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Boogie Nights

[whitespace] Monday

Density
This drum 'n' bass weekly has pulled through an amazing amount of high-caliber UK talent, enabling SF to check out many DJs they have never had a chance to see before. Resident DJs Noel and Al Simmons keep the super funk flowing on local nights, and the club recently reinforced their sound system. At Justice League, 9pm, $3. (DM)

Joy
Got the Monday blues? Don't sweat it--or, rather, sweat it all out on the dance floor. Every Monday night, Joy unveils itself as the Prozac of nightlife, there to sweep away (or at least delay) the post-weekend come-downs. Not only is this club joyous with its gay boys, fag hags and sex kittens of all sorts, but it couldn't get any tighter. The small room is bursting with the hip, gorgeous and amiable, and as a bonus they're all locals. No Bridge and Tunnel element on a Monday night, so you--and 50 of your closest friends--can soak up all that deep, groovy house without interference. DJ Travis resides. At Liquid, 8pm, $2. (JD)

Movin On Up
DJs Mark Anthony, Kevin West and Dmitri serve up dishy house beats with lots of diva and groove. Even on a Monday, the floor is packed with swooning hips from the neighborhood--friendly and up for it, as is typical with crowds at the Top. The drinks are strong, so better to just go with it and start your week off with a big kick in the ever-shaking bootie. At The Top, 10pm, $3. (GD)

Soul Cafe
Resident DJs Jerry Ross and Benito Taylor host Soul Cafe, spinning R&B, soul and hip-hop. Early DJs Daniela and Soulflexin' make going out tonight mandatory. For anyone over the Monday night seen, Soul Cafe answers that long-asked question, "Where are all the fine brothers at in this city?" At 540 Valencia, $5, 9:30pm-2am, 415.864.2419. (CF)


Tuesday

Element
Backflip invites everyone in the know to sit back, relax and indulge in surprise treats and feats as DJs Dom and JP tantalize all of the senses, spinning break beats, drum 'n' bass and jungle. At Backflip, $2, 10pm-2am.

Phuncktion
Rewind to the daze of Phunckateck at The Top. DJs Noel and Juju of the Phunckateck crew are aimed and ready to rock Lower Haight's favorite hangout with their inventive West Coast sound. Expect a lot of original tracks to drop. Keep an eye out for out-of-town guests and appearances from the rest of their strong crew. At The Top DJ Bar, 10pm, $5. (DM)

Static
Static has a massive list of resident DJs, including tomas, Sifu, Joe Rice, reach, bread, Quantum 23, Sutekh, Safety Scissors, Sean Murray and J-Bird. Two systems and two rooms feature techno and drum 'n' bass. They also mix it up with other sounds of the underground and feature guests and record-release parties. At Cat Club, 10pm, $5. (DM)

Trannyshack
The infamous drag show in all its atypical raunch and splendor rings in the midnight hour every Tuesday, as it has for four years now. Glorious hostess Heklina keeps the crowds coming in droves with her bevy of queens, exhibitionists of all sorts, and, of course, trannies, as they bring their libidinous alter-egos to stage. The mob's excited, the drink specials flow, and the wallet runs empty fast on this fun night for the brave-hearted. San Francisco hasn't lost its funk yet, honey. At Stud, 10pm, $4. (JD)


Wednesday

Audible Colors
Changing weekly formats is a fresh new idea and definitely a successful one for this club. Bug 'n' Out offers you the best in house music one week and drum 'n' bass the next, rotating on a regular basis. You may check out house DJs playing drum 'n' bass and vice versa. There is a great flow of energy present. It's the kind of place you stop off for a short visit and end up staying all night. At The Top DJ Bar, 10pm, $5. (DM)

Bondage A Go Go
Satisfy all your desires at San Francisco's longest running B/D S/M club with exacting attention from masters and mistresses dying to please. Get smacked around by Hawk in the whipping dungeon or frolic in the play pen while front-room DJ Viper spins goth, rock and alternative. Strut your stuff to the back room and join transgender go-go dancers in DJs Matt and Damon the Demon's electro-industrial, new wave orgy. Don't miss fetish fashion shows and kinky theme nights. Ladies handcuffed to the bar drink free from 9-10pm. The Cat Club, 1190 Folsom Street, 10pm, $5 fetish wear, $7 club wear, $10 street clothes. (ABN)

Deep Inside
A basement party full of love, sweat and a pulsating house beat. Club 1015, 10pm-4:30am, 415.281.0544, $8. (MS)

Horror Business
Goths, Greasers and New Gravers abound at this celebration of rock & roll macabre. Scare yourself as DJs Max and Corey spin rock & roll's darkest secrets. Let the gory days begin with everything from glam to punk, Olympia to power violence, and a generous headbanging dose of death metal. Cafe Du Nord, $6, every other week, 9pm. (ABN)

Indulgence
A largely society and international crowd oozing with dough comes to party in the most gorgeous space in the city, the decadent 21st-floor Starlight Room. Champagne chills on every other table, the room is lush with burgundy velvet, burnished gold and fabulous views, and DJ Bruce spins an uplifting mix of house and funked-up disco. At The Starlight Room, 10pm, $5. (MG)

Off the Hook
A midweek sure shot. Doped-up with slick sensation Lady Sergio, a refreshingly unpretentious mixed crowd rearing to kick it. DJ Derek and Lady Base attention grab with a clever, groovable mix of hip-hop, funk, freestyle, electro and '80s rarities. A madly progressive house party, with a pumping, clear-as-ice sound system and plenty of candle-lit concrete jungle space to stomp in style. Club Six, 10pm-2am, 21+, $3. (ABN)

Pausativity
Always on target, this weekly hip-hop club is put on by resident DJs J-Boogie, Pause and Zeph. Knowledgeable about the authentic hip-hop sound, this crew showcases out-of-town and local talent to heat up the dance floor with realism and respect for the true sound. Old school and new school mix for success. At Justice League, 9pm, $5. (DM)

Qool
Lines out the door have deemed this party exclusive as of late (sometimes only those with much-sought-after membership cards are granted entry). But the gig isn't by any means pretentious--it's just a bunch of art students and SOMA workers shaking their hips like mad to release the day's stresses amid trippy visuals, pint specials and a bloody good vibe. DJs Spesh, Hyper D, Gil and various rotating technicians spin techno, house and trance to a happy-hour dance floor packed with people getting down even before the sun does. At 111 Minna, 5-9pm, free-$5. (GD)

The Salon Sessions
What better way to change your image than after a few stiff drinks? The Blood and Butter girls have teamed up with various salons and varied themes (punk rock, white trash, royalty, Speakeasy chic) to give you a make-over while you prepare for a hangover. Come dressed in theme spirit and get in free. The ever-cute DJ Otter spins vinyl as if he were the jukebox of the gods. Consistently a thrill. At Beauty Bar, 2299 Mission St, 9pm-2am, $3. (MS)

Seance
Soothe your spirit at this New Agey night with chilled-out ambient sounds, belly dancers, tarot readers and henna tattoo artists. Downtempo drum 'n' bass and trip-hop, courtesy of DJs Anna, Alika, Xanax, Saucer, Toph 1 and guests. At Backflip, 8pm, $5. (MG)


Thursday

Body and Soul
Resident DJs Reda, Yuri and Almir take you to a place of pleasure with their irresistibly sexy beats. At Backflip, 10pm, $5. (MS)

Eklektic
The longest-running jungle night in the city, Eklektic is also the best. At this night run by the demure dMarie of Groundscore Productions, the two floors of Rico's (which serves pizza by day) teem with breakdancers and junglists. Felix the Dog and DJ guests serve up breaks and downtempo grooves, while the floorboards creak on the second-level loft with the hard-stomping drum 'n' bassers getting down in a serious manner to Sage and other spin doctors and guest MCs. Couches and wall art are littered sporadically about the space for your chill-out time, after you've done one headspin too many. At Rico's, 10pm, $7-$10. (JD)

Rx
DJs kisskiss and bangbang spin eclectic rock & roll as you sip a martini while getting a manicure. A stellar crowd tired of repetitious beats poses and flirts its way through one of San Francisco's newest nights. Join them. At Beauty Bar, 2299 Mission St, 9pm-2am, free. (MS)

Faith
Blackstone Productions' 1-year-old club still has the crowd rocking and raving to San Francisco's only 18-and-over gay dance club. A full bar is available for those who qualify (or just want to ogle). Faith is a house and R&B spectacular of boys, girls, men, women, club kids, he-men, she-men, buff bods and raving lunatics. It's tough making rent when you're young, so take a night off from your job at Burger Barn and celebrate. At 715 Harrison, $10, 9:30pm-3am, 415.487.6616. (MS)

Kit Kat
DJ Jellybear pairs with resident DJs Garth, John Howard and Simon for an eclectic mix of house music and home-friendly beats. Luscious and lean ladies jiggle with b-boys and muscled queens. At The EndUp, 10pm, $10. (MS)

1984
Kiddies at this club do the safety dance to "Hey Mickey," "Don't You Want Me, Baby" and hits galore from pop's golden yesteryear. Nostalgia breeds money, crowds and sometimes a little fun happiness, as is the case with 1984. Wall to wall smiling material girls and boys run this joint, where you can pogo to Poi Dog Pondering or cage dance to the Cars. You'd have to be from another planet not to recognize the music, but if you're into the cyclical rock & roll thing, this place manages to replay the glory days with more style than your corner market. At The Cat Club, 9pm-2am, 21+, $5. (ABN)

Pan Dulce
After a tasty Asian-fusion meal served up hot by ladies in drag (who strut their stuff on the bar cum catwalk at some point during the meal), head to the basement where club beats will do their best to follow up the spice. Sultry samba boys and merengue men pack the dance floor skin-to-skin while rotating DJs get their heated decks heavy in wet Latin beats. At Asia SF, 10pm, $6. (JD)


Friday

Abstract Science
Margins of activity where genres cease to matter. Hip-hop compounds and new directions in sound. These promoters give it up artistically, pushing the maximum vibe. At 111 Minna Street Gallery, third Fri monthly, 9pm, $6-$7. (DM)

Bardot A Go Go
Forget Nancy Sinatra and Strawberry Alarm Clock. The real heart of '60s psychedelia was French. Reclaim your Gallic roots with DJs Pink Frankenstein, Brother Grimm and Alec from Cherry Blossom as they play an otherworldly mix of '60s French pop, garage-rock, psych, sexy soundtracks and sleazy listening. Microminis and shaggy hair optional. At Club Cocodrie, 9pm-2am, free before 10 pm, $10 after. (MS)

Dollhouse/Club Red
Friday is ladies' night at the Stud, with parties for women, womyn and the wombyn who love them. At Stud, 10pm, $5. (MS)

Fag Friday
It's hot, young and male at this duo of all night parties which traditionally start the cruiser/dancer/clubbers' weekend. Find a friend, find a steady beat, find a cab and you're all set. Unlike later in the weekend, when clubgoers lose their capacity for speech and their energy to think, Fridays at the EndUp feature the witty repartee and comely camaraderie you'd expect from fellow travelers on the highway to hell. At EndUp, 10pm Fri-3pm Sat, $7. (MS)

Earth
Who would have thought to disguise a gay rodeo bar as an interstellar rave warehouse. Cowboy hats and beer signs compete with black-lit, glowing planets and heavy techno. Meet the man of your dreams here, but be prepared--he'll be dressed like a mere boy. Wide-legged pants, sun visors and trainers abound. Girls do not. At Rawhide Bar, 280 Seventh St, 9pm-2am, $5. (MS)

Indochine

Nothing can stop the flow of alcohol and arrivistes at this weekly Le Colonial bash. Lines form down the block, but inside the bar they disappear quickly as waitresses cater to your every toast-of-the-town whim. High fashion collides with the high life of San Francisco at this decadent and exclusive night. At 721 Sutter St, 9pm-2am, $15. (MS)

MAZE
Bringing you the best in local and international tribal techno trance, MAZE is presented by XLR8R Magazine and underground party crew Silly. With two dance floors and a chill room. At 550 Barneveld, third Fri monthly, 10pm-6am, $10. (DM)

Nikita
The creators of your four-day workweek bring you the best in house and techno from around the globe. Resident DJs Jeno, Jerry Bonham, Simon and David Michael rock a packed house of clubbers who dance their asses off till 6am. Decompress in the basement of Nikita for slamming drum 'n' bass action. At Club 1015, 10pm, $10. (DM)

Owen Presents
The walls don't expand one bit in this dance hole, but that doesn't stop the children from arriving in droves. Pumped up on Vodka/Red Bulls, they dance skin-to-skin to heart-tugging house tunes mixed up by cute and talented DJs from SF and abroad. Spun, Mark E Quark and Garth are among the talented many who stop by for an occasional test-spin and never fail to rev up that dance engine. Stopping a party like this at 2am should definitely be illegal. At Top, 9:30pm-2am, $5. (GD)

Physics
Gravitate to this electro fusion spot. Rotating residents Apollo, Felix the Dog, Jahyzer and M3 spin the spectrum: reggae, hip-hop, house, new sku breaks, funk, and drum and bass. Weekly guest DJs and live bands including the dynamic Fuzebox. Dancers and visual artists provide atomic eye-candy. A bang sure to be big. At Justice League, 9pm- 2am, 21+, Friday, $10. (CF)

The Powder Room
The mysterious and all-powerful DJ Otter gets his own night at Beauty Bar. The Powder Room brings the West of Mission area back to the bar, with piercings and tattoos competing with exiled aristocracy and plenty of boys. The decrepit glamour of it all is enough to make one's head spin. It's winter and, once again, it's snowing in the Mission. At Beauty Bar, 2299 Mission St, 9pm-2am, free. (MS)

Stir-Friday
A welcome to the weekend happy hour event hosted by Maneesh the Twister, Sang and JSAB. Local DJs surrounded with great art share their favorite tunes with the bar regulars and the artsy SOMA workers, who pop by for a cold beer or a glass of wine. At 111 Minna, 6-9pm, free. (DM)

Square
Uber-promoters Martel and Nabiel host this Friday night party at the newly opened, luxurious Ruby Skye. Complete with walk-in humidor and smoking lounge, this sumptuous space throbs with the beat and heat of performance artists, DJs and the grinding bodies of the international revelers who gather to see and be seen. At Ruby Skye, 9pm-2am, 21+, $15. (SM)

Transmission
On the second Friday of every month, THUMP RADIO presents its bass-heavy, gay-friendly, down-tempo, psychedlic, international trance, jungle, techno, drum 'n' bass, and things that go THUMP in the night party. At 550 Barneveld, $15, 10pm-2am. (CF)


Saturday

Carpe Noctem
Mercury's three floors of decadence attract a wide array of voyeurs, VIPs and the very sexy and stylish. Prepare for a tough door policy and an even tougher dress code at Saturday's premier night of decadence and glamour. 1980s house and pop dominate the downstairs feather lounge in the early hours, eventually giving way to deep house, funk and bass-heavy hop courtesy of resident DJs Mikey Mike and Jorge Martinez. At Mercury, 9:30pm-after hours; $10. (MS)

Housepitality
Rocking house beats keep the dancers on the floor till the plug is pulled, and mixtures of all other forms of music in the Insect Lounge make for a popular party. This is the kind of party where you run into many people you know and see people of all walks of life getting down to the sound of the underground. First and third Sat monthly, Pier 50, $10, 3pm-4am, 415.273.5449. (DM)

La Belle Époque
Join residents wishfm, Mikebee and Sea for a soiree consisting of earth, wind and bass vibrations. They have built a steady following and the floor is a sweaty mass of junglism. Enjoy urban rhythms at happy hour 7-10pm with DJs Fiction, Dom and Effect. At The Top DJ Bar, 9pm, $5. (DM)

Lush
One of the few nights at this speakeasy-style club that's not just for girls. Andrew Ableson hosts this stylish lounge where young sophisticates relax to modish pop and orchestral retro ephemera. Some nights feature cabaret acts. At CoCo club, 10pm, $5. (MG)

Push
Six is resurrected from the dead--or at least its various legal entanglements--with Push. Expect lines around the block and a 54-esque attitude among those in queue for one of the city's best nights out. DJs Mouse, Travis, Matt Valenz and Chris Orr are back for a party so hot, the walls sweat. At Six, 9pm. (MS)

Release
Without Release, there would be an even more severe shortage of nights in the city to boogie till dawn to some of the most renowned DJs on the planet spinning alongside San Francisco's own talented pool. The venue's sound system is mighty, and the night's promoters (Martel and Nabiel) have been a part of the scene for yonkers. Despite the constant barrage of threats Ten 15 itself receives from the SFPD, the peeps don't hesitate in shaking it there until sunrise. Its six rooms ooze with everything from trip-hop and house to jungle and '70s funk, and the heat is always high (and squishy). Plenty of meat on the market for those wanting a shag. Plenty of crowds if you'd rather just get lost in the music. At Club 1015, 10pm, $15. (JD)

Sophie's Soul Food
The ever-popular Page Hodel presents her newest night, this time mixing classic R&B with vocal-heavy house and remixes of current soul luminaries such as Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu and Blackstreet. Two rooms, endless fun. At The Cat Club, 10pm, $10. (MS)

Sugar
A trendy, mellow house night featuring DJs Lewis, Ellen Ferrato and Chip McClure. Sashaying drag queens mix with flannel-clad pinball players. Produced by Creampuff magazine, the party is gay but breeder-friendly. At The Stud, 9 pm, $5. (MG)

Universe
For four years running, Universe has embodied San Francsico's re-embrace of the pectoral aesthetic. Throngs of muscle boys curiously energized check their a-line T-shirts at the coat check and dance till dawn to deep house, progressive and garage, courtesy of DJs Jamie-J. Blackstone and David Harness. At Club Townsend, 9:30pm-7am, $12. (MS)


Sunday

Beatsauce
DJs J-Boogie, Wisdom and RawB host SF's most popular hip-hop radio show 8-10pm on KUSF-FM (90.3) or online at kusf.org. (DM)

Pleasuredome
For those who believe that a raucous weekend does not end until 6am Monday, Pleasuredome is the consummate place to be. Hottie gay boys bump and grind with no sign of letting up to the hard-driving house sounds of Ruben Mancias and Neil Lewis. At Club Townsend, 9pm-6am, $7. (AN)

Spundae
Join the diverse crowd at this long-running Sunday all-night party. Education through electronic dance music occurs in five different rooms hosting five different sounds. They feature highly respected big name talent and local beatpalayas as well. At Club 1015, 10pm, $10. (DM)

Sugarpussies
Sugarpussies features hip-hop, house and everything in between. Occasional live vocals from Shobhan will freshen the mix, and on opening night, extra goodies thrown in like live vocal coming from both Shobhan and Shanan. At Hi-Fi Lounge, 2125 Lombard, 9pm - 2am. (MS)

T-Dance
A San Francisco tradition. This Sunday daytime club is packed with the city's most hardcore partiers, tweakers and adventure seekers. Exhilarating depravity. At The EndUp, 5am-10pm; $5. (MG)

THUMP RADIO
Best of trance, techno, drum 'n' bass, and house. Tune in to hear DJs from around the world in your own backyard. At 2 PM KUSF-FM. (CF)


The Clubs

26Mix, 3024 Mission, 415.248.1319
asia sf, 201 Ninth St., 415.255.2742
Backflip, 601 Eddy St., 415.771.FLIP
Beauty Bar, 2299 Mission, 415.285.0323
The Blue Room, 550 Barneveld, 415.550.1388
Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market St., 415.861.5016
Cat Club, 1190 Folsom St., 415.431.3332
Club Cocoderie, 1024 Kearney St., 415.986.6678
Club 1015, 1015 Folsom St., 415.431.1200
Club Townsend, 177 Townsend St., 415.974.1156
CoCo Club, 139 Eighth St., 415.626.6772
EndUp, Sixth and Harrison Sts., 415.357.0827
Il Pirata, 2007 16th St., 415.626.2626
Justice League, 628 Divisadero St., 415.289.2038
King Street Garage, 174 King St., 415.974.1156
Liquid, 2925 16th St., 415.431.8889
McCarthy's, 2327 Mission St., 415.648.0504
Nicki's Barbecue, 460 Haight St., 415.621.6508
111 Minna Street, 111 Minna St., 415.974.1719
Ruby Skye, 420 Mason St., 415.693.0777
Six, 60 Sixth St., 415.863.1221
Starlight Room, Sir Francis Drake Hotel, 450 Powell St., 415.979.3031
Storyville, 1751 Fulton St., 415.441.1751
The Stud, Ninth and Harrison Sts., 415.252.7883
The Top DJ Bar, 484 Haight St., 415.864.7386
Trax, 1437 Haight St., 415.863.4275
Up & Down Club, 1151 Folsom St., 415.626.2388



Reviews by Alyssa Nitchun (AN), Cory Feldman (CF), dmarie (DM), J-Diggah (JD), Sarah Mueller (SM), Michelle Goldberg (MG) and Michael Stabile (MS).

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From the April 17, 2000 issue of the Metropolitan.

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