I'm going to be in San Fran as of Friday Sept 12/03.

[AaronWestin]

I want to know of a good dance club that is a mixed crowd. I love great dance music to let loose.

Thanks for anyone located in SF...

[FrancoDiSantisxxx]

In The Mix

 

By mixed, I assume you mean straight/gay, not "boys/girls." Your best bet would likely be The Stud, south of market. You can easily walk it from the Union Square area and a cab should be about $5. If you meant that there would be both gay and lesbians in the bar, you should enjoy The Cafe in the Castro area, an easy Metro ride up from your hotel. However, I think the music there is very pedestrian.

 

Walk a few blocks from Union Square to Virgin on Market Street and you should be able to pick up the gay and alternative weeklys.

 

The weather here is unusually warm, you should have a great stay!

[Guest DevonSFescort]

RE: In The Mix

 

>By mixed, I assume you mean straight/gay, not "boys/girls."

>Your best bet would likely be The Stud, south of market.

 

I don't know that a lot of straight people go to the Stud...but it is pretty mixed gender-wise on Friday nights (which they call "Cheap Trick"). The music...well...it can be hit and miss. They're laudably trying to present an alternative to circuit party music, but sometimes their "play whatever the fuck we want" aesthetic just doesn't quite work. When the DJ's on a roll it can be pretty fun in a nostalgic way -- remixes of "In My House" by the Mary Jane Girls, for example -- but sometimes the juxtaposition of tracks has a dissonant effect.

 

But then again, I'm not sure there's much else to recommend. "Fag Fridays" at the Endup seems to be the dominant club, and people are always complaining about the lack of options on a Friday. (That said, I've been traveling a lot, and staying in when I'm home, so there might be some hot new club I'm missing out on.)

 

If music is your priority I'd say pick up the alternative papers and figure out where you like the music best and just go there. Even if it's a straight club a certain number of gays will go there for the music. I think a lot of the straight clubs in SF aren't SO straight, if only because there'll always be a certain percentage of socially active gays who are tired of the gay scene.

[Trixie]

RE: In The Mix

 

Aaron, I don't know what kind of dance music you prefer, but if you like latin/salsa, the Bench & Bar in Oakland (a mere two block walk from the nearest BART station) can't be beat on a Friday night. Always a vibrant atmosphere, and tons of people.

Trixijita

[FrancoDiSantisxxx]

Esta Noche

 

Well, Trixie. Be honest. You just want to get the boy over to your neck of the woods so you can tickle him to your heart's desire.

 

If you really wanted to recommend salsa music, you would have sent him to the Mission District....

[+ deej]

RE: Esta Noche

 

ROFL!

 

I think you nailed it, Franco. I wouldn't mind tickling this one myself, but even I know it's Mission District for Salsa.

[eastbayguy]

RE: In The Mix

 

>Aaron, I don't know what kind of dance music you prefer, but

>if you like latin/salsa, the Bench & Bar in Oakland (a mere

>two block walk from the nearest BART station) can't be beat on

>a Friday night. Always a vibrant atmosphere, and tons of

>people.

 

Haven't been to the B&B in ages. Guess I should visit. Sounds like it gets a different crowd than it used to. Met my most recent ex-husband at Bench and Bar one night. The B&B has been a lively, neighborhood joint for ages now.

 

BTW, I'm in the Bay Area now, selling my former residence here. Any suggestions for things to do? I'm having difficulty connecting with any of my old friends while here. Guess I need to make a few new ones.

 

--EBG

[Huey]

RE: In The Mix

 

EBG recently there was a very long thread on the state of San Francisco happenings or non-happenings I believe you can find it if you search in the lounge ... about a month ago.

[Trixie]

RE: Esta Noche

 

"ROFL"... that's EXACTLY what I like to see in an escort!!

But seriously, the B&B is a barrel o' fun, you guys! I know most San Franciscans think of Oakland as the dark side of the moon, but as the children say, "We got it goin' on!"

[AaronWestin]

RE: In The Mix

 

Thanks for all the info. I have been swamped with clients and only waws able to hit one club Friday night. What was it called.....I can't believe that I don't remember the name. I must be going senile.. Anyways, thanks for your input guys. It's always appreciated. Aaron Westin

[+ Hoover42]

RE: In The Mix

 

Hey,

 

Does anyone remember the club I-Beam in SF? It was punk, new wave, dance club on Haight Street that survived until sometime in early 1990s.

 

It was an awesome club, with a very mixed crowd.

 

Is there anything like that in the city these days?

 

...Hoover

[bigguyinpasadena]

RE: In The Mix

 

Oh now Mr.Hoover NOW THAT WAS A FUNNNNNN CLUB.The ENDUP used to be a blast back then also-kinda scary these days.Oh how I miss those days-so much fun,such interesting and fun friends,now gone for the most part.Quelle triste.

[+ Axiom2001]

RE: In The Mix

 

San Francisco's gay scene is NOTHING as it was in the 70s, 80s and early 90s. There were three predominately gay areas: Polk Street, the Castro area, and SOM. That has definitely changed which is indicative of the paltry offerings in the dance club department today.

 

I remember dancing my ass off in many, many dance venues in the City; the I-Beam being one of them. And there was once upon a time a dance club in downtown SF on Sutter. Presently, it's an upscale art gallery; this club was the rave on weekends. There was an extremely "hot" club on Larkin which was predominately black, but others went, too, and about three or four dance clubs in North Beach. The venues and activites were spread out, and my friends and I hit them all almost every weekend. Tis a pity in 2003.

[Trixie]

RE: San Franciso's heyday

 

It's true, sadly. When I was a student at the University of Oregon, I used to hitchike or otherwise make my way down to SF at least once every two or three months to take in shows or go dancing at the I-Beam, the Mabuhay Gardens, the Elite Club. One could let one's hair down and have fun then. Nowadays, everyone is so serious. The last time I was at the Badlands (more than a year ago) all the 20 somethings were dancing, drinking, cruising, all very, very seriously. More science than art, more strategy than fun.

Which reminds me of my quote for the day:

"Attitude is no substitute for personality."

Trix