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Sixxteen---
The Cat's Club---Sundays
1190 Folsom @ 9th St. 415-431-3332---Reviewed
by John Kane
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Photo by Catherine
Lee
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Kiss, The Runaways, AC/DC, The Sweet, Iggy Pop, Motley Crue. These bands and
their lifestyles are celebrated every Sunday night at Sixxteen, far and away
the tastiest of rock 'n' roll niteclubs, where it's as if Glam and Metal never
went away. Each week a large (and, best of all, Yuppie-free) crowd gathers for
a night of serious drinking, chain smoking, and debauched living. Five dollars
gets you through the door, from there you can choose to mingle at the bar or
go up to the main room where a live band (garage or punk style) kicks the evening
off. After midnight the main room becomes the center of the action as the guys
and gals get all sweaty writhing away to classic (for me at least) songs like
Poison's "Talk Dirty to Me" and Quiet Riot's "Cum On Feel the
Noize." While there's no official dress code most guys go for a rocker/roadie
look (lots of black leather, T-shirts, wifebeaters) and the girls get slutted
out in tiny tops, skintight pants, and high heeled shoes, with both sexes loving
the studded belts. Inexpensive cover, always interesting crowd, phenomenally
loud music, what more do you need? In a word, ROCKIN'.

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The
Beauty Bar
2299 Mission @ 19th St. 415-285-.0323
---Reviewed
by John Kane
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Photo by Rodwin
Pabello
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Can Yuppies and Hipsters
get along? Find out at The Beauty Bar where on a nightly basis the two are
forced to coexist in this crowded and cramped Mission hot spot. A somewhat
successful attempt to imitate the theme bars of New York, The Beauty Bar
offers manicures and makeovers, seats swiped from hair salons, and theme
night parties. It's best feature by far is the music with nights devoted
to moody soundtrack offerings, girl groups, and hard rocking gutter trash
tunes. Drinks are well made and for the most part reasonably priced. Biggest
downside to the place is the overwhelming number of Yuppies who frequent
it during the first half of the evening. On the plus side after eleven the
cool equipped club-goers show and things usually get more fun, if not less
obnoxious.

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The
500 Club
500 Guerrero @ 19th St. 415-861-2500 ---Reviewed
by Catherine Lee
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Photo by Catherine
Lee
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If old alcoholics bother
you, don't bother going to The 500 Club. But if you've ever stumbled out
of a bar charmed by a boozy conversation with a veteran of bourbon shots,
this place should suit you. It's kind of dark & dumpy but the combination
of semi-circle booths, a crumbling fireplace and casually dressed clientele
make it a great place to go out in a low style. Filled with smoke & a generation
that came of bar-age with grunge, the atmosphere is relaxed with a bite
of sexual tension. Sprawl in a booth with friends while you shoot the shit
accompanied by a superb soundtrack any night at "The 5". The last time we
were there, we argued over an Uncle Tupelo song, remembered how fun drinking
is with Tom Waits, & generally interrupted our own sentences to sing a good
line. And everyone in the bar does the same damn thing: sing with the jukebox
songs. Maybe because the music is so good, or maybe because the mixed drinks
actually have some liquor in 'em.

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Zeitgeist
199 Valencia @ Duboce 415-255-7505---Reviewed
by Catherine Lee
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Photo by Catherine
Lee
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Somehow the Zeitgeist
Bar got a reputation that implied a connection to Nazism. Urban Myth. The
German word Zeitgeist translates to spirit of the time. Contrary to it's
exterior, the spirit at Zeitgeist isn't really rough, just anti-establishment.
Bikers, punk rock, and dogs co-mingle to create an outlaw atmosphere. On
the overhead television screen you won't see sports or talking heads, but
old b&w horror movies or Japanese animation. The speakers sound better inside
the bar if you need to catch up on some Stooges or Agent Orange, but if
the weather is nice (or if you smoke), then step outside. A big pitcher
of beer out on a picnic bench in the exterior garden on a warm day/night
is Zeitgeist heaven. Zeitgeist fires up an outdoor grill every evening with
bargain prices, but call ahead to verify before you end up satiating your
hunger with pints of Guinness.

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