Okay so this is basically the soundtrack to my whole life — every spot where I've either cried into a beer, danced till my legs gave out, or just stood in the back with my paint-stained hands shoved in my pockets being WAY too moved by a bassline. These are not polished 'best of' lists, these are the rooms that actually raised me (so good it hurts, basically all of them).
The holy grail of sweaty indie rock nights — Rolling Stone literally called it the best live venue in SF and I will not be taking questions (criminally underrated outside the Bay though, people sleep on it!)
A literal converted 1914 mortuary with 40-foot arched ceilings — the acoustics in here make me want to lie down on the floor, it's so good it hurts, every single time
Tiny stage, vintage rickshaws hanging around, foosball table in the back — this place has launched so many bands before they blew up (I saw someone here once who's basically famous now, no I won't say who, go find out yourself)
Not a venue exactly but it IS where I spend my entire paycheck on vinyl I 'need' — free in-store shows happen here too and they're criminally underrated as a music experience
The most gorgeous room in the city, full stop — gilded balconies, velvet everywhere, feels like seeing a show inside a jewelry box (I always cry a little, don't @ me)
The backyard patio shows here are so good it hurts — salsa one night, punk the next, somebody's drag set the night after that, pure Mission chaos energy
Karaoke room in the back has absolutely changed me as a person — go on a slow Tuesday and you'll find the most criminally underrated voices in the whole neighborhood
TheLysts
