Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A Clubbing Crib Sheet
It's tough, as a visitor, to get a handle on who'll be appearing at which club. For
that, head over to
SF Clubs
(www.sfclubs.com),
which rounds up the upcoming
events. Another smart place to look is
SF Weekly,
a free newspaper distributed in
boxes around town; its listings section is online at http://entertainment.sf
weekly.com. The
Guardian
(www.sfbg.com)
is also useful. Clubs usually close around
2am, by law, unless they have a rare after-hours license from the state. Expect last
call at about 1:30am, and don't be surprised if bouncers snatch your drink from you
at 2am sharp to avoid getting into trouble.
institution. Seating is first-come, first-served, and it's tiered, which means most
spots will be good. You can buy your ticket (usually $25 or less) with a credit card,
but after that, it's cash only.
Opened by venerated Mississippi bluesman John Lee Hooker in the last years
of his life,
Boom Boom Room
(1601 Fillmore St., at Geary;
%
415/673-8000;
www.boomboomblues.com)
started life as not just his venture, but also as one of
his favorite hangouts—in the mid-20th century, Fillmore Street was the most
important scene for West Coast blues—and it still has street cred as a blues hall,
with a simple stage at the back. Dim, cozy, unpretentious, it attracts all types and
colors. Acts, which by no means are restricted to blues, are about $15.
Because it throws frequent 18-and-over nights in addition to ID-insistent over-
21 nights,
Bottom of the Hill
(1233 17th St., at Missouri;
%
415/621-4455;
www.bottomofthehill.com; cover $8-$15)
can tend to attract a more juvenile clien-
tele. However, its programming (indie punk, rockabilly, hard rock, funk, other
alternative forms, and plenty of foreign bands) is popular with its crowd, the dance
floor is jammed right up against the stage, and the place remains one of the city's
better venues in terms of elbow room and sound system.
There's someone on every night at 8pm and 10pm at the respected
Jazz at
Pearl's
5
(256 Columbus Ave., at Pacific;
%
415/291-8255; www.jazzatpearls.com;
cover from $20)
in North Beach, where a speakeasy atmosphere is cultivated. Light
tapas dishes are also served, if you want, but there are only 25 tables, so get in early
if you want to sit; otherwise, you'll be standing. Jazz is a musical form that came
from the lower classes; yet, today, to enjoy the good stuff, it seems that you have to
spend a lot for a night out—on top of the cover charge, there's a two-drink mini-
mum here. Good thing you get quality performances in a romantic atmosphere.
Locals freaked out in the spring of 2008 when it briefly looked like it might close,
which only served to cement its esteem in the civic mind.
Overpriced drinks but spot-on blues and jazz are served up at
Lou's Pier 47
Restaurant and Blues Club
(300 Jefferson St., at Jones;
%
415/771-5687;
www.louspier47.com).
Some people eat here—the menu is a Creole-type riff
($8-$20)—but there are better places to do that. The cover charge starts at 4pm
($3-$5) and jumps at 8pm ($5-$10), when the place starts functioning more as
a bar.
