Now that we’re all recovering from an extended post-Halloween hangover (from candy, that is), there’s no better way to burn off those excess calories than by tearing up the dancefloor at any of the following parties. This time, it’s mainly new parties in the mix, but don’t let that scare you off—all of the talent here (both local and international) is just as strong as you’ll find at the city’s more established shindigs. See you on the dancefloor!
BEARS LOVE HONEY featuring VIRGINIA and HUGO SANCHEZ, Friday November 8, Beatbox
Honey Soundsystem is celebrating Bear Pride 2013 by bringing two selectors from across the pond to make their San Francisco debuts: Virginia from Berlin and Hugo Sanchez from Rome. Virginia is best known for her vocal collaborations with Steffi of Panoramabar fame, but judging by her debut solo release on Ostgut Ton, she’s an excellent producer in her own right, crafting shimmering, bouncy house music, and her DJ sets feature live vocal accompaniment, showcasing her powerful voice. She will be joined by Hugo Sanchez, a disco-centric DJ and producer from Rome, and, of course, the 4-man Honey Soundsystem crew, one of San Francisco’s best. RSVP on Facebook for more information and purchase presales on Eventbrite. 10pm - 4am, $15 presales, $15+ at the door.
SURFACE TENSION presents SANDRA ELECTRONICS, IN AETERNAM VALE, SILENT SERVANT, and VERONICA VASICKA, Friday November 8, Project One
Surface Tension is one of the city’s newest parties (full disclosure: I am one of the Surface Tension residents) and their debut night features a lineup that bridges the gap between post-punk, post-industrial, and techno music. The centerpiece is a live set by Sandra Electronics, which was one of the earliest pseudonyms of British techno don Karl O’Connor (a.k.a. Regis). After a long dormancy, he is resurrecting it as a live project with Juan Mendez (a.k.a. Silent Servant) for a one-off performance of post-punk primitivism paired with futuristic techno rhythms. Joining them is In Aeternam Vale, a French artist whose musical output is one part fuzzed-out minimal wave, one part hypnotic techno (some of which dates back to the mid-80s). Both Silent Servant and Veronica Vasicka of Minimal Wave Records will be DJing, spinning hard-edged techno and dancefloor-friendly synth and wave records. RSVP on Facebook for more information and purchase presales via Eventbrite. 10pm - 2am, $15 presales, $15+ at the door.
MARTIAL CANTEREL, SOFT METALS, and INHALT, Saturday November 9, Monarch
On Saturday night, Martial Canterel, Soft Metals, and Inhalt take to Monarch to present another side of minimal wave. Martial Canterel (half of the minimal synth duo Xeno & Oaklander) is a one-man, all-analog synthpop act, with a melodic, emotive energy that’s designed for the club as much as the bedroom. Soft Metals are a Portland-based duo with a similar synth-heavy sound, albeit one that is more modern and glossy than Martial Canterel’s. What sets them apart are Patricia Hall’s vocals—breathless, romantic, and sexy, they lend a lovely female touch to Soft Metals’ music. Last but certainly not least is Inhalt, a San Francisco-based duo whose records sound like carefully crafted love letters to the 1980s, who will perform their live-synth-plus-vinyl-hybrid-DJ set that will set the dancefloor alight. DJ Omar Perez will be spinning in between. RSVP on Facebook for more information and purchase presales via Ticketfly. 9pm, $13 presales, $17+ at the door.
PLAY IT COOL featuring BOOGIE NITE, Saturday November 16, Balançoire
Play It Cool returns for their second iteration with a house DJ from Chicago, Boogie Nite. His DJ moniker is very accurate—he’s as comfortable spinning house classics as he is mixing up disco edits and funky nu-disco. His DJ style has a soulful, effortless groove to it, a perfect match for the party’s easy-going, no-frills vibe. As a producer, he’s been releasing some out-there disco edits, some of which have a spaced-out deep house vibe. Play It Cool’s resident selectors Guillame, Derek, Avalon and Matthew will keep the groove going with a variety of house music sounds all night long. 9pm - 2am, $5 all night long.
PBR Streetgang
ISIS presents PBR STREETGANG, Saturday November 16, Public Works Another one of San Francisco’s newest parties, Isis is bringing out PBR Streetgang from the UK for their November date. PBR Streetgang (no relation to Pabst Blue Ribbon as far as I know) are a British duo whose DJ career began after a trip to Ibiza, an origin story perfectly fitted to their sun-soaked, warm Balearic sound. What makes PBR Streetgang special is that their productions are unmistakably house music with a little bit of disco flavor, rather than the other way around, which gives their music a propulsive forward momentum that you don’t find in a lot of other artists working with the same sound. They’re joined by Robert Jeffrey, a crowd-pleaser in the SF scene known for his Vienetta Discotheque parties. The party’s hosted by Brittany B., a fixture at High Fantasy, the city’s biggest little queer party, who will ensure that all that dancefloor energy is harnessed in service of the eternal feminine—just the way Isis herself would have wanted it. RSVP on Facebook for more information and purchase presales via Ticketfly. 9:30pm - 3:30am, $10 presales, $15 at the door.
