Local Legends

Five Myths About the Loma Prieta Earthquake
You know about Loma Prieta whether you’re from here or not. It’s the World Series earthquake, the quake of ’89, the One that Brought Down the Bridge. The mark it left on the consciousness and infrastructure of Northern California cuts through scientific and social communities alike. There’s a reason we

First Time at Folsom Street Fair? What to Expect
It’s Folsom Street Fair, motherfuckers. Whether you’re about to indulge your polite curiosity or debut your sadomasochism, here’s some of what to expect. Citywide traffic. Throughout the city, hotels and AirBnbs run scarce. Traffic standstills accumulate on South of Market streets beginning early Sunday morning. Freaks from every corner of

How To Prepare for Burning Man In Twenty-Four Hours
By Jeremy Kuempel “Oh my god, I just got a ticket to the Burn! This is finally my year!” Her voice dripped with enthusiasm. For months, the only thing my friend could talk about was how badly she wanted to go to Burning Man. She raved about the art she

Does Mosswood Meltdown’s female-led lineup mark a sea change in rock culture?
Since 2012, early July signaled the return of Burger Boogaloo to Oakland’s Mosswood Park. The annual music festival featured local bands and longstanding legends, including the Jesus and Mary Chain, the Dead Boys and Ronnie Spector of the Ronettes, hosted by the master of ceremonies, cult filmmaker John Waters. Co-produced

San Francisco Pride: Staving Off The Comedown
A San Francisco Pride Experience Judging by looks alone, San Francisco was more than ready to party. An LED rainbow beamed up Market Street from a scissor-lift platform stationed in front of the Ferry Building. The leeward hillside below Sutro Tower bore an inverted, bright-fuschia triangle. It shone hot-pink at

John Vanderslice on Drugs, Dreams, & Legendary Analog Recording Studio
“I simply had a loopy plan that I executed with maniacal energy over 24 years, and I kind of pulled it off.” So says prolific singer-songwriter and record producer John Vanderslice in the final chapter of TrueAnon Presents: “Keep the Dream Alive,” a five-episode podcast series on the history of his legendary analog recording

The Potential Volcanic Threat to San Francisco
In 1997, James Bond and Sarah Connor teamed up against the tallest and most powerful adversary of the nineties disaster-film revival: a volcano. The plot of Dante’s Peak is simple: a quiet town at the foot of a sleeping giant ignores its reawakening to attract more tourists and property investors.

John Waters to Help Open ‘Thee Stork Club’ in Oakland
A reanimation of the legendary Oakland dive bar.