. Not a monster-sized burger patty by any means — it’s a mix of Wagyu beef and pork belly — but considering the bun is made of lightly crisp ramen noodles, it can’t get toooo honking or it will lose all structural integrity. Pro tip: don’t let it sit, either. When that burger hits the table (cutely wrapped up in paper), take your Instagram pic and then it’s time to start munching, stat. Go for the umami blast version with miso, shiitake, and blue cheese. The burger is $10, and look for a vegetarian version coming soon.

Marcia Gagliardi is the founder of the weekly tablehopper e-column; subscribe for more at www.tablehopper.com. Get her app: Tablehopper’s Top Late-Night Eats. On Twitter: @tablehopper.

Get to the show, weirdos

Michael Redmond

August 27, 2013

FALL ARTS There are so many things competing for your precious time: long lines for pricey gourmet coffee, civic responsibilities and volunteer work, actual work, glazed fake cronuts or whatever the kids are into these days. Make live music a priority as well — your days will float by on a pink cloud of fuzzy, hangover-fueled memories.

As we’re lucky enough to live in a region stuffed with musicians and venues that take in touring acts, the options for every week are damn near endless. Here are some shows to take note of this season, one for (nearly) every day of the upcoming months. (Note that dates and locations are subject to change, so always check the venue site.)

>>READ MORE FALL ARTS GUIDES HERE

Plug them in to your Google Calendar. Better yet, stick this list to your wall with chewed-up bubblegum. Either way, impress your friends with superior show knowledge:

Aug. 30 [UPDATE: postponed due to illness] Icona Pop: As silly as it’s always been, bubbly Swedish electro-pop duo Icona Pop is in the running for the arbitrary media-hyped “song of the summer” (or as Slate puts it, the yearly “Summer Song–Industrial Complex”) thanks to party track, “I Love It,” featuring fellow up-and-comer Charli XCX. And, get this, the album from which “Love It” springs, This Is… (Record Company Ten/Big Beat Records), isn’t even out until Sept. 24. Squeeze out the last bits of this very poppy season and hold out for the recorded versions by taking in this live set. Fillmore, SF. www.thefillmore.com

Aug. 31 [Here’s another to make up for that cancellation above] Rin Tin Tiger, French Cassettes Great American Music Hall, SF. www.slimspresents.com

Aug. 31 Sonny and the Sunsets, Shannon and the Clams Chapel, SF. www.thechapelsf.com

Sept. 2 Ty Segall Great American Music Hall, SF. www.slimspresents.com

Sept. 3 Superchunk and Mikal Cronin Fillmore, SF. www.thefillmore.com

Sept. 4 Zomby (live) Public Works, SF. www.publicsf.com.

Sept. 5-6 “UnderCover Presents Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited:” For this event, the UnderCover Presents collective dives deep into the introspective, folk-rock world of Bob Dylan’s ’65 gem (which gave us “Like a Rolling Stone”) with covers by Carletta Sue Kay, Quinn DeVeaux, Whiskerman, Beth Lisick, and guest music director Karina Denike, among others. Freight & Salvage. www.thefreight.org. Also Sept. 8, Contemporary Jewish Museum. www.cjm.org.

Sept. 6 Mission Creek Oakland: The month-long fall music and arts festival packs a punch with dozens of local bands playing 15 East Bay venues, including the Uptown, the Stork Club, and Children’s Fairyland (!). It kicks off with a free opening party tonight at the Uptown with Naytronix, Clipd Beaks, YNGBMS, and Safeword. Various venues, Oakl. www.mcofest.org.

Sept. 7 Push the Feeling with Exray’s Underground SF, www.undergroundsf.com

Sept. 8 Lil Bub book signing with Nobunny: So Lil Bub is this famous Internet cat and Nobunny is the infamous IRL punky masked Bunny-Man; together they’ll claw through the Rickshaw Stop all day and night. This multipart Burger Bub Mini-Fest includes a Lil Bub book signing and doc film screening, plus live sets by Nobunny, Colleen Green, the Monster Women, and the Shanghais. Paws up, everyone. Rickshaw Stop, SF. www.rickshawstop.com.

Sept. 9 Sex Snobs Elbo Room, SF. www.elbo.com

Sept. 10 Bleeding Rainbow Rickshaw Stop, SF. www.rickshawstop.com.

Sept. 11 Moving Units DNA Lounge, SF. www.dnalounge.com.

Sept. 12 Julie Holter Great American Music Hall, SF. www.slimspresents.com.

Sept. 13 120 minutes presents Death in June Mezzanine, SF. www.mezzaninesf.com.

Sept. 14 Rock the Bells: the annual touring hip-hop fest returns, headlined by Kid Cudi, A$AP Mob. feat. A$AP Rocky, E-40, and Too $hort, Common, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony on Sept. 14; Wu-Tang Clan, Black Hippy feat. Kendrick Lamar, and Deltron 3000 on Sept. 15. Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mtn View. www.livenation.com.

Sept. 16 Kate Boy Rickshaw Stop, SF. www.rickshawstop.com.

Sept 17 Julie Ruin: Kathleen Hanna returns to her pre-Le Tigre output but beefs it up with a full band including fellow Bikini Kill bandmate Kathi Wilcox and is set to release bouncy feminist dancepop record Run Fast Sept. 3. A few weeks later the Brooklyn band lands in SF. Slim’s, SF. www.slimspresents.com.

Sept. 18 Berkeley Old Time Music Convention Various venues, Berk. www.berkeleyoldtimemusic.org

Sept. 19 Hard Skin 1-2-3-4 Go!, Oakl. 1234gorecords.com.

Sept. 20 Foxygen Independent, SF. www.theindependentsf.com

Sept. 21 Tape Deck Mountain and Battlehooch El Rio, SF. www.elriosf.com.

Sept. 22 “Radio Silence presents: Doe Eye performing Arcade Fire” Brick and Mortar Music Hall, SF. www.brickandmortarmusic.com.

Sept. 24 Wax Tailor Mezzanine. www.mezzaninesf.com.

Sept. 26 Zola Jesus Palace of Fine Arts, SF. www.palaceoffinearts.org.

Sept. 27 Peter Hook and the Light Mezzanine, SF. www.mezzaninesf.com.

Sept. 28 “Station to Station:” This train-travelin’ art and music experiment, organized by artist Doug Aitken, pulls a stop in Oakland with live performances by Dan Deacon, Savages, No Age, Sun Araw and the Congos, Twin Shadow, and more. And the train itself is designed as a moving kinetic light sculpture, so expect a bright show. 16th St. Station, Oakl. www.stationtostation.com.

Sept. 30 Chelsea Wolfe Great American Music Hall, SF. www.slimspresents.com

Oct. 1 Peach Kelli Pop Hemlock Tavern, SF. www.hemlocktavern.com.

Oct. 3 MØ Brick and Mortar Music Hall, SF. www.brickandmortarmusic.com.

Oct. 4-6 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass: Bonnie Raitt, Bettye LaVette, Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers, Devil Makes Three, Chris Isaak, Mark Lanegan, First Aid Kit, Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside. As the free annual fest releases lineup names in glorious song medleys, this is who we know for sure will fill GG Park with folk-country-hardly-strictly-bluegrass notes this year, as of press time. There will be more added in the coming weeks, so check the site. Golden Gate Park, SF. www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com.

Oct. 5 Har Mar Superstar Bottom of the Hill, SF. www.bottomofthehill.com.

Oct. 7 No Joy Brick and Mortar Music Hall, SF. www.brickandmortarmusic.com.

Oct. 8 Fucked Up Terror Oakland Metro Opera House, Oakl. www.oaklandmetro.org.

Oct. 9 Iceage Rickshaw Stop, SF. www.rickshawstop.com.

Oct. 10 Thee Oh Sees Chapel, SF. www.thechapelsf.com

Oct. 11 Extra Action Marching Band Mezzanine, SF. www.mezzaninesf.com

Oct. 12 Marky Ramone with Andrew W.K.: Is this pairing crazy enough that it just might work? While Joey Ramone has sadly passed on to punk rock heaven (lots of leather and skinny jeans), drummer Marky Ramone is carrying on the legacy by enlisting pizza guitar-having party rocker Andrew W.K. as his frontperson. The band known as Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg performs classic Ramones songs. Independent, SF. www.theindependentsf.com.

Oct. 13 Legendary Pink Dots DNA Lounge, SF. www.dnalounge.com.

Oct. 14 Langhorne Slim Great American Music Hall, SF. www.slimspresents.com

Oct. 15 Tim Kasher Rickshaw Stop, SF. www.rickshawstop.com.

Oct. 16 Dustin Wong Great American Music Hall, SF. www.slimspresents.com.

Oct. 17 CHVRCHES Fox Theater, Oakl. www.thefoxoakland.com.

Oct. 18 Robert Glasper Experiment SFJazz Center, SF. www.sfjazz.org.

Oct. 19 Treasure Island Music Festival: the forward-thinking two-day fest out on windswept Treasure Island includes Atoms for Peace, Beck, Major Lazer, Little Dragon, Animal Collective, James Blake, Holy Ghost!, Sleigh Bells, and more. Giraffage, and Antwon are the locals on the bill. Treasure Island, SF. www.treasureislandfestival.com.

Oct. 20 Goblin Warfield Theatre, SF. www.thewarfieldtheatre.com.

Oct. 21 Hunx & His Punx Chapel, SF. www.thechapelsf.com.

Oct. 22 Brian Wilson and Jeff Beck Paramount Theater, Oakl. www.paramounttheatre.com.

Oct. 23 Oh Land Independent, SF. www.theindependentsf.com.

Oct. 24 Woodkid Regency Ballroom, SF. www.theregencyballroom.com.

Oct. 25 The Blow Bottom of the Hill. www.bottomofthehill.com.

Oct. 26 Airfield Broadcasts: For this large-scale event, composer Lisa Bielawa will turn Chrissy Field into a giant “musical canvas” in which listeners can interact with broad sounds floating through the area with the help of nearly a thousand professional and student musicians including orchestras, choruses, bands, and experimental new groups. The musicians will begin in the center of the field then slowly move outwards, playing Bielawa’s original score. Chrissy Field, SF. www.airfieldbroadcasts.org.

Oct. 29 The Jazz Coffin Emergency Ensemble El Rio, SF. www.elriosf.com.

Oct. 30 Save Ferris Regency Ballroom, SF. www.theregencyballroom.com.

Oct. 31 Danzig Warfield, SF. www.thewarfieldtheatre.com.

Nov. 1 Janelle Monáe: Futurist soul crooner Janelle Monáe has had a big year, releasing “Q.U.E.E.N.” with Erykah Badu in the spring, and more recently she fired off Miguel duet “PrimeTime.” The last time the pompodoured singer made it to SF she was dancing down the aisles at the SF Symphony’s Spring Gala (earlier this year), but a darkened venue is much more her speed. Think she’ll be wearing black and white? Warfield Theatre, SF. www.thewarfieldtheatre.com.

Nov. 7 Wanda Jackson: The stylish rockabilly queen, and former real life Elvis paramour — and crackling vocalist behind tracks like “Fujiyama Mama” and “Let’s Have a Party” — is still brash and still touring at age 75. And she’s still putting out new tunes too, with her own 2012 LP Unfinished Business, and just before that a collaboration with Jack White on The Party Ain’t Over (2011). Yes, the party continues. Chapel, SF. www.thechapelsf.com.

Nov. 8 Of Montreal Great American Music Hall, SF. www.slimspresents.com.

Nov. 13 Those Darlins Chapel, SF. www.thechapelsf.com.

Nov. 14 Kayhan Kalhor and Ali Bahrami Fard SFJazz Center, SF. www.sfjazz.org.

Nov. 16 Melt Banana Oakland Metro Opera House, Oakl. www.oaklandmetro.org.

Nov. 17 Rhys Chatham: This is vastly bigger than your average rock concert. See, avant-punk composer Rhys Chatham will perform the West Coast premiere of his “A Secret Rose” with an orchestra of 100 electric guitars. That’s right, 100-times the shred. The Other Minds-presented hourlong performance will include musicians from Guided By Voices, Akron/Family, Tristeza, and more. Craneway Pavilion, Richmond. www.brownpapertickets.com.

Nov. 18 Misfits Oakland Metro Opera House, Oakl. www.oaklandmetro.org.

Nov. 22 Kate Nash Fillmore, SF. www.thefillmore.com.

Fall fairs and festivals

Michael Redmond

August 27, 2013

Listings are compiled by Guardian staff.

Sept. 14-15

Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Point, SF; ghirardellisq.com/chocolate-festival. Noon-5pm, $25 for 15 chocolate tastings. Project Open Hand benefits from the 18th annual incarnation of this delectable festival. New for 2013, there’ll be a “Chocolate and Wine Pavilion” for guests over 21, plus the ever-popular hands-free ice cream eating contest; chef demos; and a talk by Ghirardelli’s “Chocolate Professor,” Steve Genzoli, on the art of chocolate-making.

Sept. 15

Comedy Day Sharon Meadow, Golden Gate Park, SF; www.comedyday.com. Noon-5pm, free. The 33rd incarnation of this local tradition boasts “one stage, five hours, 40 comedians, and a million laughs!” Performers include Will Durst, Tom Ammiano, Natasha Muse, Johnny Steele, Tony Sparks, and more.

Sept. 20-22

Oktoberfest by the Bay Pier 48, SF; www.oktoberfestbythebay.com. Fri, 5pm-midnight; Sat, 11am-5pm and 6pm-midnight; Sun, 11am-6pm, $25-75 (kids 13-18, $5 for Saturday day session or Sunday only). “Tasty food, cold beer, and sizzling oompah music,” y’all. How do you say y’all in German? Anyway, if you have lederhosen, now’s your chance to wear it. The 21-piece Chico Bavarian Band headlines this annual sudsy bacchanal.

Sept. 21-22

Polk Street Blues Festival Polk between Pacific and Union, SF; www.polkstreetbluesfestival.com. 10am-6pm, free. Back for its fourth year, this up-and-coming fest boasts two music stages, arts and crafts vendors, and gourmet eats. Visit the website in the weeks before the event for updated performer information.

Sept. 27-29

Eat Real Festival Jack London Square, Oakl; www.eatrealfest.com. Fri, 1-9pm; Sat-Sun, 10:30am-5pm, free. No dish costs more than five bucks at this showcase of sustainable Bay Area cuisine (and local beer and wine, too). The fest also offers up DIY demos (“from home cheese making to backyard chickens”), live music, butchery contests, and more.

Sept. 28

Superhero Street Fair Waterfront Boardwalk Oasis overlooking Islais Creek, 1700 Indiana, SF; www.superherosf.com. 2pm-midnight, $20 ($10 in costume). Holding out for a hero? Why not just be one yourself at this fourth annual fiesta? Seven stages with 17 “sound camps” (dubstep, reggae, drum and bass, etc.) set the mood, plus there’ll be bands (including SF’s own pint-sized rockers Haunted By Heroes), robot dancers Anna and the Anadroids, exhibits by the Cartoon Art Museum and Mission Comics, a “Superhero Bootcamp,” and lots more heroic (and villainous!) fun.

Sept. 29

Folsom Street Fair Folsom between 7th and 12th Sts, SF; www.folsomstreetfair.com. 11am-6:30pm, free (gate donations benefit charity). In honor of Folsom’s 30th anniversary, the fest goes for 30 extra minutes this year. That means 30 extra minutes of kinky, leather-clad fun with an estimated 400,000 fellow revelers, plus over 200 exhibitor booths (selling gear for every fetish), multiple stages of live music and DJs, and naked butts as far as the eye can see.

Oct. 6

Castro Street Fair, Castro at Market, SF; www.castrostreetfair.org. 11am-6pm, free. Celebrating its landmark 40th anniversary, this popular gathering brings pop star Peaches to headline its main stage; her act includes a tribute to late disco legend Sylvester, who performed at the 1975 Castro Street Fair.

Oct. 11-19

Litquake Various venues, SF; www.litquake.org. San Francisco’s Literary Festival unfurls for over a week of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction author events, interactive activities, and more — including the insanely popular annual Lit Crawl. Check the website as the event approaches for info on special guests.

Oct. 12-13

Alternative Press Expo Concourse Exhibition Center, 635 8th St, SF; comic-con.org/ape. Times and ticket prices TBD. For 20 years, APE has promoted alternative and self-published comics, and this year looks to be a stellar one: guests include Zippy the Pinhead creator Bill Griffith, and there’ll be another edition of “Comic Creator Connection,” helping writers and artists come together to make creative magic.

Oct. 19

Potrero Hill Festival 20th St between Wisconsin and Missouri, SF; www.potrerofestival.com. 11am-4pm, free. The 24th celebration of one of SF’s hilliest ‘hoods features local food vendors, historians, entertainment, artists, and more.

Oct. 26

Noe Valley Harvest Festival, 24th St between Church and Sanchez, SF; www.noevalleyharvestfestival.com. 10am-5pm, free. This fest offers old-fashioned family fun to kick off the holiday season, with a certain amount of Halloween flair to boot: there’ll be a pumpkin patch (and pumpkin decorating), costume contests for kids and dogs, a pie-eating contest, and more.

Nov. 9-10

Green Festival Concourse Exhibition Center, 635 8th St, SF; www.greenfestivals.org. Sat, 10am-6pm; Sun, 11am-5pm, ticket price TBD. Presentations and panel discussions on sustainable living and other green issues, plus “the nation’s largest green marketplace for the conscious consumer” for all your eco-conscious gift-giving needs.

Nov. 23-Dec. 22

Great Dickens Christmas Faire Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva, SF; www.dickensfair.com. Nov 23-24, Nov 29-Dec 1, Dec 7-8, 14-15, and 21-22, 10am-7pm, ticket price TBD. Because it wouldn’t be Christmas in San Francisco without this long-running interactive, festively detailed dose of Victorian London. Roasted chestnuts for everyone!

Light Asylum, Miami Horror, Hercules, whips, chains, etc.: Lineup for Folsom announced

Jesse Hawthorne Ficks

August 13, 2013

Folsom Street Fair: yes to fisting, whipping, piercing. But the September 29 event has also morphed, through the auspices of kicky executive director Demetri Moshoyannis and his crew, into a huge music festival as well, attracting a young and adventurous crowd who may not know they’re into slings and harnesses — yet.

(“It’s one of my favorite things,” Demetri told me recently, “to watch newbies show up for the music, their eyes wide at what’s going on around them. And then later to see them tied up or in thigh-high boots and a paddle or whatever.”)

This year’s main stage line-up is cute and true to Demetri’s electro roots: Hercules and Love Affair, Miami Horror, Light Asylum, Icky Blossoms, the return of local all-drag rock band Pepper Spray, and more. Plus the dance area has Mark Moore from S’Express! (And insanely great and cute techno dude Boris.)

Full release, heh, after the jump. Oh and don’t miss the awesome official Folsom “Deviants Arcade” party, happening within the fair itself (and afterwards), with Honey Soundsystem, Hard French, MATRIXXMAN, Olga T, Aaron Clark, and Boris. Eep!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPhoE9yz-nI

August 13, 2013
FOLSOM STREET EVENTS® ANNOUNCES MAIN STAGE PERFORMANCES AT HISTORIC 30TH FOLSOM STREET FAIR®
Miami Horror and Hercules and Love Affair to co-headline world’s largest fetish event

On Sunday, September 29th from 11:00am – 6:30pm, Folsom Street Events’ annual Folsom Street Fair presents a hugely impressive line-up. The nonprofit event producers hope to showcase a broad presentation of music with ‘a little something for everyone.’ Folsom Street Fair will feature only one live “main” stage, continuing the fierce momentum of featuring live indie music and electronic dance music as a highpoint of the fair. This year’s main stage headliners are Hercules and Love Affair and Miami Horror as well as Light Asylum.

Hercules and Love Affair is a musical project from New York-based DJ Andy Butler, who gives us a new take on classic disco and house anthems while showcasing some of the best up-and-coming vocalists in the industry. The band’s self-titled debut album has been critically acclaimed and charted in the Top 40 in several countries. The first single “Blind,” co-written by and featuring guest Antony Hegarty (lead vocalist of Antony & The Johnsons), was awarded Best Song of 2008 by Pitchfork Media. The follow up album, Blue Songs, offered the stirring singles “Painted Eyes” and “My House.” New music is forthcoming soon.

Miami Horror is one of the top acts from Australia that best characterizes the Nu-Disco dance genre, taking influences from dance-pop artists of the 1970’s and 1980’s as well as progressive rock acts and combining it with modern production techniques from styles such as house music and classic disco. The debut album, Illumination, featured an abundance of fresh tracks, including “I Look To You (featuring Kimbra),” “Sometimes,” and “Moon Theory” among others. A sophomore album is in the works.

Light Asylum is heavily influenced by 1980’s music, especially the works by the likes of Grace Jones and Alison Moyet. It was the mutual love of Clan of Xymox that brought Shannon and Bruce together. Light Asylum’s style incorporates elements of industrial and post-punk music into something uniquely formidable. Shannon’s rich contralto brings a complementary humanity to their cold electronic beats. Check out the band’s 2012 self-titled debut album.

Joining the headliners at the main stage are other indie and electronic artists from around the world and here at home. They include: Aiden James (New York); Vixen Noir (California); Pepperspray (California); Heloise & the Savoir Faire (Vermont); and, Icky Blossoms (Oklahoma). DJ Rotten Robbie will serve as the Main Stage DJ.

10TH STREET MAIN STAGE

MCs: Monistat, MuthaChucka, Visa De Klein

11:00am…Aiden James

11:50am…Vixen Noir

12:40pm…Pepperspray

1:10pm…Leather Titleholders

1:30pm…Heloise & the Savoir Faire

2:25pm…Icky Blossoms

3:25pm…Light Asylum

4:30pm…Miami Horror

5:40pm…Hercules and Love Affair

According to Folsom Street Events Executive Director Demetri Moshoyannis, “I am in love with every single one of our Main Stage acts! They are offering up an impressive range of alternative music – from neo-folk and rock and roll to electro-pop and four-on-the-floor house music. It’s an extremely diverse offering that I believe will appeal to a vast range of our fair-goers. I hope everyone discovers some new music!”

In addition to the main live performance stage, Folsom Street Fair will feature two dance areas: Magnitude Dance Area on Folsom Street between 11th and 12th Streets and the DEVIANTS Dance Area on Folsom between 7th and 8th Streets. These stages are named and programmed after the two popular Folsom Street Events parties that take place during the same weekend. Headlining the Magnitude Dance Area are circuit legends, Jamie J. Sanchez and Tony Moran. Headlining the DEVIANTS Dance Area are house and techno legends Mark Moore of S’Express fame and Boris from the renowned Berghain in Berlin.

DEVIANTS DANCE AREA

MCs: Suppositori Spelling and Grace Towers

11:00am…DJ Bus Station John

12:30pm…Harry + JPEG

2:00pm…Dabecy

3:30pm…Mark Moore // S’Express

5:00pm…Boris (Ostgut Ton, Berghain Resident / Berlin)

Get fresh

Michael Redmond

July 30, 2013

culture@sfbg.com

TABLEHOPPING Ahhh, the much-maligned San Francisco “summer,” the 62-degree, socked-deeply-in-the-fog days we love to hate on — but secretly cherish when the rest of the country is melting in 98-degree temps with sauna-like levels of humidity. But we are a hardy bunch. We proudly don our scarves with a flourish as we sit on patios drinking pitchers of beer, our stripy sweaters like badges of honor as we attend windy picnics in the park, eating corn on the cob (that was grown somewhere warm, definitely not here) while wearing fingerless gloves.

Since the calendar says it’s summer — even though some days almost require a parka — we have a restaurant summer salute for you: your cheat sheet of new restaurants with patios and sidewalk seating, plus recently opened spots that are just plain hawt, no matter what the temperature is. Oh, and a sneak peek at a couple places opening in time for Indian summer. Sunblock optional.

NEW PATIOS

Due to reopen this week is a revamped Ziryab (528 Divisadero. SF. www.ziryabgrill.com), with a brand-new look, and there will now be both the popular front terrace and a new back patio with greenery. Add in a fresh Mediterranean menu from chef Khalid al Morabet (think vegetable tagine, merguez flatbread), plus a new liquor license with cocktails from Zach Taylor, previously at Hog and Rocks. Dive into drinks like the Ziryab Manhattan, with date-infused Bulleit rye, lapsang souchong tea, and a touch of arak — yeah, it’ll keep you warm.

In the Castro, the owner of Italian hotspot Poesia recently opened Dante’s Table (544 Castro, SF. www.dantestable.com), which has a back patio and garden area fittingly called “Paradiso.” You can swing by for a menu of casual Italian dishes (pasta, Neapolitan pizza), plus summery classics like bruschetta with tomato or burrata and tomatoes. Bonus: full liquor! There’s a happy hour from 5pm–6:30pm, with $7 cocktails, and $5 bites (suppli al telefono, fried and cheesy risotto balls…) that you can enjoy before the fog rolls in.

On the waterfront, Michael Chiarello’s Spanish Coqueta (Pier 5, SF. www.coquetasf.com) has a few outdoor tables where you can watch joggers go by as you swill your gin and tonic and eat jamón iberico (we recommend you do this at lunch for maximum sun). If the wind picks up, there is the Bar5 space that flanks the restaurant, with a communal bar table, high leather chairs, and tiled floors. And it’s full of windows that open and let in fresh air and light, so it’s almost like being outside.

We have mentioned these other new patio-bedecked places in our weekly Tablehopping column, but here’s your reminder: in North Beach, there’s the latest location of Tacolicious (1548 Stockton, SF. www.tacolicious.com), serving tacos and margaritas — available by the pitcher, oh yeah — all day to put you in a Mexico frame of mind as you kick it in your sidewalk seats. Meanwhile, over in the Upper Haight (a.k.a. fog-bank city), there’s Sparrow Bar and Kitchen (1640 Haight, SF. sparrowbarandkitchen.com) with its spacious heated beer garden in the back. Order one of the burgers to pair with the 14 beers on tap. Lastly, the very-soon-to-open (and heated!) back patio at Rustic (3331 24th St., SF. www.rusticsf.com) in the Mission will help you pretend you’re a well-seasoned Italian man, or reaffirm your official status as one, playing on the two bocce ball courts while eating pizza.

HOT-HOT OPENINGS

With a name like Waiheke Island Yacht Club (Pier 29, SF. www.waihekeislandyachtclub.com), you practically assume your drink is going to be a Cape Cod, served by someone in a navy blazer with gold buttons. Far from it. This higher-end, pop-up restaurant in a Pier 29 shed is a New Zealand import, open until the end of the year. It sports an airy and spacious look, with low-slung leather chairs and a gleaming open kitchen. It’s unlike anything in the city. The modern cuisine features New Zealand ingredients, like lamb (of course) and a smashing venison dish. You’ll find inventive cocktails at the bar, such as the Red Snapper, a spin on a Bloody Mary that totally rocks. Or refresh with some beers from Kiwi import MOA.

Also on the waterfront, the Boulette’s Larder team just opened the minimalist and contemporary Bouli Bar (Ferry Building, SF. www.bouletteslarder.com) in the former Culinaire space, with a wood-burning hearth, more than six kinds of pizzas, a variety of meze and salads, and lunch to go. Of course you can expect organic and very carefully sourced ingredients galore, with interesting seasoning and spices. Yup, it’s all so bougie. And in case you’re wondering, Boulette’s is due to reopen in August.

Over in Jackson Square, the business crowd has a new spot to power lunch at Roka Akor (801 Montgomery, SF. www.rokaakor.com), while the after-work scene can take over the downstairs lounge. The focal point of the dining room is the robata grill encircled by a hypertrendy shou-sugi-ban counter made of charred birch wood finished by hand. The menu, by chef Roman Petry, has a wide range of Japanese-inspired dishes, from lobster and abalone miso soup to Wagyu beef and kimchi dumplings, plus nigiri sushi, steaks, and more.

COMING REAL SOON

The Divisadero Corridor, so foodie-hot, and with the August 14th opening of La Urbana (661 Divisadero, SF. www.laurbanasf.com), it’s going to really be en fuego. This stylish restaurant and bar will be giving us a taste of Mexico City, with an eclectic design highlighting so many custom touches — mucho contemporary cantina. The cutting-edge cuisine from chef Benjamin Klein will offer modern takes on traditional regional Mexican dishes; the bar is going to be all about mezcal, and there will even be a Mezcaleria, with over 30 mezcals for sale (soon).

Anyone who is a fan of the elegant Acquerello is getting excited to see what owner Giancarlo Paterlini’s son Gianpaolo is putting together for his new 1760 (1760 Polk, SF. www.1760sf.com) project on Polk and Washington. It’s going to be a chic yet comfortable 80-seat spot (read: no tablecloths), with a rocking wine program (of course), a full bar, and a modern, ingredient-driven menu by chef Adam Tortosa. Stand by for an opening in late summer.

Marcia Gagliardi is the founder of the weekly tablehopper e-column; subscribe for more at www.tablehopper.com. Get her app: Tablehopper’s Top Late-Night Eats. On Twitter: @tablehopper.

Party Radar: Banjee Report reports on Sat/27

July 26, 2013

Last May I “blew through” the huge International Mr. Leather Competition gathering in Chicago and, after I’d cleaned up a bit, had the pleasure of visiting one of the coolest Boystown spots, Wang’s, a tiny, fog-filled opium den of a gay bar which, back then at least (it’s since seen some upscale hetero incursion) was the place to be, at least if you were looking to somewhat escape the macho IML scene and get down to some sweet, sweet music.

One of the things that made Wang’s pop for me was the totally hot guy at the door. “Oh he’s from Banjee Report,” DJ P-Play told me as we entered. “They’re pretty much going to rule the queer hip-hop world in a couple years.” Oh, hi there!

P-Play’s crew Honey Soundsystem put out a pretty killer (and awesomely challenging) Banjee Report mixtape soon afterwards, introducing them to SF. And now here come the three Banjee rappers themselves, to Marco De La Vega’s great 120 Minutes party at the Elbo Room this Sat.

If you want to see what’s going on in the queer hip-hop world, beyond the incredibly diverse Mykki Blanco (multigender artsy), Le1f (avante-dark musing), Frank Ocean (ambiguous pop soul), and Big Dipper (novelty sex-rap) styles, Banjee’s great combo of vogue sensibility, street delivery, and sexy swagger may turn up your boots.

Also, I’m sorry for objectifying them but they are really cute, so wut.

Read a neat inteview with Banjee Report here.

BANJEE REPORT

with Matrixxman and oOoOO

at 120 Minutes

Sat/27, 10pm, $5-$10

Elbo Room

647 Valencia

Bhangin’

Jesse Hawthorne Ficks

July 10, 2013

SUPER EGO Few things light up our nightlife scene like the whirling, clapping, shouting, laughing, dhol-drum-driven monthly bonanza that is Non Stop Bhangra. The recent influx of Indian arrivals, mostly due to tech-related jobs, has given Bay Area culture a nice, bright kick in the pakoras — we were already home to a flourishing Indian community, too — and the eight-year-old NSB monthly party is a welcome wagon everyone can hop on.

DJ Jimmy Love, dancer Vicki Virk, the dholrythms dance crew, and live musicians and artists take the classic Punjab-via-UK sound of bhangra (a post-disco phenomenon that incorporates electronic innovation into traditional musical forms) and blow it up, showcasing the wonderful sonic effects and refractions of the recent Indian diaspora. Celtic bhangra? Underground bhangra hip-hop? Bhangra flashmobs? Bhangratronica? Balle balle, no problemo. Chak de phatte!

This month’s installment’s a special one, with an early screening (before 10pm) of Non Stop Bhangra documentary footage by filmmaker Odell Hussy. Three years in the making, the doc promises an intimate look inside one of SF’s night-time treasures. And after that: dancing, dancing, and more dancing. (Lessons at 9:30pm, y’all.)

NON STOP BHANGRA Sat/13, 9pm-late, $10 before 10pm, $15 after. Public Works, 161 Erie, SF. www.publicsf.com

BLOCKHEAD

The Ritual bass crew’s weekly Thursday parties, now at Mighty, are pretty damned great — especially when they’re reconnecting with their lowdown influences. Like, say, seminal Ninja Tune ripper Blockhead, whose 2004 disc Music by Cavelight was a prophetic reanimation of trip-hop, pitch-shifted vocals and all.

Thu/11, 10pm-3am, $10. Mighty, 119 Utah, SF. www.facebook.com/ritualsf

PEPPER 20-YEAR REUNION

Nothing embodies that spirit of scrappy, funky-house, old school dance-on-the-tables SF like Pepper. With DJs Pal Joey, Smash, Toph One, Doc Fu, Steady-P, and Consuelo.

Fri/12, 9pm-late, $5. f8, 1172 Folsom, SF. www.feightsf.com

BARDOT A GO GO

Honestly one of may favorite annual all-ages parties. Celebrate Bastille Day with cool cats and kittens into French pop ditties, with a special emphasis on the swingin’ ’60s of Serge Gainsbourg and the pre-hateful Miss Bardot herself. DJs Pink Frankenstein, Brother Grimm, and Cali Kid get you in le groove. Plus! Free ’60s hairstyling by Peter Thomas Hair design from 9-11pm, oh mon dieu.

Fri/12, 9pm, $10. Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell, SF. www.bardotagogo.com

45 LIVE

Basically, here’s the deal: funky beat all-stars Prince Paul, Peanut Butter Wolf, Dam Funk, J Rocc, Shortkut, and Platurn play vinyl funk and soul 45s while we eat free BBQ and live the dream. I’m kind of freaking out about it.

Fri/12, 9pm, $20 advance. ighty, 119 Utah, SF. www.mighty119.com

FAG FRIDAYS GETS HONEY DIPPED

The gay ‘n joyful big-room house monthly gets a sticky splash of techno from Honey Soundsystem boys Jason Kendig and P-Play. Lick your fingers.

Fri/12, 10pm-late, $5. DNA Lounge, 375 11th St., SF. www.dnalounge.com

HANUKKAH IN JULY

Hostess Lil Miss Hot Mess hoists a giant MANorah for a summertime festival of lites at weekly artsy dragsplosion Some Thing. With DJ Josh Cheon and performances by Jil Filta Fish, Elijah Minelli, and more. It’s a mitzvah!

Fri/12, 10pm-late, $8. The Stud, 399 Ninth St., SF. www.studsf.com

SH*T SHOW

LA space-bass new school, post-trap funkmaster Taurus Scott of LA burns up the decks at this new monthly joint, which prides itself on downtown grittiness and fly style. (Traci P from Sisterz of the Underground puts it on, so you know the bonafides are in order.)

Sat/13, 10pm, $5 for two. Showdown, 10 Sixth St., SF.

JACQUES RENAULT

I am digging mysterious new party promotion entity Isis. Who else would start a press release for an appearance by DC disco re-edit/acid-jack prince Jacques Renault with “Mighty mother, daughter of the Nile, we rejoice as you join us with the rays of the sun.” This party should be equally as supernatural.

Sat/13, 9:30pm-3am, $10 advance. Public Works, 161 Erie, SF. www.publicsf.com

DISCO DADDY

The Eagle: our beloved old school rock ‘n roll gay leather biker bar. Bus Station John: our beloved old school gay bathhouse disco and funk DJ. Put them both together on Sunday evening once a month and what do you get? Hot fudge! (And a real cute dance party.)

Sun/14, 7pm-midnight, $5. SF Eagle, 398 12th St., SF. www.sf-eagle.com

SFAP: OK COMPUTER

Fantastic drag collective The San Francisco Album Project is presenting “theatrical lipsynch reenactments” of epic discs every month, this time taking on Thom Yorke and Co.’s “OK Computer,” which basically made widescreen rock OK again in the late ’90s. With Trixxie Carr, Precious Moments, Raya Light, Nikki Sixx Mile, and many more.

Sun/14, doors at 7pm, show at 8pm, $15–$20. The Chapel, 777 Valencia, SF. www.peacheschrist.com

‘Alternative to Pride Parade’ announced

June 28, 2013

In the wake of all the kerfuffles besetting Pride this year — from the Pride Board’s egregiously mismanaged reaction to the election of Bradley Manning as a community grand marshal (his supporters have plans of their own), to the recent announcement that military recruiters would be descending upon the celebration in earnest, and, well, just the continued corporatization of Pride in general — it comes as no surprise that a radical Pride-questioning movement has been reawakened. Just like the ’90s are back, so is Gay Shame, at least in spirit.

And thus an alternative parade to the Pride one on Sunday has been announced — let us not be surprised that it is a bar crawl! In any case, it’s a nice start to getting us back to our gay, unlicensed roots while joining with other activists who are Over the Rainbow(TM). Here’s the statement from the organizers with more details.

Have you had enough with the poor political choices of some community leaders that claim to represent you? Are you over the over-corporatizing of SF PRIDE??? Or just tired of the same old events that don’t reflect who you are, and how you want to celebrate your queer pride?

Want to be part of something different, something fun, something that will challenge conventional thought within the SF LGBTQ community?

Then join us for an ALTERNATIVE TO PRIDE PARADE (AND BAR CRAWL).

We will be getting back to our gay roots, meeting at THE CINCH BAR at 1723 Polk Street at 12 NOON with the parade beginning at 1pm (we don’t think a 10:30am start time for a Pride Parade is appropriate), ending up at THE SF EAGLE.

We will make stops along the way, passing through SF PRIDE at Civic Center to express (peacefully) our displeasure with what passes for gay pride at this event, and then we will continue on to SOMA with stops at THE POWERHOUSE/HOLE IN THE WALL, and finally we will end up at The SF EAGLE.

We encourage you to DRESS UP, whatever you want: Drag, Leather, Freak, Nerd, Casual, Beach Wear, Furry, Punk, etc. We also encourage you to BRING PROTEST SIGNS, be creative (body paint?), be original! We will definitely want folks to know what we are up to and perhaps get people thinking about why we need BUDWEISER, VIRGIN AMERICA, VERIZON, WELLS FARGO, BANK OF AMERICA, and COMCAST to have a good time!

RSVP TODAY!!!

HOT PINK LIST 2013: BOOT BLACKS

June 26, 2013

Midway through Folsom Street’s dark Powerhouse leather bar, you’ll find the bootblack, toiling away with a kit of rags and polish — break out your Stompers for a sublime shine. “What I’ve learned is that for me, bootblacking is religion,” says seven-year bootblacker Ms. V. “What I do is simple, slow, and uncluttered — and it reveres the authenticity of the boot and shoe above all.” She was first introduced to bootblacking seven years ago at Folsom Street Fair. “What a mystical experience seeing this polish-smeared wizard at work,” she recalls. “I wondered if I could do this with a female sensibility.” Bootblacking has long been the purview of males, but Ms. V embarked on her journey to learn the craft from leather community members and old school shoeshine experts anyway. She picked up a protege, Luna, with whom she teams up to keep leather footwear in prime condition. It’s a business transaction, driven by passion, power, and polish. “There is a dance that goes on between the customer and me,” says Ms. V.

Bootblacks Ms. V, International Ms. Bootblack 2007, and Luna, International Community Bootblack 2011

Pride on fire: This year’s must-do events

June 26, 2013

Strap on that rainbow jetpack — there’s a heckuva lot of stuff going down at Pride. Here are our pinkiest, proudest picks.

ONGOING

Faetopia 2286 Market, SF. www.faetopia.com. Through Fri/28, noon-midnight, (event times vary), $10 suggested donation. What’s a radical queer to do in this season of commercialized sexual identity? Fill it with blithe faggotry and faerie magick. The crew behind Faetopia is organizing nights of queer cinema, ecology and history classes, drag musicals, skillshares, and much more — do drop in.

Frameline37 Various venues, SF and Berk; www.frameline.org. Most shows $12. Wed/26-Sun/30. There’s still much to see at the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival, including the ever-popular “Fun in Girls Shorts” and “Fun in Boys Shorts” short-film programs, plus closing-night high-school comedy G.B.F.

“From Heather’s Mommies to Tango’s Daddies” San Francisco Public Library Main Branch, 100 Larkin, SF; through August 1 during library hours, free, www.sfpl.org. This exhibit traces “the evolution of family affirming literature” through Randall Tarpey-Schwed’s collection of more than 70 same-sex family friendly children’s books published since the 1970s. Also, on the main branch’s second floor, in the Fisher Children’s Collection, the “10,000 Dresses” highlights the first transgender book written for children.

“I Am UndocuQueer!” Galería de la Raza, 2857 24th St, SF; www.galeriadelaraza.org. Through July 1. The latest installment of the gallery’s Digital Mural Project features the work of undocumented queer activist Julio Salgado. His billboard aims to illuminate the intersection between — and foster open dialogue between — the immigrant and LGBT communities.

National Queer Arts Festival Various venues, SF; queerculturalcenter.org/NQAF. The 16th annual performance fest wraps up with Terry Baum’s HICK, a love story about Eleanor Roosevelt (Wed/26-Thu/27 at the Garage), and multi-media performance Girl Talk, with Gina de Vries, Elena Rose, and Julia Serano (Thu/27, African American Arts and Cultural Center).

WEDNESDAY 26

“Dream Queens Revue Pride Show” Aunt Charlie’s Lounge, 133 Turk, SF; www.dreamqueensrevue.com. 9:30-11:30pm, free. Eye-popping Pride drag with experts Collette LeGrand, Diva LaFever, Sophilya Leggz, and more.

“The Guardian and Hard French Present: Pullin’ Pork for Pride” Pilsner Inn, 225 Church, SF; www.sfbg.com. 6-9pm, free. Gather ’round for the ninth annual incarnation of this happy hour tradition, with host Lil Miss Hot Mess and performances by Dick Van Dick, Tara Wrist, and Rotimi Agbabiaka, plus Hard French DJs Carnita and Brown Amy. And, of course … pulled pork sandwiches, with options for vegetarians this time! Plus: BYO dark-colored t-shirt for Bradley Manning screen printing.

“Harvey Milk 2013” Nourse Theatre, 201-299 Hayes, SF; www.sfgmc.org. Wed/26-Fri/28, 8pm. $25-60. The peppy and game San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus presents its 35th anniversary celebration concert, featuring the world premiere of Andrew Lippa’s new choral work I Am Harvey Milk.

“OH! Pride” Powerhouse, 1347 Folsom, SF; 10pm-2am, $5 benefitting AIDS Emergency Fund Dandy young gentlemen of perversion gather monthly at the Powerhouse to twirl their mustaches, bare their chests, and dance hotly to magical sex tunes.

“What?! Pride” Lookout, 3600 16th St., SF. 7pm-10pm, free. Fun dance tunes and good times with a relaxed crowd of cuties, featuring local composer Samuelroy and friends.

THURSDAY 27

Camp Wild Beaver Lexington Club, 3464 19th St., SF; www.lexingtonclub.com. 9pm, free. The sexy Lex dyke bar kicks off a wild weekend of events with this camp-themed gem, featuring DJs Pony Mane and Zoccocks, plus campfire go-gos, lumberjackin’ hotties, and more.

Folsom Pride Public Works, 161 Erie, SF; www.publicsf.com. 9pm-2am, $25 advance. The naughty team behind Folsom Street Fair and Up Your Alley bring in electro-hotties Bright Light Bright Light and Slow Knights for a raucous dance party (and probably more than a little yummy leather cruising).

“Love: A Deeper Pride” Abada Capoeira Center, 3221 22nd St., SF; loveandpride.brownpapertickets.com. 10 p.m., $10 advance. A vogueing exravaganza brought to you by Vogue and Tone, The A, Miss Beth, Abada Capoeira, and Sandra Navarro, plus music by Gehno Aviance and Go Bang! DJs. Work the runway, mop the floor.

Mykki Blanco Mezzanine, 444 Jessie, SF; www.mezzaninesf.com. Multi-gendered, aggressively experimental rap from the artist everyone’s talking about? Yes.

Pepperspray SF Eagle, 398 12th St., SF; www.sf-eagle.com. 9pm-midnite, $10. If you weren’t hip to this actually legendary all-drag queen rock band when the first time around (in the early 00s), here’s your chance to EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC. The fearsome foursome will be heshing their wigs off for the first time in a decade, supported like pantyhose by She-L-O (Electric Light Orchestra tribute band!). Pepperspray hits the stage at 10 sharp — no drag time please!

“Pride NightLife” California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse, Golden Gate Park, SF; www.calacademy.org. 6-10pm, $12. This year’s incarnation of the popular annual science museum event includes a “transpecies” costume contest with drag stars Glamamore, Heklina, Juanita More, and Peaches Christ; talks by reps from the Center for Sex and Culture’; music from DJs Carnita and Brown Amy of Hard French vs. DJs Pink Lightning and Rapid Fire of Stay Gold. And more. Seriously, what other Pride event will teach you about sea slugs?

The Tubesteak Connection Aunt Charlie’s, 133 turk, SF; www.auntcharlieslounge.com. 10pm-2am, $5. A quintessential gay SF experience, DJ Bus Station John’s weekly club transports us back to the good ol’ cruisy bathhouse days with soulful disco and Hi-NRG tunes, plus some special Pride surprises. No cell phones, please!

“Vintage Queer San Francisco” Oddball Films, 275 Capp, SF; www.oddballfilms.com, 8pm, $10. Amazing film clips and fascinating video snippets of queer life in Oz over the last century.

FRIDAY 28

Bearracuda Public Works, 161 Erie, SF; www.bearracuda.com. 9pm-3am, $12 advance. Are you big? Fat? Hairy? Hot? Male-identified? If you answered “yes” to at least two of those, this is where you need to be. Honey Soundsystem DJs guest. Otters welcome.

Mr. Monarch, 101 Sixth St., SF; www.monarchsf.com. 9pm-late, $15. Borrow a mustache — or hey, grow your own — for this great party put on by Fag Fridays and Beatbox Events. (Last year’s was a real hoot.) With quality house music from DJs David Harness and Jeno plus cute boys.

“Some Thing is Really Gay” The Stud, 399 Ninth St. SF; www.studsf.com. 10pm-4am, $8. Watch in awe as the city’s most artistically-inclined drag performers deconstruct, reconstruct, and just plain strut with Pride’s many goofy tropes. Oh, and much dancing and carrying on to fun music.

Trans March Dolores Park, Dolores at 19th, SF; www.transmarch.org. Speakers and music 3pm; march (to Civic Center) 6pm, free. The 10th annual Trans March aims to inspire “all trans and gender non-conforming people to realize a world where we are safe, loved, and empowered.” Check out the event’s website for info on post-march parties for youth and adults.

“Unofficial: Trans March After Party” Elbo Room, 647 Valencia, SF; www.elbo.com. 10pm-2am, $10. For the fourth year in a row, Amos Mac and Rocco Katastrophe of the world’s hottest FTM magazine Original Plumbing get wild with you after the march. With DJs Rapid Fire and Average Joe and a boatload of hot trans go-gos.

SATURDAY 29

“Bondage A Go Go: Pervert’s Pride” Cat Club, 1190 Folsom, SF; www.sfcatclub.com. 9:30pm, $10-$20. Polymorphous pansexual explorers and friends of all genders converge for this titillating night of fun and fur cuffs.

“Cockblock: The Seventh Annual Dyke March After-Party” Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell, SF; www.cockblocksf.com DJ Nuxx and friends’ Cockblock party is always good times for hot girls on the prowl to swirly electro- and hip-pop tunes.

“Dark Room: Pink Party After-Party” Cafe Du Nord, 2170 Market, SF; www.facebook.com/DarkRoomSF. $10 before 11 $15 after. A night of dark electro, industrial, freestyle and more. Guest DJ Heklina and Believe on stage live, with Host Lady Bear and her dark dolls performing, and the debut of Daddies Plastik’s new single, “Google Google Apps Apps.”

Dyke March Dolores Park, Dolores at 19th St, SF; www.thedykemarch.org. Music at noon; march at 6pm, free. This year’s theme is “Dykepocalypse: Our Feminist Awakening,” about which organizers say: “We recognize that there is an opportunity to educate others on the roots of feminism and collectively embrace our strength as we step into our own power.” To which we say: Amen!

“House of Babes SF Dyke March After Party” Public Works, 151 Erie, SF; www.thehouseofbabes.com. 7pm, $15-30. If you thought the Dyke March was a workout, check this out: eight hours of DJs (Rapid Fire and Pink Lightning of Stay Gold; Da Vo and Boyfriend of Swagger Like Us; Jenna Riot and Andre of Fix Yr Hair; and more!), plus live performances by local queer hip-hop superstars Double Duchess, Micahtron, and others. Watch your hydration.

The Juan Maclean and Kim Ann Foxman Monarch, 101 Sixth St., SF; www.monarchsf.com. 9pm, $10-$20. This most excellent NYC twosome are at the forefront of the old-school late ’80s house sound revival, full of melodic hooks and catchy bass lines. Dare you not to dance.

Pink Mammoth Block Party Mighty, 119 Utah, SF; www.pinkmammoth.org. Noon-4am, $25-$45. Not to be confused with the Pink Party (see below) this all-day and all-night outdoor rager from the beloved Burning Man crew will get push your funky house and techno buttons. With, like, 1000 DJs, including Audiofly and Marques Wyatt.

Pink Saturday Celebration Castro and Market Streets, SF; www.thesisters.org. 5pm-10pm, free (donation requested). The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence host their annual blast, filling the castro with music, cuties, and rainbow rings a-plenty.

Pink Triangle installation and commemoration Twin Peaks Vista Overlook, SF. www.thepinktriangle.com. Installation, 7am; ceremony, 10:30am, free. Volunteers needed to help install this important, instantly-recognizable Pride symbol; help out and get donuts, coffee, and a Pink Triangle t-shirt. (Also needed: volunteers to help take it down, Sun/30, 5-7pm).

Pride in Style Sui Generis 2231 Market, SF. Facebook invite. Noon-4pm, free. A fantastic — annual stylish — Pride welcome gathering in the much-loved mens’ clothing store. With DJs Jason Kendig and Two Dudes in Love, plus all the handsome gentlemen you want to meet.

SF Pre-Parade Pride Celebration Civic Center, SF; www.sfpride.org. Free. The 43rd annual Pride celebration is themed “Embrace, Encourage, Empower.” You can em-party down with multiple music stages — including 23 community-run stages and venues — exhibitor and food booths, and much more.

SUNDAY 30

Big Freedia Public Works, 161 Erie, SF; www.publicsf.com. 6:30pm-1am, $20-$30 All hail the queen diva of Nola bounce as she pops your sissy booty and works it down the middle. With rapper Lady Tragik, filthy club sensation Brooke Candy, and — best of all — Motown’s king of booty bass, DJ Assault. Nice one.

The Cinch Saloon Turns 40! Cinch Saloon, 1723 Polk, SF; www.cinchsf.com. 4pm-10pm, free. Awww, spend some quality time with the beloved (and only remaining) Polk Street gay bar, as a slew of only-in-SF drag personalities pays tribute all day long.

Drippin’ and Droppin’ Poolside Pride Party Phoenix Hotel, 601 Eddy, SF; drippin.eventbrite.com. noon-7pm, $10-$20. All the soulful house lovers will be soaking up the sunshine(?) and good vibes(!) as two of SF’s legendary DJs, David Harness and Ruben Mancias, reunite for this lovely affair.

“Hard French Hearts Los Homos Pride 2013” Roccapulco, 3140 Mission, SF; hardfrenchpride2013.eventbrite.com. 4-11pm, $20-65. Don’t get soft: SF’s queer soul party tickles your lips and dives right in at this enlarged version of its annual queerific celebration. With DJs Carnita and Brown Amy, the Hard French Jiggalicious Drag Babes, and live performances by THEESatisfation, Magic Mouth, Midtown Social, and more. 2 cute 2 miss.

Honey Soundsystem Extended Pride Edition Holy Cow, 1535 Folsom, SF; www.honeysoundsystem.com. 10pm-4am, $5 before 11pm, $10 after. The best gay weekly underground techno party in the city goes long for your enjoyment, with sharp-eared residents Josh Cheon, Jason Kendig, Robot Hustle, and P-Play handling the big decks.

Juanita More Pride Party Jones, 620 Jones, SF; www.juanitamore.com. noon-midnight, $35. An absolute Pride party must, drag goddess Juanita’s huge affair is sold out online, but there will be 100 tickets at the door — line up early to experience a huge art installation by Desi Santiago, DJs Severino of Horse Meat Disco, Kim Ann Foxman, and more, the Cougar Cadet drum troupe, and acres of glamour and debauchery. Benefitting OutLoud queer youth radio.

Magda Monarch, 101 Sixth St., SF; www.monarchsf.com. 9pm-late, $20. The Detroit-via-Berlin ace has already conquered the international underground techno scene. Her more introspective, soulful recent sounds will perfectly dance you out of Pride.

Nina Sky Mezzanine, 444 Jessie, SF. www.mezzaninesf.com, 8pm-2am, $15 advance. Queens-bred, Puerto Rican descended sisters Nicole and Natalie are kind of the Tegan and Sara of catchy R&B with reggaeton roots. Sexy!

Queerly Beloved El Rio, 3158 Mission, SF; queerlybeloved.brownpapertickets.com. 3pm-9pm, $8. A patio full of awesomeness — El Rio explodes with queer porn princess Courtney Trouble’s annual shindig, this year with live electro duo Icy Lites, DJs Jenna Riot, Chelsea Starr, and Portland’s Automaton. Plus: a “queer porn circus.” Rrowr.

SF Pride Parade and Celebration Civic Center, SF; www.sfpride.org. 11am-6:30pm, free. Today’s the parade, with celebrity Grand Marshalls including Tabatha Coffey, Roger Ross Williams, Cheyenne Jackson, and Mondo Guerra. The whole shebang starts at Market and Beale and ends at Market and Eighth St, with Civic Center festivities to follow.

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