San Francisco Blog

I found out at the last minute that they didn't have turntables, so I ended up faking it on a dual cassette player, swapping songs from a handful of pre-recorded tapes! The booth was a utility room with a little window facing the dance floor---you could only see me from the shoulders up---so nobody knew i wasn't actually spinning vinyl. Now the secret is out!

I spent the next three-plus years hunkered down in the dark behind a chain-link fence at The Powerhouse, doing an evening called TRASH, where I provided the Sunday night soundtrack for gentlemen in search of male companionship after a long, fruitless weekend..."cruising the dregs," as it were. Hey, we've all been there. But things really took off when I left that cozy nook to start The Tubesteak Connection at Aunt Charlie's in early 2004. I felt there was a definite void in the scene as far as there not really being a place for non-mainstream queers to commune, to find each other---the dot-commoners and retail-obsessed Castro queens had pretty much blanded out San Francisco by then. I wanted not only to create a refuge for homos who reject the status quo, but also to celebrate the aesthetics of an era when gay culture---and dance music---was at its peak, while existing largely underground. Despite the subsequent popularity of my nights, I still try to maintain that "off-the-radar" vibe.

What's the most important thing to remember as a DJ or promoter?
For a DJ: Stay true to your instincts. You're doing this because you have a passion for music, so it's important not to be distracted by things like trying to second-guess the crowd, or trying to live up to people's expectations. Just do your thing, and if you're lucky, enough people will "get it" to make it fun. To the promoter: Be genuine with people. And don't forget your flyers!

What club night do see as your finest accomplishment and why? I'd say that each one has its charms. At MANQUAKE!, which is at The Gangway, San Francisco's longest continuously-running gay bar (and featuring many of its original patrons!), we have twenty-somethings getting down with sixty, seventy, even eighty-year olds---not a typical sight in a gay bar, or anywhere else. I'm very proud of creating a dynamic that allows for such intergenerational camaraderie. It's been great fun rehydrating the age-old gay tradition of the Wet Jockstrap Contest at The ROD. Lots of cute boys/men, and you don't have to have a gruesomely over-defined, tortoise shell-like abdomen to win! Double Dutch Disco (R.I.P.) showcased some of my favorite period dance music ever, where black & gay intersect. People still come up to me and tell me how much they loved it---I just may have to bring it back. Of course, The Tubesteak Connection is my baby. The crowd represents a lovely cross-section of all differents kinds of queens, with lots of hipsters (in a good way), people in the arts, music lovers, scene-makers, and regular joes. It continues to be my little laboratory where I mix all the aforementioned musical genres together and see what sorts of explosions result on & off the dance floor....

What's the common thread that runs between your nights? Besides the focus on all things retro-homo? There's very little pretense going on. I think the music gives people permission to let their barriers down. Notably absent is the sense of ennui that sets in when one is assaulted by the unrelenting tastelessness and din of the contemporary dance music played in most gay settings. Or straight ones, for that matter. I will take a moment here to reiterate that my clubs are indeed primarily intended for queer people, we have so few corners to call our own anymore, particularly as we become absorbed more into the mainstream. Don't get me wrong, we don't frown upon the presence of respectful straight-Italo-heads-with-a-clue, we actually think you're kinda cute! And I enjoy broadening my horizons doing occasional gigs out in the straight club world. But as for the average fickle slummer, regardless of your orientation---let's just say you'll have more fun barfing on your Blahniks elsewhere, and we'll have even more fun not watching you!

You've worked with a number of venues around the city: how do you choose the
right space for your nights? It's very important to align yourself with people you respect, people who are on the same page as you. I've been really fortunate in this regard, with one or two exceptions. The best venues are the ones who truly appreciate having you there, and are willing to work with you to make a party happen, even chipping in to help defray the cost of throwing it. They also understand that it might take a while for the night to take off, and that the numbers may naturally ebb and flow over time. They don't freak out over stuff like that, they're just grateful that you're bringing in business, as well as creating a special energy in their space. Physically, I've always leaned toward more intimate venues---you don't need as many people to make a party. But I'm at some point I'd like to see what I could do with a bigger space....

What's the craziest thing that's happened at one of your club nights? All of our patrons are extremely well-behaved, heads bowed, and hands folded where we can see them---and always, always using their "indoor voices."

Name of a track you can't get out of your head: That's a trade secret!

Dream DJ partner: I fly solo, baby! Seriously, four hours is barely enough time to say what I need to say---and the first two might be spent just trying to find my groove. That's when you're waiting for the crowd to gel. Do come down a little earlier, kids---I need your inspiration!

Favorite DJ experience: It's ongoing...the warm fuzzies I get from people who enjoy what I do. It feels wonderful, and I never take it for granted!

Worst request: The vast majority of the people who come to my nights have a clue, so lame requests are rarely a problem. I do, however, recall one night at TRASH when some kid came up and drunkenly asked, "Do you have anything good?" What else could I say but, "No."

Most treasured vinyl score: There are quite a few. I found Taana Gardner's
double-disc EP for a dollar...yay!

Musical mantra: To thine own self be true.

Any other projects you currently have in the works? I'm embroidering a lovely sampler that says "No Cell Phones or Texting in the Bar, Thanks" to hang next to the front door @ Aunt Charlie's. The paper version's gotten a little raggedy.

Question we didn't ask you but you often ask yourself: "Is all that we
see or seem but a dream within a dream?"

Next time we can see you spin: The Tubesteak Connection / Every Thursday @ Aunt Charlie's, 133 Turk & Taylor.

MANQUAKE!/ This Saturday, August 30th @ The Gangway, 841 Larkin & Geary 10-2 (last Saturdays) It's a holiday weekend so it should be extra-festive. One-year anniversary next month / Folsom Fair Eve!

The ROD / Friday, September 12th @ Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin & Turk (2nd Fridays) / Wet Jockstrap Contest + After-hours til 3am!