San Francisco’s Best Parties This Weekend
Hello, August. We’ve been waiting for you like Friday night. This weekend’s full of homegrown talent and new parties, plus your local Syrian star and a globally loved DJ from Poland/Detroit/Berlin. Variation is key.
For full listings, visit SF Station’s Events Calendar.
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Friday, August 1: Omar Souleyman at The Independent
The stage breeds many characters. Some, like middle-aged Syrian wedding singer Omar Souleyman, are more electrifying than others. His entertainment is dabke, an Arabic line dance whose hundreds of years of tradition still carries on with the addition of a Korg synthesizer. Turns out, the tempo is not so different from house and techno. It’s this alluring energy that captured the attention of Caribou to Four Tet, that latter of which produced Souleyman’s latest almost, last years’s Wenu Wenu, though he’s self-released hundreds of cassettes in the Middle East. Surpassing even the racing and raw, rhythmic yammer of the synthesizer, Souleyman’s cigarette-stained vocal chants take the lead, calling crowds into thrill with verses, as translated, keep it in celebratory spirits: “Oh beautiful, you charmed me with your dark complexion / They told me that we’ll get married, I cannot live without you.” It’s a live show not to be missed.
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Friday, August 1: Public Works & Sunset Sound System present Magda & Vincenzo at Public Works
Born in Poland and now a long running Berliner, Magda grew up in the 90s Detroit rave scene. She found home working for Richie Hawtin’s minimal leaning Minus imprint, and soon thereafter, opened on his tour. For the first two years, Magda said she could not deliver, though a decade later, she continues to play Berlin hard techno club Tresor and summer showcases in Ibiza. It proves, as per usual, that a high-pressure start is often worth the stress and experience. In Magda’s case, with an international reputation that hinges predominately on DJ skill over her slimmer discography, it amounted into a tact for building groove, tight sculpting, and stripped down, bass thick techno.
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Friday, August 1: DJ TechTools Open House 2 feat. Shawn Wasabi, Flaxo, & Slaptop at DJ TechTools HQ
There’s a new community space in town, and it’s an open-faced garage in Dog Patch full of Traktor and the likes. DJ TechTools (DJTT) is a massive web community for DJ technology, now with a space/store that hosts meet-ups and showcases equipment to test out (official name: Coffee & Controllers). This Friday, they’re throwing a block-party-style open house for DIY musicians and their fans, featuring live controllerism performances from Shawn Wasabi, Flaxo, and Slaptop—“button pushing” you can watch and learn. PS, it’s free.
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Saturday, August 2: Push The Feeling with Glenn Jackson (Live), YR Skull, Epicsauce DJs at Underground SF
If you’ve ever read electronic music publication XLR8R, you’ve likely seen a contributor byline from Glenn Jackson. The Oakland writer/producer, who makes up one half of synth-pop duo James & Evander, also tinkers with house music. His sinuously groovy, lightweight and gleaming sound carries its pleasing share of piano and wafting textures.
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Sunday, August 3: Outpost feat. Dr. Sleep, DJ CZ, Nackt at Underground SF
The city seems to be getting consistently darker. Outpost, a heavy bass and techno night with a forward thinking edge, is throwing its second party this Sunday with Jacktone artist Dr. Sleep, DJ CZ (one of Surface Tension’s promoters), and residents Nackt b2b CM-4. The vibe to expect? Local, hard hypnotic and grimy in your brain fissures.
