By Marke B.
We’re more than maybe just crazy here at the Guardian over Bay band — and breakthrough post-sexual heartthrobs — Girls. Well, they’re incredibly sad-funny-catchy single “Lust for Life” just got the hardcore video outtake treatment, penis microphones and Hunx cameos and all … Watch and revel in true San Francisco loveliness …
(via our friends at The Sword)
Girls will be cramming out Bottom of the Hill on Nov. 21.
By D. Scot Miller
Kink.com’s Van Darkholme, Peter Acworth, and Princess Donna in the Armory boiler room, photographed by Pat Mazzera for our 2008 “Kink Dreams” cover story.
I’ve always been fascinated with the Kink.com building on 14th and Mission.
A former armory, and reproduction of a Moorish castle, it looks like a parochial school for wayward souls. Often I’ve wondered what goes on in this monolithic old-world structure, seeming more suitable for doling out justice than ecstasy. I checked out a few of Kink’s family of Web sites and recommend all you surfers out there do the same. There’s an aura around the building, the history, and what it now houses that epitomizes what San Francisco was, is, and can be that I’m behind with everything I’ve got.
Of course, there’s BDSM with Hogtied.com, MenInPain.com, and TheTrainingofO.com. Woe unto the cynic within me who has become jaded by BDSM. Though the people are enjoying themselves and others, maybe too many trips to the old Power Exchange (and sub-station) and Folsom Street Fair in my youth have taken their toll.
The ones I find fascinating are WiredPussy.com, TSSeduction.com, FuckingMachines.com, and UltimateSurrender.com.
By Juliette Tang
Michel Foucault‘s name is fondly dropped by anyone who has ever skimmed a pomo reader in college, but seriously reading his work (reading Foucault: A Very Short Introduction unfortunately doesn’t count) is a difficult, often trying challenge. Even the relatively slim History of Sexuality, Vol: 1 requires at least a couple of weeks of laboriously close reading to untangle and does take time away from things like going out and expanding the history of ones own sexuality.
So where should the curious reader interested Foucault’s work on sexuality look toward, to prepare themselves for (or, in lieu of) reading Foucault without having to plunge headfirst into things like historicisms, repressive hypotheses, and binary systems? There is a very brief, very fascinating interview with the philosopher that Le Gai Pied published in 1981 called “Friendship is a Way of Life”. It is available online. While I downloaded the interview as a PDF on AAAARG (more on that in a bit), you can see the entire interview on Scribd, download-free.
By Sarah C. Jiménez
Glass Kandi emanates the raw, real sweetness of sex with high-end glass toys that, when used right, will last a lifetime. These days, it seems everywhere you look, happy-go-lucky, goody-two shoes sex-shops have been selling the “fun” in sex: things like cheery, animal-shaped silicone dildos and weird crap like bubblegum lube. One step into the classy boutique at Glass Kandi, however, makes the passionate nakedness of sex feel…well, sexy again.
Formerly known as Glass Dildo Me (until a neighborhood merchant complained about the name), the interior of the Tenderloin shop is a complete 180 from the gritty streets outside. Under elegant chandeliers, wondrous glass collectibles made for lovemaking adorn the shelves, literally sparkling. There are simple, elegant pieces. Light-up toys, floggers, glass plugs, double dildos, corkscrews, and kaleidoscope-like pieces. And even a line of food-related toys made to look like eggplants, bumpy cucumbers, fat jalapeños, and sausage links. Dildos come in various sizes fit for your body and in different textures; be it smooth, ribbed or bumpy. No two pieces — being handmade and glass-blown — are exactly the same. (Though most toys are priced between $100 and $200, with some as high as $449, some hover around the affordable $59 range.)
Compiled by Molly Freedenberg
Michelle L’amour, Miss Exotic World 2005, performs at Lucha VaVOOM at the Fillmore on Friday.
————-
>> Sex & Memory: Writing from your own experience
Jen Cross teaches this course on documenting the amazing experiences you have in (and out of) bed, whether for your lover or a publisher. Then stay for the Erotic Reading Circle!
Wed/28, 5:30pm
$10-$30
Center for Sex and Culture
1519 Mission, SF
sexandculture.org
————-
>> Erotic Reading Circle
Carol Queen and Jen Cross host this monthly gathering in celebration of longtime writers, newly inspired daydreamers, and non-judgmental listeners of all orientation.
Wed/28, 7:30pm
$5+
Center for Sex and Culture
1519 Mission, SF
sexandculture.org
————-
>> See Me, Hear Me, Drink Me
This hetero-centric event gives men and women a chance to find out what the opposite sex thinks, make some new connections, and explore difficult topics, thanks to a 90-minute kick-off of free-flowing communication followed by a fun and playful cocktail party. The topic tonight? Slow sex and Intimacy, brought to you by OneTaste’s Robert Kandell.
Wed/28, 7:30pm
$5/women; $15/solo men; $10/men with female friend
Authentic SF
115 10th St, SF
www.authenticsf.com
————-
>> Rock Strip n’ Roll
Hubba Hubba Revue’s Kingfish hosts this scintillating night of rock and performance, featuring Live Evil, Electric Vagina, Gods of Rock, Honey Lawless, Hot Pink Feathers, and more.
Thurs/29, 9:30pm
$10
Rouge
1500 Broadway, SF
www.hubbahubbarevue.com
————-
>> Thrillville’s Halloween Gore ‘n’ Snorefest
Halloweenie-movie and burlesque freaks will love Thrillville’s event, featuring surf punk music by The Deadlies, tassel-twirling goodness from Lady Monster, and two super sleazy rock’n’schlock cult classic films: Chainsaw Hookers and Zontar: The Thing from Venus!.
Thurs/29, 7:30pm
$12
Balboa Theater
3630 Balboa, SF
www.thrillville.net
————-
By Andrea Nemerson. Email your questions to andrea@mail.altsexcolumn.com. Read more of Andrea’s columns here.
Dear Andrea:
I have a feeling this is not the best way to get a sympathetic response from you, but it’ a real problem for me and I like your advice, so I thought I might as well give it a try. Here goes.
My boyfriend and I have been together eight years. I can’t say I’m as cute now as I used to be, but I’m OK. "Brian," on the other hand, has gained weight every year due to a desk job and, I guess, just normal metabolism stuff. By now, he’s actually fat. And I just don’t feel attracted the way I used to. I still love him, but I’m really not feeling it in the sex department. Do I try to get him to lose weight, or just put up with a no-sex partnership (forever?), or try to find someone I do have the hots for? Help!
Love,
Size Matters
Dear Size:
Before we even consider getting into the hopelessness of pinning your future on weight loss — yours or anyone else’s — let’s talk about relationships at the seven- or eight-year mark. This is not, generally speaking, a high point.
By Juliette Tang
Vulva themed necklaces from VulvaLoveLovely‘s Etsy shop
Bear with me as I draw a comparison between Nora Ephron and vulva necklaces that may seem at first glance unintuitive. At the time that I read it, Nora Ephron‘s book on femininity and aging, I Feel Bad About My Neck: and Other Thoughts About Being a Woman, had a significant impact on my understanding of the ways a woman’s relationship with herself can change as she ages, largely due to social pressures that manifest themselves in self-negating ways. The book’s effect was probably amplified by the fact that I was young enough at the time to have no cogent thoughts or opinions on the aging process, so I trusted Ephron’s authority on the matter. It was depressing to say the least. While Ephron’s title refers to her dissatisfaction with the appearance of her neck, it was the way she described her singular relationship with, of all things, her purse, in an essay titled “I Hate My Purse,” that struck me the most.
VulvaLoveLovely’s Frida Kahlo uterus plushie
In the essay, Ephron writes, “I hate my purse. I absolutely hate it… This is for women who hate their purses, who are bad at purses, who understand that their purses are reflections of negligent housekeeping, hopeless disorganization, a chronic inability to throw anything away, and an ongoing failure to handle the obligation of a demanding and difficult accessory…”. This quote was immediately interesting to me because — while Ephron doesn’t attempt to draw any direct correlation in the piece between purses and anatomy — one cannot deny the presence of Freud in Ephron’s text (or subtext). For Sigmund Freud, purses (or what he called “reticules”) were a potent vaginal symbol. In Freudian psychoanalysis, a woman’s relationship with her purse could be read as representative of her relationship with her genitalia or, stretching the metaphor further, her femaleness. This is not to say that Ephron hates her femininity. Few people these days are true believers in Freud anyway. But in the ongoing dialogue about feminism, femaleness, and beauty, I think these ideas regarding purses is worth contemplation.
Hightlight photos by Jack Lukic. Text and video by Juliette Tang
Cow Palace from Juliette Z Tang on Vimeo.
MySpace celebrity turned reality television sub-lebrity Tila Tequila was apparently at the Perry Mann’s Exotic Erotic Ball and Expo this past Saturday, though by the time I arrived, she was no where to be found. Likewise, Coolio was there was well, but in the hour window into which I glimpsed (00:00h to 01:00h) I saw not one spindly braid (though it is comforting that in certain circles, he’s still deemed relevant).
Instead, what I encountered inside Cow Palace was a mix between a state fair, a strip club Halloween party, and a WWE match.
By Megan Gordon
After its long permit battle with the city, the Power Exchange sex club will open for business tonight at 9 p.m. Owner Mike Powers credits the work of Jeremy Paul at the Planning Department for expediting the paperwork snafus, and is confident there will be no further hang-ups or permit issues.
“We’re good now. We’re where we need to be. There will be no more having to go back and submit paperwork. We still have things to do with the Fire Department, but we’re cleared for 200 people, so unless we decide we want well over that number in there, we’re set,” Powers said.
Powers complied with all of the inspections, requested renovations, and refiling of paperwork, and will likely be rewarded with a very busy night tonight. With each passing weekend, loyal patrons have wondered when they’ll get to play once again. Now they’ll have a reason to look forward to the weekends once again.
By Juliette Tang
Saw this JolieLips lip enhancement kit on BoingBoing today (original article from MSNBC here). At first I imagined it to be a vulva pump until I realized it was for the other lips, the ones on the face, and then I wondered why anyone would go through all that trouble. Interested readers may purchase JolieLips from (where else) SkyMall, for a nominal sum of $27.95.
JolieLips, though trademarked, is not the first vacuum/pump device that turns regular lips into bruised and weird looking regular lips. An even more ludicrous product exists via Cyntha Rowland Beauty Systems called the “Luscious Lips pump,” ($59.95) that resembles nothing so much as an erectile dysfunction pump for the mouth? Infomercial below, replete with music that is worse than you can imagine.
Worth thinking about for 5 seconds: Why??
Compiled by Molly Freedenberg
Missing Persons are among the impressive number of bands, live acts, and special appearances at Saturday’s Exotic Erotic Ball.
————-
>> Underwear Party
Every Thursday this month, Powerhouse hosts this panty-themed event, featuring a wet underwear contest, drink specials, and a chance to exchange your old underwear for a free drink.
Thurs/22, 10pm
$5
Powerhouse
1347 Folsom, SF
(415) 52-8689
www.powerhouse-sf.com
————-
>> Exotic Erotic Expo and Ball
The two-day Expo celebrating flesh, fetish, and fantasy has lots of sexy exhibits, great food, interesting lectures, and previews of Saturday night’s Ball, which is part Mardi Gras, part burlesque, and part rock concert. Live acts include Impotent Sea Snakes, Coolio, Missing Persons, Minikiss, Unauthorized Rolling Stones, and many more.
Fri/23-Sat/24
$20-$185
Cow Palace, SF
www.exoticeroticexpo.com
————-
>> Hubba Hubba Revue: Oktoberfest!
SF’s favorite burlesque show brings a bit of Deutschland to DNA with this tassel-twirlin’, hip-shakin’ Bavarian party. Featuring Vienna La Rouge, SF Boylesque, Wiggy Darlington, The Baron Meatball von Tease, and more Bay Area favorites.
Fri/23, 9pm
$10
DNA Lounge
375 11th St, SF
www.dnalounge.com
————-
By Andrea Nemerson: andrea@mail.altsexcolumn.com. Read more of Andrea’s columns here.
Dear Andrea:
I read an article (I think it was in Redbook) that listed six little known erogenous zones or "hot zones." One was big toes, which they said has a direct connection to the genitals. And one was tip of the nose, which they said it is an erotic area because people get stuffy noses sometimes when they have sex. I don’t know. Is there really such a thing as an erogenous zone? What would it take for something to be a real erogenous zone? And is it worth learning these to turn my husband on? We have a good sex life, but sometimes it does seem like we just touch the same places the same way all the time.
Love,
Looking
Dear Look:
Well, don’t do that. You don’t need a list of unlikely or downright unerotic body parts (I have allergies; don’t touch it if you don’t want to get sneezed on) to inspire you to branch out a little. In the event that you do need such a list, here are some nongenital, sexually responsive spots for your perusal: nipples, necks, ears, armpits, lower backs, inner thighs, backs of knees, feet. Some of these are "erogenous" simply because they are adjacent to more traditionally eroticized areas (by the time someone’s got to your inner thigh, it’s a pretty good bet he’s going to keep going) and/or because the skin there is thin and well-supplied with both blood vessels and nerve-endings. Some do seem to have their own independent set of erotic responses (fingers, toes). And while we’re at the toes, some body parts seem to have sex lives all their own, quite divorced from any nearby genitals. Feet have their own admirers and magazines and special party nights at the sex clubs and more than 4.7 million Google hits. They don’t need a good address near the genitals to throw a party.
I think I found your article. It’s by Judy Dutton, who is, not at all coincidentally, the author of the book Redbook’s 500 Sex Tips. I guess I had Redbook filed as a "ladies’" magazine, but on closer examination, it’s more Cosmo (Dutton was an editor there too) than McCall’s. I found more "Six filthy things men want you to know" and "16 essential sex techniques you’ve never heard of" and "the top 26 mistakes you’re making in bed" articles from Redbook than I could count, though it appears the Redbook editors would have no trouble totting them up. There was even a "Top 40: excerpts from our steamiest sex articles." And in addition to what I think was our article, there were six other Redbook offerings on erogenous or "hot zones."
By Juliette Tang
A new mint called Linger is being marketed toward women who wish to improve the taste of their natural vaginal secretions. I first heard of Linger mints via Mother Jones, where writer Jen Philips revealed that Lingers have the same chemical composition of a sugary breath mint (and not even a good mint at that, but the cheap trade-show variety). Using a Linger, then, is essentially the equivalent of inserting a petri dish into the vaginal canal in terms of courting a yeast infection, though for women who wish to harvest kombucha by way of their genitalia these mints may have some utility.
Sadly, it’s not inconceivable that a female shopper might purchase this product, despite its $7.99 price tag and associated health risks. As a woman, I know that we justify embarrassing purchases in name of feminine modesty (or feminine shame, depending on how you look at it) all the time. The fact that “fish” has become a culturally normalized adjective in reference to the vagina is disturbing enough.
By Megan Gordon
The situation at Power Exchange, the San Francisco venerable sex club that has been battling with city officials and their neighbors, hasn’t changed much since we last wrote about it. “We’re bogged down in the mire of bureaucratic red tape. No one’s doing anything but a professional job, but it’s taking forever,” owner Michael Powers said.
If anything, the past few weeks have brought about changes and developments that seem to be slowing things down even further. “Planning just needs to send a letter to the Fire Department saying we’re not prohibited from being in there. The Fire Department is ready to put it in our hands,” Powers said. But Lawrence Badiner, planning inspector who was dealing with the situation, recently handed over responsibilities to fellow inspector Dario Jones. At press time, Jones was not available for comment.
In addition to a shuffling of responsibility within the Planning Department, on Oct. 13, Powers filed for a new building permit that would change the assembly definition from a nightclub to a social hall. When asked why he did this or what it will mean for the business, Powers replied, “The permit is based on Badiner’s interpretation—it’s the closest thing they have to match what our business really is. It’s just a matter of interpretation of language: a nightclub implies there’s activity like amplified music or organized entertainment. We don’t fit under all of those code sections. The idea with a social club is we’re no different than, say, an Elks Lodge.”
By Juliette Tang
Those who would like to attend Perry Mann’s Erotic Exotic Ball (Oct 24 @ Cow Palace) next weekend but who balk at the $79 general admission price tag (i.e. you, me, and everyone we know) have the option of donating blood this Saturday in exchange for a free pass, while supplies last. Organizers are sponsoring a blood drive at Blood Centers of the Pacific’s Irwin Center (270 Masonic Ave) from 2 to 9PM on Saturday (Oct 16) and each donor will receive one ticket to the event. If you wish to schedule an appointment to donate blood, you may go to BloodHeroes.com and enter “ExErBall” as your sponsor code. For those who partake in needle play, this means you can have your cake and eat it too.
The Erotic Ball has graced San Francisco with its presence since 1979 and features “live music, top DJs, erotic performers, exotic dancers, wild sideshows and playful interactive fun on multiple stages”. If the video above with its clips from previous years’ festivities is anything to go by, this entails near limitless opportunities for depravity and an all-around epic night of partying. A pass seems well worth a little blood, a service to the community, and an hour of on a Saturday afternoon.
Compiled by Molly Freedenberg
Artist Laurel Lee hosts a fine art class geared towards women, lesbians, and female-identified people on Saturday.
————-
>> CSC Film Night: Happy Endings?
CSC presents an intriguing exploration of the Asian massage parlor industry in Providence, Rhode Island.
Wed/14, 7:30pm
$5-$15
Center for Sex and Culture
1519 Mission, SF
www.sexandculture.org
————-
>> Barbary Coast Burlesque
Wear a costume, wine a prize, and enjoy drink specials while Virginia Suicide hosts this monthly show, featuring Mae Western, Cupcake, Kitty Von Quimm, Balla Fire, and more.
Wed/14, 8pm
$5
Annie’s Social Club
917 Folsom, SF
www.anniessocialclub.com
————-
>> Sensual Chemistry
Beyond Education and The Pleasure Course present this installment of BEing Talks, meant to help you realize your deepest desires.
Thurs/15, 6:45pm
$15
Call for location
(415) 308-9580
www.pleasurecourse.com
————-
By Andrea Nemerson: andrea@mail.altsexcolumn.com. Read more of Andrea’s columns here
I guess this is pretty common, but it’s not something I have any experience with, so please bear with me.
I have a lot of fantasies about being tied up, humiliated, etc. and often think about them while my girlfriend and I are having sex. I’m sure you know where this is going, but I’d really like it if she did the tying up and humiliating — but I have no idea how I would bring it up or how to talk to her about it. It’s not like I even know that much about it myself. Should I just forget about it and stick with fantasies? Is it just a stupid idea?
Love,
Unsure
Dear Sure:
I’ll tell you one thing: what with all the "I’m sure you already know" and "I don’t know much about it myself" and "Do you think I’m stupid even to think about this? How stupid? Really stupid?", you are showing a certain natural talent for abjection that I’m sure will serve you well in your new career as a bottom.
This is a perennial topic, and in a way it has gotten easier to answer over time — when I started the column, I had to recommend books (can you imagine?) and about three Web sites I happened to know about (and you’d never find without me because Google didn’t exist). In another way, though, it’s, well, not harder, but more disheartening. A girlfriend who’d never heard anything about bondage and discipline except the phrases "whips and chains" and a few grim episodes of Law and Order in 1997 could conceivably just need a little education and just might jump right in as soon as she knew what you were talking about. A girlfriend who says "I don’t know what you’re talking about, and also, ew!" in 2009 is probably not going to be running down to the Dungeon Hole Gifte Shoppe for a black latex body-bag and a "Gates of Hell" penis cage in your size anytime soon.
By Mistress Eve Minax, a professional dominatrix, sex educator, and food lover based in SF
If you’ve been following the last sexcipes, you now know how to prepare an eight hour pork spare rib meal with side of rubber gimp, and you also know how to make a hot sexy quicky with a burger and your lover.
Today’s sexcipe will focus on a meal that may not take any longer than the quicky but is so widely appreciated that it begs to be accompanied by a classic scenario from everybody’s favorite person and potential sex symbol, their Mommy. Now, I’m not talking about your actual mother. I’m talking about that feminine archetype who has held your hand when you were sick, spanked you when you peed the bed, and gave up the best cuts of meat to make sure you grow up big and strong. In other words, the maternal figure who cares for you, disciplines you, and also creates some of your initial sexual propensities in life. As a Mommy figure I find bringing my “children” into a primal state of no longer having to worry about who they are and what their place is in society gives me a great opportunity to contain them in that primal space while allowing their sexual fantasies to emerge.
Ingredients:
Truffle Steak
1 pound grass fed velvet steak (you may substitute skirt or bavette, but I prefer velvet)
2 cloves garlic
pinch of truffle salt
crushed black pepper
smidge of olive oil (truffle if you have it)
8-10 shitake mushrooms
By Juliette Tang
I do most of my writing in cafes, because any attempt to write at home generally results in watching online videos and taking naps. Given some of the things I write about, the process of writing in public often induces a distracting level of self-consciousness that borders on fear. There’s always the mild worry that what I’m working on is ‘inappropriate’ for public consumption, a worry that’s as tiresome as it is shaming. As I furtively write on my laptop, I invent implausible scenarios that almost always result in my being exposed and then humiliated in some convoluted way. What if I’m writing at a cafe and someones child, lurking near my table, sees the engorged human genitalia trumpeting like something 3-D and malevolent from the light of my Google image search? Would I be escorted out by management for being some kind of sex offender? In front of all of Ritual? Why must they sell those tiny cupcakes that attract kids in the first place???
It is not always possible to detect a child’s presence. They are small, like bacteria.
My answer came in the form of Wicked Grounds, which opened two weeks ago in SOMA (289 8th St, at Folsom) — as luck would have it, literally in my backyard. Situated barely a block away from kink havens Madame S, Stormy Leather, and the Citadel, this new, 18+ kinky coffee shop fits into the neighborhood foliage and is, bewilderingly, the only ‘adult’ cafe in our city.
The quaint and welcoming Wicked Grounds serves pastries, Ritual Coffee, and Red Blossom Tea in a quiet space that is, like many cafes in our city, long, skinny, and adorned with the work of local artists. However, unlike every other cafe in our city, all the artwork in the cafe features naked people. Finally, a place where I can work in peace!
Compiled by Molly Freedenberg
Celebrate seamen with Fleet Week, done the Lusty Lady way.
————-
>> Sex Workers’ Writing Workshop
Gina de Vries hosts this weekly workshop for current and former sex workers who want to share their writing with a non-judgmental audience.
Wed/7, 6-8pm.
$10-$20
Center for Sex and Culture
1519 Mission, SF
sexandculture.org
————-
>> Ask Our Doctors: Cock Rings
Dr. Charlie Glickman tells you everything you want to know about playing with these amazing, sexy toys, including talks about the anatomy of the penis, different types of rings, and tips on how to use ’em.
Wed/7, 5:30pm.
Free.
Good Vibrations Berkeley
2504 San Pablo Ave, Berk
(510) 841-8987
events.goodvibes.com
————-
>> Fleet Week at Lusty Lady
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, or civilian, it’s your patriotic duty to see some (unionized, worker-owned) booty! The Lusty Lady is open 24 hours a day, with the Pink Angels dancing 11am-3am in honor of seamen.
Thurs/8-Tues/13, dancing 11am-3am
No cover
Lusty Lady
1033 Kearny, SF
www.lustyladysf.com
————-
By D. Scot Miller
(L to R) Jessica, Tracy, Carmen, and Diva’s owner Steve Berky.
Our amazingly prescient editor Marke B. wrote, “my continual intuition [is] that totally hot trans porn people are the apex of the now”, and his powers of observation are on point, as always, because totally hot trans porn people (THTPP) are indeed, THE hotness.
The phenomenal element of this is that it has taken so long for the mainstream to catch on. I’ve officially made it my mission to shed some light, and possibly, some clothes, on the true front lines of sex and gender. Onward, I say, onward!
Relegated to Maury Povich and Jerry Springer, I suspect that THTPP have been overlooked because, as Dan Savage has said, “this is a totally straight male pursuit,” and you know how straight males can get, especially when it comes to cock. You won’t find these guys — or their dollars — at the next drag show at your local cabaret. No, my friend, they hang out at Diva’s, famous for the best and most beautiful in the world of “Female Illusion.” And owner Steve Berky is their best friend.
Compiled by Molly Freedenberg
It’s all about sexy fun and subversive games at Barnaby’s World of Wonderment at Castro Street Fair on Sunday. Photo by Jashiro Dean.
————-
>> FEED Auditions
Lux Killmore is casting his savory, sensual, slasher love story about a charming celebrity chef with a double life. Check Website for details.
Wed/30, Thurs/1, and Sat/3
Times and locations vary, SF
www.luxkillmore.com
————-
>> Arse Elektronika
Johannes Grenzfurthner organized this four-day festival looking at sexuality, gentics, biotech, wetware, body mods, and more issues concerning sex and technology. Events include speakers, performers, and talks at Roxie Theater on Thursday, Center for Sex and Culture on Friday, PariSoMa all day Saturday, and Noisebridge all day Sunday. Check Website for times and details.
Thurs/1-Sun/4
Times and locations vary, SF
www.monochrom.at/arse-elektronika
————-
>> Burlesque Bail-Out
Support struggling dancers during difficult times while enjoying live music by Fromagique, raffles, a bake sale, and, of course, performances by Bombshell Betty, Red Velvet, Wiggy Darlington, and more.
Thurs/1, 8pm. $10.
Annie’s Social Club
917 Folsom, SF
www.anniessocialclub.com
————-
By Juliette Tang
Having been a latchkey child in the ’90s with ready access to that extinct and sorely missed era of MTV when VJs and actual music video programming were my after-school treat, the dawning of my sexual awakening was catalyzed in part by videos like “Closer” by NIN, “Erotica” by Madonna, and, more disturbingly, “Wicked Games,” by Chris Isaak. Watching minute particles of sand lodge themselves between the crevices of Helena Christensen’s sun-kissed bosoms (or, creepily, Chris Isaak’s briary armpits) resulted in, to this day, an irrational fear of any combination of pompadour and wifebeater.
It’s odd that watching Eric Wareheim’s music video for “Hole to Feed,” by Depeche Mode, ushers me back, a la little madeleine, to my days on the old plaid couch in front of the wood-paneled TV, silently praying that I’d see something shocking before my parents came home. More specifically, it makes me acutely aware of that sedentary, vaguely molested sensation I experienced when I witnessed Marilyn Manson ride a pig in “Sweet Dreams” for the first time, my eyes wide with fascination and horror and my mouth agape with Fruit-by-the-Foot.
