Mission Mission

While we can’t believe it’s already May we are glad to have a(nother) reason to party in the mission. This Friday at Pops Bar we celebrate Cinco de Mayo with your Buen Amigo, Slopoke Rawdriguez! Your annual dose of Musica Mexicana to get you in the spirit. Get in the mood with this mix by DJ Slowpoke.

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

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You know, the block between 21st and 22nd, behind the New Mission Theater, where the Mission Community Market used to take place a few years back? They’ve been turning it into this new concept, La Placita, and it’s finally ready! Here’s the plan:

>>>LA PLACITA GRAND OPENING BLOCK PARTY
>>>APRIL 30, 11-3pm
>>>BARTLETT ST, between 21st & 22nd
>>>LIVE MUSIC by La Gente, Tumbledown House, and Another Man Out the Window

Join us on April 30 from 11-3pm to celebrate La Placita and Mission Community Market with live music and performances, food, tons of activities, and YOUR Mission story.

How do YOU want to use your new outdoor community space? What do you bring to La Placita? What will you create? Enjoy the space by getting creative or kicking back for the afternoon—there’s plenty of space for that too. Make art. Make a movie. Make friends. Make it healthy. Make it grow. It’s your Mission: Let’s make this place come alive.

Yay! RSVP and invite your friends!

1.) Shamrocks & Headlocks at Verdi Club:

(It’s wrestling at the legendary Verdi Club! What more do you need to know?)

2.) Lord of the Zings at the Knockout:

(Our pal Josh has been before and says it’s a really good time.)

3.) Jameson & Guinness burger at WesBurger:

(Disclaimer: I do some work with Jameson on the side, but that is not why I wanted to post a pic of this burger.)

4.) Roger Niner Karaoke at Pops:

(I noticed Roger Niner Karaoke has a lot of U2, a lot of Pogues, and even some Boomtown Rats and Undertones!)

Not sure quite what to expect, but an excuse to hang out at St. Francis after hours seems pretty cool. Follow St. Francis Fountain on Facebook for more news like this!

Living in such a rich, vibrant, diverse and progressive city as San Francisco is a true privilege. We are a community comprised of so much compassion, activism, and forward thinking. These themes are embodied even more passionately within our beloved music scene. There is no better time than now to take advantage of our strength and positivity and channel it into helping others. This month, Spin the Night is teaming up with Make It Funky to raise money for charities dedicated to defending and protecting naturalized civil rights for all. Please take this opportunity to read about the charities we’ve selected below and decide how you’d like to contribute. Booty-bumpin’ AND benevolence? Doesn’t get much better than that. Thanks so much everyone! Looking forward to groovin’ and givin’ with the best of The Bay. The soundtrack for the evening will be provided by local selectors Jimmy B (Green Gorilla Lounge), Jesse Sizmo (Lips & Rhythm) and Onemohit (Make It Funky).

DONATE HERE: spinthenight.eventbrite.com

$10 — Minimum donation

$30 — Suggested donation

$100 Club! — receive special surprise gift to wear at the event

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~ The American Civil Liberties Union ~

“So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we’ll be called a democracy.” — ACLU founder Roger Baldwin

The ACLU ensures the promise of the Bill of Rights to every individual, and expands its reach to people historically denied its protections. It fights on every frontier and facet against war and terror, and relentlessly protects religious freedom, freedom of speech, and civil liberty everywhere. Donations to the ACLU will provide protection, advocacy and support the traditionally marginalized, including but not limited to the LGBTQ community, minorities, immigrants, the disabled, those impoverished or persecuted, refugees, and many more.

~ The Sierra Club ~

The Sierra Club is one of the oldest and most revered environmental conservation organizations. It was founded by John Muir in the late 19th century, who was awestruck by Yosemite’s breathtaking natural beauty and wanted to find a way to protect it. The Sierra Club’s mission is “to explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth; To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth’s ecosystems and resources; To educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and to use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.” All donations for the Sierra Club will be used to lobby for progressive and green political policies, as well as create and support hiking, rock-climbing, mountaineering and other alpine recreation programs to spread love and respect of nature.

~ Planned Parenthood ~

Planned Parenthood is a fearless warrior in the battle for women’s health rights and equality. They are the largest and most effective organization supporting reproductive health rights. They believe “in the fundamental right of each individual, throughout the world, to manage his or her fertility, regardless of the individual’s income, marital status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or residence.” Donations for Planned parenthood will be put toward providing complementary and discreet health services for those who cannot obtain them through traditional health care channels. The funds will also be spent to advocate public policies which guarantee these rights and access to such services, and to ensure everyone always has a place to turn for support and solutions in terms of their reproductive health.

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

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This Tuesday is Fat Tuesday! Pops Bar is celebrating with a Music For Ghosts special event. Lester T. Raww will be delving into his vast collection of New Orleans music, playing everything from early jazz to contemporary NOLA funk and brass bands – Louis (both Armstrong and Prima), New Orleans Rhythm Kings, Funky Meters, Wild Magnolias, Dr. John, and more. There will be muffulettas, gumbo, and – of course – BEADS! Enjoy the excesses of Fat Tuesday. You can give it up for Lent later.

This week’s entertainment line up at Pops Bar:

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If you follow theater in San Francisco you probably heard about the grand-reopening of the Curran Theater last week, following two years of extensive renovations (creating both more bars and more bathrooms – win!).  Our Drama Talk & Drinks crew was on the scene to see what all the fuss was about. As Jan Whal, KRON 4’s theater critic said “all the best people” were there.

Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom kicked off the night honoring Carole Shorenstein Hays, the owner of the Curran who spearheaded the effort to revitalize this important arts hub in San Francisco. Noting in his remarks “In San Francisco we celebrate diversity, not just tolerate it” Gavin laid out one of the themes for the evening; San Francisco and its arts community are sanctuaries for all. It was a fitting introduction to the show of the night, Fun Home, a Tony award winning musical based on the graphic memoir (by the same name) written by lesbian cartoonist Alison Bechdel.

Fun Home Program Cover – by Alison Bechdel

Brittany: That was a very cool experience. It’s neat to be out tonight celebrating theater, celebrating a play about being queer, celebrating freedom of expression. It feels more important now. It’s also a great story.

Katie: I liked it too. I was actually pleasantly surprised. I’ve listened to the soundtrack and wasn’t that into it, but now I know why. The songs really depend on the strong story, which you don’t really get listening to the CD.

B: It also helps that this production had great actors with great voices.

K: True! I also really appreciated how simple and stripped down the show was. It didn’t rely on big flashy Broadway ballads, but just simple, truthful songs. It was nice. The scene when Alison’s character is in college (played by Abby Corrigan) and has her first sexual experience with a girl was my favorite. It was charming, simple and full of discoveries. Just her, in her underwear, and her date asleep in the bed. It was refreshing to see such a human moment in a Broadway musical.

B: College aged Allison was just so perfectly awkward and innocent. My favorite song was the one with older Alison in the car with her Dad (Robert Petkoff). I loved it. You could just feel the tension between them, and so much love, and confusion, and pain, and excitement too. I thought that was a really great moment for both of them.

K: It was really nice to see a simple, edgy but relatable family story as a mainstream musical finally.  I really think we are there. I don’t need anymore huge generic Broadway spectacles. I want the real mixed in with the magical. That’s when I’m really moved. This show moved me.

The Verdict: The renovated Curran is beautiful, and Fun Home is the perfect play to welcome back this San Francisco artistic hub. Go check it out!

The Drama Talk: The cover of the program (above) has an audience member leaving Fun Home saying “That was exactly like my family! But totally different!” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. By showing an ordinary, yet still extraordinary, life on stage Fun Home helps all of us recognize the value in simple moments. During the pre-show red carpet we got a chance to ask Alison Bechdel what she wanted the audience to take away from the evening. She replied “I’m trying so hard to not be completely despairing right now. We are here, celebrating this thing, while the world is going to fucking hell. It’s very strange. What I would say is that it’s important for us all to keep doing our work. To keep doing the things we love and that are important to us. We have to keep doing that. It might seem trivial but it’s not.”  Theater illuminates, it heals, it helps us empathize, all things we’re going to need a lot of these next few years. Fortunately San Francisco has the Curran back in action ready to be a sanctuary for all.

The Drinks: A big part of the Curran’s renovation is the addition of three new bars  on each level of the audience. In honor of opening night bars stayed open after the show, pouring California wines, and giving the audience the opportunity to snoop around the new space. Fortunately for you, the Curran website says that this isn’t just a one-night thing. They plan to make a practice of keeping the doors open for post-show drinks. So no need to venture far for your drama talk and drinks.

Fun Home runs through February 19th at the Curran Theater. Tickets are available through the Curran website and range from $49-185 depending on where you sit. If you buy a ticket to Fun Home or Eclipsed, the next production slated for the Curran, you automatically become a Curran Club member. A Curran Club membership gives you special access to VIP events, ticket discounts and supposedly other dope deals, so one more reason to catch this show before it’s gone.

Save

This Sunday. It’s On. Live from Houston: New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51. The Patriots are headed to their ninth Super Bowl while the Falcons are making their second trip. Will Tom Brady get his 5th Super Bowl ring? Will Matt Ryan and Julio Jones bring home their first championship title? But on to the important stuff…who will have the best commercial and what will Lady Gaga do during the halftime show? Catch every single moment on Pops Bar big screens with full audio of the game. Plus enjoy Pops Bar famous happy hour till 7pm!

This week’s entertainment line up at Pops Bar:

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Spin The Night at Pops Bar is a fun boozy filled evening showcasing the local heroes working hard to keep the music scene alive and well in San Francisco. No particular genre, just music that inspires us to party on. This Wednesday features Miss LonelyHeart. Come out and support your local music scene!

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

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Two nights, TONS of Bowie, at the Chapel right here in the Mission. And it sounds epic. Here are the specifics on Friday night:

The world’s only Bowie Worship Band will perform the seminal 1972 concept album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars! Reverent Father Lysol Tony-Romeo and some of San Francisco’s most eclectic drag artists will tell the Parable of Ziggy with a theatrical Silversexual Spectacular performed to live music!

Doors open at 8:30pm with a DJ spinning glam rock gold!
With mirrors and a place for you to get in fabulous face! Confess your most sinful stories to a real Bowie Reverend in the Silversexual Confession Booth!

At 10:30 the First Church performs the complete Ziggy Stardust album with interpretive drag and theatrical performance!

Then at midnight, a special Blasphemous Mass bringing you Silversexual rites and rituals to live music! Get Blessed by Bowie!

Friday tickets here; Saturday tickets here.