I have been going to PopScene since I was 16 years old, back when it was an 80's night, dance club at 330 Ritch Street. Yep, you read right. I was getting into and getting my groove on two years before I was legally allowed to.
Thursday nights were our night and Popscene was our place. My girl-friends and I just wanted to dance and dance we did! We'd roll through when doors opened and dance the night away, closing the place down on most nights. It was always an adventure and we always had the best time. All 80's hits, all night, I mean how could you go wrong, right? Sometimes there would be a band or two that played and we really didn't like that because it interrupted our dancing and we usually had no idea who the band was...my how times have changed!
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| MSMR @ Popscene 5/7/2015 photo by Carlos Rodriguez |
As the years went Popscene gradually became a band breaking, concert venue as oppose to a dance club. These days Popscene is hosted at The Rickshaw Stop and it's grown to be known is SF's premire indie night club. There are certain songs that will forever ring Popscene to my ears and conjure up some of my most fondest memories. Bloc Party's "Banquet" is by far my most favorite "Popscene song": Miles the DJ, an old friend of mine who use to DJ there, knew it was my favorite and he'd always play it for me whenever I went. It made me so happy to "stomp it out" on the dance floor. Some other classic Popscene tunes include:
Last Night - The Strokes
Boys and Girls - Blur
Are You Going to Be My Girl - JET
Friday I'm in Love - The Cure
How does it Feel - Orgy
Honest Mistake - The Bravery
Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand
I'm Not Going to Teach Your Boyfriend - Black Kids
Anything/Everything by Morrissey or The Smiths
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| The Sounds @ Popscene 4/7/2011 photo by Marc Fong |
Just as Popscene changed with the times and matured so have I and am always excited to see shows there now. It's such a great, intimate club where so many bands have played their debut show here in SF before blowing up. Plus, there's still a taste of the good ol' days before and in between the live music!
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| The Sounds @ Popscene 4/7/2011 photo by Marc Fong |
One of the geniuses behind Popscene is the music director at LIVE105.3FM , DJ Aaron Axelsen. He's a new music virtuoso who co-founded Popscene with fellow resident DJ, Omar Perez and he's the one to thank for introducing show goers and music fans to new, up-coming bands because he's the brains who books the shows at Popscene. It was an honor to have worked with him at the radio station, even though we worked in different departments and it's always a humbling honor when I get to cover a Popscene show.
There's been some amazing acts at Popscene over the years and though I haven't been lucky enough to catch all of them like Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen, I will forever be grateful for the great bands I have seen there, like: The Sounds, Funeral Party, M.I.A, The Killers, MSMR, The Wombats, The Soft White Sixties and The Cathedrals to name a few.
It's Popscene's 21st Anniversary this week and to celebrate there's two nights in a row of shows! Thursday night (the original Popscene night) is a surprise party because the band is still under wraps and Geographer will be doing a special DJ set on Friday night. I could not be happier for Aaron Axelsen and the whole Popscene team! Thank you for bringing us so much new music the last 21 years!
Man, I'm old.
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