Tag: san francisco

JetLag RocknRoll: San Francisco Travel Guide

San Francisco musicians Blag Dahlia (the Dwarves), Shayde Sartin (Sonny & the Sunsets, the Fresh & Onlys), and Sammy and Helene (the Okmoniks) take you on a rocknroll tour through San Francisco, sharing their favorite sights, restaurants, bars, record stores, clubs, and more. Respectively, they’ve lived in San Francisco for 30, 17, and 7 years.

DO

  • Step back in time with vintage arcade games and toothpick dioramas made by Alcatraz prisoners at Musée Mécanique (Pier 45), tucked amidst the touristy chaos of Fisherman’s Wharf.
  • Fill your pockets up with quarters for pinball-palooza at Free Gold Watch (1767 Waller Street), a silk-screening shop that’s home to dozens of machines.
  • Pull on your walking shoes and explore North Beach, Chinatown, the Mission, the Haight, the Richmond, the Sunset, and San Francisco’s other colorful neighborhoods.
  • Clamber around the ruins of the Sutro Baths (Point Lobos Ave) and dare to venture into the nearby Goonies– style cave.
  • Escape to the towering redwoods of Muir Woods (1 Muir Woods Road, Mill Valley).

EAT

  • Indian pizza at Zante Indian Pizza (3489 Mission Street)
  • Authentic German sausages, schnitzel, and more at Schmidt’s (2400 Folsom Street)
  • Organic California cuisine served until 1am at Nopa (560 Divisadero Street)
  • Artful sushi and Japanese fare at Tsunami (1306 Fulton Street)

SHOP

  • Thrillhouse Records (3422 Mission Street)
  • Rooky Ricardo’s (448 Haight Street)
  • Grooves (1797 Market Street)
  • Valencia Street (boutiques, bookstores, record stores)
  • Chinatown (souvenirs, firecrackers, novelty items)
  • Haight Street (vintage clothing, record stores, Loved to Death)

ROCK

DRINK


RECOMMENDED HOTEL

The stylish, mid-century Phoenix Hotel (601 Eddy Street) is where touring bands such as the Black Lips, Joan Jett, the Jesus & Mary Chain, and the Damned stay when they’re passing through town. The heated pool is a plus and often the focus of splashy events.


FEATURED BAND PERFORMANCES (in order of appearance)

The Dwarves at Thee Parkside, San Francisco
Sonny & the Sunsets at Midsummer Studios, Emeryville
The Fresh & Onlys at The Chapel, San Francisco
The Okmoniks at Hemlock Tavern, San Francisco / Stork Club, Oakland / Thee Parkside, San Francisco

At Hemlock Tavern

Ultimate Painting
The Teutonics
Hard Left
The Ogres

At The Knockout

Nobunny
Vicky & the Vengents
The Atom Age
DJ Daniel Segura
DJ Russell Quan

At Thee Parkside

Giuda
Davila 666
Traditional Fools
King Tuff
Personal & the Pizzas
Mean Jeans
The Rantouls

At Bottom of the Hill

Gooch Palms
Guantanamo Baywatch

JetLag RocknRoll: East Bay Travel Guide

East Bay musicians Shannon & the Clams, Tina Lucchesi (Trashwomen, Bobbyteens, Cyclops), and Jesse Townley (Blatz, Gr’ups, Criminals) share their favorite haunts in Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, Alameda, and Albany. Collectively, Shannon & the Clams have lived in Oakland for over 30 years, while Tina has called Oakland home for 15. Jesse has been a proud Berkeley resident for nearly three decades.

 

DO

  • Catch the panoramic view from Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science (1 Centennial Drive, Berkeley).
  • Explore the post-apocalyptic landscape of the Albany Bulb, aka Albany landfill (1 Buchanan Street, Albany).
  • Spend a day at the races with $1 beer and hot dogs at Golden Gate Fields (1100 Eastshore Highway, Berkeley).
  • Hike through redwoods and around a funeral pyre and pyramid at Joaquin Miller Park (3590 Sanborn Drive, Oakland).
  • Get lost in Tilden Park‘s 2,079 acres of natural beauty.
  • Catch a film at one of the East Bay’s many movie theaters (Grand Lake Theatre, New Parkway Theater).
  • Stroll around Lake Merritt to watch some peeps, pups, and ducks.
  • Tune in to UC Berkeley’s radio station KALX (90.7fm).
  • Tool around town on a bicycle.

 

EAT

  • Japanese-style fried chicken and side dishes at Aburaya Japanese Fried Chicken (380 15th Street, Oakland)
  • Authentic Laos/Thai/Cambodian cuisine (Tina highly recommends the rice ball salad) at Champa Garden (2102 8th Avenue, Oakland)
  • No-frills diner food with some vegetarian options at Broom Bush Cafe (2725 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley)
  • “Honest, awesome, Mexican food” at Juan’s Place (941 Carleton Street, Berkeley)

 

SHOP

 

ROCK

 

DRINK

 

FEATURED BAND PERFORMANCES (in order of appearance)

Shannon & the Clams at Starline Social Club, Oakland
Shannon & the Clams at Great American Music Hall, San Francisco
Tina Lucchesi with Thunderroads & Fink at Shelter, Tokyo
Cyclops at Shelter, Oakland
Cyclops at White Horse, Oakland
Blatz at 924 Gilman Street, Berkeley (footage courtesy of Shayne Stacy)

At 1-2-3-4 Go! Records, Oakland

Try the Pie
Radioactivity
Synthetic ID
California
All Dogs

Rule of Thirds at First Church of the Buzzard, Oakland (footage courtesy of Alejandro L. Flores)
Healers at Life Changing Ministry, Oakland (footage courtesy of Alejandro L. Flores)
Weather Warlock at The Church, Oakland (footage courtesy of Alejandro L. Flores)

At Stork Club, Oakland

The Shanghais
Little Queenie
Teenage Sex

At White Horse, Oakland

The Mantles
Swiftumz

At 924 Gilman Street

Melted!
Genuine Parts
Jakob Danger
Dinosaurs
The Side Eyes

Jello Biafra at Forbidden Island, Alameda