bartabsf.

com
 January 2011

January re!
events galo
12

 Old Bars,
New Scenes
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
 ingredients
★ January 2011★

Club Life
 Page 4 
Groove Thing
 Page 6 
Dive In
 Page 8 
Tune In
 Page 10 
On the Tab: January
 Pages 12-27 
BARchive:
Happy Endups
 Page 28 
Best of `10
Photos by
Steven Underhill
 Page 28 
Read more stories online at www.bartabsf.com

✶
On the Cover: Tubesteak Connection rocks
Aunt Charley’s Lounge. Photo: Georg Lester. See page 6.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Editor: Jim Provenzano • Art Director: Kurt Thomas
Designer: Scott King • General Manager: Michael Yamashita
Advertising Sales: David McBrayer, Colleen Small,
Scott Wazlowski

Contributors: Matt Baume, Heather Cassell,

Dr. Jack Fritscher, Michael McAllister, Ronn Vigh
Photography: Rick Gerharter, Jose Guzman-Colon,
Georg Lester, Jim Provenzano, Rich Stadtmiller, Steven Underhill

BARtab is published by Benro Enterprises, Inc.

Publisher: Thomas E. Horn
Benro Enterprises, Inc.
395 Ninth Street • San Francisco CA 94103 • (415) 861-5019

Member of the National Gay Newspaper Guild

National Advertising Representative:
Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863

January 2011 • bartabsf.com • BAR★TAB 3

 CLUB LIFE d
• by Ronn Vigh
courtesy Terry Beswick
Contestants in 2010’s High
Heel Drag Race hang out
on the steps of the Castro
Country Club.
A
certain song from the ‘80s exclaims, “We
don’t have to take our clothes off to have a
good time!” While that’s… arguable, the
Castro Country Club, a clean and sober Castro
institution since 1983, is offering more and more
events where you don’t have to take a drink to have
a good time.
Most recognizable for the club’s sturdy set of stairs,
which leads to its Victorian digs, the Castro Country
Club is a clean and sober gathering place that has
reached out to the queer recovery community (but
is open to all) for decades. These days, at the top
of the stairs, folks are greeted by a drawing of a
thermometer gauging how much money has been
raised in an effort “to save the stairs,” as the building
currently risks being sold.
It’s no secret that club promoters, alcohol
distributors and the media often portray cocktails
and drinking as fun and sexy, but manager Terry
Beswick says through their fundraising plan and
general social events, “the Castro Country Club
is ready to bring ‘fun and sexy’ back to sobriety
through parties and events.”
Sobriety is a serious topic for many, but it’s
4 BAR★TAB • bartabsf.com • January 2011
courtesy Terry Beswick
Raising funds for the
Castro Country Club
Castro
Country
Club is
ready to bring
‘fun and sexy’
back to sobriety
through parties
and events.”
good to see a little tongue-in-cheek humor proudly
displayed on a flyer for the club’s December drag
show, Laybelline’s Holiday Blackout! The show,
organized by Zachary Davenport, is one of the new
additions to the club’s events. The monthly show is
for both club regulars and non-regulars, and also
serves as a fundraiser for the campaign to save the
club. The next show is January 22.
From the monthly drag show to more than 30
twelve-step groups, the space is primarily run by
volunteers and boasts a full espresso bar and internet
café, meeting rooms, a lounge and patio areas open
to the public.
The walls that line the long Victorian space are
rich with history and a sense of community. In one
of the club’s common spaces, Terry shows me a wall
lined with an assortment of pictures dating back to
the club’s origin in 1983. While none of us needs a
lesson in gay history in the ‘80s, it’s comforting to
look at folks’ faces, as it is hinted many of them have
passed, and to know that there was and still is a space
for any members of our community to go to free of
judgment.
Another wall that held my attention was in a

Michael Kerner
Guests at the Castro
Country Club’s recent
Harvest Feast event.
star-studded corridor surrounding the coffee bar.
In an increased effort to help raise money to save
the historic space, patrons could choose to buy a
membership to the Castro Country Club and get a
star adorned with their name.
The best part about many of the upcoming
events, says Beswick, is that the interest comes from
the larger community. “While we’re starting to
do more outreach, mostly people come to us and
have ideas that they are excited about doing with
us or at the Castro Country Club,” he said. As the
club wrapped up 2010, they offered a community
courtesy Terry Beswick
Castro Country Club
manager Terry Beswick
with actor Leslie Jordan at
a recent fundraiser.
Christmas tree decorating and an art show on site
(art shows typically feature an artist in recovery).
As we usher in 2011, there are many more events
to come, including more off-site events such as a
Burger Bonanza at Lime on January 10 with all-
you-can-eat mini burgers, fries and sodas, as well
as Laughs Without Liquor, a comedy show at Most
Holy Redeemer, March 5 at 8 p.m. Club Organizers
already plan to bring a Castro Country Club Dance
Pavilion to this year’s San Francisco Pride festival,
taking another shot at showing off the fun and sexy
side of sobriety. ✸
January 2011 • bartabsf.com • BAR★TAB 5

Nonscene scenesters at Aunt Charlie’s
GROOVE THINGd
DJ Bus Station John’s Disco Fever • by Ronn Vigh
W
hen it comes to discussing music, DJ
Bus Station John approaches the subject
with the passion and spirit of a Sunday
morning preacher. “It’s all about the music. This
music needs to be heard. It needs to be witnessed.
It needs to be celebrated,” says the bearded keeper
of rare disco. Bus Station John is celebrating a
decade of routinely spinning records from what he
considers dance music’s halcyon period – the mid-
1970s through early ‘80s.
In a city where club nights come and go faster
than gays’ right to marry, Bus Station John is proof
that when you celebrate and share what authentically
moves you, people will come. Case in point:
Tubesteak Connection at Aunt Charlie’s. A narrow,
dim Thursday night gathering spot for alterna-
queers, this club night is nestled in a seedier section
of town, which seems quite fitting for Bus Station
John’s vision. “It is important to me to help keep
what few non-mainstream queer corners we have
left alive, as well as our connection to old-school gay
culture,” he says. “At the same time, I realize that the
magic of the music I love crosses all boundaries, and
I’d like to share it with more people in new contexts.”
Throughout our interview, DJ Bus Station often
uses the words “old school” to describe the music
and the distinct era he channels, through both the
records he spins and his “old-school” presentation;
creating club posters and flyers using scissors, glue
6 BAR★TAB • bartabsf.com • January 2011
photos by Georg Lester
DJ Bus Station John
sticks and Xerox machines. That commitment to
channeling the analog is consistently evident in his
clubs, from the vinyl on the turntables (you heard
me right– turntables, remember those?) to the no-
cell-phone policy. “We didn’t have phone booths on
the dance floor back in the day, kids,” says John. “It’s
about disconnecting from your handheld devices
and connecting with the music and each other.”
From his past clubs, including The Rod at Deco
Lounge and Double Dutch Disco at The Transfer to
his longest running club Tubesteak Connection and
newest club Le Perle Degli Squallor at Hot Spot, DJ
Bus Station John brings a variety of “non-scenesters”
to his rapidly growing “non-scene” scene. “I think I
managed to maintain an underground vibe, or as
close to one as can exist in the internet age,” he says.
DJ Bus Station John doesn’t maintain a website or
Facebook account, as he prefers word of mouth and
good old-fashioned flyering- yet another example
of his old-school charm. “Back in the day, you had
to go out, live life and see where the evening took
you. It took a combo of serendipity, urban savvy and
word of mouth. That’s how you find your scene!”
While many clubs prefer the high-gloss aesthetic,
as he prepares to turn 50, John has found his niche:
being exactly himself. He hopes his preference for
most things old-school will help bridge the gap
between generations. An assorted gaggle of folks
pack the faded, often compressed confines of Aunt
 Donna Personna at Tubesteak Connection

Charlie’s, where you can find skinny jeans and

thrift store threads mingling with plain tees and
pornstaches to match the posterized porn imagery,
and often clubgoers who actually were at clubs in
the 1970s, like Donna Personna, who was around
during the Cockettes era, and even performed in
their wacky 1972 film Elevator Girls in Bondage.
DJ Bus Station John says all are welcome. “I think
the warmth of the music gives people permission
to drop their facades, relax, let their hair down
and commune together,” says John. “My favorite
nights have been a mix of heavy cruising, sweaty
dancing and on select occasions, twenty-somethings
through 80-somethings finding intergenerational
camaraderie under the same roof – not a common
sight anywhere, and a vibe I’m very proud to have
created.”
There is a very real, honest quality to DJ Bus
Station John, a quality that seeps into his clubs.
He pays homage to the history of queer places and
culture. He is not afraid to state his opinions, yet
remains very humble, even after receiving a 2010
Bay Guardian Goldie Award and being named “Most
Original DJ” by SF Weekly. He transforms spaces that
were never intended to be dance clubs into vibrant
miniature discos. All this from a man who didn’t
even start DJing until around age 40, which he says
is proof that “Life can surprise you at any stage!” ✸

DJ Bus Station John’s current clubs

are TubeSteak Connection, every
Thursday at Aunt Charlies, 133 Turk
and Taylor; and Le Perle Degli Squallor,
first Saturdays at Hot Spot, 1414 Market
and Polk. For booking and info, contact
djbusstationjohn@gmail.com
 DIVE INd
Old Bars, New Scenes
• Story and Photos by Matt Baume
W
hat makes a dive bar divey? Is it the decor,
the clientele, the prices, the paucity of
decorative soaps in the gentlemen’s room?
Or maybe it’s just a way of life. On a recent survey
of bars reputed to be “dives,” we found that their one
common trait is an inclusive atmosphere that invites
all comers and asks nothing in return.
You can trace that friendly tradition back to 1938
and the construction of a bar that would one day be
known as Deco Lounge. These days, Deco Lounge
glitters with weekly Sunday amateur stripping
contests, featuring a hundred-dollar grand prize.
But really, when there’s stripping involved, doesn’t
everyone win?
Monday nights at Deco Lounge, there’s comedy;
Karaoke’s on Tuesday; and Ginger Snap hosts
a drag show on Friday nights. You might come
for the dance floor, but you’ll stay for the drink
specials: $2 Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, $4 shots, and
$7 “special frozen drinks at bartender’s discretion.”
Bearracuda and Go Bang occasionally return for
their monthly events. And architects, note the
woodwork: Deco has the largest mahogany bar on
the west coast.
And that’s not the Tenderloin’s only dive bar with
a respectable past. Head over to The Gangway if you
really want to rub shoulders with history. It’s the oldest
continually-running gay bar in the city, dating back to
the waning days of the prohibition-era Pansy Craze.
“Back in the ‘30s, that’s when it became The
Gangway,” said owner Darryl Wright. “They called it
a ‘singles bar’ then.”
It’s still a fun place for singles, and couples, and
8 BAR★TAB • bartabsf.com • January 2011
Warm ambiance at
the historic Gangway.
crowds. Friendly bartenders and go-go dancers keep
the mood pleasant, and the $8 pitchers don’t hurt.
Saturday sees parties like Manquake and Chrome,
and if you need a diversion, spend some time fishing
for porn in the claw machine.
The history continues up the street at R Bar, where
locals have been boozing it up since the 1940s. While
not gay-specific, the neighborhood bar is gay-friendly.
But is it a dive? “I think people call it a dive bar
because it doesn’t have neon lights,” said owner Will
Presley. “We don’t do table service.”
Instead, they boast an impressive variety of drinks.
It’s the Fernet that crowds clamor for: a challenging,
take-no-prisoners Italian spirit that’s maintained
a grip on San Francisco for a hundred years, R Bar
is ground zero for shots backed by ginger. Or if you
don’t want a drink that’ll make your bow-tie spin, opt
for a $2 Bud Light, or a charming Bloody Mary.
Speaking of Marys, they don’t make drag shows
anymore like the ones at Aunt Charlie’s. These are
performers with some serious stories, having lived in
the limelight for decades. There’s not a lady alive who
can own a room like Vickie Marlane, Gina LaDivina,
and Collette LeGrande.
Even when the girls have the night off, there’s
still no shortage of down-and-dirty fun. Tubesteak
Thursdays draw such a huge crowd that you might
want to call ahead to make sure it’s not too packed.
Just don’t pull out your phone once you get inside,
since cell phones are strictly forbidden. Now, enjoy
some complementary popcorn.
Popcorn flows freely at Lucky 13, a gay-friendly
but not gay bar popular with tattooed rock and roll

folks. There’s no shortage of other bells and whistles
like pinball machines and a photo booth. The great
selection of drinks is matched by a great selection
of tunes on a jukebox that’s far superior to any
Internet-enabled hodgepodge. This is a dog-friendly
establishment, so you might run into a few furry
friends; and it’s street-food-friendly, so you might
run into the Tamale Lady. The only thing that’s not
welcome at Lucky 13 is credit cards.
So are these dive bars or not? Who knows. “Any
bar’s a dive bar,” said Gangway’s Darryl Wright. “It
depends on the time of the year and the day and the
week and who’s there.”
But the bartenders at Trax on Haight take a less
ambiguous approach. “Absolutely we’re a dive bar,”
said Lee Turner. “We’re proud of it.”
And so are the patrons, who range from college
students to tourists to Cole Valley moms and
Friendly
Trax bartenders
Lee and Dan.
dads. Trax is so laid-back and welcoming, you
might not even notice it’s one of the Haight’s rare
gay bars. There’s no better break from the Castro
scene, especially as a prelude to wandering down to
Cockfight at SF Underground.
Progressive Saturdays at Trax feature the
neighborhood’s best drink specials: early in the
evening, well drinks are $1, and climb to just $3 by
closing time. The “Bitchin’ Bloody Marys” certainly
are, without a doubt, bitchin’. Just don’t let them break
your concentration at the pool table.
If you’re feeling euphemistic, you might call these
bars “economically inclusive.” But no matter the term,
they’ve got more character in a single olive than any
high-gloss Marina bar could ever offer. From the
gritty history to the one-of-a-kind ambiance to the
knowing nod that you get when you walk through the
door, there’s nothing like a dive. ✸
January 2011 • bartabsf.com • BAR★TAB 9
 TUNE INd
• by Jim Provenzano

T
here’s no mistaking that many of the themes
in local transgender singer Shawna Virago’s
CD Objectified are autobiographical. The
lead lyric in three of the CD’s songs, “Objectified,”
“Transsexual Dominatrix” and “Butterfly” is the
word “I.”
Taking that into consideration, anyone who
hasn’t heard Virago live should understand the
personal perspective portrayed in her music. Think
the limited vocal range of Nico with a more subtle
level of intensity. Pointed sociopolitical perspectives
are countered by simple song structure and
listenable folk-rock stylings with strummed acoustic
guitar, light percussion and occasional harmonica
accompaniment.
Virago’s barely veiled contempt for rightwing
politics, as in “Dead War Hero,” are countered with
a fun rockabilly tempo. Virago’s personal strife and
abhorrence for religion are laid plain in “Someone
Down There Likes Me,” with references to atheist
Easter egg hunts and some disparaging maternal
remarks. Somehow, these negative themes are given
an uplifting tone, as in “Million Dollar Day.”
But when personal identity politics take precedent
over artistic development, the resultant art can be
limited to fans who identify with its creator. Virago
reveals her cards in the lyrics, “I have this deep
obsession/I gotta pimp my oppression.” Her being
transgender is the sole point, not a springboard for
further musical development.
Having heard Virago live, it’s nice to have these songs
collected on a CD, but it lacks the empathetic energy
of her supportive audiences. www.shawnavirago.com.
10 BAR★TAB • bartabsf.com • January 2011
 Kent James

HEAVY LIQUID
You might think that the trans-styling of Shawna
Virago and the macho rock ballast of Heavy Liquid
have nothing in common, aside from being local
performers, but think again.
“I can’t imagine what I’m now supposed to be/
I’ve been so many faces, some you’ll never see,” sings
Kent James in “Master Plan,” a song performed
with his new band, Heavy Liquid.
You might have heard Heavy Liquid at last year’s
Folsom Street Fair, or recall James’ recent solo works,
and his previous incarnation as the hottest gay punk
rocker of all time, Nick Name.
But I’m biased. Growing up in the rock versus
disco 1970s, it always seemed that being gay implied
one should prefer “gay” music of the time, i.e, disco.
At the same time, I was air-guitaring to Aerosmith
and air-keyboarding to Kansas.
James, who long ago abandoned the punk
mohawk, as well as a previous Country-Western
persona, seems comfortable in simple garage
mechanic duds as the front man for a thudding,
loud and deliciously authentic rock and roll band
that plays music without politics.
Is it gay-identified? Hardly, unless you
subtextualize the band’s lyrics, which is completely
beside the point. Like Virago, Heavy Liquid’s
independently produced CD is available, but only
at their shows, where their music is best heard live.
So, gay rock fans, if knowing the hot front
man happens to be gay, but isn’t going to croon
about gay topics (or shed his shirt, darnit), then
have a beer or beverage of your choice, brave the
journey to foreign lands (i.e, North Beach or Oakland),
and catch Heavy Liquid playing at a local
divey pub. www.myspace.com/heavyliquidsf.
www.kentjames.com ✸
January 2011 • bartabsf.com • BAR★TAB 11
 eON THE TA Bf
~ ~January
★
DJ Kio Kio at Twisted, Sat. 1
Sat 1➠
Bangkok @ The Stud
DJs Shawn P and Lamb Chop spin tunes; Stoli gogo guys
tempt you at the monthly dance night (1st Saturdays). Free
before 11pm. $8. 21+. 10pm-2am. 399 9th St. at Harrison.
www.studsf.com
Cockfight @ Underground SF
Culture Whores’ big slutty dance party in a little club, with
Pansy the Drunken Panda and saucy gogo guys. Now 1st and
3rd Saturdays. $7. 9pm-2am. 424 Haight St.
www.cockfightsf.com
Get Down @ Maya
Free monthly party for women, queers and pals. 1st
Saturdays, with DJs Olga T and Astro. Taco menu, cheap beer
buckets, private room reservations. 9pm-2am. 303 2nd St at
Harrison. www.mayasf.com
Kim Nalley @ The Rrazz Room
Stellar singer performs jazz and blues classics, Also Jan. 2,
7pm. $35. 8pm. 2-drink minimum. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason
St. at Ellis. (800) 380-3095. www.therrazzroom.com
Recovery Brunch @ The Lookout
Enjoy a hair of the dog (we recommend the Bloody Marys),
a tasty buffet hosted by Gladys Bumps, and relaxing New
Year’s Day grooves with DJ Steve Sherwood. No cover. 12pm-
4pm. 3600 16th St. at Market & Noe. 431-0306.
www.lookoutsf.com
12 BAR★TAB • bartabsf.com • January 2011
Eagle Beerbust, Sun. 2
Le Perle Degli Squallor @ Hot Spot
DJ Bus Station John’s intimate monthly (1st Saturdays) retro
disco night re-decorates the cozy dive bar into a cool dance
hangout and upstairs cruise space; popular with bear cubs
and friendly hipsters. 2 for 1 drinks 9pm-11pm. Open til 2am.
$5. 1414 Market St. at Van Ness.
Twisted @ Lot 46
New Year’s recovery party all day at one of SF’s newest clubs,
with two floors of fun, guest DJ Kio Kio, plus Hawthorne,
Paul Goodyear, Frank Wild and James Torres. $15-$20. 6am-
3pm. 46 Geary St. at Kearny. www.lot46sf.com
Sun 2➠
Beer Bust @ SF Eagle
The most popular daytime gay bar event in Northern
California, with benefits for local LGBT and AIDS charities
and organizations. $10 (for beer bust). 3pm-6pm. 12th St. at
Harrison. www.sfeagle.com
Beer Bust @ Lone Star Saloon
Benefit for various local charities each week. 4pm-8pm. 1354
Harrison St. www.lonestarsaloon.com
Cocktailgate @ Truck
Suppositori Spelling’s weekly wild drag show at the cute gay
bar. 10pm-ish-2am. 1900 15th St. 252-0306. www.trucksf.com
Sunday’s a Drag @ Starlight Room
Donna Sachet and Harry Denton host the weekly fabulous
brunch and drag show. $45. 11am, show at noon; 1:30pm,
show at 2:30pm. 450 Powell St. in Union Square. 395-8595.
www.harrydenton.com
Mon 3➠
Do or Die @ The Mix
New weekly fun night, with talent contests, raffles, and drag
shows. 6pm-10pm. 4086 18th St. www.mixsf.com
Tue 4➠
The Castro’s Got Talent @ Midnight Sun
Open mic night with host Dee Spencer. Weekly at 9pm. 4067
18th St. at Castro 861-4186. www.midnightsunsf.com
Blue Room Comedy @ Club 93
David Hawkins hosts, and Morgan headlines at the night of
big laughs at the tiny bar. Free. 10pm. 93 9th St.
Page 14
▼
 eON THE TAB f
~
~from page 14
★ Powerhouse, Truck and Hole in the Wall. 21+.
Franc D’Ambrosio
@ the Rrazz Room
Renowned singer (former star
of Phantom of the Opera)
performs “I’ll be Seeing
Youz,” a World War II musical
show and live CD recording.
$40. 8pm. 2-drink minimum.
Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. at
Franc D’Ambrosio Ellis. (800) 380-3095.
www.therrazzroom.com
Funny Tuesdays @ Harvey’s
Ronn Vigh hosts the weekly LGBT and gay-friendly comedy
night. One drink or menu item minimum. 9pm. 500 Castro St.
at 18th. 431-HARV. www.harveyssf.com
Men’s Club @ SoMa Bars
Got your dogtags? No? Get ‘em! Enjoy drink specials and
other fun stuff at themed nights at Chaps, The Eagle, The
www.lonestarsaloon.com
Thu 6➠
The Crib @ City Nights
Pop music club night with scantily-clad gogo studs. $10. 18+.
9:30pm-3am. 715 Harrison St. at 3rd. www.thecribsf.com
Glam @ Lime
Betty’s List’s weekly women’s night has moved to the Castro
bar and restuarant. 6pm-10pm. 2247 Market St.
www.bettyslist.com www.lime-sf.com
Nightlife @ California Academy of Sciences
Weekly parties with different themes at the new museum
of life sciences. Enjoy the exhibits while drinking and
schmoozing. $12. 21+. 6pm-10pm. Golden Gate Park.
www.calacademy.org/nightlife

Great Than One Meet & Greet @ Blackbird The Three Degress @ The Rrazz Room
Informal information and meet and greet for previous Classic soul and R&B band (“TSOP” aka the Soul Train theme
and potentially interested participants in the SF AIDS song, “When Will I See You Again?”) perform their hits.
Foundation’s triathlon fundraiser event, the AVIA Wildflower 2-drink minimum. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. at Ellis. (800)
Triathlon (April 30-May 1, 2011). 5pm-7pm. 2124 Market St. 380-3095. www.therrazzroom.com
www.greaterthanone.org
Tubesteak Connection
SOMA Men’s Club, Wed. 5
Meow Mix @ Aunt Charlie’s
@ the Stud Lounge
Weekly drag and variety show. Retro tunes and retro cruisy
9pm-2am. 399 9th St. at crowd, each Thursday in
Harrison. www.studsf.com the Tenderloin. DJ Bus Station
John plays records. $4. 10pm-
Ladies Night @ Q Bar 2am. 133 Turk St. at Taylor.
Women’s night, with DJ Ms. www.auntcharlieslounge.com
Jackson, half-off drinks. 9pm-
2am. 456 Castro St.
www.qbarsf.com
Fri 7➠
Chicken Strip
@ The Cinch
Wed 5➠ Juanita Fajita brings her frisky
Fetish Nights and unpredictable male strip
@ Chaps II contest to The Cinch every Friday
Different kinks get their own night. Juanita’s Taco Truck starts
Rich Stadtmiller

nights once a month at the at 8:30pm for your late night

intimate leather bar. Draft beer cravings. Strip contest starts at
as low as $2. 9pm-2am. 1225 10:30pm. Cash prizes for 1st,
Folsom St. at 8th. 255-2427. 2nd & 3rd place ($25-$75). The
www.chapsbarsanfrancisco.com Cinch 1723 Polk St. at Clay.

Mads Tolling @ The Rrazz Room Dope @ The Lookout

Jazz fusion band performs a tribute to Jean-Luc Ponty. $25. Monthly music and pop culture party, with DJs Papa Tony
8pm. 2-drink minimum. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. at Ellis. and Crashfaster. 9pm-2am. 1600 Market St. at Noe.
(800) 380-3095. www.therrazzroom.com www.lookoutsf.com

Messy Wednesdays @ Lime Ghetto Disco @ The Endup

New weekly night with sexy DJ Tristan Jaxx and caliente
gogo dudes, Mexican food served up hot, plus Tequila,
Tecates, Margarita specials. 6pm-10pm. 2247 Market St.
www.lime-sf.com
DJs Hawthorne and guests spin dance grooves til dawn.
$15-$20. Free before 12am. 11pm-6am. 401 6th St. at
Harrison. 646-0999. www.theendup.com
Page 17
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14 BAR★TAB • bartabsf.com • January 2011

 eON THE TAB f Cockblock @ Rickshaw Stop
~
~from page 14 Lesbo-rific queer homo dance night each 2nd & 4th Saturday.
$5-$7. 21+. 10pm-2am. 155 Fell St. www.rickshawstop.com
★
Frolic @ The Stud
Hard @ Q Bar Monthly costume dance party for Furries and friends. Dress
Electro pop dance night at the intimate Castro bar-club, up and dance, you animal. $7 w/o $3 with costume. 9pm-
with DJ Haute Toddy. 2am. 399 9th St. at Harrison.
9pm-2am. 456 Castro St. www.neonbunny.com/frolic
www.QbarSF.com www.studsf.com

Latin Explosion Hot Box @ Bench

@ Club 21, Oakland and Bar, Oakland
Renovated gay Latin dance New weekly women’s night
club (eight bars, more dance produced by Movement
floors, lounge) shows off Productions, with DJs Astro,
their hottests gogo studs. Olga T, Rapture and Val G.
Happy hour 4pm-8:30pm. specialty drinks, cafe seating,
Dancing 9pm-4am. 2111 special events each week,
Franklin St. (510) 268-9425. with frequent live acts,
www.club21oakland.com including prizes, giveaways,
and holiday-themed special
The Phenomenauts, Fri. 7 events. Text 368638 for
The Phenomenauts
@ Rickshaw Stop discounts on admission.
Space-surf android rockers perform. Also, Tornado Rider $8-$15. 9pm to 3am. www.hotboxinthebay.com
and Manzanita. $12. 8pm. All ages. 155 Fell St.
www.rickshawstop.com Sun 9➠
Some Thing @ The Stud Honey Soundsystem @ Holy Cow
The coolest Sunday music mix crew has moved yet again,
Wild weekly drag show hosted by Glamamore. 10pm-2am.
but not too far, and to the original home of The Stud. Look
399 9th St. www.studsf.com
for the suspended cow. 10pm-2am. 1535 Folsom St. at 11th.
Teatro Zinzanni @ Pier 29 www.honeysoundsystem.com
Theatre-tent-dinner
extravaganza with comic Frank
Judy Butterfield
Ferrante, twin acrobats Ming Bearracuda, Sat. 8 @ The Rrazz Room
and Rui, Vertical Tango rope Young cabaret singer performs
dance, plus magic, comedy, a classics by the Gershwins, Cole
five-course dinner, and a lot Porter, and Joni Mitchell and
of fun. $117-$145. Saturday Bob Dylan. $35 (special 18-and-
11:30am “Breve” show under $17.50) 3pm. Also Jan. 10,
$63--$78. Wed-Sat 6pm (Sun 8pm. 2-drink minimum. Hotel
5pm). Pier 29 at Embarcadero Nikko, 222 Mason St. at Ellis.
Ave. 438-2668. (800) 380-3095.
www.teatrozinzanni.com www.therrazzroom.com

Truck Wash @ Truck Sundance Saloon

Live shower show with hot @ Space 550
guys getting wet. 10pm-ish- Sundance Saloon presents
2am. 1900 15th St. 252-0306. country-western dancing for
www.trucksf.com the LGBT community and its
friends two night a week, every
Sunday and Thursday. The club
Sat 8➠ is always packed with friendly urban cowboys and cowgirls
Bearracuda @ Club Eight two-stepping and line dancing the night away. $5. 21+.
Orsine Underwear night with DJs Craig Gaibler and Brian Sundays 5pm-10:30pm, lessons 5:30–7:15pm. Thursdays
Maier. $6 before 10pm, $8 afterward. 9pm-3am. 1151 Folsom 6:30–10:30pm, lessons 7pm-8pm. 550 Barneveld Ave.,
St. www.bearracuda.com www.eightsf.com near Bayshore and Industrial. www.sundancesaloon.org

Candyland @ The Cinch

Sheena Rose debuts her dance single “Opening Act,” with
additional acts by Anna Conda, Mutha Chucka, Joie DeVivre,
Nikki Star, Bliss and MarcyPlayground. DJs Dank and Dingbat
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spin. No cover. 11pm-2am. 1723 Polk St.

18 BAR★TAB • bartabsf.com • January 2011
 eON THE TAB f Men’s Club @ SoMa Bars
~
~from page 18 Got your dogtags? No? Get ‘em! Enjoy drink specials and
other fun stuff at themed nights at Chaps, The Eagle, The
★ Powerhouse, Truck and Hole in the Wall. 21+.
www.lonestarsaloon.com
Mon 10➠ Mexican Radio @ Lone Star Saloon
Karaoke Mondays @ Bar On Church Twice monthly (2nd and last Wed) fun night with gogo guys,
Drink specials as the meagerly cheap drink specials ($2 Bud, Bud
talented get an opportunity to Light and Rolling Rock draft),
sing. 198 Church St. at Market. DJ Carsonova, and beartastic
www.thebarsf.com ambiance. 7pm-11pm. 1354
Harrison St.
www.lonestarsaloon.com
Tue 11➠
Blue Room Comedy Numina Press Night
@ Club 93 @ Rickshaw Stop
David Hawkins hosts the night of Gay and straight authors read
big laughs at the tiny bar. Free. from their works as part of a new
10pm. 93 9th St. literary press collective, including
Kemble Scott (The Sower, SoMa),
Ladies Night @ Q Bar Joe Quirk (It’s Not You, It’s Biology:
Women’s night, with DJ Ms. The Science of Love, Sex and
Jackson, half-off drinks. Martha Reeves, Tues. 11 Relationships) Tamim Ansary (West
9pm-2am. 456 Castro St. www. of Kabul, East of New York), James
qbarsf.com warner, Ransom Stephens and Jed
Diamond. All ages. Tickets at the door. 155 Fell St.
Martha Reeves @ The Rrazz Room www.rickshawstop.com
Motown great performs R&B, jazz and blues classics. $40-
$45. 8pm thru Jan. 15. Also Jan 16, 7pm. 2-drink minimum.
Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. at Thu 13➠
Ellis. (800) 380-3095.
Booty Call, Wed. 12 The Crib @ City Nights
www.therrazzroom.com
Pop music club night with
Meow Mix @ the Stud scantily-clad gogo studs. $10.
Weekly drag and variety show. 18+. 9:30pm-3am.
9pm-2am. 399 9th St. at 715 Harrison St. at 3rd.
Harrison. www.studsf.com www.thecribsf.com

Glam @ Lime
Wed 12 ➠ Betty’s List’s weekly women’s
A-List Martini Nights night has moved to the Castro
@ Bar TBA bar and restuarant. 6pm-
Ongoing popular weekly social 10pm. 2247 Market St.
and networking event for gay www.bettyslist.com
men and their friends. Sign up www.lime-sf.com
to get invites to a different bar
Nightlife @ California
each week. 9pm-12am. www.
sfalist.com Academy of Sciences
Weekly parties with different
Robert Guzman

Booty Call @ Q Bar themes at the new museum

Juanita More! and her More of life sciences. Enjoy the
Boys get groovy in the exhibits while drinking and
intimate Castro bar. $3-$5. schmoozing; Life: A Cosmic
9pm-2am. 456 Castro St. www. Story, narrated by Jodie Foster
juanitamore.com www.bootycallwednesdays.com in the Planetarium. $12. (Reg, admission $20-$30). 21+.
6pm-10pm. Golden Gate Park.
Dream Queens Review www.calacademy.org/nightlife
@ Aunt Charlie’s Lounge
Drag show each 2nd and 4th Wednesday at the classic Tubesteak Connection @ Aunt Charlie’s Lounge
Tenderloin bar, hosted by Collette LeGrande-Ashton. No Retro tunes and retro cruisy crowd, each Thursday in the
cover. 10pm. 133 Turk St. 441-2922. Tenderloin. DJ Bus Station John plays records. $4. 10pm-2am.
www.dreamqueensrevue.com 133 Turk St. at Taylor. www.auntcharlieslounge.com

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20 BAR★TAB • bartabsf.com • January 2011

 eON THE TAB f Cockfight @ Underground SF
~
~from page 20 Culture Whores’ big slutty dance party in a little club, with Pansy
the Drunken Panda and saucy gogo guys. Now 1st and 3rd
★ Saturdays. $7. 9pm-2am. 424 Haight St. www.cockfightsf.com
Fauxgirls @ Kimo’s
Fri 14➠ Classic drag show with Victoria Secret, Alexandria, Chanel,
Bad Girl Cocktail Hour @ The Lexington Club Davida Ashton, Tiger Lily, Maria Garza and more; each 3rd
Every Friday night, bad girls can get $1 dollar margaritas Saturday. No cover. 10pm. 1351 Polk St. 885-4535.
between 9pm and 10pm. All www.fauxgirls.com
drinks being served up by Hot Box
the fabulous bartending duo Hot Box, Sat. 15 @ Bench and Bar,
of Tanya and Amy. 3464 19th Oakland
St. between Mission and New weekly women’s night
Valencia. 863-2052. produced by Movement
www.lexingtonclub.com Productions, with DJs Astro,
Olga T, Rapture and Val G.
Boy Bar @ The Cafe specialty drinks, cafe seating,
Full Frontal Fridays at the special events each week,
renovated popular club. with frequent live acts,
Matt DJs, twinky boiz gogo $8-$15. 9pm to 3am.
dance. 9pm-2am. 2369 www.hotboxinthebay.com
Market St. at Castro.
www.cafesf.com Maniax
@ Public Works
Club Dragon New hybrid dance and
@ Club Eight electronic music event, with DJs Jay Santos, Jamie J Sanchez,
Weekly Asian gay dance club with frequent themed nights. Air Kyle and Liam Shy. $15-$20. 10pm-2am. 161 Erie St.
1151 Folsom St. at 7th. 431-1151. www.clubdragonsf.com www.publicsf.com www.sfmaniax.com
Latin Explosion @ Club 21, Oakland Meat Sluts @ Thee Parkside
Renovated gay Latin dance club (eight bars, more dance Female punk band performs, along with Reducers,
floors, lounge) shows off their hottests gogo studs. Happy Complaints and the Paper Bags. $7. 9pm. 1600 17th St.
hour 4pm-8:30pm. Dancing 9pm-4am. 2111 Franklin St. www.theeparkside.com
(510) 268-9425. www.club21oakland.com
Non-Stop Bhangra
Radar @ Trigger @ Rickshaw Stop
Enjoy dancing at the trendy Indian hiphop, drum-driven
Castro nightclub til 2am. DJed music, dance lessons, and
2344 Market St. performances by the Dholrhythms
www.clubtrigger.com Dance Troupe. $10-$20. 21+.
9:30pm-2am. 155 Fell St.
Salsa Club
www.rickshawstop.com
@ Cafe Cocomo
Same-sex dancing and
lessons with a live band. Sun 16➠
21+. 8:30pm-12am. Afternoon Delight
650 Indiana St. @ Deco Lounge
www.QueerBallroom.com Weekly Sunday T-dance with DJ
Pirate spinning 70s, 80s and new
Some Thing stuff. 21+. 4pm-8pm. 510 Larkin
@ The Stud St. www.decorsf.com
Wild weekly drag show
hosted by Glamamore. All-Male Amateur Strip
10pm-2am. 399 9th St. Show @ Deco Lounge
Bill Weaver

www.studsf.com Ginger Snap hosts the wild

Sundance, Sun. 16 and sexy night of newbies gettin’
nude. $100 cash prize!
Sat 15➠ DJ Lambchop spins tunes.
Big @ The Stud 510 Larkin St. at Turk. 346-2025. www.decosf.com

C
Monthly dance party for big men and their friends
(3rd Sundays). $5. 6pm-11am. 399 9th St.
www.phattestevents.com www.studsf.com

22 BAR★TAB • bartabsf.com • January 2011

Beer Bust @ SF Eagle Mon 17➠
The most popular daytime gay bar event in Northern
California, with benefits for local LGBT and AIDS charities Monday Night Smackdown @ Bloodhound
and organizations. $10 (for beer bust). 3pm-6pm. 12th St. at Football and food trucks blend each week in a beer and
Harrison. www.sfeagle.com cocktail night at the stylishly rustic mixed/gay-friendly bar.
1145 Folsom St at 7th. www.bloodhoundsf.com
Beer Bust @ Lone Star Saloon
Benefit for various local
charities each week. 4pm-8pm. Tue 18➠
1354 Harrison St. Buffy the Musical
www.lonestarsaloon.com @ Lone Star Saloon
Sing along to the hilarious musical
Cocktailgate @ Truck episode of Buffy the Vampire
Suppositori Spelling’s weekly Slayer. Comic book and toy prizes
wild drag show at the cute gay from Whatever Comics. 7pm-
bar. 10pm-ish-2am. 1900 15th 10pm. 1354 Harrison St. 863-9999.
St. 252-0306. www.trucksf.com
www.lonestarsaloon.com
Sundance Saloon
Butch Queen @ Delirium
@ Space 550 Joshua J. and Robert Jeffery’s
Sundance Saloon presents new weekly night for homos and
country-western dancing for friends. No cover. 10pm-2am.
the LGBT community and its 3139 16th St. at Guererro.
friends two night a week, every www.joshuajpresents.com
Sunday and Thursday. The club
is always packed with friendly Funny Tuesdays
urban cowboys and cowgirls @ Harvey’s
two-stepping and line dancing Ronn Vigh hosts the weekly LGBT
the night away. $5. 21+. and gay-friendly comedy night.
Sundays 5pm-10:30pm, lessons One-drink or menu item minimum.
5:30–7:15pm. Thursdays 9pm. 500 Castro St. at 18th.
6:30–10:30pm, lessons 7pm- Butch Queen, Tue. 18
431-HARV. www.harveyssf.com
8pm. 550 Barneveld Ave., near
Bayshore and Industrial.
www.sundancesaloon.org Paula West @ The Rrazz Room
Popular local singer performs with The George Mesterhazy
Sunday’s a Drag @ Starlight Room quartet on various nights for eight weeks thru Mar. 13.
Donna Sachet and Harry Denton host the weekly fabulous $35-$45. Mostly at 8pm. Check online schedule. 2-drink
brunch and drag show. $45. 11am, show at noon; 1:30pm, minimum. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. at Ellis.
show at 2:30pm. 450 Powell St. in Union Square. 395-8595. (800) 380-3095. www.therrazzroom.com
www.harrydenton.com
Tank @ Trigger
Swing-out Sundays @ Rock-it Room Muscle guy happy hour with DJs Hawthorne and James
Slim Jenkins and other bands play weekly for your same- and Torres. 7pm-10pm. 2344 Market St. 551-CLUB.
opposite-sex swing dancing pleasure. $5 includes a lesson. www.clubTrigger.com
8pm-11pm. 406 Clement St. www.SwingChampionships.com
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January 2011 • bartabsf.com • BAR★TAB 23

 eON THE TAB f
~
~from page 23 Fri 21➠
★ Latin Explosion @ Club 21, Oakland
Renovated gay Latin dance club (eight bars, more dance
Planet Booty, Fri. 21
floors, lounge) shows off their hottests gogo studs. Happy
hour 4pm-8:30pm. Dancing 9pm-4am. 2111 Franklin St.
(510) 268-9425. www.club21oakland.com

Planet Booty @ Café DuNord

Shake your booty with the Oakland-based whimsical white
funk groove band. Super Adventure Club opens. $12. 21+.
9:30pm. 2170 Market St. 861-5016. www.cafedunord.com

Shag Fridays @ Cafe Flore

Loungey fun in the center of gayville. $4 martinis; no cover.
10pm-2am. 2298 Market St. at Noe. 621-8579.
Radcliffe Photos

www.cafeflore.com

Shirts Off @ Truck

Take off your shirt and get $1.50 for draft beer. 8pm-10pm.
1900 Folsom St. at 15th. 252-0306. www.trucksf.com

Wed 19➠ Some Thing @ The Stud

A-List Martini Nights @ Bar TBA Wild weekly drag show hosted by Glamamore. 10pm-2am.
Ongoing popular weekly social and networking event for gay 399 9th St. www.studsf.com
men and their friends. Sign up to get invites to a different
bar each week. 9pm-12am. www.sfalist.com
Snap-a-Licious @ Deco Lounge
Ginger Snap’s fun drag show features Holotta Tymes, Mahlae
Fetish Nights @ Chaps II Balenciaga, Synergy, Kylie Minono and more. 10pm-2am. 510
Different kinks get their own nights once a month at the Larkin St. at Turk. www.decosf.com
intimate leather bar. Draft beer as low as $2. 9pm-2am. 1225
Folsom St. at 8th. 255-2427. Sat 22➠
www.chapsbarsanfrancisco.com
Hayes Valley Follies
Mary-Go-Round @ Marlena’s
@ The Lookout Weekly old-school drag show,
Cookie Dough, Suppositori hosted by Miss Galilea. 10pm.
Spelling and Pollo Del Mar No cover. 488 Hayes St. 864-
host a weekly drag show. $5. 6672. www.marlenasbarsf.com
10:30pm show. 3600 16th St.
at Market. www.lookoutsf.com Hot Box @ Bench
and Bar, Oakland
New weekly women’s night
Thu 20➠ produced by Movement
Beach Blanket Babylon Productions, with DJs Astro,
@ Club Fugazi Olga T, Rapture and Val G.
Musical comedy revue, now specialty drinks, cafe seating,
in its 35th year, with an ever- special events each week, with
changing lineup of political and frequent live acts, including
pop culture icons, all in gigantic prizes, giveaways, and holiday-
wigs. $25-$80. Wed, Thu 8pm. themed special events. Text
Fri, Sat 6:30, 9:30pm. Sun 2pm, 368638 for discounts on
5pm. (Beer/wine served; cash Snapalicious, Fri. 21 admission. $8-$15. 9pm to
only). 678 Beach Blanket 3am. www.hotboxinthebay.com
Babylon Blvd. 421-4222.
www.beachblanketbabylon.com
Go Bang @ Deco Lounge
Atomic disco dancefloor action returns to its first home, with
Juicy @ The White Horse, Oakland DJs Steve Fabus, Tres Lingerie and Sergio, plus guest DJs

1
Hip Hop, R&B and soul. 9pm. (karaoke, drag king shows Eddy Bauer and Freshstep. Special performance by Duplicity
other nights, too). 6551 Telegraph Ave. (510) 652-3820. Dilemma. $5. 9pm-3am-ish. 510 Larkin St.
www.whitehorsebar.com www.gobangsf.com www.decosf.com

24 BAR★TAB • bartabsf.com • January 2011

Pornstar @ Club Eight Tue 25➠
Andre Shannon presents a boxing-themed sexy night,
with porn studs Ricky Sinz and Race Cooper; DJ Derek Blue Room Comedy @ Club 93
Monteiro, gogo boxing boys and hostess Bebe Sweetbriar. Weekly adults-only jokes with host David Hawkins giving
Special invite-only upstairs lounge with Sinz DJing. $10. it a queer bent at the divey small bar. 10pm. 93 9th St.
9pm-3am. 1151 Folsom St. at Mission.
www.aspornstar.com
Butch Queen
Brian Greenberg, Sun. 23
@ Delirium
Sun 23➠ Joshua J. and Robert Jeffery’s
Brian Greenberg new weekly night for
homos and friends. No cover.
@ Café duNord
10pm-2am. 3139 16th St.
Hunky actor shares his folk-rock
at Guererro.
music skills with songs from
his CD Walk Away. $14. 8pm. www.joshuajpresents.com
All ages. 2170 Market St. 861- Ghost of a Saber Tooth
5016. www.cafedunord.com Tiger @ Café duNord
Sean Lennon and Charlotte
Jock @ The Lookout Kemp Muhl perform original
Afternoon schmooze and music. Laura Gibson opens.
booze, with door and $17. 8pm. All ages. 2170
donations benefiting gay Market St. 861-5016.
sports teams. $2. 3pm-8pm. www.cafedunord.com
3600 16th St. at Market. 431-
0306. www.lookoutsf.com Veronica Klaus
@ The Rrazz Room
Leche @ Trigger Local cabaret singer performs
New Sunday Latin T-dance, with Margaritas, tequila shots, a new show, “Lady Luck” with The Tammy Hall Trio. $25.
gogo studs and drag show by Sasha. 4pm-10pm. 2344 8pm. 2-drink minimum. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. at Ellis.
Market St. 675-9763. www.clubpapi.com (800) 380-3095. www.therrazzroom.com

Salsa Sunday @ El Rio Funny Tuesdays @ Harvey’s

Dance lessons and hot music at the neighbhorhood bar Ronn Vigh hosts the weekly LGBT and gay-friendly comedy
where everyone (over 21) is welcome. Free BBQ 3pm. Show night. One-drink or menu item minimum. 9pm. 500 Castro
4pm. $8. 3158 Mission St. at Cesar Chavez. www.elriosf.com St. at 18th. 431-HARV. www.harveyssf.com

C
Mon 24➠
Piano Bar 101 @ Martuni’s
Sing-along night with talented locals, and charming
accompanist Joe Wicht (aka Trauma Flintstone). 9pm. 4
Valencia St. at Market. www.dragatmartunis.com
Wed 26➠
Dream Queens Review
@ Aunt Charlie’s Lounge
Drag show each 2nd and 4th Wednesday at the classic
Tenderloin bar, hosted by Collette LeGrande-Ashton. No cover.
10pm. 133 Turk St. 441-2922. www.dreamqueensrevue.com

Page 26
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January 2011 • bartabsf.com • BAR★TAB 25

 eON THE TAB f Latin Explosion @ Club 21, Oakland
~
~from page 25 Renovated gay Latin dance club (eight bars, more dance
floors, lounge) shows off their hottests gogo studs. Happy
★ hour 4pm-8:30pm. Dancing 9pm-4am. 2111 Franklin St.
(510) 268-9425. www.club21oakland.com
Whatcha Doin’ Wednesdays @ Castro Bars
Monthly promotional events at Castro bars, with performances Some Thing @ The Stud
in Jane Warner Plaza. 7pm-11pm. Wild weekly drag show hosted by Glamamore. 10pm-2am.
399 9th St. www.studsf.com

Thu 27➠ Truck Wash @ Truck

This Charming Band, Live shower show with hot guys
Dead Souls This Charming
Band, Thu. 27 getting wet. 10pm-ish-2am. 1900
@ Rickshaw Stop 15th St. 252-0306.
Smiths and Joy Division cover www.trucksf.com
bands get your retro on. $5-
$7. 21+. 10pm-2am. 155 Fell
St. www.rickshawstop.com Sat 29➠
Bistroteque
Tubesteak Connection @ Cafe Flore
@ Aunt Charlie’s DJ Ken Vulsion of Honey
Lounge Soundsystem spins tunes. 8pm-
Retro tunes and retro cruisy 2am, $3 Cosmos & Lemon Drops;
crowd, each Thursday at the no cover. 10pm-2am. 2298
intimate historic bar. DJ Bus Market St. at Noe. 621-8579.
Station John plays records. www.cafeflore.com
$4. 10pm-2am.
133 Turk St. at Taylor.
www.auntcharlieslounge.com
Hayes Valley Follies @ Marlena’s
Weekly old-school drag show, hosted by Miss Galilea;
Fri 28➠ Patrice, Chika, Boy Name Sue, Tia Dora, Ana Mae Cox,
Nicki Starr. 10pm. No cover. 488 Hayes St. 864-6672.
Ghetto Disco @ The Endup www.marlenasbarsf.com
DJs Hawthorne and guests
spin dance grooves til dawn. Squrrrl @ the Stud
$15-$20. Free before 12am. New monthly night from the
11pm-6am. 401 6th St. at ZooSF guys. 9pm-2am. 399 9th
Harrison. 646-0999. St. at Harrison.
www.theendup.com www.studsf.com

Hard @ Q Bar Hot Box @ Bench

Electro pop dance night at the and Bar, Oakland
intimate Castro bar-club, with New weekly women’s night
DJ Haute Toddy. 9pm-2am. produced by Movement
456 Castro St. Productions, with DJs Astro,
www.QbarSF.com Olga T, Rapture and Val G.
specialty drinks, cafe seating,
Hedda Lettuce special events each week, with
@ The Rrazz Room frequent live acts, including
Witty New York drag comic prizes, giveaways, and holiday-
and Queen of Green “Gives themed special events. Text
Great Hedda” in a gay 368638 for discounts on
night of jokes and songs. admission. $8-$15. 9pm to 3am.
$25. 10:30pm. Also Jan. 29, www.hotboxinthebay.com
10:30pm. 2-drink minimum.
Hedda Lettuce, Fri. 28
Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. at
Ellis. (800) 380-3095.
Sun 30➠
Beer Bust @ SF Eagle
www.therrazzroom.com
The most popular daytime gay
bar event in Northern California, with benefits for local LGBT
and AIDS charities and organizations. $10 (for beer bust).
3pm-6pm. 12th St. at Harrison. www.sfeagle.com

26 BAR★TAB • bartabsf.com • January 2011

 Some Thing, Sat. 29

Beer Bust @ Lone Star Saloon

Benefit for various local charities each week. 4pm-8pm.
1354 Harrison St. www.lonestarsaloon.com

Cocktailgate @ Truck
Suppositori Spelling’s weekly wild drag show at the cute
gay bar. 10pm-ish-2am. 1900 15th St. 252-0306.
www.trucksf.com

Sunday’s a Drag @ Starlight Room

Donna Sachet and Harry Denton host the weekly fabulous
brunch and drag show. $45. 11am, show at noon; 1:30pm,
show at 2:30pm. 450 Powell St. in Union Square. 395-8595.
www.harrydenton.com

Mon 31➠
Monday Night Smackdown @ Bloodhound
Football and food trucks blend each week in a beer and
cocktail night at the stylishly rustic mixed/gay-friendly bar.
1145 Folsom St at 7th. www.bloodhoundsf.com

Sacred Cocktails @ The Lookout

Religious discussion group for LGBT Christians and others.
Free. 8pm-9pm. 3600 16th St. 2nd floor.

For updated events, bar listings, and more

go to www.BARtabSF.com.

Like us on Facebook! (BARtabSF)

Send your February events to
bartabsf@ebar.com Deadline is January 17.

www.bartabsf.com
 eBARchivef
★
courtesy Jack Fritscher

Randy Johnson interviews an Endup jock strap

contestant in the film J. Brian’s Flashbacks.

Jim Provenzano
(Above) Michael Blue and Jerome Caja at
Club Uranus in 1990. (Right) A festive
gogo guy at the Endup’s Club Uranus in 1990.

HAPPY ENDUPSd
by Jim Provenzano

T
he Endup, one of San Francisco’s oldest into their first porn films.
nightclubs, has managed to endure 38 years Full sex scenes were shot elsewhere, not in the club,
of tumultuous history while maintaining its and the film had to be retitled J. Brian’s Flashbacks.
popularity. “The Endup is to San Francisco what According to Drummer Editor and gay historian
San Francisco is to America,” wrote Jack Fritscher, whose erotic fiction
columnist Camper English of the was the story source for the film, “Al
South of Market club known for its Parker threw a hissy fit because he was
all-night weekend parties. producing his own film, Flashbacks.”
Opened in 1973 by Al Hankin, the 1980 saw the start of a morning
Endup’s translucent dance floor and dance party called The Church.
gay patrons made it a quick success, Veteran DJ Steve Fabus, who currently
as did its popular Sunday afternoon co-DJs the monthly Go Bang, recalled
wet jock strap gogo dance contests. the festive era when attendees of the
The contests and the club were made nearby Trockadero Transfer and the
famous in Armistead Maupin’s 1976 local bath houses wanted to extend
novel Tales of the City, when Michael their revels past dawn; thus the rise of
“Mouse” Tolliver enters the contest all-night dance club events.
(the later PBS film version, however, The onset of the devastation of
used the Kilowatt club on 16th Street the AIDS epidemic saw the club’s
for locations). A 1974 Bay Area Reporter ad
expansion to include straight nights,

12
The jock strap contest was also for the Endup and some mixed nights proved at the
included in the gay porn film partially time confusing to patrons. After the
shot in 1981 at the club by J. Brian, AIDS death of owner Hankin, his
who, in between occasionally judging the contest, cocaine-abusing (and selling) brother Helmut took
coaxed contestants like Leo Ford and Ron Pearson over, until his suspicious gun accident death in 1993.

28 BAR★TAB • bartabsf.com • January 2011

 Surviving manager Doug
Whitmore spun the club’s
bankruptcy into a 1993 swindle
that eventually led to his
robbing the club’s bank account
of $160,000 and fleeing the
city, only to return three years
later, where he kidnapped and
murdered Carl, the last Hankin
brother.
Despite these tragedies, the
club endured into the 1990s,
where a new generation of self-
proclaimed queers and freaks
defined the club kid era. They
made Club Uranus (1989-1992)
a popular gay event, in between
varied mixed and straight
nights. Promoter Michael Blue,
DJ Lewis Walden, and artist Jerome Caja hosted
the wild nights, which included performances by
Trauma Flintstone, Diet Popstitute, Pussy Tourette
and Leigh Crowe as Elvis Herselvis.
But it was the Miss Uranus pageant that gave the
night an infamous reputation for outrageous shows,
in particular an act by drag performer “Betty” (later
co-author of a popular San Francisco gay traveler’s
guide) that involved a Habitrail, a hampster, and a
precariously-placed carrot stick.
The subsequent Klub
Dekadance furthered the
queer and drag ambiance. Into
the 2000s, DJs specializing in
house, techno and other styles
broadened the club’s popularity.
That popularity led over-
zealous policeman Dennis
Martel to close the club (and
1015 Folsom) for more than a
month in 1999 over violations.
After complaints, Martel was
later transferred. The upshot of
that led to the Entertainment
Jim Provenzano
Commission, which works
toward reasonable nightclub
permit regulations.
With its ample patio, late
hours and a diverse focus led by its six new owners
in 2005, The Endup has since won several local “Best
of ” media awards. Current nights like Sunday Mass,
Phonic and the weekly Friday night Ghetto Disco
focus on music that transcends sexual orientation. ✸
Sources: Wikipedia entry; “Thirty Years
of the Endup,” by Camper English,
San Francisco Bay Guardian, Nov. 11, 2003
 eBEST OF '10f
~Photos by Steven Underh
ill~

If a local event was full of fun and

fab celebs, ace photographer Steven
Underhill was probably there.
Here’s a small selection of a few of
our favorite snaps from 2010.

30 BAR★TAB • bartabsf.com • January 2011