Vinyl: Clubs in San Francisco

Vinyl
Thursdays at The Rawhide
7th and Folsom Street
$5.00

I'm of the opinion that Tuesdays and Thursdays are the most significant club nights. I've formed this belief after continually finding that my favorite nights out on these days. They are for people who can handle work the day after being out. They are for people who like going out for the pure joy of not being at home curled up all snuggly in front of the television with someone you love. (Blech!)

Presently Tuesdays in San Francisco provide us a good selection with Phuncktion at The Top, Taboo at Liquid, and Trannyshack at The Stud among others. Thursdays on the other hand have left me wanting more. The current options that I've found have been limited to an 18-plus jungle night (Eklectic,) a pretty run-of-the-mill house night (Sure Shot at The Top,) and a fairly glam but way overpriced club night (Heavy Rotation.)

Obviously I wouldn't have given Vinyl this much intro if I weren't going to give it a good review. I can say something mean more concisely. The point is that finally I've found a night on Thursdays worth leaving the house. Vinyl at the Rawhide, much like Staple at the same location on Saturdays, is a good old fashioned club night - not too frumpy, freaky, over-hyped, or expensive.

Vinyl brings great guest DJs each week. They usually go on about midnight, with residents Juss Derek and Luke playing earlier. I've been less than impressed with the resident DJs mixing skills but their record collections and choice of tracks are quite good. The guest DJs are local and national househeads. They have included Steve Loria, Julius Papp, John Howard, Marques Wyatt, Solar and my all-time favorite, DJ Onionz from New York.

The crowd is younger than I find at most clubs in the city - closer to 20 than to 30. The fact that I can now make this distinction and am in the latter group makes me feel even older than I am. However, I wasn't the lone dinosaur by any means. People at this night are friendly and energetic and spend a lot less time hanging out on the roofdeck then they do on the dancefloor. I pride myself on being Mr. peppy guy but these people make me look asleep.

Because the Rawhide's background decor includes saddle-shaped bar stools and large stuffed game heads mounted to the walls, it is the promoters' responsibility to do their best to cover it up. The crew at Vinyl does an excellent job with two projectors over the dancefloor, art on the walls, and even the roofdeck gets mood lighting. The only thing that needs to change about this night is the club's owner whom controls the bar and mixes drinks. It is amazing that someone who owns a nightclub can be my least favorite bartender in San Francisco. Take my advice - though you may wait ten minutes for a drink from him, he will still screw it up. You are only safe with beer.

I am impressed that given the size of the Rawhide that they are able to fill the space on a weeknight. I am sure that the inexpensive $5 cover charge helps even though the music is the main draw. Perhaps other people have felt the same void in Thursday nightlife and like me are glad they found something good fill it.

Upcoming guest DJs include DJ IZ, David Harness, and the Dubtribe Soundsystem.

by Camper English

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