Dance Clubs – SF/Bay Area (Folsom: live, club, rich)

[Dish_Soap]

It’s been years since I went clubbing but I am feeling a desire to get down. I had epic moments clubbing when I lived in NYC way back in the day (think Twilo) but I’m clueless as to what the Bay Area has to offer.

Where do you like to get down? What is the crowd like there? What type of music do they play?

Which place has the best sound system?

Who brings in the most interesting international DJ’s?

Which place has the most douches?

Which place has a friendly, laid back and eclectic crowd?

I’m a gay male, but the music is more important to me than the crowd, and in the past I have found that the best people follow the best music to wherever it is.

Fill me in on the club scene (if it even exists) in the Bay Area. No Top 40!!!

Thanks!

[04kL4nD]

Check out 1015 Folsom, Audio, Mighty, Monarch, Mezzanine, and Public Works. Ruby Skye books all the same big name DJs as you'd find in LA, NYC, Vegas, etc, but the dbag factor is sky high. None of the places I listed are 'gay clubs', but they all have a very mixed crowd of people who enjoy quality dance music.

[sn63]

I have never been but I know friends that will visit Infusion Lounge which is along the same lines as Ruby Skye . I am past my clubbing stage but have fond memories of going clubbing in the city. I have one friend that goes to End up? and I guess its open till 6 am.

[FC76-81]

Originally Posted by sn63

I have never been but I know friends that will visit Infusion Lounge which is along the same lines as Ruby Skye . I am past my clubbing stage but have fond memories of going clubbing in the city. I have one friend that goes to End up? and I guess its open till 6 am.

Yep, this brought some good old memories to me as well. Back in the day we'd hit up the Kennel Club or as us regulars called it "The Box" and St. Marks on Market St.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

Check out 1015 Folsom, Audio, Mighty, Monarch, Mezzanine, and Public Works. Ruby Skye books all the same big name DJs as you'd find in LA, NYC, Vegas, etc, but the dbag factor is sky high. None of the places I listed are 'gay clubs', but they all have a very mixed crowd of people who enjoy quality dance music.

Some of the hole in the wall places further up Folsom (talking, between 7th and 12th) are pretty fun. This is especially true if one wants to take a break from what I call the "Ibeza-zone" type places (not that that is bad, but variety is the spice of life).

Mighty, to me, seems to have peaked a few years ago, but to be fair, I have not been there during the past year.

Mezzanine is OK but need to be on one's toes if approaching the club from the 6th Street side for obvious reasons.

[HockeyMac18]

These tips are great, guys. Thanks.

I have a friend coming into town who wants to go to some dance club-type places, and since I'm not really a dance club person it's good to have these suggestions.

[04kL4nD]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

Some of the hole in the wall places further up Folsom (talking, between 7th and 12th) are pretty fun. This is especially true if one wants to take a break from what I call the "Ibeza-zone" type places (not that that is bad, but variety is the spice of life).

Mighty, to me, seems to have peaked a few years ago, but to be fair, I have not been there during the past year.

Mezzanine is OK but need to be on one's toes if approaching the club from the 6th Street side for obvious reasons.

1015 Folsom is pretty legendary and the closet thing I've found in SF to have the warehouse/NYC/mega club vibe that a lot of people associate with club culture. I really like the sound systems at Mezzanine and Monarch but yeah, not in the greatest areas. Haven't been to Mighty in a few years, but I always enjoyed myself. Public Works used to be a hidden gem, but now it gets packed to the gills just like everywhere else. Whenever Pete Tong is in town, it's a must though. I wish I could tolerate the crowd and staff at Ruby Skye, but I just can't anymore. Rich kids and bottle service are so not my thing.

[Bisaro TMF]

Do people even dance with each other to EDM? I just see a bunch of people jumping up and down staring at a DJ I find that whole thing weird. Maybe because I go to hiphop clubs where we actually dance with females and don't just stare at a dj pushing buttons and fist pumping.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

1015 Folsom is pretty legendary and the closet thing I've found in SF to have the warehouse/NYC/mega club vibe that a lot of people associate with club culture. I really like the sound systems at Mezzanine and Monarch but yeah, not in the greatest areas. Haven't been to Mighty in a few years, but I always enjoyed myself. Public Works used to be a hidden gem, but now it gets packed to the gills just like everywhere else. Whenever Pete Tong is in town, it's a must though. I wish I could tolerate the crowd and staff at Ruby Skye, but I just can't anymore. Rich kids and bottle service are so not my thing.

If I want to see my wife roll her eyes I merely need to utter two words: Ruby Skye.

[04kL4nD]

Originally Posted by Bisaro TMF

Do people even dance with each other to EDM? I just see a bunch of people jumping up and down staring at a DJ I find that whole thing weird. Maybe because I go to hiphop clubs where we actually dance with females and don't just stare at a dj pushing buttons and fist pumping.

Depends on the type of "EDM", the venue, and the crowd. I go to a lot of Tech/House shows where everybody is grooving together and feeling the music. I've been to psytrance events where you'd swear people are having a religious/out of body experience. Obviously, there are places where people are just there to "rage" to "bangers" and "drops" (haha it's weird to type those words out as 30 year old man), but I tend to avoid them since I'm more of a trance/techno/house guy that's there for the music, nothing else. I could stereotype the entire hip-hop culture/community by saying that nobody really "dances" and people just grind on each other sexually all night long, but that would be dumb, wouldn't it?