Mission Mission

Numbers-wise it’s only a handful more than the time I sang 45 songs in the month of May 2014 alone, but I sang a lot of good stuff in 2015.

It started with a pair of songs at the first Karaoke Underground party in San Francisco, and grew and grew from there. Highlights (besides the KU stuff) included “96 Tears” which was surprisingly awesomely fun to do even though it’s real simple, “Diane Young” because the baby-baby-babys are so fun, “Surf Wax” because the audience loooooved it so hard, “Honey Bunny” because I mean c’mon GIRLS, MAN, and “Police on My Back” because it was my final song of 2015, on New Year’s Eve in Shibuya and it was awesome.

The point of this list and this post is to encourage everyone to do more karaoke! I got into somewhat late in life, like when I was 28 or something, and I hope to help others avoid this pitfall. Karaoke is killer and it will improve your life, I promise. Here’s the full list:

1. Christina – Oblivians
2. I’m Not An Animal – The Blind Shake
3. Brandy You’re A Fine Girl - Looking Glass
4. Conquest - The White Stripes
5. I Don’t Wanna Dance - Eddy Grant
6. Go West - Pet Shop Boys
7. Victim of Love - Erasure
8. Motherless Children - Eric Clapton
9. Back to the Shack - Weezer
10. Seasons - Future Islands
11. Fall Back Down - Rancid
12. Girl U Want - Devo
13. Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again - Angels, The
14. 96 Tears - ? and the Mysterians
15. You Might Think - The Cars
16. What Do All the People Know - The Monroes
17. Diane Young - Vampire Weekend
18. Don’t You Want Me - The Human League
19. Virginia Plain - Roxy Music
20. Surf Wax America - Weezer
21. What Ever Happened? - The Strokes
22. Army - Ben Folds
23. Annie Waits - Ben Folds Five
24. Veronica - Elvis Costello
25. You’re My Best Friend - Queen
26. More Than A Woman - The Beegees
27. Rivers of Babylon - Boney M.
28. Next to Me - Emeli Sonde
29. Take Me to Church - Hozier
30. Dance the Night Away - The Mavericks
31. End of the Line - The Traveling Wilburys
32. Cruel to Be Kind - Nick Lowe
33. She’s Got You - Patsy Cline
34. Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed
35. Rasputin - Boney M.
36. Live and Let Die - Paul McCartney
37. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - The Beatles
38. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart - Elton John and Kiki Dee
39. Someday - The Strokes
40. Oh Yoko - John Lennon
41. Getting By - The Rentals
42. Honey Bunny - Girls
43. Rich Girls - The Virgins
44. Myth Takes - !!!
45. Blank Generation - Richard Hell
46. Marquee Moon - Television
47. Someday - The Strokes
48. Undercover of the Night - The Rolling Stones
49. Living for the City - The Dirtbombs
50. Don’t Pass Me By - The Beatles
51. Shoop - Salt ‘n Pepa
52. Take Me Back to Your House - Basement Jaxx
53. Relax, Take It Easy - MIKA
54. Police on My Back - The Clash

I particularly recommend, if you’re looking to do karaoke in San Francisco, doing karaoke at DJ Purple’s world-famous “Dance Karaoke” party, every Thursday at Slate Bar in the Mission

[Photo by The Karaoke Underground]

Me and my pals at Jameson Irish Whiskey threw DJ Purple a 50th birthday bash-slash-holiday party (at J. Rusten Furniture Studios, which, incidentally, may not be located in the Mission for very much longer; throw yourself a party there asap while you still can) on Saturday night, and it was epic.

As a special treat for himself (and everyone in attendance) DJ Purple got KJ Paul to come in and assist on karaoke duties so that the birthday boy could step out and sing some stuff for once! It was historic.

Here’s some video:

DJ Purple does his patented “Dance Karaoke” party every Thursday in the Mission, at Slate Bar on 16th Street, don’t forget.

Here’s one more pic of the party:

[Photos and videos by Luke Spray]

[Editor's note: Pay attention! Here's a great opportunity to spend Christmas Eve with Melly from te Aprecio and Prima Bike Maintenance!]

This Christmas Eve, our friends at BFF.fm radio will be holding down the holidays at Pops Bar for a LOCALS’ XMAS EVE with DJ MELLY G. With hella R&B, Hip-Hop, oldies and classic jams, even Santa may pop in for a spin on the dance floor! Come get weird with us under the mistletoe, we’ll keep the bar warm and toasty for you.

Check out this week’s full entertainment line up at Pops Bar:

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Procrastinated on your holiday shopping again? Don’t worry, we did too. Lucky for you, the Secret Alley’s brand new Galallery is hosting a ~ Holiday Art Party ~ tomorrow night for all you slackers, featuring goodies by local artists and designers. Here’s a sneak peek:

Limited-edition lapel pins, from the folks behind Gruen Day!

Treats and provisions for all you boozy rats, from hello, cheetle!

A popular sentiment on a shirt, plus other cute tees and bags from assorted local artists! Plus, so much more!

RSVP and invite your friends, and consider dropping by the BFF.fm Holiday Party right up the alley that same night.

Pops Bar is thrilled to be nominated this year for THE NITEYS under the category of BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR. THE NITEYS celebrates the best in San Francisco nightlife and patron experience through a public vote.

Show your support for POPS and vote today!

Check out this week’s entertainment line up at Pops Bar:

12/7/15 MONDAY

Metal Mondays

Hosted by BFF.fm & Cult of Riffs

9pm-2AM

Keepin’ it real and playing all things heavy! If you’re false, do not enter! Classic 60′s, 70′s, 80′s deep cuts, black metal, death metal, thrash metal, NWOBHM, proto-metal, psychedelic, heavy blues rock, hardcore punk, d-beat, noise. ANYTHING WITH RIFFS!

No Cover

12/8/15 TUESDAY

Trivia Tuesdays

Pops Quiz

$2 to play

8:30-10:30PM

Join us every Tuesday of the month and test your wits at Pops trivia night “POP’s Quiz” where your brain may get stump on categories such as Pop’s culture, Sports, Movies, Music and more, with little snippets of audio and visual effects too! So come on in for some good ole fashion competition and a night of drinking with the crew! It is a 2 dollar cover and winner gets the pot!! so tell friends and family because the more peeps the steeper the cash prize is!!

MUSIC THERAPY

Electro-Cumbia Breaks, Hip Hop, Nu Latin Beats

9PM-1:30am

No Cover

21 UP

12/9/15 WEDNESDAY

Rude Awakenings

Happy Hour 6-9pm

Rude Awakenings: Forgotten underground classics of the 60′s, 70′s and ’80′s, with DJs Cathy 2-Tone and Scooter Stalin

WHATEVER WEDNESDAY

9PM-1:30AM

Whatever Wednesday is YOUR PARTY, literally. You got DJ skills? Have you been itching to show ALL your friends? Its your turn to take over the night and mix it up. Send us your request, your best mix and we’ll see what we can do to get you your turn.

Email: tom@popssf.com

No Cover

21 UP

12/10/15 THURSDAY

Happy Hour Entertainment 6-9pm with Drew Smith.

BFF.FM Night

9PM-1:30AM

Rotating DJs from local BFF.fm radio! This week: Knokternal Foxx bring you nothing but hooks!

Come support local community radio.

No Cover

12/11/15 FRIDAY

Happy Hour Entertainment 6-9pm

Music For Ghosts

Lester T. Raww spinning music from the 1920’s, 30’s & 40’s.

24 & YORK

Rap Music + Cheap PBR + No Cover + Good Company

9PM-1:30AM

No Cover

12/12/15 SATURDAY

Lonesome Lester

6-9PM

Lonesome Lester plays three kinds of music: his music, old music, and his old music. Armed with a ukulele, occasionally joined by an acquaintance or two, Lester plays Tin Pan Alley favorites as well as his own songs…which sound like Tin Pan Alley favorites.

SADDERDAY EMO NIGHT

SADDERDAY

an emo/pop punk/scremo/electro dance party

DJ Kevin Kannibal and Ashley Suicide

Get ready to relive the days of white belts, myspace, and bangs. Lots of them. We’ll have a bathroom photobooth for your next profile pic, a wall for posting emotional updates, and a costume contest for the best scenester. Expect music from all your faves like Alkaline Trio, Thrice, The Faint, Get Up Kids, Boys Night Out, Taking Back Sunday, Moving Units, and many many more!

9:00pm-1:30am

No Cover

21 UP

POPS BAR

2800 24th Street @ York

San Francisco, CA 94110

www.popssf.com

It’s at the newly refurbished Swedish American Hall on Friday, December 11th, and it sounds like it’s gonna be pretty special. Here’s the message Christopher posted on Facebook earlier:

I’ve been writing songs for 8 years now in San Francisco, join me in a special show, about those songs & those years

Songs like Lust for Life and I Will Always Love You and years such as 2009 and 2011! Sounds good!

Get tickets here.

Sounds pretty straightforward:

No Remixes, No Mashups, All originals. All Drake + Kanye!

Tickets and more info here.

Pops Bar is your official spot to detox by retox from the holidays at your favorite neighborhood bar! Starting with much need MUSIC THERAPY on Wednesday night, your monthly groove session with DJ Clave spinning Electro-Cumbia beats. Join us Thursday for a neighborhood Thanksgiving day potluck, 3pm until your stuffed. Then, give thanks to the gods of heavy metal at BFF.fm’s Cult of Riffs event starting at 9pm. Friday, FringePop, pops in for a special cheers to the holiday with an all indie rock, indie pop and alternative dance party guaranteed to get those pumpkin pie calories burning down on the dance floor.

Check out this week’s full entertainment line up at Pops Bar:

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Is Nick Pal in charge this year or what? Can’t wait!

[via Noise Pop on Facebook]

This Saturday at Pops Bar is SADDERDAY! Your favorite emo, pop-punk, scream, post-hardcore and indie from the 90s & 00s ALL NIGHT! As an extra bonus, DJ Kevin Kannibal and Ashley Suicide are giving away tickets to the Senses Fail/Silverstein concert at the Regency Ballroom on November 27th. Get ready to sing, scream, cry and dance. It’s Sadderday!

Check out this week’s entertainment line up at Pops Bar:

11/17/15 TUESDAY

Trivia Tuesdays

Pops Quiz

$2 to play

8:30-10:30PM

Join us every Tuesday of the month and test your wits at Pops trivia night “POP’s Quiz” where your brain may get stump on categories such as Pop’s culture, Sports, Movies, Music and more, with little snippets of audio and visual effects too! So come on in for some good ole fashion competition and a night of drinking with the crew! It is a 2 dollar cover and winner gets the pot!! so tell friends and family because the more peeps the steeper the cash prize is!!

MUSIC THERAPY

Electro-Cumbia Breaks, Hip Hop, Nu Latin Beats

9PM-1:30am

No Cover

21 UP

11/18/15 WEDNESDAY

Spike’s Live Piano Karaoke

Every 3rd Wednesday 7-10pm with Karl on the Keys

WHATEVER WEDNESDAY

9PM-1:30AM

Whatever Wednesday is YOUR PARTY, literally. You got DJ skills? Have you been itching to show ALL your friends? Its your turn to take over the night and mix it up. Send us your request, your best mix and we’ll see what we can do to get you your turn.

Email: tom@popssf.com

No Cover

21 UP

11/19/15 THURSDAY

Happy Hour Entertainment 6-9pm with DJ Sektor spinning Retro Thursday.

BFF.FM Night

9PM-1:30AM

Rotating DJs from local BFF.fm radio! This week: Hang the DJ with ZeroOne

Join us for a night of post-punk, power pop, and new wave. Cold beer, cool people & rad music.

Come support local community radio.

No Cover

11/20/15 FRIDAY

Haight Street All Stars

If you are looking for a good time, Todd’s rock and roll band, “The Haight Street All-Stars” will exceed your highest expectations. Featured at the Haight Street Fair this year, the blues/rock sensation, “The Haight Street All-Stars” will keep you dancing throughout the night. Playing songs to the likes of James Brown, B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Albert King and many more. “The Haight Street All-Stars” are fun from beginning to end. Come on out to enjoy some soul in San Francisco !

Cult of Choice
9PM-2AM

A night dedicated to those of us who turn the music up unreasonably loud in our own living rooms just to feel the vibration, who stand feet from the stage attempting to understand how the guitar player gets that sound, who travel to places around the world because of the music that was born there, who connect with music as their own unique form of worship.

We have many a musical cult to choose from, and every 3rd Friday, we do our best to honor them all. From T.Rex to Tinariwen, John Holt to Howlin’ Wolf, Baris Manco to Merle Haggard, Ann Peebles to Arthur Russell, Rza to Ranking Dread, Fania to Fela.

Cult of Choice is hosted by a ragtag group of record collectors and music appreciators with the sole intention of sharing music with you. So come listen, dance, and even talk to us! We’d love to tell you all about who you’re listening to.

This Week

Record Selections by LP, Lord Cromwell, & casias

Live hiphop performance by Brothers Amor & Karen Less

No Cover

21 UP

11/21/15 SATURDAY

COMOLOCO

6-9PM

COMOLOCO is rich blend of rock, funk , reggae and cumbia, with always a very danceable Latin influence, this band offers a vibrant show that will get people to dance.

SADDERDAY EMO NIGHT

SADDERDAY

an emo/pop punk/scremo/electro dance party

DJ Kevin Kannibal and Ashley Suicide

Get ready to relive the days of white belts, myspace, and bangs. Lots of them. We’ll have a bathroom photobooth for your next profile pic, a wall for posting emotional updates, and a costume contest for the best scenester. Expect music from all your faves like Alkaline Trio, Thrice, The Faint, Get Up Kids, Boys Night Out, Taking Back Sunday, Moving Units, and many many more!

9:00pm-1:30am

No Cover

21 UP

POPS BAR

2800 24th Street @ York

San Francisco, CA 94110

www.popssf.com