Mission Mission

You would think there would be more gay events in the Mission. Most of the rest of America would call the boys here “fags”. Statistically speaking, a lot of them probably are.

So good thing Bill of TransAm Presents tells us:

I throw a gay rock ‘n’ roll dance party called Sissy Fit every month at Sub Mission (usually 3rd Saturday but it varies sometimes)….  The Mission may be hipster central, but it’s a veritable no-man’s-land for gays.  We’re hoping to build that bridge with Sissy Fit.  Every month features two DJs spinning post-punk, punk, classic hardcore and jagged new wave, plus a live band and some Trannyshack-style drag performances.

I never thought I’d see a flyer for a gay dance club that had a pale skinny dude in lieu of some ultra-tanned hunk with an 8-pack, but hey it’s 2010! Seriously though, that shit is offensive towards men. If you don’t like working out or drinking protein shakes that’s cool with us. Love your bodies, fellas.

The Dave Hillyard Rocksteady 7 is playing tomorrow afternoon at Bender’s. Heard of it? It’s on 19th and South Van Ness and they don’t serve fried pickles anymore. They start at 3:30pm and will play until about 6:30pm.

You may recognize the group from that Give ‘em the Boot Vol.1 Hellcat compilation that everyone had in high school. Expect some old school instrumental ska and rocksteady sounds with a heaping of jazzy improvisation.

Dave is the sax player for the Slackers, a great NYC ska/rocksteady/reggae group that everyone tried to sound like (including me!). He will be joined by percussionist Larry McDonald, a Jamaican legend who played with pretty much everybody that mattered (no big deal, just the Skatalites, Bob Marley, Toots and the Maytals, and Lee Perry to name a few). The group will be filled out with members of Hepcat and the English Beat! It’s an all-star lineup all the way.

The 19-year-old rude boy in me is losing his shit right now. Caution: you can’t hang your Vespa up on the bike racks at Bender’s.

Kally Price is an amazing local jazz singer in the Billie Holiday and early blues tradition. She’s one of the most soulful and sincere singers in the bay area; you’ll get none of that mom-friendly Diana Krall business that Yoshi’s tries to shove down your throat. This stuff is more grandma-friendly. Face it, your grandparents were way cooler than your parents.

She starts at 9pm at goes till 12:30 at Revolution Cafe (or as I call it “little Amsterdam”) on 22nd and Bartlett. No cover charge so be sure to get your drink on and toss a fiver in the tip jar. We spotted Broke-Ass Stuart there last night so you know it’s affordable.

Check out this video I shot of her singing one of her originals at Amnesia a while ago:

Or if you’re looking for something more heavy:

The loosely-mission based post-punky new band La Corde are playing a show tonight in the mission opening for Crime Desire and OK?

Sub-Mission is on Mission and 18th. It shares space with Taqueria El Balazo. It’s one of those rare all-ages punk venues in a warehouse-y space. Don’t you miss having your mom drop you off at the Gilman and changing into your studded jean jacket while your best friend spiked your hair with Elmer’s glue in the parking lot? I do.

The Knockout, a club known for a 90′s music night that you may have heard of (and for which I hold a completely neutral opinion), is having a swell show tonight.

Opening the night will be the Sarees, an all-girl psychedelic garage group driven by a goddamned electric sitar. That’s right, while you were just talking about how you “need to get a sitar because you’re down with eastern sounds and pretty good at guitar and they’ll like basically the same thing, right?” Michele actually did it and uses it in a real awesome band. On top of that, there is a Wong (drummer Jasmyn) in the group… and you can’t go Wong with a Wong.

Afterwards, stick around the spooky fever-dream folk of Marabelle Phoenix and country stylings of Tobyn Clark while sipping a tall-boy of Tecate.

Shows starts at 9:30 and costs 6 bucks.

P.S. If you’re a girl and you really have to go to the bathroom and find yourself in the men’s room, wait for a stall… trust me on this one.

The Bay Taper just put up some beautiful clips of a recent performance at the Red Poppy Art House by Erik Jekabson Quartet which I am just loving this afternoon. The group also features one of my favorite guitarists Mike Abraham and saxaphonist Dayna Stephens. You can catch most of these guys regularly every Wednesday at Amnesia‘s Micheal Abraham Session at 10pm.

If you don’t follow the Bay Taper, it’s amazing. I have no idea how one guy is able to so much. Studio-quality recording of live performance, stunning high resolution pictures, and HD video of local jazz shows.

Seriously, who the fuck brings a live Phish CD to a house party?

I hope that NYE was a omen for 2010, meaning that, unlike last year, I’ll have a solid time without being continuously roadhoused.

I saw this on Eater this morning and had myself a laugh.  Then I realized this wasn’t a joke and felt bad, kinda like I just laughed at the Mission’s latest special-needs restaurant.  But seriously, what’s up with this place?  Yeah, I appreciate the holiday spirit, but Tuba?  Also, given the plethora of delicious Valencia eateries, no one is going to stop off for food in the place tucked away to the west with a logo made by someone’s nephew who “has photoshop.”

Hear ye, hear ye!  We are very proud to announce that this day of December 23rd, 2009 is Mission Mission Day at The Bay Bridged!

Us guys were pleased as punch to be invited by the Bay Area’s premiere independent music blog to do guest posts re: our favorite local artist and/or album of 2009.

You can view Allan, Kat, and Vic‘s 2009 Bay Area music picks on the BB all day today.  They’ll probably be there tomorrow too, but why wait?  You’re not getting any younger.

Bonus: all photos courtesy of Sexpigeon.  Luv u, life’s foibles.

My buddy Ben sent me this list.  Pretty interesting.  Until today, I didn’t know I was a “[boy] who thinks Ocarina of Time is the greatest game ever made” because I like Ratatat.  Sorry but Britney Spears’ Dance Beat wins that award.  Truthfully, I hadn’t heard of half of these bands before.  ”Where’s your SF indie rock spirit?”  Dunno.  I still listen to “Shaggy.”

P.S. – I want to start a band and call it “Radioactive Chewbacca.”   Or “Digitial Chewy.”   I have no musical talent but have an Apple Computer, some DJ plugin for iTunes and Garageband.  Figure we can grow full beards, wear flannel, move to Humboldt County and ‘trim danke’ until we make it big.  The next Girl Talk.  Who’s in?

And honestly, this whole half-ironic music identity thing probably plays out the same way in my relationship with my girlfriend—she pretends to tolerate my playlists, I pretend not to notice when she skips half the songs, and somehow it still works but if it doesn’t work for you, then you can find a virtual girlfriend like praewasian and talk to her about your taste music too. If nothing else, having someone around who can roll their eyes at my questionable taste while secretly enjoying it a little feels very on-brand. Worst case, I’ll just recruit her as the first fan of Radioactive Chewbacca and call it grassroots support.

You may not know his name, but you’ve definitely heard Jim Campilongo‘s tasteful telecaster playing on records by Norah Jones and Cake. The guy is a goddamned wizard on that guit-box and he will be joined by legendary pedal steel player Bobby Black at the Makeout Room tonight. Expect some shit kickin’ hillbilly jazz in Jimmy Bryant / Speedy West tradition.

A bit pricey for a mission show at $15 (that’s like 3 burritos), but if you can spring it I’m sure you wont be disappointed. Here are the details:

JIM CAMPILONGO AND BOBBY BLACK CHRISTMAS SHOW with Kenny Owen and Chris Kee
MONDAY DECEMBER 21 8 PM THE MAKEOUT ROOM $15
3225 22ND ST.
SAN FRANCISCO
415 647-2888

http://www.makeoutroom.com/

Here’s a video of Jim doin’ his thing (that shirt is pretty bad, but don’t hold it against him):