we be clubbin’…

photo from Rollo&Grady

28 august 2010.

went clubbing last week.  can’t believe i forgot to write about it. at this new job, i’m asked WAY more often about nightlife.  and back in the day (oh, maybe 2006) i used to go out a lot more. i happened to be off on friday and saturday night, so to sharpen my skills, i went clubbing.  for research.

thursday i went to 1984 at the CatClub.  ’80s night.  it’s high energy in there.  good times… for about 20 minutes. top 40 music in the front, and new wave in the back.   there were more people in the back room, because the front room DJ was playing horrible stuff like Mr. Mister and Steve Winwood.  (dear mr. DJ: just because the song was released in the ’80s doesn’t mean that it was a hit in the ’80s. you should know better–you’re an old fuck who was alive during the ’80s, unlike a lot of the young twentysomethings that are on the dancefloor) Anyway, the back room was more full, because of the new wave party going on back there. it seemed that several groups of people knew each other, and they were older.   i came to the conclusion that it was:  a) someone’s 40th birthday party; or b) a highschool reunion.   both of which were perfect explanations.  i am brilliant.

i left there and rode around town for a little, trying to find the hotspot.  and apparently, there was none.  as cosmopolitan as we think we are in SanFrancisco, we’re a sleepy town, and, honestly, this aint vegas.

i eventually wound my way to theCastro, and popped into some of the cluuuuubs there. there were lotsa drunkies stumbling outta trigger, in the midst of full-on drama. theCafe was hoppin. with latinos and the men who love them.  and the standby,  SFBadlands, was pretty packed–but it always is.

friday night i got myself onto several guest lists.

first i went out to dinner with @theSeedling at LeColonial. good food, good company, good times.   (and it was freeeee. i heart being a concierge.)

anyway, it was 10:30 when i walked her to the BART station.  as i was walking home, i had this vision that i’d go out to the places that i got onto the guest list.

i get to temple at 10:45 and there’s a line outside.  it’s free before 11pm, so that makes sense. it’s a good scam they play–they held the line until about 10:57, and by the time i made it to the front, it was 11:07 and the bouncer dude told me that free admission was before 11:00 so cover is now $20.  excellent scam.

the cluuuuub itself is kinda cool.  main floor is big and white, decorated with lots of buddhas, and an elevated VIP section.  house music and drum&bass rules the main floor.  and people seem more interested in watching the DJ than dancing.  i think the night that i went, it was a super-ultra-special-populaire DJ who plays house music.

two separate rooms downstairs. the white white white room with the glowing lights is all about techno-electronica. and that flows into the cave-looking room, which is more pop-hiphop-mashup-fun.

the crowd is… ok.  they’re definitely not as ghetto as the crowd at infusion lounge.

after about an hour, i left.  and i randomly, ran into jamie from Soluna. we chatted for a bit. and then i went down the street to eve lounge.  i’ve been there before, and i like the decor in there. it seems like a bordello; or a brothel. there are giant art deco-y vintage portraits of women on the walls. it reminds me a lot of harlot. apparently, on this night, you must be asian to go there. was only in there for a few minutes.

then i went to ManorWest. this place is kooooool.  a bit more upscale.  the women wore dresses, (but that’s what women wear clubbing.)  and the guys–many were wearing neckties, or blazers, or vests, or scully caps, or something cool.  not formal, but everyone was DRESSED. and stylish.  much better than the bootcut jeans/square-toed shoes/untucked striped shirt situation that guys always seem to wear when they go out.   the place was crackin’.  there were groups of friends in the VIP section, dancing on the banquettes and upper platforms.  flashbulbs popping. great mashup music. bottle service. it felt like vegas, circa 2006!  good times!

[where: 94102]