Revered French bad-boy designer Jean Paul Gaultier is in town for the unveiling of a neat-looking “enfant terrible” retrospective of his work at the de Young. (Will there be anything in it as scandalous as the tribute to Naomi Campbell’s famous wipeout in the Vivienne Westwood show five years ago?). He also has a busy schedule: a red-carpet appearance at the new Al Pacino movie launch tonight, a private-ish A-gayish loft party on Thursday whose redeeming feature = drag goddess DJ Juanita More, and of course a lavish opening celebration at the de Young itself on Friday. ($300 per person — I’ll be blogging all the opulence and potential fashion faux paaaaaases.)
But us lowly club kids love you too, JPG.
Whether it’s for managing the Herculean task of making Madonna interesting for 10 minutes 23 years ago, costuming some of the coolest movies ever (stay tuned for a “Gaultier Fashion Film Series” just announced for April 5-6 at the Castro Theatre), foretelling the whole cross-over fashion designer movement with your dance floor classic “Aow Tou Dou Zat” (which sounds amazing right now btw), providing perversion fantasy spectacles for a pre-Internet world, or just plain making fashion crazy, gay, and fabulous — we’d like a chance to thank you by being fabulous back in your presence.
You should sneak out of the hoity-toity fooforaws and get some new, true San Francisco underworld inspiration from your spiritual children. Here’s where:
WEDNESDAY
Booty Call See Juanita More (and ever-energetic co-promoter Joshua J) in her native habitat, as she hosts this weekly queer night bursting with forward looks and youthful cuteness. The stated draw is the fun photobooth in back, tricked out by noted artists, but the free-spirited, non-pop house tunes are tasty, too. 9 p.m., $3. QBar, 456 Castro, SF. www.bootycallwednesdays.com
THURSDAY
Future Perfect Local underground pop apotheosis Alexis Blair Penney’s going away fiesta! This packed weekly party pretty much realizes its admirable aim to demolish all genre boundaries and just play “cool, contemporary music no matter what.” That makes it hard to write about, but easy to dig, especially with yummy weekly live guests that have included Light Asylum, Cold Cave, and Dubbel Dutch. 10 p.m., $10–$15. Monarch, 101 Sixth St., SF. www.monarchsf.com
Popscene All the bright young indie pop fans converge on this long-running 18+ party to peep up-and-coming international live bands often so fresh the Internet has yet to discover them — plus some touching nods to the alternative pop styles of yore. 10 p.m., $10–$15, 18+. Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell, SF. www.popscene-sf.com
Relax Relate Release Three of the craziest (and cutest) mofo DJs on the scene, Vin Sol, Richie Panic, and 5kinAndBone5 indulge their deeper eclectic (yet still plenty bumpin’) sides, with schweet selections spanning classic disco to hyphy gems, bass oddities to vogue jams, for an adventurous crowd in a Tenderloin basement. 10 p.m., $5. 222 Hyde, SF. Facebook page.
The Tubesteak Connection After almost eight years of reviving rare 1970s and ’80s gay bathhouse disco in an atmosphere that encourages sleazy cruising (and bans all things digital), DJ Bus Station John’s club is still a sensation — DJs make the pilgrimage, often on their knees, from around the globe to catch up on the sex music of the past. 10 p.m., $5. Aunt Charlie’s Lounge, 133 Turk, SF. www.auntcharlieslounge.com
FRIDAY
Blow Up Perhaps the only place you’ll see Gaultier clothing being worn non-ironically (plus the awesome Ssion performs this week)! Fantastically glamorous and classy-yet-raging 18+ underground electro, nu-disco, and post-French Touch night, hosted by Ava Berlin and Jeffrey Paradise, now seven years old and as fashionable as ever with a slew of talented DJs, weekly guests, relatable moments, and incredible looks. 10 p.m., $10–$20, 18+. DNA Lounge, 375 11th St., SF. www.blowupsf.com
Hot Boxxx Girls Legendary gender illusionists of the Tenderloin shower you with bewitching beauty and ravishing razzle-dazzle in this must-see drag show (also on Saturday nights). Once you witness these spirited gals take on your favorite showtune, pop hit, or power ballad, you’ll never hear it the same. Bring lots of singles for tipping. 9 p.m., $5. Aunt Charlie’s Lounge, 133 Turk, SF.www.auntcharlieslounge.com
Some Thing Taking drag (and performance) into some incredible new and WTF zones — with lots of fun dancing afterward, and a fantastic craft table courtesy of Haute Gloo — the Some Thing trio of Glamamore, VivvyAnne ForeverMore, and DJ Down-E add some theatrical, dramatic, and loopy oomph to the SF weekend. 10 p.m.-afterhours, $7. The Stud, 399 9th St., SF. www.studsf.com
“Oops! Jean Paul Gaultier is so soigné!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwR0OtBJpA0
SATURDAY
Go Bang! Tons of special guest disco-heat DJs this month from Shawn Ryan of Philadelphia to Tres Johnson of Omaha, Nebraska! DJ Steve Fabus has been spinning since the earliest days of San Fran-disco, and when teamed up with young fanatic DJ Sergio — it’s been fire. Each month brings an onslaught of disco heat, with repolished red-light classics and rare vinyl revivals stoking an eager, off-the-shoulder crowd. Fourth Saturdays, 9 p.m., $5. Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin, SF. www.gobangsf.com
Icee Hot This month with Siberian techno chanteuse Nina Kraviz, Detroit techno hero Rolando, and nu-vogue beats innovator MikeQ! The city’s best showcase for razor’s edge developments in underground bass music and the UK sounds of now — with some classic house and techno stunner guests thrown in for mega-measure. A lifeline for those tired of hearing this good stuff via Internet. Fourth Saturdays, 10 p.m.-3 a.m., SF. $5 before 10:30, $10 after. Public Works, 161 Erie, SF. www.publicsf.com
Rocket Cute scruffy dudes from kooky queer Burning Man camps dancing to cutting-edge techno, with a Space Age theme and a performance by SF’s own sissy bounce rap duo Double Dutchess? Amazing. 10 p.m., $7. Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell, SF. Facebook page
Soiree 10 The queerati will be all exploding in a puff of glitter, feathers, and post-ironic jazz hands for the LGBT Community Center’s 10th anniversary celebration: Honey Mahogany, Anna Conda, Ambrosia Salad, Marga Gomez, Glamamore, Fauxnique, Hard French DJs, and more, plus a banquet to get excited about! Sat/24, 7-11pm, $95 (it’s charitable!). San Francisco Design Center Galleria, 101 Henry Adams, SF. www.soiree10.com
SUNDAY
Honey Soundsystem Timeless, pumping house music so well-curated, and scruffy hot queer freak dancers looking so high out of their minds on the dance floor, that I feel gross and a little violated just being there. 9 p.m., $5. Holy Cow, 1535 Folsom, SF. www.honeysoundsystem.com
MONDAY
Viennetta Discotheque What other intimate, kooky-lovely queer party would celebrate its recent anniversary with 40 McDonald’s cheeseburgers and a platter of fries for hungover voguers to “serve?” From over-the-top disco to tomorrow’s dub-techno to just WTF, DJs Stanley Frank and Robert Jeffrey whip it up. 10 p.m., free. UndergroundSF, 424 Haight, SF. 133 Turk, SF.
TUESDAY
High Fantasy Apocalyptically glamorous queer rabble-rousers Alexis Bair Penney and Myles Cooper make gutter dreams come true in the Tenderloin, with artistically challenging drag performances, international surprise guests, and polymorphous perversity on tap-tap-tap. 10 p.m., $2. Aunt Charlie’s Lounge, 133 Turk, SF.www.auntcharlieslounge.com
WHEW! We know you can doo eet, Jean Paul!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gZyEnMk68A
Oui, I cribbed most of this from our huge Nightlife 2012 guide and my weekly Super Ego clubs column. Check those out for more great, designer-worthy parties.