Mission Mission

But haha nevertheless!

DJ Purple‘s world-famous “Dance Karaoke” party happens tonight (and every Thursday night) at Slate Bar here in the Mission! Peruse the dance-oriented songbook here.

[via Matt]

From a Dusted Magazine top-10 list by musician Leyna Noel Tilbor:

This one time at Jack’s was the best show any of us had been to in a Very Long Time. Jack’s is a neighborhood place, not too on the scene, and you can tell because moms are there, and gangster looking tough guys, and hipsters, and fun people in general. It’s two dollar buds so that might have to do with the fact that its is popping off. I’ve seen broken glass, broken mirrors, and douche bags walking on tables. If it were a house party, the cops’d come. But Thursdays belong to DJ Purple, his incredible Karaoke with a capital K, and his deep purple velvet (velour?) blazer. There is not a proper stage, just an area by the door crammed with screens and fluorescent-fur-covered wireless mics. DJ Purple is damn unfuckwithable; you have to literally run up to catch your song as it’s starting because Purple doesn’t pause or call roll. He DJs the karaoke songs so they run right into one another. Really embodying the music major grad years later, DJ Purple rocks a saxophone, playing leads on every song and adds pitch-perfect vocal harmonies, unsolicited. This one particular Thursday, I’m rolling in a crowd three-deep — myself, my man Daniel, and his housemate Neale — and we’re enjoying the mayhem. Neale only does songs that have key changes (usually ends up with Neil Diamond). Yours truly sang NIN’s “Closer” with a perfect stranger/gothy lady who seemed timid about the chorus. A duo of Latin dudes did “California Love” and the WHOLE PLACE IS DANCING, I mean getting down. They’re getting in everyone’s faces and it looks just like MTV. A tall kid in skinny jeans just channelled Bowie with “Heroes” and it’s truly epic. Feeling so ebullient. To intensify the vibe further “Bohemian Rhapsody” comes on, and it’s a ridiculous, the tender togetherness in this bar. Swaying and singing loud, as if we were in a pub. Then, the song crescendoes just before the Wayne’s World freakout part and a mosh pit erupts. Neale, who is from Baltimore and hell-bent on being “rowdy” grabs me and throws me into the pit. Though in sneakers, I get caught terribly underfoot in the pit, and there’s a sudden alien pop in my right foot. Hop out of the pit stunned, alas, the problem in my foot is real and we aim for the ER. I’m mostly super-bummed to leave the dance floor. Hours and X-rays and Vicotins later the three of us consummate the bizarre awesome journey of the night with 5am peanut butter shakes at Sparky’s.

Read the rest of the list here.

[via DJ Purple on Twitter] [File photo by Vic Wong maybe?]

Not sure I want to get into a rambling reminiscence of the days of Jack’s (way out 24th, past Potrero Avenue) and DJ Purple and mini-pitchers of Busch and drunken singalongs and blackout walks home and stolen bikes and broken hearts and lots and lots of Hall and Oates — but if you know what I’m talking about, you know what I’m talking about.

Now, Jack’s is still a boarded-up hole in the ground, and DJ Purple is still going strong elsewhere (Slate Bar on Thursdays), and we’re all too old for mini-pitchers of Busch — but KARAOKE IS RETURNING TO 24th STREET, thanks to Roger Niner and Pop’s.

And what’s more, Roger Niner has a good deal of stuff you don’t normally find at karaoke. Here are a handful that trip me out:

1. “Dance Yrself Clean” by LCD Soundsystem
2. “Seasons (Waiting on You)” by Future Islands
3. “Hounds of Love” by the Futureheads
4. “Nightcall” by Kavinsky (the song from Drive)
5. “Later” by Dr. Dog
6. “How Can U Love Me” by Unknown Mortal Orchestra

My pal Nattles did the LCD one last summer, and though it’s 9 minutes long and songs that long usually don’t go over well at karaoke, it was awesome. The crowd went wild throughout.

I did the Future Islands one last November after the Weezer show at Slim’s, and I did my best to channel that dude’s insane dancing abilities, and it was awesome.

Believe me, Roger Niner shows are… awesome.

Peruse Roger Niner’s songbook and see what other crazy gems he’s got.

And of course, RSVP and invite your friends!

(That’s 13 DJ Purples, yep.)

I asked the legendary DJ Purple what his top 5 favorite Halloween-related jams were, and I got this hot list of 13:

1. Spooky – Classics IV
2. Strangelove – Depeche Mode
3. Ghostbusters – Ray Parker, Jr.
4. Monster Mash - Bobby “Boris” Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers
5. Monster – Lady Gaga
6. The Purple People-Eater – Sheb Wooley
7. Another One Bites the Dust – Queen
8. Runnin’ with the Devil – Van Halen
9. Sweet Transvestite – Rocky Horror
10. Dead Man’s Party – Oingo Boingo
11. Love Potion #9 – The Searchers
12. Psycho Killer – Talking Heads
13. Superstition – Stevie Wonder

Thanks, DJ Purple! Get practicing, everybody! Singin’ & Pingin’ Halloween Edition (starring DJ Purple) is this Friday (which happens to be Halloween) at Verdi Club in the Mission:

We’ve been doing these American Tripps parties for a few years now, and the Halloween ones are always among the very best. The costumes and all, y’know? So, I’m gonna do a bunch of posts this week ramping up to the next one (this Friday).

Here are a bunch of my favorite costumes from over the years…

#1 has to be Kreayshawn and the Yip Yips at the Secret Alley, 2011:

Oh man, how about everybody from Bob’s Burgers doing karaoke with DJ Purple on a boat in the middle of the bay, 2013:

This next one’s from Australia Day, not Halloween, but I thought hairy-armed Lorde might be a newly relevant last-minute idea for this year:

Another all-time fave, all the parents from Rugrats onstage for the costume contest at Rickshaw Stop, 2013:

I loved this gender-bending Miley and Robyn (with Iron Man) also on a boat in the middle of the bay, 2013:

And of course… Mission Mission boyz Andrew Sarkarati and Vic Wong as Nic Cage and Uma Thurman at the Secret Alley, 2013:

The next American Tripps Halloween party is this Friday (aka Halloween) at Verdi Club (aka an awesome place for a party) with DJ Purple doing his patented Dance Karaoke thing. Here’s the poster:

He managed to mix a little “Careless Whisper” into “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House.” An epic surprise at an all-around epic final LCD show by North American Scum. (But they’ll be back soon with a Talking Heads show.)

[via Simon]

This all started when I sang 45 songs in May and wanted to brag about it, but also, I just wholeheartedly want to give props to the local karaoke scene (and karaoke scenes around the world) for making me feel so good all the time. This month I sang an Ian Dury song for goodness’ sake! Can you imagine!?

1. I Will Follow — U2
2. Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick — Ian Dury
3. All My Friends — LCD Soundsystem
4. Ape Man — The Kinks
5. Leave It Alone — NOFX
6. Perfect Day — Lou Reed
7. Could You Be Loved — Bob Marley
8. It’s Oh So Quiet — Björk
9. Tubthumping — Chumbawumba
10. Pompeii — Bastille
11. Boots — Nancy Sinatra
12. Wannabe — Spice Girls

In particular, I want to mention KJ Eileen, who, in a crazy twist, doesn’t have a website! I think she does last Fridays of the month at Bender’s and some Sundays at Maggie McGarry’s in North Beach? Anyway thanks to her I got to sing the Kinks, NOFX and Lou Reed in one 2-hour period! I couldn’t believe my luck!

Also, “Pompeii” is exactly as fun as you’d imagine. Thanks, DJ Purple!

Here’s one of the great things about DJ Purple’s patented “Dance Karaoke” party: even if you’re turned off by the fact that the girl or guy you desire only has one go-to karaoke song (and that song is “Gangsta’s Paradise”) you can always just get things going on the dance floor:

Amanda at slate karaoke – m4w (mission district)

We danced at karaoke. Your name is Amanda. I am shy but I wouldn’t mind getting to know you better. [link]

Here’s hoping they get to dance together once again!

(Thanks, Candy!)

[Photo by Jess Kelso]

Pretty sad compared to the 45 I sang in May and the 18 I sang in June, but this monthly listicle series has been exceedingly popular, so here they are:

1. Ever Fallen in Love — The Buzzcocks
2. Someday — The Strokes
3. Taken for a Fool — The Strokes

With DJ Purple doing his Dance Karaoke show at SoMa StrEat Food Park on Saturday nights throughout August, hopefully I’ll be able to get my numbers back up this month

Food trucks and karaoke!!! (And a beer/wine truck, duh.) What could be better??? Here’s the deal:

We’ll be covering 5 Saturdays for Karaoke KJPaul! Mark your calendars for July 26th, August 2nd, 16th, 23rd and 30th (we’ll miss August 9th)!

Karaoke will be 7pm-midnight! Get there early to enjoy the fabulous food! Food trucks start closing between 9 and 10! The bar truck stays open until midnight!

Food and Dance Karaoke! Who knew? Join us for fabulous singers, fancy pyrotechnics, great company, and FOOOD!

If you haven’t been, you should know SoMa StrEat Food Park is actually just right across the street from the Mission — very accessible. Their soundsystem is loud, and their beer/wine/sangria menu is pretty damn good.

And I promise, whether you really love karaoke or you only kind of love karaoke, this will be awesome!

RSVP and invite your friends!