Dungeons & Dragons

The Real Fantastic: Of Dungeons and Day Jobs

The 10 Best Bay Area Metal Albums of 2012

Our year-end listmaking continues with a look at the heavier side of things. Featuring venerable greats as well as brand-new bands -- and even some freaks in heavy costume -- here are our picks for the 10 best local metal albums of 2012: High on Fire De Vermis Mysteriis [E1] Convoluted as the prem ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi Gets Timeline for Pending Hearing -- But Not Answers

A proceeding held before the Ethics Commission today addressed the format of the forthcoming rigmarole to determine the fate of Sheriff-In-Limbo Ross Mirkarimi. If you were a fan of lengthy, procedural discussions broken by lengthy, embittered public comment -- and sealed by setting dates into the s ... More >>

"Revelations": Elaine Pagels Decodes the Rapture

A proceeding held before the Ethics Commission today addressed the format of the forthcoming rigmarole to determine the fate of Sheriff-In-Limbo Ross Mirkarimi. If you were a fan of lengthy, procedural discussions broken by lengthy, embittered public comment -- and sealed by setting dates into the s ... More >>

SF Sketchfest: Cast Reunion (and Radio Play) for Cult Comedy Wet Hot American Summer

In 2001's Wet Hot American Summer -- a raucous send-up of 1980s summer-camp movies -- the counselors vow to meet up 10 years later in 1991, when they'll all be in their late 20s, to see how they've fared. And just over a decade since the film's release, many of its main players reunited on stage at ... More >>

Girls' Father, Son, Holy Ghost -- A First Listen

​ I've been everywhere with the San Francisco band Girls: Love 'em, hate 'em, find them overhyped, find the detractors overly cynical. I think they like it that way. Girls' hugely-acclaimed 2009 Album blew me away for a week. Then I found myself having trouble rekindling that need to hear it a ... More >>

Arthouse Movie Listings June 29-July 5

​ I've been everywhere with the San Francisco band Girls: Love 'em, hate 'em, find them overhyped, find the detractors overly cynical. I think they like it that way. Girls' hugely-acclaimed 2009 Album blew me away for a week. Then I found myself having trouble rekindling that need to hear it a ... More >>

Soul-Funk Outfit The Budos Band Wants To Harsh Your Mellows, Hippies

Lotsa people, lotsa attitude.​You've got to love New Yorkers for their blatant honesty. Speaking to Jared Tankel, baritone saxophone player in 10-piece Staten Island global-funk group The Budos Band, he makes it clear to aspiring rappers that his instrumental band is not interested in collaboratin ... More >>

Tera Melos Isn't A Simpsons Reference. Or Are They Just Lying?

​ Hark, ye of little attention span: Sacramento spazz-rockers Tera Melos are bringing their refined mayhem to town tonight, their last stop before they embark upon a tour of Japan and South Korea with Mike Watt and the Missing Men. They're supporting their new album, Patagonian Rats, out a month a ... More >>

EPA Busts Contractor For Keeping Mum On Lead-Based Paint At Castro District Dwelling

The gold is on City Hall's dome -- and the lead is apparently on Ord StreetAnyone who sees a red door and feels a compulsion to paint it black should heed the fate of South San Francisco's Fine Custom Painting, Inc. The painting contractor was this week fined $10,000 by the Environmental Protection ... More >>

Remembrance of Demons Past

The Unborn raids the modern horror memory bank, from The Exorcist to Auschwitz.

Elf Life

Shadowrun is fresh and exciting -- and on its way to being obsolete.

Emo Phillips, Phillips and Bassprov, RoboGames, Jeff Capri, Jason Hart, Duck Soup -- Night and Day: Saturday 6/16

Shadowrun is fresh and exciting -- and on its way to being obsolete.

Our top DVD picks for the week of December 5:

Shadowrun is fresh and exciting -- and on its way to being obsolete.

School Daze

Bully takes you back to the battlefield of high school.

One Toke Wonder

Tenacious D gets the band back together, and ... and ... and?

Metallic Apex

Mastodon destroys cookie-cutting rock

Glacial Profiling

Slow-paced Valkyrie Profile offers dull apocalypse.

More Than Zero

A trio of twenty-something San Franciscans have invented SFZero, a game that bleeds far into reality

Rock out with your Goblin Cock out!

A trio of twenty-something San Franciscans have invented SFZero, a game that bleeds far into reality

Headbanging for Jesus!

Infiltrator gets booked on a Christian talk show

Getting Blown

The sights, sounds, and sensory overload of last weekend's first annual Mind Zap

Asymmetric Warfare: The Game

Advances in ultrarealistic simulation let soldiers experience the war in Iraq -- before they go

The Black Metal Arts

This town has one of the most thriving metal scenes in the world. Local faves Ludicra offer tips on how to cash in on that action.

Shorties

EPs are usually ignored by reviewers. Here are a few recent releases worth taking note of.

2003: Year of the Wonka Record

For the year's 10 best records, go somewhere else. For the year's 10 best "Wonka Records," you've come to the right place.

Out of the Passé

A Québécoise becomes a choreographer

Best Dorky But Cute Hip Hop Act

Lil' Pocketknife

Hear This

Tomahawk is perhaps the first great prog rock-punk band

Take Ral of Me

Tracking down the mysteries behind Ral Partha Vogelbacher's cinematic break-up album

House of Tudor

Sci-fi filk singers, a still-flying Byrd, and the infectious Dengue Fever

Mary Timony

The Golden Dove (Matador)

House Of Tudor

French Troublemakers, nihilistic novelists, and melancholic-altbluegrass purveyors

Pop Philosophy

Rock Out S.F.; Bart Davenport; Santa Cruz Lo-Fi Indie Music Festival

Dream Weaver

Sandman author Neil Gaiman finds magic in the damnedest place

Night Crawler

Sandman author Neil Gaiman finds magic in the damnedest place

Oh, the Horror!

Sandman author Neil Gaiman finds magic in the damnedest place

Night+Day

Sandman author Neil Gaiman finds magic in the damnedest place

Recordings

Sandman author Neil Gaiman finds magic in the damnedest place

Recordings

Sandman author Neil Gaiman finds magic in the damnedest place

Slap Shots

Sandman author Neil Gaiman finds magic in the damnedest place