San Luis Obispo

Jello Biafra on Playing "Big Corporate Festivals" and Making a Punk-Southern Rock Hybrid

Bay Area punk-rock pioneer Jello Biafra has embarked in numerous high-profile collaborations in the decades since the mid-1980s dissolution of the legendary Dead Kennedys. While he has teamed with the likes of Ministry's Al Jourgensen in the industrial-punk project Lard and tracked classic albums wi ... More >>

San Francisco's Best Public Restrooms: Expert Weighs In

"Flush twice -- it's a long way to the kitchen" is something of the standard graffiti fare to be found in restaurant bathrooms. But you won't find that at Gitane. The San Francisco establishment has received much glowing press for the ethereal beauty of its commodes. In fact, it has a chance to win ... More >>

Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom Gets Overwhelmed by Two Meetings

It's not news that Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom has not a thing to do up there in Sacramento, a city that he himself has said is boring. But you know what is news: Newsom finally had something to do -- and didn't do it!On Monday, Newsom's morning included showing up to a meeting and casting a vo ... More >>

Kamala Harris Busts "Skimmer Operation" That Stole From Hundreds of Chase Bank Customers

Attorney General Kamala Harris used her newly created eCrime Unit to break up two high-tech bank scam operations that ripped off hundreds of Chase customers over the last three years. In both "skimmer operations," the defendants, organized as "crews," replaced the card readers at Chase Bank ATM ves ... More >>

Lass Out Loud: Rachel Fannan on Her New Band, Only You, and Playing with "Three Vixen Warlords"

The women of the Bay Area music scene are breaking rules and defying expectations. Lass Out Loud is a new column exploring their lives and work. Former Sleepy Sun singer Rachel Fannan's new all-girl group, Only You, takes a break from the sunnier shores of Southern California to perform at Brick an ... More >>

San Francisco to Pasadena on Public Transit: SF Weekly Inspires Epic Bus Journey

Think of it as a guidebook...​In June, your humble narrator traveled from San Francisco to Los Angeles via public transportation. This journey, as explained in the ensuing cover story, was undertaken for the same reason George Mallory sought to climb Mount Everest: "Because it's there." Mallory's ... More >>

Undeniable

July's Literary Events

In Transit: From S.F. to L.A. via Public Transportation

San Francisco to Los Angeles on Public Transportation: Maps, Pictures, Insanity

View "In Transit:" How to Get from S.F. to L.A. in a larger map Huh. We just realized we're crazy. How so? The Google map above traces the public transit odyssey your humble narrator undertook between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Fifteen transfers, seven local transit agencies -- ah, sorry, we' ... More >>

Indiana's Native Shoots Straight, Drives Slow, Plays Twice This Weekend

"Hi"​Native, a noisy prog-core quartet from Northwest Indiana, are playing two shows this weekend at the Bottom of the Hill in support of their last album, Wrestling Moves, which combines all the rhythmic intricacy and interlocking near-melodies and committed yelling of post-hardcore exemplars lik ... More >>

Italian DJ Benny Benassi Plans to Tour California on a Fixie Bike

​Awesome alert: In a feat of either badassery or hubris, Italian DJ, Grammy-winner, and all-around-suave-dude Benny Benassi plans to ride a fixie -- yes, a single-speed, fixed-gear bicycle -- down the coast of California on his upcoming tour.The bike tour kicks off after Benassi's set at Ruby Skye ... More >>

What's a Little Marriage Fraud Between Amigos?

It's a felony, sure, but in the absence of real immigration reform, some young, assimilated illegal immigrants see it as their best path to citizenship.

Voice of 511 Often Calls Himself

This is the fellow telling you where to go on 511 -- Bob Hesse​Halfway through a phone interview with Bob Hesse, we just can't help it anymore. It's just too much of a trip. Here we are talking to the voice of 511 -- and he understands what we're saying. None of those "I didn't get that," or "I mi ... More >>

Local Warming: Climate change comes to S.F.

Few Show For California Redwoods' Football Opener -- But Fans Still Manage to Have Fun (Legally and Illegally)

Jim HerdThere is grandeur in this view of life...​Text by Joe Eskenazi. Gorgeous photos by Jim Herd. In the many months between when we first reported the inception of the San Francisco-based United Football League up to the moment we wandered into a largely abandoned AT&T Park for the Saturda ... More >>

Bay Links: Obama-rama, More Muni Fight & Michael Pollan

​Do ask, do tell: San Franciscans on Obama's promise to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." [Mission Loc@l]Crescent City man accused of threatening Obama via email. [SFist]Missed your stop? Blame Obama. [Richmond Blog]An interview with the woman who intervened in last week's Muni fight. [Muni Diaries]Pic ... More >>

State Unemployment Numbers Are In: S.F. Situation Upgraded From 'Shitty' to 'Crappy'

James Duncan DavidsonA sign of the times...The State Employment Development Department today released its monthly accounting of where the state's employment handbasket is in its journey toward hell. And it's a good news-bad news situation akin to: "We've got fresh vegetables -- but we're serving the ... More >>

That 'Damn Lesbian' Roberta Achtenberg Thinks Now May Finally Be the Time for Executive Order Barring Sexual Discrimination

CSU-San Luis Obispo Public AffairsRoberta AchtenbergYou can't bar the disabled from federal housing. Ditto that for racial or religious minorities, the aged, or nearly any other group -- but homosexuals. Amazingly, in 2009, one can still be barred from a place in federally funded housing based upon ... More >>

San Francisco's Employment Report: Things Could Be Much Shittier!

Dorothea Lange, San Francisco, 1933 -- from the SFMOMA collectionBack to the future?In a case of debating whether the glass is half full or half empty -- but, upon further analysis, realizing the glass contains something nasty -- the state's Employment Development Department this morning released th ... More >>

California Has a Budget -- and Abel Maldonado Gets his 'Date With Brad Pitt'

In exchange for his vote, Sen. Abel Maldonado required the political equivalent of a date with this manWhen we last spoke with Assemblyman Tom Ammiano on Monday, he predicted a budget by that day or Wednesday at the latest. So, he was off by seven hours -- legislators obtained the Republican vote th ... More >>

Ammiano: State Budget Possible Today

The financial crisis has helped Tom Ammiano craft one of his best one-liners yetReached in his Sacramento office during a rare down moment, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano told SF Weekly he's hopeful the "Financial Armageddon" Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger warned about (apparently lifting liberally from his ol ... More >>

Port O’Brien sets near bearings for seafaring pop

String of Robberies Earns California Man 927 Years in Prison

Don't Book 'Em

A new library program tries to gently ease the homeless problem out the door

Hip Hop 101: the Underdogs/Alt-Rock 101: the Secret of Their Overseas Success/ DJ Culture 101: the Critical Mash Honors Club

Brave New World

M. Ward creates a Post-War state

Holiday Gift Guide

Hear This

Monsters of mope come to Berkeley: M. Ward, Bright Eyes, and Jim James. Old 97's are hotter than Ryan Adams.

Little Wings

Magic Wand

A Curious Betrothal

Kick-ass Filipinas become Mail Order Brides

Time of the Gypsies

The S.F. International Film Festival loses a programming director

Nuclear, Dude

When it comes to terrorism and U.S. atomic power plants, we may as well put Homer Simpson in charge

Clear Window

The 13th annual International Window Cleaners Association Convention is transparently entertaining

Change of Heart

M. Ward's new album is damn fine folk -- from a guy who used to ignore folk music

Gang of Four

Local all-girl outfit Erase Errata finds the common ground between noise and dance music

Dim Bulbs

Greedy out-of-state profiteers make easy targets, but the real villains of California's energy debacle are the ones under the state capitol dome.

Got Live If You Want It

What do a cappella, opera, and jazz have to do with hip hop? Ask Felonious.

The Modesto Invasion

The San Francisco rock scene is alive and well -- 90 miles from San Francisco

Dark Stars

For Stars' slow and steady trip up the coast to San Francisco inspired a life in somber, beatific pop

Modesto Calling: A Critical Guide to Noise Pop

Panic or Attack?

Did this aspiring cover boy, who says he killed in a panic fit brought on by unwanted gay advances, get away with murder?

Deep Xanadu-doo

William Randolph Hearst's heirs want to build hotels and a golf course on his seaside estate, below his fabled castle. Ranchers and environmentalists are raising Kane.

Slap Shots

The Probe Guy

In The Probe, Aaron Muentz writes about sex, booze, and rock 'n' roll -- in that order

Country Rogue

Mendocino publisher Bruce Anderson is smart, sophisticated, and savage

Jail Date

Wives of San Quentin inmates protest politicians' efforts to restrict the Family Visitation program

The War Womb (Part II)

For every direct action against an abortion clinic staged by Operation Rescue, expect an equal and opposite reaction by the Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights.