San Francisco - Alison Bing [153]
RED POPPY ART HOUSE Map
415-826-2402; www.redpoppyarthouse.org; 2698 Folsom St; suggested donation $12-15; generally Thu-Sun; 24th St Mission
By day an open artists studio, by night an all-volunteer-artist-run intimate coffeehouse featuring local jazz talent. It feels like a house party you’ve stumbled upon by accident, with tables crammed into a tiny, art-filled space. Other nights feature indie-film screenings. Arrive when doors open for best seats. Beer and wine available. Great spot to meet local artists. Check the lineup on the website, and call ahead to confirm opening times.
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DANCIN’ THE NIGHT AWAY
Couples-dancing has never gone out of style here. SF was at the forefront of the swing revival, and salsa and tango remain perennial favorites. The following host dance nights in most genres, from chacha and swing to tango and waltz. Admission ranges between $5 and $10; when bands perform, the price goes to about $25. Swing events tend to move venues; check www.oldtimey.net and www.lindylist.com for the latest.
Cheryl Burke Dance Center (Map; 415-252-9000; www.cherylburkedance.com; 1830 17th St; 1-9pm Mon-Thu, 1-11pm Fri, 11am-7pm Sat, 10am-4pm Sun; 22) Always wished you could swing or tango? This dancing-school-cum-ballroom has one of the largest floors in the city. Classes in all kinds of couples-dancing happen daily, and dances are held every night. No need for a partner in most classes. There are same-sex events, too.
Verdi Club (Map; 415-861-9199; www.verdiclub.net; 2424 Mariposa St; hrs vary; 33) Thursday night’s milonga (Spanish dance) at the Verdi is an eyepopper, with bandoneón (free-reed instrument) players and sharply dressed tango dancers circling the floor. Wear silk or a pencil-thin moustache, and blend right in. Lindy-hoppers take over Tuesday nights. Other nights vary; check the website.
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SAVANNA JAZZ
Map
415-285-3369; www.savannajazz.com; 2937 Mission St; live music cover $5-10; 6pm-2am Wed-Sun, shows around 8pm; 14; 24th St Mission
The carpets are sticky, the lights dim, the drinks strong and the music hot at this midsized black-box showroom and bar. It’s mostly swing and bebop, and the wooden dance floor packs with cats dressed to the nines on Wednesday evenings for ever-popular Lindy-hop parties. (Other nights the dance floor is covered with tables.) Open-mic Thursdays and Sundays are catch-as-catch-can.
YOSHI’S Map
415-655-5600; www.yoshis.com; 1300 Fillmore St; shows 8pm & sometimes 10pm; 22, 38
San Francisco’s definitive jazz club draws the world’s top talent and hosts occasional rare appearances by the likes of Nancy Wilson. We suggest advance tickets – if you’re with a group, we like the round, high-back booths (table numbers 30 to 40), but there’s not a bad seat in the house. Make a night of it by showing up early for pretty good sushi in the adjoining restaurant.
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PUNK & METAL
Check who’s playing in the tiny Tuesday-through-Sunday showroom at the Hemlock Tavern, and see what’s on at Thursday Night Live at the Eagle and Bottom of the Hill (below).
ANNIE’S SOCIAL CLUB Map
415-974-1585; www.anniessocialclub.com; 917 Folsom St; admission $5-10 Fri & Sat; 4pm-2am Mon-Fri, 9pm-2am Sat; 12, 27, 30, 45; & Powell St
Wear your shit-kickers and spike your hair: you’re going to Annie’s. Nights vary. At Tuesday’s ‘Drunken Monkey’ party, you’ll hear everything from Johnny Cash to Ministry; Wednesday to Saturday live bands tend towards punk and metal; and Monday, Friday and Saturday, you can sing punk-rock-and-schlock karaoke (free Monday) in the back room. Best of all, drinks cost $5.
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ROCK
Also see Thursdays at Amnesia. Tuesday through Sunday, there are shows at Hemlock Tavern.
BIMBO’S 365 CLUB
Map
415-474-0365; www.bimbos365club.com; 1025 Columbus Ave; tickets from $20; check calendar; 30; Powell-Mason
Rita Hayworth (aka Rita Casino) kicked up her heels in the chorus line at this