<othiym> Yes. Put me in a room full of beautiful women (say, <othiym> Roderick's), and will I be able to walk up to and chat up any <othiym> of the particularly attractive ones? <othiym> NO, I will not. <othiym> I will cower in the corner and fantasize vaguely that they <othiym> will see me and think I'm cute and wander over and talk to me. <othiym> Which they won't, because they're probably just as frightened <othiym> and inept as me. <weevil> othi: bingo <othiym> Because all goths were persecuted nerds as children. <othiym> It's a fact. <banshee> and I am a big chicken BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK
Monday Nights | Big Heart City 836 Mission between 4th and 5th | 9:30pm - 3am |
Contact:
http://www.wenet.net/~lucretia/ death_guild/ | Cover: $5 | Age: 18+ | Ins-Outs: ?? | Coat-Check: ?? |
Drinks: Full bar | Facilities: ?? | ||||||
Music: Lots of retro heavy goth and 80s. Industrial in a second room? Playlist | DJs: Melting Girl, Lucretia, Joe Radio | Art: ?? |
I haven't been to Big Heart City since my gay disco going days in the late 80s. As I recall theres a lovely long bar and milling area up front, a sizable dance area, and a whole wrap-around balcony DNA style with various tables and booths and artwork.
Venue aside, I doubt Death Guild has changed much. Lots of the classic goth favorites and 80s retro. I don't crawl out on Mondays much.
Tuesday Nights | 715 Harrison at 3rd | 9pm - 3am | Contact: 415-355-5410 http://www.best.com/~xhaight/ | Cover: $7 | Age: 18+ | Ins-Outs: yup bob | Coat-Check: $2 (ripoff) |
Drinks: Full bar, Beer on tap $3.75; Wine $3.00; some decent Scotch. | Facilities: air dryer; mirror; 3 sinks; female congregation room. | ||||||
Music: Variance from week to week; typically some Bauhaus, Siouxsie, DCD, maybe some Darkwave, generally sets of a lot of electro-industrial. Sometime fuschia has that 80s urge. | DJs: X, Rick, Fuschia | Art: Changes weekly; often beautiful photography; recently inks from she who did the 'little goth girl' comic, but my lame housemate bailed before she could introduce me. |
There are something like five areas; the entrance foyer and long bar across from the entrance, booths up above the bar, a very large dance floor with walkways around 2 sides and a stage at the far end, a pool room above and to the left of the stage, and finally more booths above the stage. With this much space, and a large collection of intellibeams with fog machine, this is a great place to take that cousin from Arkansas who wants a taste of Sin Francisco. The crowd generally entertains me; some people really make it a priority to dress above and beyond the pale. This has included an easter bunny packing a fifth in his basket, Robin in his horned latex still-suit, Layla in a variety of odd head-dresses, and a wonderful woman in a cutaway bustier with swasticas in black tape over her nipples, and 'april fools' in fake(?) blood across her chest.
For all the space though, its still a nightly club underneath and doesn't have the industrial feel that characterized Tear Garden or the old style charm of Winter Gone By; it just feels slightly dirty. The bouncers/security are sometimes surly and I don't think some of them get or particularly like the goth scene. The guy checking IDs is always amiable though.
The sound system is filling without being offensively loud; I don't generally find myself wishing for earplugs. Lots of thick bass. They've gotten better about announcing last call. Generally a run of cheese and crackers around midnight from Shawni or Clint Catalyst. Two little bazaars with cds, clothing, and a wild assortment of jewelry and trinkets; I can't believe they make very much money, but baby sitting a booth and people watching isn't the worst thing in the world.
Wednesdays | Maritime Hall 375 1st St. | 9 - 2am | Contact: ?? | Cover: $5, $3 before 10 | Age: 18+ | Ins-Outs: Yes (smoking ban rules) | Coat-Check: $1 |
Drinks: 1 bar; $5 scotch, $3 beer. No wait! | Facilities: paper towels, mirror, 2 sinks (in boys). Presents! | ||||||
Music: Industrial heavy, some DCD, Billy Idol: requests. | DJs: Mephisto (varies) | Art: Lovely Nautical Murals! |
Wednesday Nights | 520 4th @ Bryant | 9pm - 3am | Contact: 415-995-4600 http://www.clubtroc.com/bagg/ | Cover: $5 - $7 | Age: 21+ | Ins-Outs: No | Coat-Check: $? |
Drinks: 2 Full Bars | Facilities: 1 sink | ||||||
Music: Claim is mostly industrial with 'tribal' gothic. Playlist | DJs: Damon, Alex, Matt | Art: No |
People are of two minds about BAGG; some find it greatly entertaining, and the others find it a lame pale imitation of clubs like Jesus where people really do disturbing things. I've never been so I must postpone comment.
Friday Night | Maritime Basement 375 1st @ Harrison | 9pm - 2am | Contact: 415-263-0636 | Cover: $4 - $6 | Age: 18+ | Ins-Outs: ?? | Coat-Check: $1 |
Drinks: Full Bar; Draft Beer | Facilities: 2 sinks/mirrors, no towels, often unisex when the gal's is filled. | ||||||
Music: Gothic, Industrial (you were expecting perhaps Country and Western?) | DJs: Mephisto, Lynx | Art: Great 40s era mural. |
The mass of the crowd seems to vary, sometimes significantly. I myself have a very spotty attendance record in recent months. There are two rooms, one with a long bar and booths that get staked out early in the evening, the other with the dance floor and some tables. The ceiling is low but not quite claustrophobia inducing.
Labyrinth is downstairs and sometimes hot. Facilitiess seem never to be stocked with paper towels; steal bar napkins by the fistful. They are serious about 2am shutdown and punctuate with that sudden burst of florescent light that sends all goths scurrying.
Saturday Nights | 530 Valencia @ 16th, next to Scenic India | 9pm ~ 4am | Contact: 415-267-7665 http://www.collapse.com/ | Cover: $7 | Age: 18+ | Ins-Outs: I think so. | Coat-Check: No |
Drinks: Limited selection bar; Beer $3.50; Wine $3.00; the good beer sometimes runs out but the bartenders are really nice; No hassle about water | Facilities: paper towels; mirror; 1 sink | ||||||
Music: Pretty much your std goth mix; some Bauhaus, german electro, DCD, Loreena McKennit, Tones on Tail, and even once Japan. Light on 80s pop. Light on grinding industrial. | DJs: Perki, Ophelia, Raven + others | Art: Pretty odd box collages. Periodically changes. |
Is it someone's flat? Is it fire zoned? Probally and probally not, but hush, its cozy. Theres one big room with dancing at one side, a bar at the end, and small tables and chairs on the other side. Down the hall theres a remarkable replica of the Resort's Ick Pits of yore -- a room rich in couches, enclosed in black plastic, lighted with only black lights and the glow of goths playing Street Fighter on a projection tv. A third room is brighter lit, again with a collection of small tables and chairs.
This is the quaint and comfortable neighborhood goth bar that the scene in SF seems to so often lack. It feels small and warm, it smells like candles; hell you don't feel terrified at the prospect of sitting on the floor. The last time I felt this confortable was back in the foyer at Winter Gone By. I'm even amused that the sound gets quieter as the evening gets late -- coming from the Cranes show it was a blessing to have the sonic assault reduced.
Drawbacks are low ventilation and heat, but at least the bathroom has plenty of paper towels. It seemed pretty smoky one night. Parking in the Mission is often a pain, but theres usually plenty around 15th. The projects corner on 14th and Valencia; use some sense in deciding where to park. One block up from Bart and on bus lines. 24 donuts on the corner if you're staying up those few hours until Bart starts running.
Saturday Nights | Maritime Basement 375 1st @ Harrison | 9pm - 2am | Contact: 415-263-6750 http://www.microweb.com/phantom/sowhat | Cover: $4-$6 | Age: 18+ | Ins-Outs: ?? | Coat-Check: $1 | |
Drinks: Full Bar; Draft Beer | Facilities: | |||||||
Music: PlayList | DJs: ? | Art: 40s era Mural |
One potentially noteworthy item is periodic fetish nights which might flush out some fun freaks. These go by the name Masquerade with a $3/$6/$10 cover for fetish/goth/norm dress. Is a corset fetish enough? Probally depends on your waist size; I'd argue it. I'll have to dig up some pvc gogo shorts and go check it out for a full report.
2nd and 4th Saturdays | Transmission Theater 314 11th at Fulsom | 9pm - 3:30am | Contact: 415.979.4455 http://creative.net/~gridlock/rapture.shtml | Cover: $7 | Age: 18+ | Ins-Outs: ?? | Coat-Check: ?? | |
Drinks: 2 Full Bars; Draft Beer | Facilities: ?? | |||||||
Music: ?? | DJs: Jackal | Art: Floor Shows. |
The Transmission is a funny space, with a claustrophobia inducing balcony area on the very front of the building at the opposite end from the stage. Its very sheer warehouse ceiling, but for the life of me I can't recall what the floor looked like. There are little tables against old bricked walls (if you're observant, you could find secret messages!) and generally running "pretty damn weird" videos. Lots of bugs or worms or something. I think I had to go wait at the bar or something.