Be sure to bookmark this guide; it’ll get long – I have so much to tell you! Plus, I’m constantly updating as new events, venues, and DJs are announced.

(Or are you looking for this year’s Dore guide?)

You can always find the latest at andymatic.com/folsom – just tell friends, “It’s at andy matic dot com slash folsom!” Easy to remember!

Quick update: Last year before Folsom I was laidoff, thank you for everyone that referred me to their companies, recruiters, and colleagues. After 4 months and thinking about starting an OnlyFans, I landed at a Series A technology company as their first marketing hire ever-ever.

Party grid for the weekend (tap to open full size) below: (compare to 2022, 2021, 2019)

If you’re impatient, jump past my platitudes and get to the list.

Folsom is a Rorschach.

It reflects your sexual identity back at you. You learn what turns you on and what doesn’t. What you once thought was kink and what you now think is vanilla. What you might try, what you’re glad you tried, and what you’d never even consider (well, maybe next year). Who you’re scared to admit you want to be, what you’re scared to admit you want, and what you’re absolutely sure you don’t.

What is Folsom Street Fair?

Folsom Street Fair (also referred to as just “Folsom”) is the world’s largest outdoor leather/fetish event and usually attracts half a million people every year from all over the world to the fair in San Francisco, California. The fair is produced by the Folsom Street non-profit organization raising money for an annual roster of beneficiaries. If you’re familiar with July’s Up Your Alley/Dore Alley street fair (also produced by the Folsom organization), Folsom is generally a more ‘mainstream’ and straighter affair than Dore alley weekend. Straight kinksters and fetishists have been important partners in the fight for LGBT equality and visibility and Folsom is for them, too. Everyone realizes that after the far-right gets done outlawing queer sexual thrills, they’ll continue with the rest of the Handmaid’s Tale training manual.

You’ll hear The Gays complain that the fair isn’t what it used to be and the Folsom organization has let the event lose its edge. It’s too tame. Too straight. Too many women. (Which usually means they pine for the days of manly-men-only events and venues.) But bitching that things aren’t the way they used to be is one of San Francisco’s most hallowed pastimes. Along with complaining about rents and being seen standing in line for things.

You might see producers refer to the weekend as “FLSM” or just “Leather Weekend.” It’s all the same. The Folsom organization can be pretty draconian about protecting their trademarks.

And yes “Happy Folsom!” is a tiding people will say as they greet you over the weekend.

Know your history

Photo above from the June 26, 1964 issue of Life magazine profile “Homosexuality in America,” a landmark in LGBT visibility.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t include some history. It’s hard to convey how much leather, kink, and fetish culture is woven into the fabric of San Francisco. It’s a horny city.

That libertine spirit has grown to include all sexualities and genders and all types of people and expanded across the world. Here’s some reading for your flight here:

• Recon News: San Francisco, a Gay Kink Destination by the always amazing Race Bannon
• SFTravel article Behind the Harness: The Extraordinary History of the The Folsom Street Fair
• Found SF article Changes and Continuities in the Leather Community
• SFist article Brief History of the Folsom Street Fair and an article specifically about Megahood 1984
• Blogger Broke Ass Stuart’s Down and Dirty History of the Folsom Street Fair

This context is also important because many have a knee-jerk reaction to this collection of people and behaviors. It’s hard to express to straight people sometimes. “We do it this way. I can’t entirely explain why we do it this way, but this is how we do it.” Numerous religious right fundamentalist websites use photos from the street fair to depict all queer people. Some would argue if we just didn’t dress up like that or throw it in everyone’s faces that we’d have more queer acceptance faster but let’s be honest: They’d murder us for simply holding hands. See also: Respectability politics.

The annual “kink at pride” hand-wringing blows up bigger each year lately (with lots of photos from Folsom used as examples, instead of actual Pride celebrations). Looks like it is driven primarily by Gen Z queer-folk that don’t know their history along with the 4chan trolls’s annual operation Pridefall. You can be prudish with your own tastes, but you better respect and you better recognize. Here’s a good Twitter thread discussing why kink and leather is insperable from Pride. And the call to be “family-friendly” is just coded language for assimilation.

If you don’t like it, then it isn’t for you, and isn’t intended for you and it’s completely fine if you stay away. That’s why the street fair requires admission and minors aren’t allowed and all these parties are for patrons over 21.

For some people, leather and fetish is a core part of their identity and peer groups. Many queer people come out of the closet but still don’t quite feel like the mainstream gay community is for them. Often it’s what they see portrayed in media: upper class, assimilated, prudish/vanilla, straight-acting, gay, white, and urban. They then find their leather/fetish/kink group and feel more at home. Folsom celebrates that every year.

Here’s a list of many of the events of Folsom weekend:

When someone asks me to describe Folsom weekend overall I usually say: It’s like a big gay leather prom.

And just like prom, everyone dresses in their Sunday best, everyone is ready to dance and have a great time. And everyone has high (and probably unrealistic expectations) about how much they’re going to get laid. Think Molly Ringwald’s 50 Load Weekend.

Also like prom, you might run into some mean girls or mean bears or mean muscle queens or belligerent twinks that are more intested in throwing attitude than having a good time. You can usually find these assholes standing outside the dance floor not moving at all, just posing. They aren’t sweating from dancing. They look amazing and they’ve worked hard all year to look this good and fuck only guys that look just like them (and they are starving). Tell them they look stunning and then go to the opposite side of the club where people are actually having fun.

Generally the San Francisco crowd is warm and friendly to a fault. The general etiquette is such that everyone introduces everyone to everyone else. As far I can tell this doesn’t happen at other cities (the Atlantis cruises, kinda). Also, that’s how you remember a guy’s name. Introduce him to someone else so they have to say their name again.

It’s like we say back in Indiana, “The way to a man’s hole is through his husband.”

As you read the guide please keep in mind that:

Taste in music is so individual

I can rage for hours at an afterhours until 8am and then have a friend say, “Yeah it was too dark, didn’t really do it for me.” Then, we were at another party from one of the city’s top producers and headlining DJs with a more disco-y edge and everyone’s grooving and it isn’t moving me at all. And sometimes I just want straight-up dead-eyed muscle-queen basic-bitch four-on-the-floor primetime circuit. Some find it completely monotonous.

My motto is: If you can’t fuck to it, I can’t dance to it.

That’s probably why our favorite getting-ready-to-go-out song is Ivan Gomez’s remix of Danny Tenaglia’s club mix of Wayne G’s “Twisted Excuse Me)” (1 minute in on this J. Warren mix).

And the music, clubs, and dance floors have their own amazing history. “It Takes a Village, People: Preserving San Francisco’s Gay Disco History” (DJ Mag)

San Francisco parties are different

San Francisco parties have a beating heart. San Francisco parties have a soul.

We went to several of We Party’s events at Madrid Pride a few years ago. Stunning evenings with up to 10,000 guys at iconic venues like Fabrik and La Riveria. Production design was absolutely astounding (video).

Guys come to San Francisco and enjoy the switch to smaller, more intimate events. Going from 10,000 men and tons of lighting hardware rigged to soaring ceilings, to several hundred guys packed into Club Six with the low basement ceilings practically sweating from the humidity. It is a huge change in dynamic and tone. In San Francisco, you are more likely to see the same guys several times a night or throughout the weekend. There’s more a sense of us.

Almost all of the events detailed in this guide are from part-time producers and groups of volunteers who have day jobs and partners and families and lives. They don’t make millions doing these events (and often lose money just trying to make the bar minimum on other weekends).

And sure they can get competitive. But doing one year at Dore weekend, when two producers for a Saturday night party tested positive for covid. The production team that had their party at the same venue the night before said no problem, we got this. They stepped right in to help make sure the party went off without a hitch. That’s not going to happen in many cities.

We know many of these DJs and producers personally, and I can tell you that they ache over every single detail and minute of every party trying to bring the best possible experience to a legendary weekend. They do it for the sheer love of music and dance and celebration. You head into the club with the spirit of, “I can’t wait to see what our friends have cooked up us tonight!”

So at 3:30am when the mix of sweat and leather hangs in the air and Donna Summer croons, “Oooooooo… I feel love, I feel love, I feel love, I feel love…. I fee-eeel love…” and you’ve got one beautiful man in your arms, and another behind you, his beard brushing the back of your neck, and the guy you met at the other party is smiling from across the crowd, and everyone is moving in unison, say to yourself, “This is how they do it in San Francisco.”

I’ve included links to photo galleries for most of the events so you can get a sense for what the mix of the crowd is like and what to wear. I also tried to include profiles for the DJs so you can get a sense of what the music will be like. Several events that have not yet been confirmed but they’ve happened every year so many years surely they’re gonna happen.

Early Events

Mid-September: Baloney at Oasis, produced by Rory Davis

San Francisco’s “gay all-male revue that’s not entirely gay and not entirely male” is back with their Folsom edition. We’ve gone to the show several times over the years and it’s always a fun evening with these talented sexy men of all shapes and sizes and ages. Baloney combines theater, dance, striptease, song, comedy, and acrobatics into an entertaining evening unlike anything you’ve seen before. They’ve since produced more events like a game show night and Wieners, “the trashiest underwear party in San Francisco” and the captivating Gotham Pride gala set in the DC Comics universe.

Trailer for documentary about them that’s been burning up the film festval circuit: Baloney: A Queer Male Burlesque (interview with director Joshua Guerci).

Baloney featured in the Bay Area Reporter: Baloney’s back: saucy male burlesque show returns to Oasis and The Advocate

Catch them on Instagram plus founder and creator Rory Davis and tickets and more info on their site.

Sunday September 17th: LeatherWalk 2023 produced by the Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District

The traditional launch to San Francisco’s Leather Week, leather and kink enthusiasts of all stripes will walk together starting at City Hall, pausing at favorite neighborhood spots and watering holes, and culminating with the Leather Pride Fest, presented by the SF Eagle, at Eagle Plaza.

LeatherWalk benefits the Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District, a unique San Francisco institution dedicated to keeping our South of Market neighborhood queer and kinky. The money raised supports the Cultural District’s work, including murals, promoting our existing businesses, facilitating new ones, activating art and live events both indoors and out and sustaining the new Leather Community Center.

Meet 11am on the Goodlett Steps of City Hall (Polk St. side). Stops along the route include Oasis, Powerhouse, Hole in the Wall, Azúcar Lounge, Leather Etc., Wicked Grounds, Cat Club, Mr. S Leather, the Ringold Leather History Alley (next paragraph), the Lone Star Saloon, and ending at Eagle Plaza where at 2:30pm they join the ongoing Leather Pride Fest 2022, organized by the SF Eagle, which will include the raising of the historic Leather Pride Flag and a beer/soda bust from 3 to 6 pm.

While you’re in town, walk through a history of the city’s leather scene with Leather Memoir, along Ringold Alley which before the crisis in the 1980s, “one of the go-to places for gay men to rendezvous after the numerous gay bars along Folsom Street closed for the night.” The walk includes sidewalk plaques commemorating the many men, women, businesses, and bars that have anchored leather in San Francisco.

Article in the Bay Area Reporter from 2006: LeatherWalk aims to keep SF kinky.

Full details coming so follow the organization’s Facebook page and you can learn all about the Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District on their site.

They also produce the SOMA Second Saturdays mini-street fairs that bring artists and patrons from all over the city to the community.

Tuesday, September 19th

Truck at 2140 Market

The men of Truck are back in action. “The original Truck bar opened in 2007, and was off on its own in a different neighborhood, at the edge of the Mission District at Folsom and 15th streets… the place also infamously hosted raunchy Tuesday night underground parties where passwords were required for entry.”

They’ll be at 2140 Market – the old Lucky 13 bar down by Joe’s Barbershop.

Advanced tickets and details at Truck-SF.com.

Wednesday, September 20th

Dirty Alley at Powerhouse, produced by Mr. S Leather

Now celebrating over 40 years of leather, kink, and style, Mr. S Leather is a San Francisco mainstay and globally recognized leather retailer and fetish brand. They’ll kick off the week at Powerhouse and with a night of fetish demos, sexy gogos, and [checks notes] “the trashiest bartenders in San Francisco.”

Full details on the Facebook page for the event, in the meantime you can follow Mr. S on their Facebook page or on Instagram for more information.

40 Years of Filth fundraiser at BEI, produced by Folsom Street, with Sister Roma

“Folsom Street Fair has been taking a stand for sexual freedom and the right to bodily autonomy for four decades. The only way we can continue to bring you the event that is unlike any other in the world is with the support of our WHOLE community. Join Sister Roma (The Most Photographed Nun In The World) and famed guests and performers to drink cocktails or mocktails, bid on Folsom worthy auction items, schmooze with other leather lovers, and support a great cause. Celebrate 40 Years of Filth with the whole Folsom Street crew!”

Sister Roma is one of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an iconic group of activists that has for over 44 years used drag and religious imagery to satirize issues of sex, gender, and morality. Now worldwide, the Sisters run non-profit charity organizations that raise money for AIDS, LGBT-related causes, and mainstream community service organizations, while promoting safer sex and educating others about the harmful effects of drug use and other high risk behaviors. They are absolutely badass.

Full details for the event.

Thursday, September 21st

Provocateur Kickoff Party at Audio/Bergerac, produced by Jefferson Mosquera and Mohamed.G

Heard several friends rave about the Provocateur party for Pride this year and they are doing TWO events this year.

The Folsom kick off party on Folsom Thursday night and then their main event on Folsom Saturday afternoon, right across from Big Muscle at DNA Lounge.

Provocateur is an all-gender-inclusive party that celebrates self-expression and encourages you to, “Be ferocious and live your red carpet fantasy!”

Music lineup provises to be “house/techno booty-poppin’.”

Follow producer Jefferson Mosquera on Instagram.

Tickets and details on EventBrite.

Friday September 22nd

Geared Up block party at Mr. S Leather

The block party is back! They had one for Dore and it was well attended and looked like a great time in the sun (video). Come find the gear that’s going to get you laid. And who knows, you might just meet the guy you’ll be spending the rest of the weekend with!

Mr. S’s infamous two-day block party in and around their store which usually includes DJs, gogos, bartenders pouring drinks, bootblacks shining, cigar enthusiasts out on the sidewalk, and guys cruising from every corner – while hundreds of hot guys are shopping and trying on their full range of harnesses, clothing, gear, and toys.

If you are going to buy some new leather finery during your trip, get over there when you first get to San Francisco. They can do alterations onsite to ensure a perfect fit and often while you wait. Their leatherworkers will be going overtime so that might be more difficult as the weekend kicks in. Harnesses, hats, ballcaps, boots, uniforms, vests, blindfolds, ropes, lubes, jockstraps, singlets, socks, toys… they’ve got it all. And slings for rent.

Mr. S staff are helpful and friendly and want to make sure you look your best – even if you’re new to the whole leather thing.

I remember finding the place super intimidating when we first went since we didn’t know much about leather culture. You want to wear the right thing right, right? In San Francisco we were just a 10 minute walk away and go at least once a month. I went from having panic attacks when I first walked in to being a model for the new harness they debuted a couple years ago:

If you’re worried about wearing your harness wrong: Just check how they are styled on Mr. S Leather’s site or whatever vendor you got it from. A lot of guys wear their harnesses way too low and too loose. You should feel the tightness, the restraint. It’s basically a corset for your shoulders. Shoulders back, pecs out!

If you have a narrow build, look at the harnesses with thinner strips of leather. Some guys can’t pull of harnesses with a lot of leather pieces, coverage, and hardware – and honestly if you’re going to be dancing for hours and hours, you don’t want all that stuff hanging off your body.

Mr. S also has their famed brown bottle “cleaning solution.”

Full details on the Facebook page for the event, their Instagram, or their events page.

Brüt at Great Northern, produced by Hedonic Productions and Brian Kent Productions, with DJs Hector Fonseca and Deanne

Brüt started as an NYC party but its special mix of leather, music, and muscle has reached across the globe with events in other major cities. We’ve been attending Brüt parties for many years in San Francisco (and now in Chicago), and it’s an incredible evening of dancing with primal music pumping and guys ready to have a good time.

The Great Northern (previously Mighty) is a big 7k sq ft warehouse dance space with 30′ ceilings and a “Future Deco” design with exposed brick wall and art deco accents (love the stained glass motif above the bar). The club has that step down from the bar into the dancefloor. You can watch queens trip over it all night if you need entertainment. The crystal clear 80k watt Void sound system keeps the music from being over-loud and you don’t have to yell at the guy next to you to have a conversation. That dark back lounge behind the DJ, part the couches, far corner, can be fun.

Hector Fonseca has burned up the Billboard charts with remixes that turn pop tunes into dance floor anthems. He started out in the late 1990s in the growing tribal and house music scene to headlining every party you can think of all over the world.

My fellow Hoosier Deanne has been making the masses move for over two decades with her signature combinations of pulsating beats, strong synths, dramatic arrangements and a soulful sprinkling of vocals. Tech, house, afro and progressive house beats and rhythms are combined for a unique journey that is marked with emotion, sensuality, undeniable energy, and a palpable “dance floor drama”.

Top three Brut moments from past parties:

1. A couple years ago at Folsom Brüt, Dan slowed down the beat and mixed in Nine Inch Nails’s “Closer” and you had hundreds of rutting leather-clad men chanting “I want to fuck you like an animal!” and then as the song ended, Dan kept repeating that Downward Spiral descending motif from the classic album as he brought the beat back up.
2. Hearing them drop in the remix of DMX’s “It’s All Right” featuring the elegant subtle couplet, “It’s all good! It’s alright! Fuck all day! Fuck all night!”
3. A St. Patrick’s party It was later into the night when things start to feel a little otherworldly, and Dan was on the decks (with his usual devilish grin), and he’d just suspended a really hard bass line, and as you caught your breath from dancing so hard, he faded in an isolated vocal of Debbie Gibson cooing, “No… only in my dreams… as real as it may seem… you are only in my dreams…” Transcendent.

Brüt featured in:

• The New York Times: Gay Leather Scene Tones Down From Hard-Core to Dress-Up
• Daily Xtra: How one leather party is taking back New York City
• Project Q: Brut muscles it’s way into Atlanta

Photo galleries from past Brüt events.

Brüt producer and resident DJ Dan Darlington on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and the Brüt site and Brüt’s own SoundCloud. My favorite Brüt mix of all time is this Folsom mix from a couple years ago. It absolutely purrs.

Hector Fonseca on Instagram, Facebook, SoundCloud, Spotify, and his website.

Deanne on Instagram, Facebook, SoundCloudt, and her website.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and you can follow Brut’s Facebook page and learn more on the Brüt party website.

Prime at Club 6, produced by TrophyDad with DJs Neon and Serge

Friday also marks the return of TrophyDad’s Prime party dedicated to “men in their prime and their admirers.” Hot gogo daddies (all over 50) tower atop the boxes and keep you entertained while a broad group of dads, boys, otters, wolves, bears, and the rest of the zoo come together to celebrate and dance and enjoy.

They’ll be at Club 6. On the ground floor, Prime’s resident DJ Neon the Glowgobear spins his trademark blend of celebratory vocals and lots of classics – all with a bit more bawlz behind it.

Meanwhile downstairs is the Daddy Pit, you’ll enjoy the aggressive overt vibe of the leather bars of days gone by with low ceilings, lower inhibitions, and a play space – with mixmaster Serge that dark, sexy sound he’s pioneered for years in the dark rooms of Berlin.

Prime party started a few years ago with our friend Ed throwing himself a big 50th birthday party and then it kinda became a thing. I think as the generation of men that survived the 80s and 90s is hitting their 50s and 60s their redefining what it is to be a gay man after 50: active, vital, confident, horny, and fun.

Club Six is on this strange hellhole block of 6th Street between Market and Mission. You should be fine walking in a group but if you’re solo, I’d grab a car or find some other guys in leather and chat them up and walk with them. There’s a reason the convenience store cashiers are behind plexiglass. Keep your phone in your pocket, headphones off, and your wits about you – that goes for the whole weekend.

But their security is the friendliest in town, led my mama Chris making sure everyone’s having a good time and staying safe – she’s like Ron’s long-lost tita.

Get there early, a few years ago the line for this event went all way down a block and half down the alley and the line inside for clothes check was all way from the basement up the stairs and into the bar.

Read more about the genesis of the Prime party in Race Bannon’s article in The Bay Area Reporter: “Celebrating Grey — the Older Kinkster”

DJ Neon on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, and Facebook.

DJ Serge on SoundCloud and Facebook.

Lots of photos to show you what to expect and what to wear. Or not wear. Visuals, lasers, and videos from the always dazzling William Brown. Coat check benefits AIDS/LlfeCyle.

Details on the Facebook page for the event and follow TrophyDad’s Facebook page and see lots of photo galleries on the TrophyDad’s Facebook page including photos of 2019’s Dore edition.

Horse Meat Disco at Public Works, presented by Bearracuda with DJs Horse Meat Disco and Mateo Segade

If Friday night you’re feeling into the thick hairy boys and/or a big hairy boy yourself, the Bearracuda crew is back with their trademark winning formula of big boys and fat beats. These aren’t those Insta-twink fiber pill influencers that are all omg sis, I’m so thicc or the muscle queens that are all Folsom is gonna get whatever body I give it! while being coy about their cum gutters (have you ever tried to explain cum gutters to straight people?). No bitch, these are the original thick boys. Thick with a capital K. Booty with a capital T. The kinda heft you want to feel on top of you (or underneath).

Producer Matt Bearracuda and the boys are pleased as punch to bring London’s notorious Horse Meat Disco back to the main floor of Public Works for the entire six-hour evening. HMD is billed as “a disco behemoth of classics, italo disco, oddities, [and] punk funk.” In the upstairs lounge is local mixmeister DJ Mateo Segade.

We’ve gone to many Bearracuda events over the years and it’s always a friendly mix of guys and a great vibe. And I’ve heard positive reviews from friends that have gone to Horse Meat Disco parties all over the world. Overwhelmingly they say if disco is your thing, then this is your party.

Public Works features a dense main floor with two story ceilings and a wrap around balcony above with a side lounge loft tucked in to the side. Lots of places to watch and be watched. It’s got odd traffic patterns, it’s not just you.

Background on the Bearracuda parties – produced in over 60 cities all over the world – and their creator Matt in this profile in Homoculture.

Profile and interviews with the four DJs that make up London’s Horse Meat Disco and their first album in The Guardian.

Horse Meat Disco on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook. No word yet on which two of the four HMD DJs is joining us.

DJ Mateo Segade on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Details on the Bearracuda website, the Facebook page for the event, (their Facebook Page), their Instagram, and here’s a photo gallery from a couple years ago.

Horse Market at Spritz, produced by the Stablemaster

The Stablemaster has confirmed there are THREE Horse Market events for Folsom. Friday and Saturday are the usual setup. Horse Market is a truly degenerate evening for all, inspired by Europe’s infamous Fickstutenmarkt parties (Vice article). From the site:

The mares [bottoms] arrive before the stallions [tops] and get prepared for the event. They are to strip naked, have their hands bound (lightly) and are then blindfolded. Then the stallions appear and can fully inspect the bound mares at their leisure. When a stallion has decided on a mare, he then leads the chosen mare to a place of his choice to mount. When the stallion has finished covering the mare, this mare is then available for covering by other stallions.

[scratches record, clutches pearls, drops monocle] There’s even a Best In Show designation at the end of the event because gay men have to turn everything into a beauty pageant scholarship program.

The Sunday night event is called “Unbridled” and will be more of a traditional fuck party with a smaller area for Horse Market setup, (no WS or FF pls): “There’s no choosing top or bottom beforehand and there’s no lottery. They can get that Horse Market experience if they like or they can just meet people like normal and have sex on all the different furniture we have. It’s a pretty big space and we have a lot of furniture. We will have non-alcoholic drinks for people to purchase and some free snacks.”

Horse Market has also been featured in The Journal of Sex Research in a paper by researchers Lindsey Gaston and Laura Dixon: “Calling All Mares: Community, Identity, and Group Sex at the San Francisco Horse Market

Continue to get updates from Twitter, or their mailing list and learn more on the site for the event.

Spencer Brown 1015 Folsom

Our friends at the The Gay Rave And Circuit Almanac group on Facebook always try to coordinate getting the gays out for a more mainstream-y event for Folsom weekend. This year it is hometown boy Spencer Local at dance temple 1015 Folsom (where Real Bad is on Sunday night).

Driven by a raw passion for music, Spencer got his start touring and releasing with Avicii and Above & Beyond while studying Electrical & Computer Engineering at Duke University. After two blockbuster progressive house albums (Illusion of Perfection [2018] and Stream of Consciousness [2020]) and a string of top techno releases, doors opened to touring the world, from major festivals like Tomorrowland, EDC, and Creamfields to headline club tours in India, Brazil, and Australia, from opening for Eric Prydz at Echostage to sunrise sets in Tulum.

Details for the Gay Almanac “takeover” here. Wear leather. Dress slutty. Stop facing front and staring blankly at the DJ (God that shit freaks me out). Dance with each other, grope, and kiss. Show the straight folks how its done.

Full details on the EventBrite page for the event. and join the The Gay Rave And Circuit Almanac group on Facebook which is a fantastic group anyway.

Stank at Powerhouse, produced by Spencer Adams, with DJs Jumpr and Fawks

Want a whiff? Get a waft! Everybody’s favorite gay dive bar kicks off the weekend with an evening devoted to the natural smell of men as God made ’em and as God intended.

Stop showering a couple days beforehand and hit the gym hard so you can go in perfectly fragrant (we have a couple friends who declare it “natural poppers”). Be ready to bury your face in a man’s ripe pits and enjoy the aroma and taste of the gogos as they ply their trade.

But get there before midnight so you can participate in (or just appreciate) the Ripe Pits Contest.

Resident DJ/pup Jumpr on Instagram and SoundCloud. Here’s his set from the pups’ virtual Beta party last year, Omega party 2019, Omega 2018, and their 2018 Packed party.

Resident DJ/pup Fawks on Instagram, SoundCloud, and his website fawkstales.com. Here’s his mix from Beta party 2017.

More details will be on Stank’s Instagram.

Oblivious at Eagle with DJ

Miami DJ/producer Alex Ferbeyre (subWOOFer, Miami) take you to oblivion and beyond with a a night of sexy beats, and sexy beasts! The Eagle usually features a cigar lounge in the huge outdoor patio area. Lines for drinks can be long so chat up or hookup with a guy while you wait.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event.

Folsom Foreplay at SOMArts, produced by Twisted Windows

Dual Demons & Twisted Windows present a phantasmal, enchanting Folsom Gala featuring exquisitely erotic, sensually subversive, and particularly perilous Queer performance art – including aerial acrobatics, suspension bondage, pole dance, and fetish acts, as well as interactive and display art & other participatory marvels. The Folsom Street Fair is celebrating 40 years of debauchery – in Roman Numerals, this is the XL Anniversary! To live up to the XL size, we are pulling out all the stops and planning two complimentary but distinct nights of Twisted Windows pre-party.

From their site: “Twisted Windows is an event for consenting adults in which activities involving rope, sensuality, sadomasochism, and other erotic interests and practices take place. We invite you to curate your experience by moving throughout the venue.”

Bring your toy bag – for Friday’s event only, this foreplay night includes a well-appointed playspace hosted by The Upper Floor’s Maestro Stefanos!

Stimulate your senses, participate and play with your favorite kinky crew and characters, and enjoy a dazzling show from some of the most renowned fetish performers in the community.

Twisted Windows events combine scintillatingly sensual shows with interactive activities, all at stunning and spacious San Francisco venues! Our events invite attendees create a unique experience exploring concurrent performances, innovative interactive activities, and visual art. Their select group of performers savor artistry and exhibitionism, bolstered by backgrounds in various performing arts (from dance to circus-craft to theatre to music). Many of our performers have experience in the adult industry (including Kink.com, HardTied, Pink & White, Skin Two, Cum & Glitter, and many more). Seriously subversive, particularly perilous, and exquisitely erotic – Twisted Windows will bring your fantasies into reality.

Full details on the event on their site.

Saturday, September 23rd

Big Muscle Party at DNA Lounge, produced by BigMuscle and BigMuscleBears.com, benefitting Positive Resource Center

I always like taking friends to this event because if you don’t know it’s happening on a Saturday afternoon, you don’t know what you’ve been missing. Several hundred muscle guys of all sizes and stripes, and their admirers pack into DNA Lounge (founded with Netscape money and like every other big venue always at risk of closing) to have cocktails and dance and make Mary. It’s got a fantastic vibe whether you’re in the mood to dance on the main floor, chill in the back lounges, hang out and chit-chat in the side bars, or people-watch from the wrap-around balcony.

Ron and I contend that this party usually has the hottest crowd of Folsom weekend. And some of the guys are yooooge! Like water buffalo galloping through amber waves of grain on the dance floor. It always makes me want to start a Tumblr called Big Guys, Tiny Fans.

It’ll be bright outside and dark as night indoors so it’ll take you a bit to see once you’re in the club. Reminder: DNA Lounge is a huge venue! It took me a couple years to realize, “Ohhh shit there’s that back bar there… and oh damn is that another bar further on back…” So after you’ve enjoyed the main floor, go upstairs to the balcony, the side bar on the left with the windows to the street (and another DJ lineup), the bar behind that, the bar behind that (and another DJ lineup), the bar that swings around behind back into the balcony to the lounge with seating and back around to the other side of the club.

There’s also the photo booth in the balcony (house-left) where you can get photos of your hot ass and hot-ass friends for posterity. It closes earlier than the event ends, so be sure to get up there sooner than later.

If you get overheated, there are A/C vents to chill you right in front of the street-side balcony bar.

Halfway through the party you’ll meet the men of this year’s Bare Chest Calendar. For over 35 years the annual calendar has been a huge part of the San Francisco community, raising over $3 million for PRC and its program AIDS Emergency Fund. PRC (Positive Resorce Center) is devoted to providing residential treatment and supportive housing for people with mental health, substance use, and HIV/AIDS-related issues. 

And yes you’re smelling pizza from the dance floor. DNA Pizza (menu) is next door through the doors on the left. Cuz, you know these gals like to eat. The veggie slice is called Artichoke-Me-Daddy. You can go between the pizzeria and the club and even go outside for a smoke or a vape during the event – just be sure you don’t sweat off your wrist stamp.

Aside from the pizza the area between Audio, DNA Lounge, Halcyon, and Oasis often has street vendors serving bacon wrapped hotdogs and holy fuuuuuuck are they good. If you smell sizzling meat, be on the lookout.

This event will sell out. Get tickets now.

If the “buy a ticket” line outside is too long. You can probably buy tickets on your phone on the DNA Lounge site and then jump over to the ticketholder line which moves faster. Or just buy your ticket now and save a few dollars. Usually $15-$20 at the door but advance tickets available on the DNA Lounge site. Service fees are kinda bullshit but know that none of that goes to the producers.

Photo gallery to show you who-all’s there and what to wear in Out magazine: “109 Photos From BigMuscle Party at Folsom Street Fair”

Full details coming and you can follow the BigMuscleBears Facebook page and tickets will be on the DNA Lounge website.

Provocateur Main Event at Audio/Bergerac, produced by Jefferson Mosquera and Mohamed.G

And right across from Big Muscle the fine folks at Provocateur deliver their main event (the kickoff was Thursday night).

Provocateur is an all-gender-inclusive party that celebrates self-expression and encourages you to, “Be ferocious and live your red carpet fantasy!”

Music lineup promises to be “house/techno booty-poppin’.”

Follow producer Jefferson Mosquera on Instagram.

Lots of photos from their Pride event on GDrive.

Tickets and details on EventBrite.

Rated X at Space 550, produced by Ky Martinez with DJs Alex Ramos, Danny Verde, and Marti Freison

Rated X is back! Last year’s premiere was a rowdy rutting good time and for Folsom Saturday, they’re coming to Space 550, a sprawling location with lots of nooks and crannies and crevices to explore. It’s a bit of a drive some grab some studs in the hotel lobby and share an UberX. Leathermen will be geared up out in gear and ready to cruise.

We’ve known Ky Martinez and his husband Juan for many years (they sat at the circuit queen table at our wedding reception) and it’s been wonderful watching them go from producing their monthly House Party event at Powerhouse (every second-Saturday) to building their reputation with larger more sophisticated events like Imagina and Heaven – and Nocturnal, the party you’ll be at Monday morning. Their events always draw a sexy crowd that is a diverse, broad slice of the city’s denizens (leather, muscle, queens, bears, queers, jocks, fairies, and all the rest).

Music will be aggressive circuit with slutty gogo dancers and several fetish demos.

Alex Ramos is bringing his signature sound blending tribal and progressive motifs that will get the all the men dancing and sweaty and shaking they ass.

The dashing Danny Verde has remixed everybody – Lady Gaga, Cher, Cyndi Lauper, Mariah Carey, Avicii , Ava Max, Selena Gomez, Ricky Martin, Clean Bandit – and had headlined pretty much every event around the world. His sound spans pop to house and back with charting remixes in over 20 countries.

Marti Frieson’s sound is inspired from by film, hip hop, house & techno, heavy metal, pop culture, etc. that’s what gives him his unique sound. His sets will always be a fun, high energy journey that is usually a few degrees “hotter” than what you’d expect.

Alex Ramos on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Danny Verde on Instagram, Facebook, SoundCloud, and Mixcloud.

Marti Frieson on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Details on the Facebook page for the event and you can follow Ky Martinez Events on Facebook and check out his site.

Magnitude at SVN, produced by Brian Kent Productions, with DJs Morabito, Brady Prince, and Boomer Banks

FINALLY the legendary Folsom Saturday night party is back! Magnitude was the notorious Saturday night Folsom party where all sorts of crazy shit happened on stage and on the dance floor. And finally, it’s back!

SVN was the famed concert hall Carousel Ballroom, hosting big bands in the 1960s later becoming Fillmore West concert hall hosting musical legends like B.B. King, Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, and the Grateful Dead, then closing in 1971, after staging a five-night concert series with local artists like Creedence Clearwater Revival and Carlos Santana. Then it became a Honda dealership for a long time.

They left and it has now become an event space. This is where we saw the immersive Van Gogh exhibit. The entire time we were in there, Ron and I are thinking OMG someone has to do a party here.

And Brian Kent is the man to do it. That’s for goddamn sure. He was co-producer of the Romp party at Dore with the Alice in Wonderland theme featuring Alice’s legs grown too big for the club (video) and the Cheshire Cat (video). He also gave us the legendary Jungle party at The Armory where you walked through an indoor jungle to get to the dance floor, stopping at a real wildlife petting zoo along the way. No matter the venue, Brian always pushes our local scene to be more startling, more innovative, expanding the local palette of party and music.

They’re transforming this former auto dealership into a deviant playground filled with epic sound, amorous lighting, incredible production, and mesmerizing laser shows. The party features a spectacular visuals as well as live performances by the most perverse adult entertainers in the business.

Even better, the music for the night is tech house with three mixmasters on the list.

We’ve heard Morabito several times and she’s magnificent. Morabito has dominated the dance scene for over three decades and played at pretty much every big event in the world, driving every party with a wide range of tribal, underground, progressive, and tech house into a seamless experience on the dance floor.

Chicago local Brady Prince has been making his way up to the top of the gay dance culture scene starting off as a percussionist, so you know you’re gonna get some drums. He takes influence from music icons like Vintage Culture, Mark Knight, Rosabel, Jerome Isma-Ae, Karsten Sollors, Marco Lys and Tom Staar. With a background in percussion and passion for multi genre taste, Mr.Prince brings a powerful and unique blend of Chicago house, tech house and melodic techno that delivers dominating energy to the floor making any party one to remember.

VIP includes express entry, complimentary coat check, and exclusive fun areas.

Morabito on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and website.

Brady Prince on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook.

And adult icon Boomer Banks on Instagram and Facebook.

Just announced so here’s early bird tickets. and more details on the Facebook page for the event.

Pervert at Midway, produced by Cecil Russel, Matinee, and XOXO Productions, with DJs Tom Stephan, Nina Flowers, Edu Quintas, and Eddie Martinez

Producers Cecil Russell, and Mansingh Chouhan and the team at XOXO have joined forces with European production group Matinee to bring the Pervert party to San Francisco. Direct from Circuit Festival in Barcelona, Pervert features 10 hours of music with international master DJ Tom Stephan and luminaries Nina Flowers, Edu Quintas, Jack Chang, and Eddie Martinez.

Pervert is at Midway, one of the city’s largest performance venues and they’ll be taking over the second “Gods and Monsters” space as well. If you want something in the Euro high-gloss high-production style of circuit, this is probably your best bet. This event usually goes well into the morning from 10pm to 8am so if you want an event that goes all-in and includes an afterhours time slot, this might be it.

Tom Stephan we’ve heard several times at IML and other events and he’s always good. With 17 Billboard Number One hits, he’s spun Black Party, White Party, Algeria, etc. pretty much every big party everywhere. A darker circuit sound with a horny edge born from the NYC afterhours scene and mixed with an East London sound. He also mixes under the psuedonym Superchumbo.

If you don’t know her music, you might know Nina Flowers from her stints on Ru Paul’s Drag Race, Drag U, and Drag Race: All Stars. Nina Flowers descends upon a party like a vengeful alien queen ready to tear the fucking walls down with the dirtiest hardest beats you’ve ever heard. You won’t be able to sit still.

We’ve been following Edu Quintas ever since his stateside breakout at Real Bad in 2012 and he’s only gone on to conquer the world. He’s got a strong, restless, progressive slash house slash tribal groove direct from Rio that will keep you moving and singing.

And my God: Mutha-fuckin’ Jack Chang. Before we even started going to events, we were streaming his mixes and dancing around the house. I have external hard drives full of his mixes. We finally stalked him enough we became good friends, and we are so pleased he’s back state-side. Back when we were babies:

Jack’s pedigree spans from the notorious sex parties in the sleaze-hauses of Berlin to sun-drenched pool parties in Brazil with a high impact sound with lots of drums and vocals.

Eddie Martinez grew up spinning the lounges and bars of the underground NYC club scene, making his way to east coast mecca Fire Island with a residency at Pavilion. An early protegé of the late Peter Rauhofer, he’s since played pretty every event everywhere with his eclectic pop-driven sound.

Tom Stephan on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and Instagram.

Nina Flowers on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and Instgram.

Jack Chang on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook. He also has his more techno-influenced alter-ego Ertönen.

Edu Quintas on SoundCloud, Instagram, Facebook, and Mixcloud.

Eddie Martinez on SoundCloud, Instagram, Facebook, and Mixcloud.

More details and ticket info on their site.

Rumble at The Great Northern, produced by A Club Called Rhonda

LA-based producers A Club Called Rhonda is back with their Folsom fracas, Rumble by Rhonda at The Great Nothern (you were there last night for Brut and watched guys fall off that first step into the dance floor).

Several headliners listed (not sure if some or all of these are DJs): Jennifer Loveless, Brown Amy, Adam Kraft, likeholywine, Nonsuit, Discnogirl, DJ M3, Goddollars, and DJ Cira.

Rhonda featured in Red Bull’s nightlife video series Inspire the Night.

Full details and registration on EventBrite and follow them and see photos of their events on Instagram.

Drip at Powerhouse, produced by SF Rubber

Rubber SF is back with their Folsom rubber/latex social.

Full details on Instagram and follow them there as well.

Also the Rubber Ducky SF social is Sept 14.

Black, Brown, & Kinky at Powerhouse, produced by Onyx Northwest

Onyx Northwest kicks off the weekend at our favorite dive-bar Powerhouse featuring sexy kinksters, jello shots, QT BIPOC leather folk with geared up gogos, fetish demos and more. $5 suggested donation at door and proof of vax + booster required. Kinky dress encourage and there’s always room for JELL-O… shots.

Full details coming soon but you can stay up to date with Onyx events with their Facebook page and on Instagram. Lots of photos on Facebook.

Electroluxx at Public Works, produced by Electroluxx

San Francisco’s art-filled queer dance party is back with their annual Folsom party at Public Works on Folsom Saturday. Expect a packed set with DJs on the main stage, loft stage, and outdoor silent disco stage and an outdoor cuddle puddle. Producers entreat you to “jump into our cuddle puddle, get your face and body painted, get a selfie in our photo booth and check out all of the cool art installations all around the venue.” Mainstage performances at midnight. Photos and vidoes make it look whimsical and colorful and a mix gay/straight crowd. You can get a flavor for their events from their Instagram account and videos on their site and photos from last year’s party.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event. and follow Electroluxx on Facebook and Instagram.

Chunk at F8, with DJs Ariel Zetina, Dicap, Thckrtanker, Goldilocks and more TBD

Another party for the big boys! 6 DJs across 3 rooms at F8 nightclub on Folsom Street plus hot gogo bars and a tarot extravaganza.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event.

New Breed at Club Six, produced by Polyglamorous and Pound Puppy

I mean, the word “breed” is right in the title. This is the one of the most sex party-ish events of the weekend. Upstairs, the Polyglamorous crew is running their usual dance party while downstairs, the gang from Pound Puppy is getting a bit more carnal.

Tickets will sell out within hours. They go on sale August 22nd.

IMPORTANT: The entry for their Dore event – Sneaks – was total chaos and some people waited hours to get in to the club and some didn’t get in because security was throttling capacity. One of the producers DMed me that to make sure that never happens again, they are not selling tickets at the door this year. All tickets must be purchased in advance.

Full details coming soon but you can follow the producers on Facebook: Polyglamorous and PoundPuppy SF.

Folsom XL at SOMArts, produced by Twisted Windows

And the Twisted Windows folks have their second night of filth at the SOMArts venue.

Full details on their site.

Blue Rave at an undisclosed location, produced by Xenasphere and Morning After Pill Radio

Text the number below to get notified of the location when the time is right.

Wear as much blue as you possibly can!

Live performances by Alien Mackitty, Evil Dizon, Gemini the Night, plus DJ sets by Tall CEO, DJ Romii, Acid Barbie, and from New York’s underground, Xana 10101 and XVR.png. Says:

SECRET SAN FRANCISCO LOCATION text 5108159658 for details (you will receive the location DAY OF the event don’t freak out if u don’t get a reply b4 that)

Got that from this Instagram post.

Cell Blok at the Eagle, with DJ Chris Cruse

Time to do some hard time and which should be easy when the Eagle is packed with depraved kinksters under the spell of Berlin’s DJ Chris Cruse (Berlin) bringing his sonic assault on your senses! Hot men in gear cruising for some action pack the back patio maze for a night of fun that grabs you by the balls and won’t let go.

Chris Cruse on SoundCloud, Facebook, and Instagram.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and check their Facebook page (also a Facebook group) and their website.

Code at Edge, with DJ Sean McMahon

Code is The Edge’s monthly event bringing leather back to the Castro with geared-up gogos and a no-frills bar packed with congenial leather-clad gents and resident DJ Sean McMahon, spinning Code’s signature dark and cruisy beats. Don’t know the theme yet.

DJ Sean McMahon on Mixcloud or Facebook.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event, and details will be on page Edge’s events listings on Facebook, the Code page on their site, or their Instagram.

NSA at Club OMG

The NSA honchos are back with two nights of their weekly underwear party for Folsom on Saturday Sept 23 is 10pm to 2am. Sunday Sept 24 is 4pm to 8pm.

Promotions always promise dim lights, sexy bartenders, and a horny crowd so expect a sexy playful vibe.

You can follow the NSA at OMG folks on Facebook for more updates or on their Instagram. Tickets available here.

Remember, OMG and Club Six are kinda in that strange hellhole block of 6th Street between Market and Mission. Keep your wits about you.

Sunday, September 24th

Well, good morning, precious! How’re ya feeling? Doesn’t matter. We’re not done yet. Momma didn’t raise no quitter! A few years ago, we got home from a party around 3am and decided we’d just take a brief nap and then go to Aftershock which starts at 4am. Instead, I woke up at 8:30am next to Ron and thought, “Oh shit. Do I tell him?

So rinse off the shame or get ready to apply a whole new sheen – but if you’re gonna lie down – set the alarm!

Aftershock at City Nights, produced by Ky Martinez, with DJ Abel benefitting Folsom Street

This is the Saturday night/Sunday morning afterhours before the fair. Aftershock is before the fair. Starting on Sunday. Before the fair.

Grab a circuit queen’s phone and go to the alarms. They probably a preset for 3am. Aftershock is why.

It’s easy to say why Aftershock is one of our favorite events of the year. Now in it’s 30th year, it’s got that perfect dark, horny, forbidden, unforgiven ambiance. None of this happy R&B diva vocals and “Isn’t life great!” bullshit. I take my problems to the dance floor, damned for my sins, dragged to hell, and stay there (did I mention I was raised Catholic?).

And DJ Abel is the fucking king. We’ve heard him in several cities and on Atlantis cruises and whether it is prime time circuit, tea dance, or afterhours, he’s just simply a master at what he does. I know it’s stereotypical to talk about a DJ taking you on a journey but he absolutely executes that every single time. Aftershock starts promptly at 4am. Everyone is pretty much wearing just jockstraps, harnesses, and boots.

The line for Aftershock starts well before 3am, and goes down the street, into the parking lot, almost to the overpass. Hopefully you’ll find a way to pass the time. Maybe there’s a cute Argentinian guy who has already taken his pill and is standing in line high as fuck and wants to grope and kiss, calling you “guapo” and asking, “When are we getting together, papi?” as your husband watches, laughs, and shakes his head from the sidelines.

Aftershock achieves that strange surreal feeling that while you’re dancing in a crowd of hundreds of hot horny, sweaty men, you aren’t entirely sure the world outside the club exists anymore. Here’s a video from two yeras ago at 7am.

City Nights is one of our favorite venues with a huge front room/lobby so if you get overheated or claustrophobic you can go chill out there, bar will be faster on that side anyway.

The main room is massive. Enter the main floor from the side, the stairs down in the back will have tons of guys strutting on it and not moving at all. The mini lounge up the staircase house-left with the couches and mirrored ceiling is going to be the VIP area this year. The line for the bar in the main hallway always gets morphed with the coat check line so it’s a big mess for the first few hours of the party.

Coat check at City Nights is always a shitshow. Like every time. Producers have tried over and over again to make it move faster to no avail. So just know that. You could dance with your backpack or whatever until the line cools down. Just don’t be surprised if you wait up to 45 minutes to get stuff checked if you get there during the rush. I know Ky and company are always trying new tactics to get things moving faster. But the venue they have some sort of mental block over there. If the bar in the hallway is open, the line for the bar will run into the line for the coat check.

For the first year Aftershock will have VIP tickets that include a special first entrance VIP line, access to the VIP coatcheck, access to the VIP balcony with snacks, fruits, massage, cooling fans, facial wipes, and more.

I said we never wait in lines for things in San Francisco. Aftershock is actually worth waiting in line for.

This event will sell out.

DJ Abel on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, and Facebook. I’ve never listened to an Abel mix online that comes close to approximating how he is live and he seems to have a a specific style he reserves just for Aftershock. Here are his sets from Aftershock 2019 and 2021,

Lights and visuals by Guy Smith and Rob Montenegro.

Event details on Facebook. Aftershock benefits the Folsom Street organization.

Again, Aftershock is before the fair on Sunday.

One year, we stumbled out of the club into the sunrise walked back to our place holding hands. We turned down Folsom street which had already been blocked off for the fair, and vendors and volunteers already setting up booths and stages for the street fair that would start in just a few hours. As we walked up 10th St towards our building, a guy in a jockstrap from a second-story closing his window blinds yelled, “Go to bed, queens!” So we did.

Walking home from Aftershock, sometimes with friends, sometimes with the luckiest guy in the world, sometimes just us.

The 40th Annual Folsom Street Fair produced by Folsom Street

Map of the fair on Instagram.

Map of west side of the fair:

Map of east side of the fair:

Ah the fair. It’s huge. You won’t realize it’s so many people until you are there. It’s crazy. Folsom Street Fair is on Folsom Street between 8th and 13th Streets. It’s a recommended donation to get in. Enter on the side streets, especially Harrison, for quicker entry and to get into the crowd faster. It’s over 400,000 people packed into 13 city blocks for 7 hours. It’s insane. The Fight usually publishes the official guide a few weeks before the event (2017, 2019) which will have a full map of the fair and a full calendar of events, but is much less obnoxiously opinionated than this one.

Hundreds of booths of fetish and leather vendors. There are several stages with some of the city’s best DJs plus a constant cavalcade of indie music rock acts and room to rock out and dance. Other stages feature fetish demos like bondage, BDSM, and etc. Hopefully naked Twister is back, but that is a HUGE bottleneck of traffic. You’ll see just about anything there.

Food and concessions have been odd the past few years. I’m not sure what’s going on. For Dore there was just one kebab truck. I’d recommend you pop on over to Azucar Lounge (9th and Folsom) just outside the fair and get tacos and eat them – great outdoor seating! – then come back into the fair. The Diana Market convenience store (9th between Folsom and Howard) also has lots of drinks and such but the line was crazy but moved fast during Dore. You can try and get drinks at Powerhouse or the other bars inside the fair but the lines will be long.

As far as philandering, no impeding traffic while you’re doing your business, and staff will discourage any public penetration. Butt-ass naked is fine. Don’t bring pets, they’ll be stressed out by all the people.

We’ve passed a local ordinance that single-serve water bottles can’t be sold or provided on public property at a permitted event. Foldable bottles are available for a dollar or reuse a juice bottle or bring your own canteen to refilll at any of the water towers throughout the fair.

Get tied to an electrical pole and get flogged, buy some leather stuff, watch BDSM demonstrations, have a chicken skewer, dance your ass off, get drunk/stoned/high/fucked/fucked up, or whatever you’ve got a whim for. One year we saw a group berating a naked man with whip marks on his back, re-enacting Cersei’s walk of shame from Game of Thrones. You will see people dressed in their favorite fetish attire whether is is leather or biker or athletic or rubber or corsets or neoprene or even Edwardian formal wear right out of A Room With a View. Some of these kinksters wait all year for events like this to strut their stuff and fly their freak flag. If you don’t like it or roll your eyes and can’t delight in seeing perverts celebrate their perversions, don’t be a twat about it. Not every thing is for every body.

What do you actually do there? Well a couple years ago, Ron went full KimK.

There are two main strategies to enjoying the fair:

1. Walk the length of the main drag. Though any place there’s a demo going on the crowd is going to be dense and slow or down where the pornstars play naked Twister.
2. Stay in one place, and eventually everyone will pass you.

Some of our friends absolutely love the fair and stay all day and have a great time.

White people/Wypipo: APPLY/BRING SUNBLOCK. The sun is pretty much high noon and direct with little shade and most of the surrounding buildings are just one story. But there’s usually super hot sexy tattooed EMTs with sunblock at the first aid tents.

People of Color: Please continue to get super-dark and sexy. But don’t burn. And if you got more tattoos, I would not be mad. We thank you.

Here’s the Facebook page for the event and you can follow the Folsom organization’s page and and just about anything else you’d like to know at folsomstreetevents.org.

Tons of photos at their galleries by photographer Gooch

Some of our friends absolutely love the fair and stay all day and have a great time. I’m usually wanting to rest up for:

Real Bad XXXIV at 1015 Folsom, produced by Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation with DJs Moussa, Alfonso Tan, and Simon Harrison benefitting this year’s beneficiaries

This is the ticket to get and you probably won’t be able to get it.

Sunday night on Folsom weekend is our favorite event of the entire year. If I could go to only one dance party a year anywhere in the world, it would be Real Bad. Real Bad is one of the few parties still going strong since the the 1980s crisis and they’ve raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for their beneficiaries.

Thousands of the friendliest, hottest men you’ve ever met (and some women) pack into local dance mega-temple 1015 Folsom for a night of dancing and revelry. The event is produced by local non-profit Grass Roots Gay Rights. All the money from the general admission tickets goes directly to local and national beneficiaries.

Real Bad is special to us because it is the centerpiece for an entire year of gay dance events in San Francisco. From the initial margarita party kickoff where they announce the DJs and then the check presentation party where we all cry as they give the funds to the beneficiaries, it’s an entire narrative across the year for the global community that we the Circle of Friends. We moved to Chicago late 2021 and that’s the thing we miss most about San Francisco is the people. This will be our 10th Real Bad.

You can’t really separate the event from the venue it is in: 1015 Folsom (the address and venue name are the same). A nondescript front door gives way to a warmly lit lobby with stairs and a ramp spilling into to the main dance floor. If you haven’t seen the remodel, they took the wall between the lobby and main room out. Three-story ceilings are complemented by a wrap around balcony – all with Brazilian hardwood dance floors. The rear balcony includes the lust-laden Red Room and then on the opposite (street-side). The upstairs lounge with seating and refreshments that comprise the VIP area for the first half of the evening (it opens up to everyone later on, so be sure to get up there, those poor couches). The first year we went to Real Bad, we spent most of our time on the ground floor and in the balcony and then we finally went downstairs to discover The Underground – the glowing low-ceilinged basement of the venue – where it’s a whole ‘nother party with a different DJ playing more downtempo steady-state house sound, much cooler down there, too. Our friend Joey spent most of his first Real Bad in just the lobby – thinking the event was just the front lobby (I’ll have what she’s having). So be sure to explore.

Alfonso Tan opens the main floor taking you from a post-fair tea dance into the early evening. In just a few years, he’s quickly built a following in Seattle and is continuing to conquer the country and the world with a hard sexy sound that you’ll love dancing to. He grew up on ’90’s era underground hip hop, R&B, electronica, indie rock, video games, sportscars, snowboarding, and Pacific Northwest culture; the positive influence on his sound is apparent. Ron and I gogo danced at Roar’s Honey party last fall and dancing on the box as he rocked the decks was a memorable family affair. Producer J. Morgan describes his sound as, “He spins like a top.” I just only now saw the pun in that sentence. Anyway, a good dom pounding for all those interested.

After Alfonso, Moussa will take the main floor into the late night and to dawn. He hails from Barcelona and was a record collector at an early age which turned him into a true warrior for house music. He’s taken Europe and the Middle East by storm with a sound that includes raging beats, mixed with balearic sounds and bumping tones that is complex, thrilling, sexy and impulsive – grounded in a classic house motif.

Simon Harrison will be at the decks in the Undeground – the basement – with a more relaxed sound. He has performed Burning Man and Lightning in a Bottle, while also producing and releasing music of his own. His sound emphasizes a curated journey of deep, melodic, and ethereal elements from progressive house and techno.

The music on the main floor usually starts laidback and kinda disco-y as everyone makes their way from the fair to the venue then gradually gets a bit heavier and leans more into prime time circuit for much of the night and then a little more abstract and dreamy as the night carries on. But always a nice weight to it and density. Never “pots & pans.”

We spend most of our evening on the outer third of the crowd. Dancing in the dense crowd under the disco ball in the center of the main floor can be exhilarating or exhausting depending on how you’re feeling at the moment. Take a break in the upstairs lounge. Snuggle up with a guy in the basement. Catch a breath outside in the cordoned-off smoking. Or have a stunning tattooed Iraqi muscle stud help you unwrap a Starburst in the lobby. That’s not even a euphemism, it was a literally a Starburst.

Real Bad is also our yearly check-in with everyone and where they are in their lives. People have seen Ron and I go from two wide-eyed young bucks from Chicago to two inked pierced bearded married muscle dads (who then moved back to Chicago) and part of the usual usuals orbiting the community and it’s related events. I’ll see friends that we were very close with for a few years, had wonderful memorable times with them, and now I’m just somebody that they used to know. You’ll see now-separated couples with their new beaus. Or couples with their new thirds knowing that by next year they might be broken apart.

I can’t say enough about Real Bad. It’s a singular experience distilling everything amazing about the city of San Francisco into one event. I know that sounds trite. Every year I walk down that ramp from the lobby to the main floor and think, “Goddamn this is a whole other level of party.”

Around midnight, look for Ron and I among the platoon of men and women in aprons (which Ron designed!) and hats (and little else) barreling through the thick crowd handing out popsicles to the over-heated crowd. Sometimes it’s hard to convince a queen to eat a calorie (bruh it is day 3, hour five, have a goddamn treat). And be sure you’re in the main room for when they drop the leather flag. The whole night has several peak moments.

Real Bad tickets are a complete bitch to get. Most tickets are only available through a host system of a couple hundred hosts. Each host is given a handful of ticket codes to share with friends and their network . That approach helps preserve the vibe that nearly the entire crowd is there because of someone they know in the organization’s “Circle of Friends.” With capacity rules, there are fewer tickets than ever this year.

There will be some general admissions tickets available online on Eventbrite at a time to later be decided, info on their site. They went in minutes last year.

As the weekend approaches make sure everyone around you knows they’re looking for a Real Bad ticket. As the fair ends and everyone decides if they’re really going to go the event, tickets become available. We had one friend leave the fair, take a nap, got texts about an available ticket, and was on the dance floor in an hour.

Short documentary about Real Bad, Activism with a Beat.

Article about Real Bad in The Daily Californian.

Moussa on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Alfonso Tan on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Simon Harrison on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Past Real Bad sets for your listening enjoyment:

• Real Bad XXXIII’s sets from Rob Phillips and Mascfish.
• Real Bad XXXII had Matt Effect opening the night with the perfect evening apertif while Paul Cowling kept steady in the Underground (3 hours of his set). The prime time slot was local favorite Russ Rich. He tore the fucking place down (part one, part two). You’ve never seen a club go off like this. Two years of a community’s expectation and excitement to celebrate. We all lost our shit. Ron’s video from the balcony. And then around 3am he snuck in Acraze’s remix of “Do It To It” – a few weeks before it hit big – and everyone was like WTF is this strutting subterreanean bass line. I over-played that song for months. More recently, I’ve been overplaying the amazing remix of Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” at 42 minutes in on part two).
• There wasn’t a Real Bad event in 2020, but a few DJs gave us sets to hold us over: DJs Ale Maes, Jesus Pelayo, and an Underground set from Fawks.
• Real Bad XXXI in 2019 with DJ Ales (early/warm-up, peak/prime time, afterhours) and Fawks (in the Underground) and video of the leather pride flag peak moment
• Real Bad XXX in 2018 celebrated 30 years had two DJs on the main floor with Jesus Pelayo (peak medley, main room) and Charly (main room) and then Byron Bonsall (in the Underground) and a fantastic recap video
• Real Bad XXIX in 2017 with Juan Escadero (main room) and video of peak moment with the leather flag, popsicle deployment, confetti drop, and recap/relive video
• Real Bad XXVIII in 2016 with Xavier Alvarado (preview set, main room) and and videos of peak moments one, two, and three
• Real Bad XXVII in 2015 with Brian Maier (in the Underground)
• Real Bad XXVI in 2014 with Fabio Campos (main room) and Corey Craig (in the Underground)
• Real Bad XXV in 2013 with Luiggi (main room) and Craig Gaibler (in the Underground)
• Real Bad XXIV in 2012 wtih Kam Shafaati (in the Underground)
• Real Bad XXIII in 2011 with Brian Reyes (early/primetime, late) and Steve Sherwood (in the Underground)
• Real Bad XXII in 2010 with Sean Mac (early/primetime, late) and Peter Canellis (in the Underground)
• Real Bad X in 1998 with Joe D’Espinosa (part 1, part 2)

Full details coming so follow Real Bad on Facebook and get a lot more info on their website RealBad.org.

If you can’t get into Real Bad, don’t fret. As it’s become harder to get tickets to Real Bad, other producers are stepping up to offer alternate parties in the Sunday prime time time slot. This year there is a complete set of amazing events:

Sanctum at City Nights, produced by Ky Martinez Events, with DJs Alex Acosta and Alexander Rendo

And a few blocks down from Real Bad, Ky Martinez and fam are doing something unholy with the debut of their Sanctum event at City Nights (you were literally just there this morning for Aftershock).

DJ Alex Acosta we’ve heard many times over the years in different cities and he’s always a great blend of tribal and house circuit with enough vocals to keep everyone satisfied.

Can’t find much about Alexander Rendo but I’m sure he’s fantastic and I slide into his DMs for more intel.

Alexander Rendo on Instagram, SoundCloud, and Facebook.

Alex Acosta on Instagram, Soundcloud, Facebook, Spotify, and his site.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and get tickets at kymartinezevents.com.

Cumunion at Transform1060

Legit for-real no DJs, no fans, no divas, all-dick play-party Cumunion is back for their Folsom edition at the Transfrom1060 dungeon space.

Cumunion started as a small sex party after Up Your Alley, 13 years ago in 2010. The success of the first party quickly led to a Folsom outing and there are now close to 50 monthly parties held in dozens of cities around the world.

Happy anniversary, Cumunion! Mazel tov!

Full details on their site.

Deviants at 149 9th St, produced by Fog City Pack, Folsom Street, and Müll

Alpha at Club Six, produced by Fog City Pack, has been cancelled and the pups are joining the Folsom org for the official closing party.

It’s been a few years since the Folsom Street folks hav produced their Deviants Adult Arcade party. On the 40th anniversary of Folsom Street Fair they are presenting the official closing party. The venue is nameless as far as I can tell and just a few steps from the fair itself with entertainment, art installations, music, and mischief across four floors.

The DJ list is extensive:
Kilopatrah Jones, Jason Kendig, x3butterfly, Beverly Chills, Del, FIVE, Honeybear, Mondo Nexus, Astro, Fawks, Jumpr, Miloš Gilić

Here’s some info about the Fog City Pack and what they’ve carved out for themselves, for their community, and for their city is quite remarkable, unique, and amazing. Learn more about our dear pups:

• New York Times: We Live in Packs
• Slate: Teaching Young Dogs Old Tricks
• SF Weekly: Canis Majors
• The Fight magazine: Pups in the Mist

Their resident DJs will be dropping a track or two for the evening as well:

• Fawks on Instagram, SoundCloud, and his website fawkstales.com. Here’s his mix from Beta party 2017.
• Miloš on Instagram and SoundCloud. Here’s his mix from the virtual Beta 2020 party.
• Jumpr on Instagram and SoundCloud. Here’s his set from the pups’ virtual Beta party last year, Omega party 2019, Omega 2018, and their 2018 Packed party.
• Astro on on SoundCloud. Here’s his mix from Alpha party 2017.

The Fog City Pack SoundCloud also has lots of mixes from past parties.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event .

Follow Fog City Pack on Facebook , Instagram, or their website.

Follow Müll on Instagram.

Vamp at DNA Lounge, produced Rosen Creative House with Saint Hills, Olga T, Dreams, Jazmine Black, Micahtron, hosted by Pearl Teese & Niko Storment, Mia Jomor, Panther, Chanel, Roks

Are you ready for a queer and trans takeover at Folsom Street Fair?! Join us for the best of both worlds! Vamp is a dedicated space for queer women and trans folks inside the Folsom Street Fair Festival! Come by and see our amazing dancers, performers and DJs all day! For Free!

Details and tickets at DNA Lounge website.

Hot Tea at Audio, produced by Cecil Russel and Evan J-Sun, with DJs Cindel and Aaron Aanenson

Cecil Russell, in association with Evan J-Sun, are once again bringing you their piping Hot Tea event at Audio nightclub. They’re also taking over the first floor of the adjacent Bergerac club so you’ll have two floors and four DJs of music to choose from. Leather-clad gogo gods and goddesses will undulate and provide entertainment all night.

Cindel’s first started spinning in Chicago at the ripe age of 15 and his skill in creating drum mixes and tribal-house vocals has earned him the title “The King of Drums.” Major influences such as Danny Tenaglia, Chus and Ceballos and Ralphi Rosario, along with his Puerto Rican roots, have helped mold his high-energy style into a successful career. His sound is like driving semi-truck into the dance floor, get ready to be overpowered with delicious drums.

Aaron Aanenson sets himself apart by pleasantly surprising his audiences with a collection of sophisticated, diverse, and thought provoking music that defies genres. He’s spun pretty much everywhere. Links to his music below.

Audio nightclub is in the heart of SOMA, right across from DNA Lounge where the Big Muscle party was and a few doors down from Halcyon where Nocturnal will be in just a few hours. The events starts as the fair ends so it’s a quick stumble to get there. Limited VIP tickets include VIP lounge area near the DJ booth, bottled water, and snacks.

Cindel on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Aaron Aanenson on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets at Gloss Presents site.

SayLove at Monument, produced by Grace Towers

Grace Towers has made a deep impact on the life of the city by carving out queer spaces and nurturing the queerdos who frequent them with her signature sabor latino, innumerable commanding performances, generous philanthropic endeavors, transformative mentorship programs, and legendary genderfuck style. Through her unwavering commitment to community, she encourages self-acceptance, creative expression, body positivity, and the use of drag as as a portal for change—all with effortless Grace, style, and poise. 

“Whether you’re into a sweet cuddle session, a hot scene, dancing the night away and/or some sweaty love. SayLove is a privately hosted play party that curates a space for consensual play, intimacy and good vibes.

Full details on their site along with password for tickets and follow Grace on Instagram and Facebook.

Forced Femme at DNA Lounge, produced by Histrionixx

Local production group Histrionixx is dedicated to bringing trans-centered electronic music events in the San Franscisco Bay Area. This Folsom party centers transwomen, non-binary transfemmes, dolls, and girlies of all kinds! (All genders welcome). The bill is an all transfemme lineup of live musicians and DJs you find anywhere else with pole dancers, a dungeon space and more.

Details and tickets on the DNA Lounge website.

Queerbait Folsom at The Great Northern, produced by Squish and FakeGay with DJs Roza Terenzi b2b D.Tiffany, Jensen Interceptor, DJ Having Sex, Adam Kraft, Likeholywine, Helena Hauff, Call Super b2b Objekt, Kudeki, and Nonsuit

Our friends at Squish and FakeGay are back with their Queerbait Folsom party at The Great Northern. The event runs from 2pm to 2am.

Full details and you can follow Squish on Instagram, Facebook, and these links, and FakeGay on Instagram and Facebook.

FakeGay in

• SF Chronicle: “New SF Fake and Gay party celebrates pop renaissance”
• Paper magazine: “This Party Is Extremely Fake and Gay”
• Instinct magazine: “Ready for Fake and Gay: A Dance Night Filled with Hyper Pop and Bubblegum Bass”

Paw at The Emporium, produced by Paw Vegas

So excited to hear the folks from Paw Vegas are throwing a Paw event at Folsom this year for the furry community and it’s enthusiasts. The Emporium features two floors of yiffy excitement and dancing with DJs spinning everyone into the night with 3 lounges to choose from for pleasure and enjoyment.

DJ lineup pending.

Follow Paw Vegas on Instagram for all the details.

Folsom Sunday at Oasis

A few steps from the fair, Oasis is giving you a 12 hour marathon of music and festivities (they’ve confirmed it’s happening but not the DJs yet).

Oasis is a fantastic gay-owned venue founded by drag queens (RIP, Heklina) with a big front bar, rooftop area, and a legit stage and cabaret theatre space that doubles as a dance floor. You can barely tell it used to be an 8,000 sq ft gay bathhouse in a past life (that step down into the main concrete floor is the old pool space). They had a fantastic fundraiser during the worst of the pandemic and put that money back into the club including a fantastic new rooftop remodel for some old fashioned open-air cruising.

Full details will be on their Facebook page and on their site.

Party on the Patio at Eagle

Join everybody at the Eagle during and after the fair where the party goes all day and deep into the night. Thousands of hot, sweaty, half naked bodies pack the place throughout the day and night where things get going that have made this party world (in)famous!!

No Facebok page yet for the event you can follow their Facebook page or their Facebook group.

Folsom Aftermath at Powerhouse

You don’t have to worry about choosing Powerhouse or the fair. Powerhouse is literally inside the fair! They’ve got horndogs aplenty ready to be rowdy. They’ll clothes check all day and night and several DJs making you move.

No Facebook event yet but you can follow Powerhouse on Facebook and check their site for events as they are added.

Monday, September 25th

Nocturnal at Halcyon, produced by Ky Martinez with DJ Paulo

This is the Sunday night/Monday morning afterhours, after the closing parties. Monday morning.

I can’t think of a better way to close out the night, the morning, and the weekend, than with Ky Martinez’s Nocturnal party under the direction of the original “tribal bitch” DJ Paulo for the entire morning. And at this time of the morning you need a good hard pounding like only Paulo can deliver.

We usually come home from Real Bad, rinse off, re-gear, and walk over to Halcyon nightclub. You think well shit it’s early and it’s day four so this’ll be cute, I guess. You walk in and it’s like the weekend never even happened. Guys streaming in from all the other events all morning. DJ Paulo at his cauldron, playing this type of groove that makes you want to move (his set this year at IML’s Furball was fantastic). Again, we kinda like an afterhours because the guys that are there are there to dance.

VIP tickets are worth it for Halcyon because there’s a nice lounge that sits behind the DJ and on the sides of the club opposite the bar so you’ll be able to escape the crowd but still enjoy the music. Video from the VIP lounge.

Halcyon (formerly the old Beatbox space) is one of only three clubs in the world to feature the Dolby Atmos immersive sound system. Halcyon regularly ranks among the top clubs in the country and is noted for its all-women management and being a welcome home for LGBT events and producers. The exposed brick and steel keeps the warehouse vibe alive and with one of the city’s few 24-hour liquor licenses, DJs have been known to spin from dusk to dawn and into the afternoon.

DJ Paulo on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Twitter, and Facebook and listen to past mixes from Nocturnal including his 2017 preview, live set from 2017, and live set from 2019.

Full details will appear on their Facebook page and you can buy tickets and get info from their site.

And then on Monday afternoon everybody hits the bars and switches to alcohol and calls it “recovery.”

Folsom Recovery at Lookout

No one wants to admit a good thing has to end, so a couple of the bars will be packed on Monday. Lookout and Eagle seem like the most popular ones. Lookout especially. One of our top local DJs will be on hand at Lookout to keep the party going as you stave off thinking about your terrible life choices this weekend.

Most of the producers and DJs of the weekend will be there.

No official event page yet but usually the Recovery events start at 1pm and go until 9pm.

So if you’re still in town, slather on the eye cream, and head over to Lookout. Their kitchen can be slow, but their snacks and food are good.

More details will be on their Facebook page.

You look amazing. Get photos.

You probably look foyne as fuck this weekend. You should preserve the moment. Our friend, photographer Trevor Ott will be again doing his impromptu photo shoots with the street fair as the backdrop. We did a shoot with him at Dore a few years ago (above) and had a great time. Contact him on Facebook if you’re interested and peruse his work on Instagram. One day you will look at those photos and say, “Dear God, I was a beautiful thing!”

Or a Drawing of Your Dick

The Dick Artist is might be back in town, ready to do onsite on-demand drawings of your dick. He drew 35 dicks at Dore 2023, help him break his record.

You can reach out to him on Twitter.

Okay let’s do a run down of other important stuff:

More questions you may have and stuff you should know:

“Do people really wear just jockstraps at these parties? I don’t want to be the only one dressed like a whore.”

Yes. Even at SF parties outside the high holy days, there’s always a big leather and bear presence at every party so you’ll always see harnesses and guys stripped down to a jockstrap. Some guys will be in the classic full leather uniform out at the bars but that’s way too much clothing for a steamy dance floor. Most guys will come into the club with a a shirt and shorts over their jock and harness. You’ll want to have pockets to keep your ID, ATM card, phone, cash, mints/gum, and such handy. Or if you have no pockets, wear long athletic/slut socks and stuff them in there. Some guys wear fanny packs (that’s “bum bags” for you Brits). Our European friends are surprised to see that even guys who are tops wear jockstraps in the US. Yep. You wanna make sure they can move those hips!

Peruse the photo galleries of the events for a sampling of the various options available. We’ve done kyoot couples’ matchy-matchy outfits before and planned things for the entire weekend in the past. Anymore, I’d rather wear something comfortable I can move in. Or just keep your shorts on and knot your shirt in your belt loop. Otherwise you’ll lose your shirt on the floor and have to walk back to the hotel like a hooker.

Oh and trim your nails. You just never know your fingers might end up. And maybe a pedicure in case you meet a guy into feet?

“Are all these events just a bunch of hairy white guys looking for other hairy white guys?”

These events can have a tendency to be a bunch of big hairy white guys only interested in hanging out with other big hairy white guys. Honestly, unless they have field markings (tattoos) I can’t tell all us white motherfuckers apart. When we all had masks on in SF, I had no idea who anyone was for two years.

The race politics of the gay dance floor can be pretty shitty. Plus the body fascism. And that sucks for our brown, black, and/or smooth, skinny, and/or non-huge/short brethren. The weekend’s events will have a pretty broad range in body type and ethnic/race mix. Chances are you’re “totally my type” for someone in the crowd.

One shortcut is to find the mixed couples (easier to pre-qualify). That’s also in case there’s an emergency, we have to shepherd all the men of color out of the club quickly. Inked brown and black muscle is our nation’s most precious natural resource.

No hovering: We’re implementing a No Hovering Rule. If someone or group hovers or orbits near you more than three times you have to say hello (assuming they aren’t being creepy).

Stop being a racist piece of shit.

Take all that race preference shit off your profile (no, it’s not just a preference). It’s disgusting and shit manners. Our gay black and brown brothers move in a world that reminds them every day that they are “other.” They don’t need that when they are in a gay space. And if you are “into” a certain race, ethnicity, complexion, or color of guys, don’t say it out loud, just go talk to the guy.

Don’t be a Terrible White Gay! Decolonize the dance floor!

And for fuck’s sake don’t ask a guy, “What are you?” or “Where are you from? No where are you from-from?” or “You’re really sexy for a [ethnicity].” You don’t need to know. It doesn’t matter if you did. Maybe you don’t get to know everything. Maybe they don’t think it is the most interesting thing about them. They’ll tell you if they want you to know.

Consequently, the music you are dancing to all weekend is black music. House music is black music. Disco is black music. Techno is black music. Circuit music wouldn’t even exist without the black and queer DJs, producuers, musicians, and singers that created the very bass line you’re moving your scrawny ass to.

Another short cut is:

Always party with the bears and the Brazilians

Numerous studies in the field and around the world have confirmed that the bears and Brazilians are usually having the most fun at any dance party. And if you find Brazilian bears, it’s going to be an amazing night.

Pro-tip: If you are looking for the bears at any club, find the big industrial fans. The big boys overheat easily so they’re usually near the fans, or they have actual fans, or are near the A/C vents.

And I dunno maybe talk to guys that aren’t your type. Think of your total type in your head and go talk to guys that are the exact opposite. It’s okay to talk to guys you’re not going to fuck. We call that being friendly.

If everyone around you looks just like you, you’re doing it wrong.

Worst Folsom pickup line ever remains: “Hey, you’ve got bitch tits, too.” Let’s have some manners, gents.

And when talking to couples, maybe talk to both of them.

Trans men are men. Trans women are women.

Fuck all the way off with the “LGB but not the T” horseshit. The right-wing crazies are running the same playbook they did with the gays. Cis gay men need to realize that after trans people, we’re next on the truck.

Don’t mix G and alcohol, you stupid fuck

Oxygen, drips, and stretchers are not rave accessories. Don’t mix depressants and definitely never mix alcohol with GHB or it’s pre-cursors GBL and 1,4-Butanediol (“BDO”). If you mix alcohol and G, you’re basically telling your friends you’re a selfish piece of shit and you think it’s cute that others have to take care of you. We once saw a guy ‘falling out’ (the more glam way to say overdosing) in a play room being attended to by EMTs. Nothing kills the vibe like a guy who’s stopped breathing.

Just one milliliter too much – 1/5 of teaspoon! – can be the difference between being a good-time gal versus your knees buckling and your friends pissed they have to take you home (or so pissed you keep doing this to them that they hand your ass off to the EMT). Know your mLs and timing. It’s why Tim Cook invented Apple Watch.

Use a bumper for powders so it’s more measured. Label your powders. Or sent them. One friend scents theirs with maple syrup so it’s 4am at the club and it smells like Waffle House.

Poppers and Viagra are both vasodialators and together can cause blood pressure to drop dangerously low. Go slow. Also coke can kill your E high, and your dick, and make your bowels move.

I won’t even talk about crystal meth. It isn’t manageable. Stop lying to yourself. Tina is insidiously efficient at destroying lives. It has been tearing down the LGBT community and many small towns like the one I grew up in and we’ve seen friends destroy their lives, marriages, and friendships to sustain their addiction. Handle your shit, ladies (and ask for and get help). If you see tina at the private party or the trick’s hotel room, walk out the door.

So definitely:

Always thank the EMTs when you see them

I usually say, “Thanks for working tonight!”

They are there to make sure everyone has a safe, memorable time and stays in the guard rails. If you see someone getting stumbly, ask if they’re okay. If you hug someone and they seem cold or have stopped sweating, ask if they need some water or sugary soda. If you know any of the producers of these parties you know that the (mostly straight) venue owners are very harsh when The Gays are a hot mess (though we never have fistfights, just ambulance calls). We risk losing access to these spaces for gay events.

If you are sober and out at these events, be sure you know local AA/etc. meetings so if you need support to stay on track, you’ve got it. If you’re unsure, don’t go.

Be generous. Have a great time. Take care of yourself. Take care of others.

And thank security

There’s a whole phalanx of security guards working at all the clubs all weekend and many of them are queer people that specifically want to work the events of Folsom weekend.

Like our gal Donna, if you see her outside running security for an event, it’s going to go smooth as silk.

These men and women have an incredible sense of ownership and protection of us as we head out for the evening. One memorable moment of Dore was a lesbian security guard outside the club (not Donna above) who was inspecting bags and doing pat-downs, saying to the guy in front of me and to all of us, “Okay now you guys might have some paraphernalia. I don’t want to see it. Management doesn’t want to see it. If you’re doing stuff just don’t do it on the dance floor. Ok?” And then as she patted me down, “Gotta take care of my community. I love my girls – and my boys. Have a good night!”

It’s easy to take for granted all the people putting aside their own chance at a fun weekend so they can take care of their people.

Most venues have security that will frisk people on the way in. Don’t be an idiot and you’ll get through with your accoutrements. That’s why God invented the taint.

Get off your goddamn phone

A friend at Dore a few years ago spent half the night at one club checking his phone for updates from this guy he wanted to hookup with. He had a street address, but no apartment number. We said there’s no fucking way you’re leaving the club to go stand on the street at this time of night for some trick whose probably already asleep. He’s literally surrounded by hundreds of beautiful horny down-to-fuck men and he’s staring at his fucking phone. It turned out okay: He fucked a guy in a bathroom stall. And they say romance is dead.

If you’re doing extended texting, step to the side of the dance floor and continue. And turn your screen brightness down. It’s obnoxious.

No really, get off your fucking phone

Just wanted to say it a second time.

Faster flirting with keyboard macros

But if you’re on your phone and tired of guys asking what your are into or what parties you are going to and typing it over and over again. Setup a macro!

iPhone: Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Tap + type the phrase you want to add then enter the macro. Like whenever you type /folsom, the phone will pop in your full agenda.

Android: Anybody know if this is standard? Lemme know.

Get a couple portable USB chargers to have fully charged up in your European Carryall or backpack or purse.

Be where you are

People talk about wanting to go back to the happy days. We can’t go back. We can stand still or go forward.

I’m prone to getting annoyed if the music isn’t perfect or people are bumping into me and just burning the entire evening down and going home and Xanax-ing myself to sleep. Ron’ll adominsh me, “Stop obsessing! Deal with it!” If you and your partner bicker or have an argument, stop. Talk about it next week.

If they’re down and foul and sour do not give in. Do not match their energy. Stay buoyant and patient. Hopefully they snap out of it.

Stop waiting for that guy that said he’d be at the place at that time that wanted to meet up or breed you or get your load or get a selfie. Stop chasing that porn star (he’s probably booked all weekend making videos for his OnlyFans page and wants you to “collab” for free).

I always say I hope for a good time with good music and good friends and my amazing husband in my arms – and everything else is a bonus.

Remember Daddy Aaron’s only Folsom rule: If you’re local, don’t make this the weekend you make it happen with that local guy you’ve been over-staring at the gym. Focus on the fresh, transient meat.

“I looked for you all night!” NO. Stop. Be where you are. Here and now. Don’t make this a make or break weekend for anything or anyone. It is what it is. Enjoy it.

Save this GIF to your phone to drop in group threads when someone’s being a needy/dramatic twat:

And maybe don’t fuck your boyfriend blocking the bathroom entrance. K-thnx.

We don’t really wear cologne in San Francisco

When we were in Madrid it was kinda nice that everyone smelled so good and some guys put on a little cologne before going to club. Less so when a few of them smoke cigarettes in the club. In Saugatuck everyone was getting sweat but no one was getting odoriferous.

But in SF we’re a little more… earthy. This is the town that birthed Manson, Jonestown, and the hippies.

Some guys have a nice fresh sweat on clean skin aroma. Others seriously need to rinse off their taints. I usually put some beard balm on for the night as an extra bonus to whomever gets up in my business. If you like a good man musk you’re in for a treat in this town. Check out the Stank party above.

But do whatever you want. If your cologne is too strong someone will probably tell you.

“What’s with the colors and armbands?”

When hooking was more difficult and dangerous, gay men developed the ‘hanky code’ where you’d wear a specific color of handkerchief to signal what you were into and what you were looking for. Left back pocket meant, top. Right side, bottom. Both sides, vers. This has been carried forth in the colors of harnesses and armbands you see out and about. But sometimes yellow is a signal and other times you just want to wear yellow. It’s a fun retro part of the culture we’ve carried through to today. Here’s a full rundown of the hanky code colors in probably one of the oldest web pages you’ll ever read these days. Also:

Getting “mistaken” for a bottom isn’t an insult

And if you think it is, you’re probably also a misogynist piece of shit. Jokes about, “Omg bottoms are needy and petty just like women, isn’t that hilarious?” are tired as fuck. Let’s dispense with the 1950s gender roles.

Everyone secretly hates your fan clacking

In moderation and on the beat, clacking fans can be positively electrifying. But every goddamn song? Don’t clack them all night with that sharp sound that feels like an icepick behind your right eye.

And let’s not with the fucking parasols

Stop bringing parasols to parties. You are not the star of this wedding. It fucks up the event photos with your big goddamn umbrella in the way, blocks the view of people around you, and it’s not that fucking clever. Glare at anyone who brings one and say, “You should really check that.” Or break it over your knee and throw it away.

Buy multiple drinks at a time (and tip)

Bars will be busy and/or under-staffed. If you are buying Gatorade for three friends, grab six. If you are buying cocktails, buy double, chug one and then sip the other. Hell, grab 8 Gatorades and hand a couple to guys you don’t know as you make your way back to your friends. Most venues take credit cards but cash might be faster. Most venues have an ATM/teller but go into the venue with cash. We usually try to have $100 on us for the night. Break your twenties so you can tip (tip the gogo dancers, too!). Non-Americans, the usual tip for a bartender is $1-2 per drink served.

Many of these events have patrons that turn to non-alcohol sources for their enhancements. It’s lost revenue and a problem every producer will mention. So buy soda, Red Bull, Gatorades, and waters!

Don’t grab someone’s piercings without asking

You don’t know how they like them handled – if at all. And if they’re new, it’ll hurt. For pierced folks, watch out for mesh and fishnet or harnesses and hardware that might hook ’em as you make your way through the crowd!

Schedule your haircut and beard trim now.

If you’re in a gay metro area, you know there’ll be a rush to get your hurr did. Schedule those appointments now!

Assume clothes check will be a disaster everywhere

Coat/clothes check will probably move at a glacial pace. We usually bring one of our gym bags and put everything in there (and put keys, phones, and wallets in obvious pockets so we can find them quickly for the keys-phone-wallet-ready?! check as we leave the club). That way if our stuff gets misplaced or mis-tagged we can say, “Look for the bright red Timbuktu backpack. I can see it right there!”

Another option is to dress to enjoy the first part of the party and then once the coat check line dies down, go check your shorts and shirt so you can really get down. But if you’re desperate to get to your skivvies you can dance and flirt in the line. One friend wears a backpack the first half of the night and checks that once the lines clear. Another wears super lightweight shorts and a tank top and ties them around his ankle for the night. That’s a solution.

Take a photo of your coat check tag so you have it on your phone, and text it to a friend just in case.

And coat check usually is cash only.

Get tested the week after (and two weeks before)

A circuit party is a Petri dish with a bass line. A lot of people have a lot of sex with a lot of people during Folsom weekend. There’s a possibility you might get a bug – even if you’re the most careful condom user ever-ever.

Go to your primary care physician or local clinic to get tested for the full palette of STIs. Keep in mind you can have gonorrhea, syphillis, or chlamydia and not show any obvious symptoms for a while. And even if you’re a “total top” that doesn’t really mean anything since infections can spread between oral, anal, and genital regions regardless of who is fucking who. Notify the other people you had sex with if you have their contact info. It’s common courtesy and comes with the territory in this high-volume-hookup sex-as-a-hobby culture.

If you’re really an ethical slut, get tested two weeks before the weekend just in case you’ve got some critters. That way if you end up having something, you’ve had enough time to complete a full course of antibiotics (usually 7-10 days). Nobody wants to spend Folsom in sex jail (sex jail sounds super hot, but no, it is not). And of course, get tested for HIV. And if you test positive for HIV, go into treatment immediately. It is much easier these days to get down to undetectable levels and manage your health properly.

Undetectable = Untransmittable

You should already know that undetectable is untransmittable, This means that an HIV+ person on meds whose viral load is undetectable carries virtually zero risk of transmission through sex.

Get vaccinated

• Keep up with your COVID boosters.
• Get a meningitis vaccine while you’re at it. 
• Get the HPV vaccine too if you’re the right age (it’s expanded) and have coverage. HPV can lead to forms of anal cancer.
• Get the smallpox or monkeypox vaccine.

Getting “ready”

A lot of guys will also be “cleaning out” for the weekend in the event that they bottom. Hell, lots of tops clean out just in case they meet a guy who’s sponge-worthy. Here’s a guide (not keen on the stomping). Pack the shower shot or buy one at one of the sex stores. We all know the bulb sucks. Don’t forget the wrench (which TSA may take if it is in your carry on, I think you can get a plastic wrench that won’t show up as much in x-rays). Some guys even forego eating real food and use Imodium to halt everything for the day or weekend. I’m not saying any of this is healthy.

Video: Jonathan Van Ness explaining this to Tiffany Haddish is comedy gold.

And thus it was written:

“Blessed are the bottoms, may their waters always run clear.” (Matthew 6:9)

If you are HIV-, get on PrEP

If you are HIV-, get on PrEP. It doesn’t protect against other STIs but the risk of HIV transmission is statistically that of condoms. We have the technology to stop HIV in its tracks in this generation and we’re stupid if we don’t take advantage of it. If you are not on PrEP and have unprotected sex and think you might be at risk for HIV, know about the PeP protocol which is for after a possible exposure.

If you don’t want to take PrEP all the time, there’s also the new PrEP 2-1-1 protocol for the occasional whore. You take two Truvada 2-24 hours before sex, one pill 24 hours after the initial dose, and one final pill 24 hours later. Full details.

When agreeing to meet or hookup, be clear about condom use (or not) so no one feels pressured to make choices not aligned with their values. I’ll be honest though, San Francisco is a dick-out, bareback, raw loads kind of town.

And if you take Metamucil or Pure or other fiber supplements to be bottom-ready, do not take them at the same time as your PrEP or other meds. Fiber supplements might soak up the meds in your digestive system and prevent them from working.

“I’m too fat, too thin, too short, too tall, too young, too old to go…”

Now that I’m 48, my sister says I’m officially pushing 50. The only difference these days is we take ibuprofen before we head out for the night. You’re never too old.

Both straight mainstream culture and the queer/gay minority sub-culture is co-opted by marketers to tell us we never have enough, do enough, or are enough, so not hating the way you look all the time is kind of a triumph. Fuck the male gaze (that we literally created ourselves). There aren’t “leagues.” No guy is too hot to go up and talk to. And if he thinks he is, he’s probably a terrible fuck. Or a bad kisser. And a hot guy who can’t kiss is a crime against God.

You will see all types all weekend. You will see guys who are so roided up they are practically parodies of masculinity (and probably have a dialysis machine hidden in their jock). Other guys have their ass sticking out so far, you’d think you’re at a pelvic tilt convention. You’ll see beanpole guys who are skin and bones and guys going nuts over them, too. All shapes, all sizes, and ages ready to have a great time.

Don’t tell tall guys they’re tall or tell short guys they’re short. They know. Find something else to compliment them on.

Introverts, here’s a Facebook thread I started about meeting guys on the dance floor. (My solution has always been: Marry an extrovert. Or try the bend and snap.)

Additional advice to a guy that had a bad time at Dore this year (and dozens of leathermen friends chime in). And also my husband’s advice to him.

You have the right to have a fucking great time no matter how you look or how you feel about how you look.

Don’t wait until you “lose the weight” or “do a cycle” or whatever other barrier to entry you’re setting for yourself.

“Can I go to these events if I’m a straight man or a woman?”

Yes, you can. Keep in mind though: Most of the events I’ve detailed in this guide are intended for and produced primarily by gay men seeking to meet and dance and do whatever with other gay men (a few are broader but it’s kinda the cohort I know best). You might not be the target audience for many of these parties. It’s our space – it’s great you feel safe here, too – but we kinda built this. There are several lesbian and straight women who are a big part of the SF community out here and join us for many of the parties as patrons and producers and talent. And they know the events that are more play-oriented aren’t really for them and sure they could go into a back room and look around, but turning someone’s sexuality into a tourist attraction is tacky and gross. You will probably see public sex between people at the fair or on the dance floor or in a bathroom or in a lounge or in an alley way. Enjoy watching or just turn 180 degrees and voila! it doesn’t even exist anymore.

And put your hair up. Nobody wants your long hair sticking to their sweaty chest or back. And check your purse.

“All these goddamn events are sold out!”

You waited too long. In this town, they buy our tickets early (and much cheaper first-tier pricing).

If you are looking for tickets for a particular event, post as such on the Facebook page for the event. Mark yourself as Going for the event so you’ll get alerts if someone posts that they have a ticket available. As the weekend develop, people decide which parties they are or aren’t going to and will unload their tickets.

Also try The Gay Almanac Marketplace & Ticket Exchange group on Facebook.

“What if I have tickets I don’t need?”

The opposite of the above, post on the event page to see if others are interested in buying your tickets.

Be wary of third-party ticket sales from questionable sources

Scammers that will post on the event pages that they have last minute tickets and then take your money and tell you to walk with Christ. Look for friends you have in common and vet sources if you need to.

“OMG, Folsom is not just about the parties!”

You’re right. There’s an entire leather community anchoring this whole thing. But this is a party guide.

Always do a ticket inventory the week before

The week beforehand, make sure you havwe all your tickets. If they are in your email, use the pin/star feature to make sure they bubble up to the top or take screencaps of all your QR codes. Nothing like the, “Oh my god I bought tickets for the Folsom Brut but not the Dore Brut, Ron’s going to kill me…” panic attack. Some of these parties and producers do events for both weekends with the same names, don’t get them mixed up!

UPDATE: OMG I did again. We are in line for Big Muscle at Dore weekend and they can find that I bought two tickets for the Folsom party but can only find one ticket for the Dore one. I made a mistake. Again. Ron was silent as we moved into the line to buy a ticket. Luckily they had tickets available and it moved fast. Would have been a quiet walk home.

No life decisions the week after a party

Until there is at least a glimmer of hope in those dead cow eyes, don’t get together or break up or get married or close things or open things or move out or move in or quit a job or start a job. I’m usually a desiccated husk until at least Thursday night after a weekend rage. On Tuesday, it’s “That wasn’t so bad. I feel fine.” Around Wednesday, it’s “Ugh nightmares last night. We really have to stop doing this.” Thursday is, “What am I doing with my life? Am I a good husband? Am I a terrible son?” Then Friday is, “I feel great when’s the next one?!” After one year’s revels, my CEO alerted staff the following week announcing, “Don’t ask Andy anything. He hasn’t slept for five days.”

I’m sure I’ve forgotten some events, let me know

No slight to producers or DJs if I’ve missed one (and I didn’t even do shoutouts to all the talented lighting, sound, video, laser, and environment designers and special performers). Message me via Instagram or Facebook Messenger.

Where to visit while you’re in town

We lived in San Francisco for 13 years and here’s our recommended points of interest and touristy activities if you’re here for several days:

Former federal prison Alcatraz Island has a haunting audio tour.

Muir Woods is a forest of giant redwood trees (think ewoks/Endor).

The best photos of the bridge are Golden Gate View Point, plus nearby abandoned gunnery stations from WWII.

The California Academy of Sciences has huge aquaria and a four-story tropical rainforest installation and a planetarium where she kept talking about “Sharon” and I realized oh she means Pluto’s moon Charon and I couldn’t stop giggling. Classic Sharon! The Conservatory of Flowers just across the way is also worth a trip.

Fisherman’s Wharf is trashy and you didn’t come all this way to eat Ruby Tuesdays. It does have the only In-N-Out in town, though I’d tell you to go to local favorite Super Duper Burger (see below). The Krispy Kreme there has closed.

There’s wine country – Napa and Sonoma. We find the whole wine thing boring. But go for it if you’re nuts for wine.

Dolores Park – the “fruit shelf” – you’ve seen in movies and TV with the great view of the city.

Where are all the taxis?

Like most other big cities. Uber and Lyft have destroyed municipal taxi systems and thousands of jobs. You’ll probalby use apps for getting to and fro.

Where to eat while you’re in town

We’re both from the Midwest so we’re not really foodies, we just like to eat. Our go-to restaurants:

Skip the Whataburger vs In-n-Out debate and go to Super Duper Burger. They’re our usual post-party lunch of burger, fries, and milkshake. Several locations in the city.

Taco Boys next to the Castro Super Duper is our usual taco place. Tacorgasmico is across the street as well. Bonita’s nearby always has dry-ass chicken and beef.

Fable serves modern American cuisine with a huge back patio. Reservations through OpenTable.

Catch is great for brunch or dinner with a front patio with lighting that takes strangely high-quality selfies. Reservations through OpenTable.

The Cove diner across from Castro Theatre has been a Castro institution for over 40 years.

Mona Lisa in Little Italy/North Beach has great Italian food and homemade pasta.

You probably have some for-real foodie friends in San Francisco if you’re really looking for a high-quality fine-dining type thing. Ask them for their recommendations (they’ll probably roll their eyes at mine).

And don’t forget the full raft of delivery restaurants on Grubhub and other apps in case you need a cube of cheese. Our usuallly places are iThai, Tara Indian Cuisine, Bamboo (Chinese), and Tanglad (Vietnamese run by Filipinos, with a location in Castro).

Leather queen hack: As you are on your way to the your hotel, put in an Instacart order so you have snacks and drinks and Gatorades and etc. delivered to you soon after you check-in to your hotel room.

And if you need poppers and lube, there’s several sex stores and smoke shops in the Castro (including Mr. S mentinoed above). We usually go to Koheba Gifts on Market (might not be gay-owned, but Yemeni immigrants, I think). Get tacos next door while you’re over there. There’s also stores like Does Your Mother Know and Rock Hard.

Finally: Fucking dance

Much has been lost. Again. Did the whole covid thing… did all that happen? The entire civilization literally lost several years of our lives. Feels like it still weighs on us.

All we have is right now.

For now we get to dance. Have a beautiful man in our arms. Feel his beard against yours. Feel the bass rattling your ribcage.

Hold your friends close. Hold them tight and dance. Love unabashedly.

We lost two friends in one week last August. Everything can change in the blink of an eye.

I try to remind myself it hasn’t been that long ago that police would invade gay bars to stop men from simply dancing together. It is easy to take the level of relative safety we enjoy now for granted. And many queer groups in many countries and cities are still not completely safe. Hell, is anybody completely safe?

Violence is up against our trans brothers and sisters as white supremacy’s death rattle echoes across the election cycles. Be very clear as soon as they erase them, all the other letters in the alphabet our next. You better fucking vote.

And you better not vote for a Republican. They literally hate you. Call yourself conservative I suppose. Just promise me that when they back up the truck: You’re getting on first.

Dance for yourself. Dance for your friends. Dance for your community. Dance for those never got to have the man or woman of their dreams in their arms. Dance for those that are no longer with us. Dance for those that are still here. Dance for Pulse in Orlando, for the UpStairs Lounge in New Orleans, and for all the rest who died or were hurt while simply trying to have a fun night out.

Dance for the closeted queer kids stuck in backwards boondock burgs or dangerous families trying to just hold on until they can get out (please just hold on). Dance for those that live in countries (or the counties here) where they would kill us for simply holding hands.

Dance for the queens, the queers, the faggots, the fairies, the leathermen, the bulldykes, and all the other outlaws who said no seriously fuck this shit and fuck you and risked their lives and their careers and their families and put it all on the line. You have the luxury of living right here, right now, because so many people fought for it.

Don’t ever forget that.

See you on the dance floor, gentlemen

…and ladies, and everyone else in between. It’s incredibly rewarding to have guys from all over the world come up and say hi and say that they read my guide or shared it with friends. So, if you see us on the dance floor, say hello (reference photo above).

That photo is from Chicago Pride 2022 after we moved. When we first met 22 years ago we marveled at the hot muscle dads we’d see out at pride that looked amazing and happy. This year we realized: We’re those muscle daddies now.

Look for the complementary Polynesian sleeve tattoos on the sexy pierced Filipino muscle daddy with the radiant smile dancing with abandon and probably waving (but never clacking) a majestic fan (my husband Ron) and the semi-serious/RBF’d inked pierced bearded white muscle daddy wolf trying to keep up with him (me).

Thanks for reading – please share!

Andy (with editing/etc. from Ron)

p.s. You can follow my writing on Facebook and enjoy cat photos, thirst pics, Ron’s Stepford streak, aggressive shirtlessness, and fear of aging on my Instagram (andymaticgram), but actually Ron posts better photos on his Instagram (ronamatic) and his account for his pandemic macaron obsession (macarons_by_ron). If you want even more reading in this vein, you can read my previous guides for Dore (this year, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, and the 2016 recap) and Folsom (2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2014 recap). Or read about that time I turned 40 or when we got married. or on the Daddy Issues podcast talking about roids and racism, gay Trump supporters, and being pretty vs smart. And if you’re really retro, there’s the old fashioned RSS feed for my blog at andymatic.com.

Oh and trying to get into Mastodon.

(This year’s Folsom guide will be out super-soon, for now you can look at year’s Folsom guide)

Be sure to bookmark this guide. I’m constantly updating as new events, venues, and DJs are announced.

You can always find the latest at andymatic.com/dore – just tell friends “it’s at andy matic dot com slash dore” – easy to remember!

Party grid for the weekend (so far!):

Up Your Alley? Dore? Dore Alley?

Yes, it’s true. The weekend is named for the street fair that takes place on Sunday. Most people just call it “Dore.” Rhymes with whore-y. Named for the street intersection the fair is oriented around, Dore Alley and Folsom Street. Proper usage:

• “Are you and the pups coming for Dore?”
• “Which parties are you and your Sir going to for Dore?”
• “Will you and your husband be playing separate for Up Your Alley weekend?”
• “Are you ready to hoe it up for Up Your Alley?”
• “Do you think that piece of shit George Santos will show up at Dore this year? She’ll know where the coke orgies are.”

The weekend of events is anchored by Sunday’s Up Your Alley street fair. The street fair celebrates gay kink and leather culture and is produced by the Folsom Street organization. They also produce the Folsom Street Fair in September which is an even bigger kink/leather event and bigger weekend. The difference between the two? Up Your Alley weekend is usually described as a bit kinkier/nastier, more gay male centric, and attended by more locals. You’ll have fewer tourists gawking at the zoo and more people ready to participate.

But there’s a lot more there there than just the fair.

First: Know Your History

Leather is deeply embedded in San Francisco’s history and Dore is connected to that history and pedigree. There’s always a few leather guys at even the most mainstream-y party. From Dore Alley Street Fair, a history lesson:

“The Up Your Alley Fair, wasn’t originally on Dore Alley, and it wasn’t originally ‘Folsom Street Fair’s dirty little brother’. In fact, the two fairs were originally completely unrelated to one another. The first Folsom Street Fairs were celebrations of SoMa’s neighborhood diversity whereas Up Your Alley was a celebration specifically of the gay leather community.” Read the full article…

I’ve put together a list of the many events for Dore weekend. Keep in mind this is just one guy’s opinion on what to do and where to go. I’m not a big kinkster. I don’t think I am. I’ll tie you up, spit in your mouth, smack you around, and demand you [checks notes] “Tell dad how you like to fuck.” But like, we know people that are for-real into this stuff much more intensely.

It’s all relative, I suppose. Be sure to ask other friends and acquaintances for their must-do events if this is your first Dore weekend.

I’ll include links to photo galleries for most of the events so you can get a sense for what the crowd will be like and what to wear as well as links to the DJs profiles so you can get a sense of the music.

Tuesday, July 26

Truck Tuesdays, produced by Paul Miller

“The most notorious party in San Francisco” is back. Truck was an automotive-themed LGBT dive bar in the Castro, shuttering in 2015. But producer Paul Miller is bringing that bar’s raunchy spirit back weekly to an undisclosed location.

Advanced cover to get password and location on the day-of.

Join the Truck mailing list here.

Dirty Alley at Powerhouse, presented by Mr. S Leather

Now celebrating over 40 years of leather, kink, and style, Mr. S Leather is a San Francisco mainstay and globally recognized leather retailer and fetish brand. They’ll kick off the week at Powerhouse and Dore Wednesday with a night of fetish demos, sexy gogos, and [checks notes] “the trashiest bartenders in San Francisco.”

Wednesday, July 27

Full details will eventually be on their Facebook page or on Instagram for more information.

Thursday, July 27

Flag Alley at Theater Flamenco with DJ Hugmonster

Join the flagging, fanning, and flow community for their fifth annual event!

Flag Alley was started by the late Jeff Hettinger and his surviving husband Robert Gomez. They were one of those couples on the dance floor that glowed with so much passion and love and we always admired them.

The event still start with an open studio welcoming dance artists from all over the country – and all over the world – as part of Flagger Destination Weekend.
The hour before Flag Alley this year will be devoted to an exciting new flagging lesson from the talented and amazing George Jagatic (details).

And then the lights go dark and the blacklights go on and the DJ gets spinning!

Daniel G. Van Olst (JD Hugmonster) has been a flagger for 20 years, and is inspired and humbled by the beauty, passion, and talent he’s heard from the DJs of Flagging In The Park these last 20+ years. He is looking forward to spinning at Flag Alley and being there for the flow artist community, as they have been there for him for so long.

Wear whatever will get you in the spirit of the evening – leather, burner outfits, tie-die, or flagger-wear are encouraged – but please be aware that the space tends to be warm (upper 70’s), so dress accordingly.

There is a $5+ suggested donation.

No food allowed and only water will be available on site.

DJ Hugmonster on SoundCloud.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and follow the Flagging in the Park crew on their Facebook group.

Friday, July 28

Prime at Midway, produced by Trophy Dad, with DJ Neon the Glowgobear

Ed, Julian, and the gang at TrophyDad will be hosting a gaggle of gogos (all required to be over 50) with a party dedicated to “men in their prime and their admirers.” If you’re feeling the need to work out some daddy issues (or work over some boys), this will be the place to be. As our friend and daddy connoisseur (papa sommelier?) Baby Jake always says, “You better check for that AARP card first.”

And it feels like we’re in a daddy moment as daddy-themed parties have flourished across the country and around the world. It seems to radiate from San Francisco for some reason. Prime party started a few years ago as just Ed throwing himself a big 50th birthday party. He had no idea it was going to become a thing. But it has! I think as the generation of men that survived the 80s and 90s is hitting their 50s and 60s they’re redefining what it is to be a gay man after 50: active, vital, confident, horny, and fun.

Prime will be situated in the more intimate Gods & Monsters room of Midway, lower ceiling, less cavernous than the main Ride space. It’s a little bit of a car ride so you’ll need to share a Lyft with some other hot guys. You’ll enjoy a world-class Funktion-One Sound System along with a heated patio cigar lounge. Check your clothes and stay late.

The crowd includes lots of guys you usually don’t usually see out and about and the music will be prime time circuit with celebratory vocals with a modern remix with resident DJ Neon the Glowgobear. DJ Neon the Glowgobear hails from the “dirty South” of Atlanta and is known for an upbeat musical style based on house music and classic tracks with a twist. For this special party, Neon will be sharing a different, darker side as he spins deep house, progressive, and electro beats that are fitting for the bad dads during this darker, sexier production. pinning deep house, progressive, and electro beats that are fitting for the bad dads during this darker, sexier production

Read more about the genesis of the Prime party in Race Bannon’s article in The Bay Area Reporter: “Celebrating Grey — the Older Kinkster”

Neon on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, and Facebook.

Dress for success and reference lots of photo galleries on the TrophyDad Facebook page.

DJ Neon the Glowgobear on Instagram, Facebook, SoundCloud, and Mixcloud.

TrophyDad on Facebook and Instagram.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets available on EventBrite.

Beta at Club Six, produced by Fog City Pack, with DJs Bézier and WTCHCRFT

The pups from the Fog City Pack are back with the second installment of their annual three-party trilogy that starts with Alpha party (moved to Folsom Sunday night this year) and ends with Omega (usually before Thankgiving). In the middle – for Dore – the wild Beta party at Club Six. They’ve commandeered both the ground floor and the seedy basement of the club for your evening’s adventures. Make it hoe, but fashion, but probably more hoe.

The pup party music blend is kinda steady deep house. If you love celebratory soaring vocals – this ain’t it. The pups have always brought in fresh talent for the DJ booth. They describe the event and crowd and DJs are like, “No way, I’m so in!”

You don’t have to be a pup or into pup play to enjoy these parties and a broad swath of the city’s queerdom will be in attendance. Lots of leather and jockstraps and you’ll see pups in pup hoods.

You won’t see a lot of guys acting like literal dogs running around on the floor (that’ll be at the street fair). But guys will woof or growl at you if they’re interested. Nearly everyone checks their clothes, so plan accordingly.

The best explanation I’ve heard for the whole pup thing is its a persona to make sex fun and playful, without all the baggage and anxiety humans can add to it. There’s several packs of pups in San Francisco that function as fraternal groups supporting each other through their lives and careers. It’s just like the Elks.

Love, love, love the security at Club Six. Always friendly and happy to see us – and they adore the pups. Always get a big hug after a quick frisk. It’s staff like that that puts patrons at ease. Club Six is one of the venues in the city that allows producers to include play spaces in their marketing (though nearly every party this weekend will have somewhere in the club dark enough to seed and breed).

What the Fog City Pack has carved out for themselves, for their community, and for their city is quite remarkable, unique, and amazing. Learn more about our dear pups:

• New York Times: We Live in Packs
• Slate: Teaching Young Dogs Old Tricks
• SF Weekly: Canis Majors
• The Fight magazine: Pups in the Mist

Bézier’s (California-bred Robert Yang (they/he) productions walk the line between soft and hard, emotive and gritty with influences in braindance and IDM. His music is as carefree as it is relentless. While best known for being one of the earliest members of the queer San Francisco musical collective Honey Soundsystem, Yang also produces under multiple aliases and heads three blooming labels, Bodyzone, m-i-v (short for mémoire involontaire), and his most recent endeavor, Piece of Work.

WTCHCRFT garnered attention attention with a series of three acid-themed EPs released on Bandcamp during the pandemic. “EP 1 was really just me experimenting with the genre and how I could interpret It while trying to find my own sound, EP 2 is a lot more intentional in its themes and features more of my vocals. The theme mostly being police violence and killings of black men in the USA…ACAB Acid I made as a reaction to the history of racism that is ingrained in America and the police force, I decided to donate all of the proceeds from that song as well. ”He made his vinyl debut on I Love Acid In june of 2021, with four tracks of 303 funk – fusing UK rave breakbeats and Drexciyan electro beats against tight acid lines & snappy vocal parts. Sardinian producer Elisa Bee comes in with a four-to-the-floor remix to finish off the EP. He says “once I started making this music and learning about its roots and history, it felt like I was coming home. Like I was getting a lesson in my own history – and that just makes me that much more proud to be making the music that I’m making.”

WTCHCRFT interview in MixMag magazine: “Mystery to One: Wtchcrft’s Vocal-Driven Techno Will Put You Under a Spell”

Bézier on Discogs, Facebook, SoundCloud, Mixcloud, Bandcamp, and Resident Advisor.

WTCHCRFT on Instagram, Bandcamp, Spotify, SoundCloud, Mixcloud, and site.

And resident DJs

• Fawks on Instagram, SoundCloud, and his website fawkstales.com. Here’s his mix from Beta party 2017.
• Miloš on Instagram and SoundCloud. Here’s his mix from the virtual Beta 2020 party.
• Jumper on Instagram and SoundCloud. Here’s his set from the pups’ virtual Beta party last year, Omega party 2019, Omega 2018, and their 2018 Packed party.
• Astro on on SoundCloud. Here’s his mix from Alpha party 2017.

The Fog City Pack SoundCloud also has lots of mixes from past parties.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and follow our

Fog City Pack on Facebook , Instagram, or their website.

The pack’s Facebook page also has photos from previous Alpha and Beta events, and other past Pack events.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets available on EventBrite.

Ew at Underground SF with DJs Jason Kendig, Trevor Sigler, Oscar, and Five

And over at Underground SF the crew behind Ew is giving us an “alterna-queer” lineup featuring Jason Kendig, one of the founders of acclaimed music collective Honey Soundsystem plus Trevor Sigler, Oscar, and Five taking us from the evening into night.

Event info on their Instagram account and tickets on EventBrite.

Horse Market produced by the Stablemaster at TBD

The Stablemaster has confirmed he’s planning on having FOUR Horse Market events for Dore. Two the weekend before, and two the weekend-of.

Horse Market is a truly degenerate evening for all, inspired by Europe’s infamous Fickstutenmarkt parties (Vice article). From the site:

The mares [bottoms] arrive before the stallions [tops] and get prepared for the event. They are to strip naked, have their hands bound (lightly) and are then blindfolded. Then the stallions appear and can fully inspect the bound mares at their leisure. When a stallion has decided on a mare, he then leads the chosen mare to a place of his choice to mount. When the stallion has finished covering the mare, this mare is then available for covering by other stallions.

[scratches record, clutches pearls, drops monocle] There’s even a Best In Show designation at the end of the event because gay men have to turn everything into a beauty pageant scholarship program.

Continue to get updates from Twitter, or their mailing list and learn more on the site for the event.

Corazones Jovenes/Young Hearts at Public Works, produced by Nark Magazine, with DJs SASSMOUTH, KK/Nark, Kelly Naughton, Jesse Frank, and Mondo Nexus

“La discoteca trans-galáctica que fortalece el alma para todes – Corazones Jóvenes tiene sus raíces en el arte, el Disco, el baile popular, la diversidad y la unión sensual en la pista de baile.”

“A cross-generational trans-galactic soul-strengthening discotheque for all – Young Hearts is rooted in art, disco, classic dance, diversity and sweaty sęxy togetherness on the dance floor.”

跨越年代和宇宙，灵魂加强的迪斯科舞厅为人人共享 – YOUNG HEARTS 永远青春源于艺术，迪斯科和经典舞蹈，包容多样性的闺蜜基友在这舞台上享受流汗性感的同在。

Hosted by Ace Newbury (faints), West, Jefferson Mosquera, gogo pups Hilary Buff “and guest” with Viktor Belmont and Simon Malvaez at the door.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event

Stank at Powerhouse, produced by Spencer Adam and Fawk Gilić

Want a whiff? Get a waft! Everybody’s favorite gay dive bar kicks off the weekend with an evening devoted to the natural smell of men as God made ’em and as God intended.

Stop showering a couple days beforehand and hit the gym hard so you can go in perfectly fragrant (we have a couple friends who declare it “natural poppers”). Be ready to bury your face in a man’s ripe pits and enjoy the aroma and taste of the gogos as they ply their trade.

But get there before midnight so you can participate in (or just appreciate) the Ripe Pits Contest.

Resident DJ/pup Jumpr on Instagram and SoundCloud. Here’s his set from the pups’ virtual Beta party last year, Omega party 2019, Omega 2018, and their 2018 Packed party.

Resident DJ/pup Fawks on Instagram, SoundCloud, and his website fawkstales.com. Here’s his mix from Beta party 2017.

More details will be on Stank’s Instagram.

Pretty in Kink at Roccapulco, produced by Glamcocks with DJs David Harness and Beverly Chills

Glamcocks is one of many communities attached to the annual Burning Man event and they stay connected with events throughout the year in San Francisco. They “are a far-flung family of burners, and our gatherings strive to create a fun, energetic, body-positive, open-minded, and pro-LGBTQ+ space that invites participation and self-expression for everyone who wants to participate.”

This year they’re Pretty Ink Kink party is taking a cue from the new Barbie movie calling all the bondage Barbies, domination divas, kinky Kens and other Dore dolls to the dancefloor.

Dive doll-head-first into a playground of pleasure, where stimulation and stilettos reign supreme. Glam it up and d with your most daring pink outfits, be it glamorous latex, provocative corsets, or something stolen from Ken’s flamboyant closet.

David Harness is a veteran DJ and one of the most popular DJ/producers to come out of the Bay Area club scene. This man “lives, breathes and emanates everything that is beautiful about deep house music and classic garage.” With residencies at iconic venues like Sound Factory and Club Universe, he made his mark in the mid-90s and beyond. In 1998, he released Welcome to the Universe” an innovative album, recorded live from Club Universe, showing off San Francisco’s unique sound. He’s produced and remixed pretty much everybdody from Mary J. to Aretha. Today he remains a mainstay of the Bay Area club scene delighted dancers with his stunning sound.

Beverly Chills is a party organizer, DJ, trans activist, and performer in San Francisco California spinning at mainstay local venues like El Rio, Sullivan Room, Rickshaw Stop, The Great Northern, The Stud (RIP).

So grab your pink, unleash your kink, and let’s party like it’s Mattel’s fever dream
We will have performances, interactive art, Barbie’s secret box, coat check, and more surprises.

David Harness on Facebook, Instagram, Discogs, SoundCloud, Twitter, and Resident Advisor, and his site.

Beverly Chills on Instagram, TikTok, and SoundCloud.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and you can follow Glamcocks on their Facebook page or on Instagram.

Saturday, July 29

Big Muscle Party at DNA Lounge, produced by BigMuscleBears.com benefitting Positive Resource Center, with DJ Paul Goodyear

I always like taking friends to this event because if you don’t know it’s happening on a Saturday afternoon, you don’t know what you’ve been missing.

Several hundred muscle guys of all sizes and stripes, and their admirers pack into DNA Lounge (founded with Netscape money and like every other big venue always at risk of closing) to have cocktails and dance and make Mary.

It’s got a fantastic vibe whether you’re in the mood to dance on the main floor, chill in the back lounges, hang out and chit-chat in the side bars, or people-watch from the wrap-around balcony.

Ron and I contend that this party usually the hottest crowd of the weekend. And some of the guys are yooooge! Like water buffalo galloping through amber waves of grain on the dance floor. It always makes me want to start a TikTok called Big Guys, Tiny Fans. 

Veteran DJ/producer and house music legend Paul Goodyear will be on the main floor weaving classic 70’s Disco with House, with anything 80’s inspired, with soul, electronica, urban, pop and just about everything else (“It’s all disco as far as I’m concerned.”) Known all over the world for his distinct soundscapes and marathon 14 hour setsl he’ll be the perfect cook in the kitchen for this event..

Halfway through the party you’ll meet the men of this year’s Bare Chest Calendar. For over 35 years the annual calendar has been a huge part of the San Francisco community, raising over $3 million for PRC and its program AIDS Emergency Fund. PRC (Positive Resource Center) is devoted to providing residential treatment and supportive housing for people with mental health, substance use, and HIV/AIDS-related issues. Buy a calendar! That’s our bestie (and Mr. January last yer) Moe in the event photo above!

It’ll be bright outside and dark as night indoors so it’ll take you a bit to see once you’re in the club.

Reminder: DNA Lounge is a huge venue! It took me a couple years to realize, “Ohhh shit there’s that back bar there… and oh damn is that another bar further on back…”

So after you’ve enjoyed the main floor, go upstairs to the balcony, the side bar on the left with the windows to the street (and another DJ lineup), the bar behind that, the bar behind that (and another DJ lineup), the bar that swings around behind back into the balcony to the lounge with seating and back around to the other side of the club.

Favorite moments from past year’s is the DJ in the upper bar teasing the growling bass line for “The Humpty Dance” for about 10 minutes and you kept thinking, “Am I hearing that?” and then finally launching into the 1989 classic, then back into the usual house mix. Or in the main room a couple years ago with crowds of muscle queens chanting, “Nails! Hair! Hips! Heels!” And I have an apocryphal story of the DJ dropping in, “All I Want for Christmas,” to troll the crowd with Christmas in July.

There’s also the photo booth in the balcony (house-left) where you can get photos of your hot ass and hot-ass friends for posterity. It closes earlier than the event ends, so be sure to get up there sooner than later. If you get overheated, there are A/C vents to chill you down, right in front of the street-side balcony bar. You’ll see the vents. And come out onto the street for a vape or a smoke or to gawk at the shirrtless guys in the sun.

And don’t forget to grab pizza next door at DNA Pizza (menu) during the party or on your way out. You know these gals like to eat. The veggie slice is called Artichoke-Me-Daddy. You can go between the pizzeria and the club and even go outside for a smoke or a vape during the event – just be sure you have your wrist stamped (or wrist band). If that’s the plan, don’t wait to get in line until the end of the party, it’ll be a long line to get pizza.

Tip: This event has started selling out. And they seem to throttle entry to the club so get in line early. You can usually buy a ticket online the day-of on your phone if you need to.

Usually $15-$20 at the door but advance tickets available on the DNA lounge site, that nasty transaction fee is a doozy (and doesn’t go to the producers, btw).

Photo gallery to show you who-all’s there and what to wear in Out magazine: “109 Photos From BigMuscle Party at Folsom Street Fair”

Paul Goodyear on Instagram, Facebook, SoundCloud, and Mixcloud.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets on sale at DNA Lounge’s site.

Rated X at Space 550, produced by Ky Martinez Events, with DJs Paulo and Ale Maes

The massive Rated X party is back for its 3rd year! Ron and I will among your gracious, persuadable hosts helping to facilitate you in making regrettable life choices.

We’ve known producer Ky Martinez and his husband Juan for many years (they sat at the circuit queen table at our wedding reception). It’s been wonderful watching them go from producing their monthly House Party event at Powerhouse (every second-Saturday) to building their reputation with larger more sophisticated events like Imagina, Heaven (Dore Sunday night), and the notorious Folsom afterhours Nocturnal. Their events always draw a fantastic crowd that is a diverse, broad slice of the city’s denizens (leather, muscle, queens, queers, jocks, fairies, and all the rest) and all generations in attendance.

The Rated X party will have over a 1,000 hot men at at this Saturday main even with fetish demos and slutty gogos. Space 550 is a sprawling location with lots of nooks and crannies, so be sure to explore all the crevices you can. You’ll need to take an Uber or Lyft to get out there. Grab a bunch of guys with you in the hotel lobby and order an SUV and chat ’em up on the way there.

This is one of the best lineups of the weekend, in my humble opinion.

All Brazilian, all the time. This is the way.

DJ Paulo – knowns as the original “tribal bitch” – will be at his cauldron, playing this type of groove that makes you want to move. Aggressive and lots of drums!

And Ale Maes has become one of our good friends since we moved to Chicago. He’s got a fantastic horny dark sound that belies that cutie-pie smile.

VIP tickets are worth it for dedicated VIP coatcheck, express entry, balcony, and the [sotto voce] Pig Room.

DJ Paulo on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Twitter, and Facebook and listen to past mixes from Folsom’s Nocturnal party his 2017 preview, live set from 2017, and live set from 2019.

DJ Ale Maes on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and Instagram. And goddamn we are still playing his Real Bad 31 mix at least once a week (part 1 is my favorite, part 2).

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets available on kymartinezevents.com.

Sneaks at Club Six, produced by Polyglamorous, with DJs Sharlese, d’Adhemar, Squish, BEYA and Mark O’Brien

Polyglamorous’ naughty sneaker fetish party returns for their Dore edition to reminds us that leather culture’s Venn diagram is broad and deep. Dress code is enforced:

• “MUST WEAR – sneakers
• DO WEAR – sports gear, singlets, mesh, underwear, knee socks, gym shorts, sweats, track suits… things that are sports-related or you might wear to the gym.
• DON’T WEAR – jeans or slacks”

The party is at Club Six, where Beta was the night before, so it, too, will have two floors with two different sounds and vibes.

The late amazing Baby Bear – and of the other Short Circuit Andys once told me what he loves about Sneaks:

“I always describe Sneaks as the queerer, more-techno/house sound of Dore weekend. It’s the ‘locals’ choice on Saturday night as far as I’m concerned. Sneaks feels home grown. It’s black-lit which has become commonplace at Polyglamorous parties. It’s a mix of leather, drag, burner [Burning Man] and queer. The biggest thing I’d stress to readers is that [lower priced] pre-sales [tickets] always go fast but there are always tickets at the door as well.”

Goddammit we miss him so much. I swear every time I am about to cross the street I hear St. Andy in my head saying, “Hold up, girl. Did you look both ways? Twice? Look again. Okay.”

Another friend described it as a “dark, sexy, disco rave for athletic fetishists in SF’s most sex-friendly club.” Take note.

Clothes check provided, venue is cash only. No cameras allowed.

Several tracks on the Polyglamorous profile on SoundCloud.

Sharlese on Instagram, Resident Advisor, and SoundCloud.

d’Adhemar on Instagram, Resident Advisor, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Squish on Facebook and SoundCloud.

BEYA on Instagram and Resident Advisor, .

Polyglamorous producer and resident DJ Mark O’Brien on SoundCloud.

Goddamn they sold out FAST, but, “Tons of tickets available at the door – come early or late for best results.” Full details on the Facebook page for the event and learn more about the collective on the Polyglamorous Facebook page and their site.

Brut at The Great Northern, produced by Dan Darlington, with Morabito and Dan Darlington

We always have a fantastic/notorious time at Brut parties and it attracts a deliriously sexy crowd of horned up men clad in their best gear, ready for a night of dancing and carousing. What I remember most about the Brüt for Dore is how hot and steamy it gets in the club. I’m always surprised the lighting instruments don’t short out.

This year, it’s a NYC Tech House Double Feature:

Co-founder/producer Dan Darlington is always a joy to watch as he spins because he always has a huge grin on his face. He’ll sneak in a vocal after a nasty beat that can be just transcendent. Alway go down front and dance and let him know you’re having a great time.

We’ve heard Morabito several times and she’s magnificent. Morabito has dominated the dance scene for over three decades and played at pretty much every big event in the world, driving every party with a wide range of tribal, underground, progressive, and tech house into a seamless experience on the dance floor.

The party will be at The Great Northern with the high ceilings and and guaranteed low inhibitions. The Great Northern has that step down from the bar into the dancefloor. You can watch queens trip over it all night if you need entertainment. That dark far corner behind the DJ on the right can be fun. Rubber, leather, singlets, whatever… let’s see it.

Enjoy the 80,000 watt Void Acoustics sound system as it rattles your rib cage and immerses you in the music.

This year promises your timeline will never be the same after we distort everyone’s magnetic attraction! So check the Flux Capacitor and pack the DeLorean for the night… “We are going to change Father Time into Daddy Time.”

Brut featured in:

• The New York Times: Gay Leather Scene Tones Down From Hard-Core to Dress-Up
• Daily Xtra: How one leather party is taking back New York City
• Project Q: Brut muscles it’s way into Atlanta

Photo galleries from past Brut events.

Morabito on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and website.

Dan Darlington on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and the Brüt site and Brüt’s own SoundCloud. My favorite Brüt mix of all time is this Folsom mix from a couple years ago. It absolutely purrs.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets available on EventBrite.

Code at Edge, with DJ Sean McMahon

Code is The Edge’s monthly event bringing leather back to the Castro with geared-up gogos and a no-frills bar packed with congenial leather-clad gents and resident DJ Sean McMahon, spinning Code’s signature dark and cruisy beats.

Resident DJ Sean McMahon on Mixcloud or Facebook. 

No Facebook event page yet, but details will be on page Edge’s events listings on Facebook, the Code page on their site, or their Instagram.

Black, Brown, & Kinky at Powerhouse, produced by Onxy Northwest

The Northwest chapter of Onyx kicks off the weekend at our favorite dive-bar Powerhouse featuring sexy kinksters, jello shots, leathermen of color with geared up gogos, fetish demos and more. Photos of past events on their site.

No Facebook page for the event yet, but stay up to date and follow Onyx NW on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and their site.

NSA at Club OMG

The NSA honchos are back with a Dore edition of their weekly underwear party on Saturday from 10pm to 2am and then Sunday evening from 4pm to 8 and includes special ticket pricing for both events.

Promotions always promise dim lights, sexy bartenders, and a horny crowd so expect a sexy playful vibe.

You can follow the NSA at OMG folks on Facebook for more updates or on their Instagram.

Remember, OMG and Club Six are kinda in that strange hellhole block of 6th Street between Market and Mission. Keep your wits about you.

Heathens at The Eagle, with DJ Nark, hosted by Sister Roma, Mr. Pam and Beth Bicoastal

Dore Saturday marks the debut of Heathens at San Francisco’s Eagle. Promising “the party where the wild things are and even wilder things happen,” you’ll groove the beats of DJ Nark with icons Sister Roma, Mr. Pam, and Beth Bicoastal hosting the proceedings.

Full detaIls on the Facebook page for the event.

Horsemarket produced by the Stablemaster at TBD

I checked in with the Stablemaster and he’s planning on having Horsemarket events, one before Dore weekend and two the weekend-of. I don’t have full details yet. I realized the other day we know 3 of the “Best In Show Mares” (bottoms).

Continue to get updates from Twitter, or their mailing list and learn more on the site for the event.

Sunday, July 30

Ritual at 1015 Folsom, produced by Real Bad benefitting Grass Roots Gay Rights, with Juanma Escadero

Ritual is a Sunday morning afterhours before the fair. Before the fair.

Real Bad events always have the friendliest, warmest crowd. The Real Bad org has been producing events for 30 years including their crown jewel – and literally our favorite party of the entire year – Real Bad (one of Folsom weekend’s closing parties). In 2018, they took a a risk producing a Dore aftehours…

Ritual doesn’t try to be Real Bad, Part Deux or try and mimic the surreal feel of Folsom weekend’s Aftershock party. Ritual hits a whole new chord. It has an afterhours feel but less “pots and pans” or abstract but not quite prime time circuit with vocals. The crowd was hot and horny and aggressive, the gregarious fun crowd you expect at a Real Bad event. The guys weren’t tweaking and falling over themselves and shoving you as they pass by.

Ritual is at 1015 Folsom, one of the city’s top dance temples and the same venue as Real Bad in September, but with a more intimate configuration. The balcony and upper lounges are closed off concentrating the action in the lobby and the main room with three story ceilings and signature church-style lanterns floating above the crowd.

Juanma Escudero – the first DJ to ever spin Ritual back in 2018 – is back to pound you until dawn. Proceeds to benefit the Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation. Expect world class production, friendly and flirty hospitality, and unmatched dance floor magic, all benefiting local LGBTQ nonprofits.

And a special sweet treat when you least expect it!

Juanma Escadero Instagram, Facebook, SoundCloud, and Mixcloud.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and photos albums on their Facebook page and tickets available on EventBrite.

Up Your Alley Street Fair, produced by Folsom Street

And then there’s the fair. We’ll probably go for a bit. It’s funny how it seems kinda normalized anymore for us to go to a street fair and see a guy chained to a telephone pole being whipped or porn stars playing Twister in jockstraps or a domme in a carriage being pulled by a quartet of human ponies or shirtless women being flogged to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Like Folsom, the fair encapsulates the crazy kinky libertine spirit of San Francisco – and with Up Your Alley it’s much grittier and more queer/gay than Folsom Street Fair.

You will see people dressed in their favorite fetish attire. Some of these kinksters wait all year for events like this to strut their stuff and fly their freak flag. If you don’t like it or roll your eyes at people or can’t delight in seeing perverts celebrate their perversions, don’t be a twat about it. Get the fuck out of there and go to Woodfield Mall. Not everything is for everybody.

Full details will be on the Folsom Street website.

Romp is the new official closing party of Up Your Alley. Romp continues the San Framily tradition with an evening down the rabbit hole and to a bemused t-party.

Romp will be at 1015 Folsom (you were there just this morning for Ritual).

Resident DJ/Producer Russ Rich has brewed up his unique blend of psychedelic black tea with notes of vocal house, leather, peak-time anthems, rubber, and harder, driving rhythms. Be mesmerized by mystifying performances, mind-bending visuals, and spectacular lighting & lasers. Frolic and dance once again under the disco ball in the wonderland that is our diverse community. The party benefits Folsom Street and Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation.

Russ Rich on on Instagram, Facebook, SoundCloud, Mixcloud, and his amazing mix from Real Bad 32 (that explosive opener in part one and then carrying us until the night with part two).

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets available on EventBrite.

Heaven at Halcyon, produced by Ky Marintez Events, with DJs Alex Acosta and Giovanni Sainz

Back for it’s third year, Ky Martinez and the gang’s got you set for Sunday night at City Nights with a Dore edition of their Heaven party at Halcyon. House Party (their second-Saturday house music event at Powerhouse) resident DJ Giovanni Sainz makes his Heaven and Halcyon Debut.

And resident international superstar DJ Alex Acosta makes a rare Dore alley weekend appearance. DJ Alex Acosta we’ve heard many times over the years in different cities and he’s always a great blend of tribal and house circuit with enough vocals to keep everyone satisfied.

Alex Acosta on Instagram, Soundcloud, Facebook, Spotify, and his site.

Giovanni Sainz on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and you can buy tickets on kymartinezevents.com.

You look amazing. Get photos.

You probably look foyne as fuck this weekend. You should preserve the moment. Our friend, photographer Trevor Ott will be again doing his impromptu photo shoots with the street fair as the backdrop. We did a shoot with him at Dore a few years ago (above) and had a great time. Contact him on Facebook if you’re interested and peruse his work on Instagram. One day you will look at those photos and say, “Dear God, I was a beautiful thing!”

Or a Drawing of Your Dick

The Dick Artist is going to be back in town, ready to do onsite on-demand drawings of your dick. You can reach out to him on Twitter.

Dore on a Budget

Travel, tickets, transportation, refreshments, enhancements… this kind of weekend ain’t cheap. But, if you’re trying to keep spending to a minimum:

Echo the old-school Castro clone look of our forefathers with tight jeans, a t-shirt (probably no-shirt), and boots. GQ recently published a history of the Castro clone look.

If you feel you have to have some sort of leather on ya, grab an armband from Mr. S or one of the other stores.

Hang out at the bars in Castro and SOMA (historically known as “the Valley of the Dolls” and “the Valley of the Kings,” respectively). They’ll be packed with lots of other guys that are more into the cocktails & cruising dynamic. Most bars will have a modest cover charge.

Most of the bars are walkable from transit. If it’s super late you don’t want to be walking around too much in the dark. Keep your phone in your pocket, headphones off, and keep your wits about you. It’s San Francisco, but it’s still a big city with crazy people.

If you really have barely any money at all, you must use it to go to the fair. If ten bucks is all you have, give it to the fair and charity that is the centerpiece for the weekend.

Volunteer for events. Another way to keep costs down is to volunteer for events. For the first few years we were here, Ron and I were greeters and ticket-takers at lots of parties and that was fun because you literally meet everyone their way in and you get to put wristbands on hot guys and once your shift is over you can go dance.

Quick Run Down of FAQs

(Jump to the end of my Folsom guide for the extended set of FAQs)

In short:

• Vaccine #1: Monkeypox is back, hoes. The gays stopped it once, we can stop it again.
• Vaccine #2: Get COVID vaccinated and boosted. Get the bi-valent booster if you haven’t yet.
• Vaccine #3: Get a meningitis vaccine while you’re at it. Your local CVS, Walgreens, etc. should have it available or your primary care physician.
• Vaccine #4: Get the HPV vaccine too if you’re the right age (it’s expanded) and have coverage. HPV can lead to forms of anal cancer.
• Get STI testing 2 weeks beforehand so you have enough time to get your results and complete a round of antibiotics if needed. Get on PrEP of course if you’re negative, make sure you have enough meds in your luggage if you are. And every gay man – hell everyone – should know that undetectable is untransmittable. If you are an intermittent whore, know about the PrEP 2-1-1 “on demand” protocol (poster).
• Be gracious to security (many of them are also gay and giving up their weekend to take care of your messy friends). Always say good night and thank you as you leave.
• Thank the EMTs for taking care of our trashy brethren.
• Coat/clothes check is usually a bitch. Lines are long. Plan accordingly. We usually plan hoe-optional ensembles that are not dependent on checking shorts – and we don’t bring jackets.
• Never mix G and alcohol, or G and other depressants. Know your mLs. Just one milliliter – 1/5 of teaspoon! – can be the difference between being persuadable and having a nice evening versus your knees buckling and your friends pissed they have to take you home (or so pissed they hand you off to the EMT). When in doubt, wait an hour or stop altogether. If you forget if you already put it in that drink, throw the drink out, start again. Don’t leave drinks unattended.
• If everyone around you looks like you, go somewhere else. It’s not just a bunch of hairy white guys only interested in fucking their mirror image.
• Don’t spend a party or the fair looking for acquaintances or waiting for that one guy that you saw on the apps or that dickhead you know from Instagram. You are where you are. Be there.
• Don’t grab piercings without asking first.
• Know your hanky/armband code. Left side, top. Right side, bottom. Both sides, vers. Color chart (history). But remember sometimes yellow is just a sartorial choice.
• Fuck your fan clacking and don’t bring parasols to parties (it fucks up event photos).
• You have the right to have a fucking great time no matter how you look or how you feel about how you look. You don’t have to look a certain way to enjoy the weekend. Don’t wait until you “lose the weight” or “do a cycle” or whatever other barrier to entry you’re setting for yourself. 
• Get tickets early. In SF, we buy first tier tickets early. Months early. If you have tickets you’re not using, announce they are for sale on the respective event or producer’s Facebook page. If you’re looking for tickets, same thing. If you pay at the door, you’ll pay out the ass. Watch out for scalpers online.
• If you are sober, be sure you know which Whatever Anonymous meetups are happening at all times so you can stay on the straight and narrow while being bent over.
• The week beforehand, make sure you have all your tickets. If they are in your email, use the pin/star feature to make sure they bubble up to the top or take screencaps of all your QR codes. Nothing like the, “Oh my god I bought tickets for the Folsom Brut party but not the Dore Brut, Ron’s going to kill me…” panic attack.
• And Daddy Aaron’s rule: No in-town trade when out-of-town trade is in. If you’re local, don’t make this the weekend you make it happen with that local guy you’ve been over-staring at the gym. Focus on the fresh, transient meat.
• There’s not a lot of cabs. You’ll use Lyft and Uber a lot.
• SF is colder than you think during the day it will be but you probably can leave jackets at home at night since you’ll be surrounded by hot men radiating heat.
• Save this GIF to your phone to drop in group threads when someone’s being a needy/dramatic twat:

And of course – Folsom’s rule applies to Dore:

See you on the dance floor, gentlemen…

…and ladies, and everyone else in between. It’s incredibly rewarding to have guys from all over the world say hi and say that they read my guide or shared it with friends. So, if you see us on the dance floor, say hello. Look for the complimentary Polynesian sleeve tattoos on the sexy Filipino muscle dad with the huge smile dancing with abandon and probably waving (but never clacking) a majestic fan (my husband Ron) and the semi-serious/RBF’d inked bearded white muscle daddy wolf trying to keep up with him (me).

Thanks for reading – please share!

Andy (with editing/etc. from Ron)

p.s. You can follow my writing on Facebook, Twitter, Mastodon, and enjoy cat photos, thirst pics, Ron’s Stepford streak, aggressive shirtlessness, and fear of aging on my Instagram (andymaticgram), but actually Ron posts better photos on his Instagram (ronamatic) and his account for his pandemic macaron obsession (macarons_by_ron). If you want even more reading in this vein, you can read my previous guides for Dore (2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, and the 2016 recap) and Folsom (2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2014 recap). Or read about that time I turned 40 or when we got married, on the Little Gay Guide podcast, or on the Daddy Issues podcast talking about roids and racism, why gay Trump supporters are such terrible people, and being pretty vs smart. And if you’re really retro, there’s the old fashioned RSS feed for my blog at andymatic.com

p.p.s. Typos are my gift to you. If you’re eagle eye catches one, DM me on Ig or Fb.

Thank god for Archive.org

Folsom 2022 Guide

Dore 2022 Guide

Be sure to bookmark this guide; it’ll get long – I have so much to tell you! Plus, I’m constantly updating as new events, venues, and DJs are announced.

(Or are you looking for this year’s Dore guide?)

You can always find the latest at andymatic.com/folsom – just tell friends, “It’s at andy matic dot com slash folsom!” Easy to remember!

BRIEF ADVERT: Layoffs at work. I got let go. As my mild-mannered self, I’m a digital marketer with a focus on content marketing, lead gen, demand gen, product releases/go-to-market, web production, content and collateral authoring, from strategy and planning to execution and operations. I’ve worked in startups for 20 years, the last 12 for B2B and enterprise SaaS companies. How you can help:

• Are you in marketing? If you need help with digital marketing strategy or execution and content marketing, I’m your guy.
• Are you in tech? Let me know and I’ll check out your jobs board. And connect me to someone on your marketing team or your hiring manager.
• Do you know any recruiters? I’d love an intro.
• None of those? Light a candle at mass, send me random ogles and cheerleading, and distract me with memes.

ANYWAY…

Party grid for the weekend (tap to open full size) below: (compare to 2021, 2019)

If you’re impatient, jump past my platitudes and get to the list.

Folsom is a Rorschach.

It reflects your sexual identity back at you. You learn what turns you on and what doesn’t. What you once thought was kink and what you now think is vanilla. What you might try, what you’re glad you tried, and what you’d never even consider (well, maybe next year). Who you’re scared to admit you want to be, what you’re scared to admit you want, and what you’re absolutely sure you don’t.

What is Folsom Street Fair?

Folsom Street Fair (also referred to as just “Folsom”) is the world’s largest outdoor leather/fetish event and usually attracts half a million people every year from all over the world to the fair in San Francisco, California. The fair is produced by the Folsom Street Events non-profit organization raising money for an annual roster of beneficiaries. If you’re familiar with July’s Up Your Alley/Dore Alley street fair (also produced by the Folsom organization), Folsom is generally a more ‘mainstream’ and straighter affair than Dore alley weekend. Straight kinsters and fetishists have been important partners in the fight for LGBT equality and visibility and Folsom is for them, too. Everyone realizes that after the far-right gets done outlawing queer sexual thrills, they’ll continue with the rest of the Handmaid’s Tale training manual.

You’ll hear The Gays complain that the fair isn’t what it used to be and the Folsom organization has let the event lose its edge. It’s too tame. Too straight. Too many women. (Which usually means they pine for the days of manly-men-only events and venues.) But bitching that things aren’t the way they used to be is one of San Francisco’s most hallowed pastimes. Along with complaining about rents and being seen standing in line for things.

You might see producers refer to the weekend as “FLSM” or just “Leather Weekend.” It’s all the same. The Folsom organization can be pretty draconian about protecting their trademarks.

And yes “Happy Folsom!” is a tiding people will say as they greet you over the weekend.

Know your history

Photo above from the June 26, 1964 issue of Life magazine profile “Homosexuality in America,” a landmark in LGBT visibility.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t include some history. It’s hard to convey how much leather, kink, and fetish culture is woven into the fabric of San Francisco. It’s a horny city.

That libertine spirit has grown to include all sexualities and genders and all types of people and expanded across the world. Here’s some reading for your flight here:

• Recon News: San Francsico, a Gay Kink Destination by the always amazing Race Bannon
• SFTravel article Behind the Harness: The Extraordinary History of the The Folsom Street Fair
• Found SF article Changes and Continuities in the Leather Community
• SFist article Brief History of the Folsom Street Fair and an article specifically about Megahood 1984
• Blogger Broke Ass Stuart’s Down and Dirty History of the Folsom Street Fair

This context is also important because many have a knee-jerk reaction to this collection of people and behaviors. It’s hard to express to straight people sometimes. “We do it this way. I can’t entirely explain why we do it this way, but this is how we do it.” Numerous religious right fundamentalist websites use photos from the street fair to depict all queer people. Some would argue if we just didn’t dress up like that or throw it in everyone’s faces that we’d have more queer acceptance faster but let’s be honest: They’d murder us for simply holding hands. See also: Respectability politics.

The annual “kink at pride” hand-wringing blows up bigger each year lately (with lots of photos from Folsom used as examples, instead of actual Pride celebrations). Looks like it is driven primarily by Gen Z queer-folk that don’t know their history along with the 4chan trolls’s annual operation Pridefall. You can be prudish with your own tastes, but you better respect and you better recognize. Here’s a good Twitter thread discussing why kink and leather is insperable from Pride. And the call to be “family-friendly” is just coded language for assimilation.

If you don’t like it, then it isn’t for you, and isn’t intended for you and it’s completely fine if you stay away. That’s why the street fair requires admission and minors aren’t allowed and all these parties are for patrons over 21.

For some people, leather and fetish is a core part of their identity and peer groups. Many queer people come out of the closet but still don’t quite feel like the mainstream gay community is for them. Often it’s what they see portrayed in media: upper class, assimilated, prudish/vanilla, straight-acting, gay, white, and urban. They then find their leather/fetish/kink group and feel more at home. Folsom celebrates that every year.

Here’s a list of many of the events of Folsom weekend:

When someone asks me to describe Folsom weekend overall I usually say: It’s like a big gay leather prom.

And just like prom, everyone dresses in their Sunday best, everyone is ready to dance and have a great time. And everyone has high (and probably unrealistic expectations) about how much they’re going to get laid. Think Molly Ringwald’s 50 Load Weekend.

Also like prom, you might run into some mean girls or mean bears or mean muscle queens or belligerent twinks that are more intested in throwing attitude than having a good time. You can usually find these assholes standing outside the dance floor not moving at all, just posing. They aren’t sweating from dancing. They look amazing and they’ve worked hard all year to look this good and fuck only guys that look just like them (and they are starving). Tell them they look stunning and then go to the opposite side of the club where people are actually having fun.

Generally the San Francisco crowd is warm and friendly to a fault. The general etiquette is such that everyone introduces everyone to everyone else. As far I can tell this doesn’t happen at other cities (the Atlantis cruises, kinda). Also, that’s how you remember a guy’s name. Introduce him to someone else so they have to say their name again.

It’s like we say back in Indiana, “The way to a man’s hole is through his husband.”

As you read the guide please keep in mind that:

Taste in music is so individual

I can rage for hours at an afterhours until 8am and then have a friend say, “Yeah it was too dark, didn’t really do it for me.” Then, we were at another party from one of the city’s top producers and headlining DJs with a more disco-y edge and everyone’s grooving and it isn’t moving me at all. And sometimes I just want straight-up dead-eyed muscle-queen basic-bitch four-on-the-floor primetime circuit. Some find it completely monotonous.

My motto is: If you can’t fuck to it, I can’t dance to it.

That’s probably why our favorite getting-ready-to-go-out song is Ivan Gomez’s remix of Danny Tenaglia’s club mix of Wayne G’s “Twisted Excuse Me)” (1 minute in on this J. Warren mix).

And the music, clubs, and dance floors have their own amazing history. “It Takes a Village, People: Preserving San Francisco’s Gay Disco History” (DJ Mag)

San Franciso parties are different

San Francisco parties have a beating heart. San Francisco parties have a soul.

We went to several of We Party’s events at Madrid Pride a few years ago. Stunning evenings with up to 10,000 guys at iconic venues like Fabrik and La Riveria. Production design was absolutely astounding (video).

Guys come to San Francisco and enjoy the switch to smaller, more intimate events. Going from 10,000 men and tons of lighting hardware rigged to soaring ceilings, to several hundred guys packed into Club Six with the low basement ceilings practically sweating from the humidity. It is a huge change in dynamic and tone. In San Francisco, you are more likely to see the same guys several times a night or throughout the weekend. There’s more a sense of us.

Almost all of the events detailed in this guide are from part-time producers and groups of volunteers who have day jobs and partners and families and lives. They don’t make millions doing these events (and often lose money just trying to make the bar minimum on other weekends).

And sure they can get competitive. But last year at Dore, when two producers for a Saturday night party tested positive for covid. The production team that was at the venue the night before said no problem, we got this. They stepped right in to help make sure the party went off without a hitch. That’s not going to happen in many cities.

We know many of these DJs and producers personally, and I can tell you that they ache over every single detail and minute of every party trying to bring the best possible experience to a legendary weekend. They do it for the sheer love of music and dance and celebration. You head into the club with the spirit of, “I can’t wait to see what our friends have cooked up us tonight!”

So at 3:30am when the mix of sweat and leather hangs in the air and Donna Summer croons, “Oooooooo… I feel love, I feel love, I feel love, I feel love…. I fee-eeel love…” and you’ve got one beautiful man in your arms, and another behind you, his beard brushing the back of your neck, and the guy you met at the other party is smiling from across the crowd, and everyone is moving in unison, say to yourself, “This is how they do it in San Francisco.”

I’ve included links to photo galleries for most of the events so you can get a sense for what the mix of the crowd is like and what to wear. I also tried to include profiles for the DJs so you can get a sense of what the music will be like. Several events that have not yet been confirmed but they’ve happened every year so many years surely they’re gonna happen.

Early Events

Early Septmeber: Baloney at Oasis, produced by Rory Davis

San Francisco’s “gay all-male revue that’s not entirely gay and not entirely male” is back with their Folsom edition. We’ve gone to the show several times over the years and it’s always a fun evening with these talented sexy men of all shapes and sizes and ages. Baloney combines theater, dance, striptease, song, comedy, and acrobatics into an entertaining evening unlike anything you’ve seen before.

The description mentions “let’s get soaking wet!” and seating in “a splash zone”
so sounds like a wild time.

Trailer for documentary about them that’s been burning up the film festval circuit: Baloney: A Queer Male Burlesque (interview with director Joshua Guerci).

Baloney featured in the Bay Area Reporter: Baloney’s back: saucy male burlesque show returns to Oasis and The Advocate

Catch them on Instagram and and tickets and more info on their site.

Sunday September 18th: LeatherWalk 2022 produced by the Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District

The Leatherwalk is back! The traditional launch to San Francisco’s Leather Week, leather and kink enthusisasts of all stripes will walk together starting at City Hall, pausing at favorite neighborhood spots and watering holes, and culminating with the Leather Pride Fest, presented by the SF Eagle, at Eagle Plaza.

LeatherWalk benefits the Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District, a unique San Francisco institution dedicated to keeping our South of Market neighborhood queer and kinky. The money raised supports the Cultural District’s work, including murals, promoting our existing businesses, facilitating new ones, activating art and live events both indoors and out and sustaining the new Leather Community Center.

Meet 11am on the Goodlett Steps of City Hall (Polk St. side). Stops along the route include Oasis, Powerhouse, Hole in the Wall, Azúcar Lounge, Leather Etc., Wicked Grounds, Cat Club, Mr. S Leather, the Ringold Leather History Alley (next paragraph), the Lone Star Saloon, and ending at Eagle Plaza where at 2:30pm they join the ongoing Leather Pride Fest 2022, organized by the SF Eagle, which will include the raising of the historic Leather Pride Flag and a beer/soda bust from 3 to 6 pm.

While you’re in town, walk through a history of the city’s leather scene with Leather Memoir, along Ringold Alley which before the crisis in the 1980s, “one of the go-to places for gay men to rendezvous after the numerous gay bars along Folsom Street closed for the night.” The walk includes sidewalk plaques commemorating the many men, women, businesses, and bars that have anchored leather in San Francisco.

Article in the Bay Area Reporter from 2006: LeatherWalk aims to keep SF kinky.

Full details on the Facebook for the event, their community on Bloom, and the organizaition’s Facebook page and you can learn all about the Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District on on their site.

Wednesday September 21st

Dirty Alley at Powerhouse, produced by Mr. S Leather

Now celebrating over 40 years of leather, kink, and style, Mr. S Leather is a San Francisco mainstay and globally recognized leather retailer and fetish brand. They’ll kick off the week at Powerhouse and Dore Wednesday with a night of fetish demos, sexy gogos, and [checks notes] “the trashiest bartenders in San Francisco.”

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and you can follow Mr. S on their Facebook page or on Instagram for more information.

Friday September 23rd

Geared Up block party at Mr. S Leather

The block party is back! They had one for Dore and it was well attended and looked like a great time in the sun (video). Come find the gear that’s going to get you laid. And who knows, you might just meet the guy you’ll be spending the rest of the weekend with!

Mr. S’s infamous two-day block party in and around their store which usually includes DJs, gogos, bartenders pouring drinks, bootblacks shining, cigar enthusiasts out on the sidewalk, and guys cruising from every corner – while hundreds of hot guys are shopping and trying on their full range of harnesses, clothing, gear, and toys.

If you are going to buy some new leather finery during your trip, get over there when you first get to San Francisco. They can do alterations onsite to ensure a perfect fit and often while you wait. Their leatherworkers will be going overtime so that might be more difficult as the weekend kicks in. Harnesses, hats, ballcaps, boots, uniforms, vests, blindfolds, ropes, lubes, jockstraps, singlets, socks, toys… they’ve got it all. And slings for rent.

Mr. S staff are helpful and friendly and want to make sure you look your best – even if you’re new to the whole leather thing. I remember finding the place super intimidating when we first went since we didn’t know much about leather culture. You want to wear the right thing right, right? Now we live just a 10 minute walk away and go at least once a month. I went from having panic attacks when I first walked in to being a model for the new harness they debuted a couple years ago.

If you’re worried about wearing your harness wrong: Just check how they are styled on Mr. S Leather’s site or whatever vendor you got it from. A lot of guys wear their harnesses way too low and too loose. You should feel the tightness, the restraint. It’s basically a corset for your shoulders. Shoulders back, pecs out!

If you have a narrow build, look at the harnesses with thinner strips of leather. Some guys can’t pull of harnesses with a lot of leather pieces, coverage, and hardware – and honestly if you’re going to be dancing for hours and hours, you don’t want all that stuff hanging off your body.

Mr. S also has their famed brown bottle “cleaning solution.”

Full details on the Facebook page for the event, their Instagram, or their events page.

Brüt at Great Northern, produced by Hedonic Productions and Brian Kent Productions, with DJs Raliphi Rosario and Dan Darlington

Folsom Friday, Ron and I will among your gracious, persuadable hosts helping to facilitate you in making regrettable life choices.

Brüt started as an NYC party but its special mix of leather, music, and muscle has reached across the globe with events in other major cities. We’ve been attending Brüt parties for many years in San Francisco (and now in Chicago), and it’s an incredible evening of dancing with primal music pumping and guys ready to have a good time.

The Great Northern (previously Mighty) is a big 7k sq ft warehouse dance space with 30′ ceilings and a “Future Deco” design with exposed brick wall and art deco accents (love the stained glass motif above the bar). The club has that step down from the bar into the dancefloor. You can watch queens trip over it all night if you need entertainment. The crystal clear 80k watt Void sound system keeps the music from being over-loud and you don’t have to yell at the guy next to you to have a conversation. That dark back lounge behind the DJ, part the couches, far corner, can be fun.

Co-founder/producer Dan Darlington is always a joy to watch as he spins because he always has a huge grin on his face. He’ll sneak in a vocal after a nasty beat that can be just divine.

Dan is joined by superstar DJ Ralphi Rosario who has worked with everyone from Beyoncé to Donna Summer and has spun leather events the world over. Every time we’ve heard Ralphi he’s been fantastic.

Top three Brut moments from past parties:

1. A couple years ago at Folsom Brüt, Dan slowed down the beat and mixed in Nine Inch Nails’s “Closer” and you had hundreds of rutting leather-clad men chanting “I want to fuck you like an animal!” and then as the song ended, Dan kept repeating that Downward Spiral descending motif from the classic album as he brought the beat back up.
2. Hearing them drop in the remix of DMX’s “It’s All Right” featuring the elegant subtle couplet, “It’s all good! It’s alright! Fuck all day! Fuck all night!”
3. A St. Patrick’s party It was later into the night when things start to feel a little otherworldly, and Dan was on the decks (with his usual devilish grin), and he’d just suspended a really hard bass line, and as you caught your breath from dancing so hard, he faded in an isolated vocal of Debbie Gibson cooing, “No… only in my dreams… as real as it may seem… you are only in my dreams…” Transcendent.

Brüt featured in:

• The New York Times: Gay Leather Scene Tones Down From Hard-Core to Dress-Up
• Daily Xtra: How one leather party is taking back New York City
• Project Q: Brut muscles it’s way into Atlanta

Photo galleries from past Brüt events.

Brüt producer and resident DJ Dan Darlington on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and the Brüt site and Brüt’s own SoundCloud. My favorite Brüt mix of all time is this Folsom mix from a couple years ago. It absolutely purrs.

Ralphi Rosario on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and Instagram.

Full details will be on Brut’s Facebook page and on the Brüt party website.

Prime at Club 6, produced by TrophyDad with DJs Neon and Serge

Friday also marks the return of TrophyDad’s Prime party dedicated to “men in their prime and their admirers.” Hot gogo daddies (all over 50) tower atop the boxes and keep you entertained while a broad group of dads, boys, otters, wolves, bears, and the rest of the zoo come together to celebrate and dance and enjoy.

They’ll be at Club 6. On the ground floor, Prime’s resident DJ Neon the Glowgobear spins his trademark blend of celebratory vocals and lots of classics – all with a bit more bawlz behind it.

Meanwhile downstairs is the Daddy Pit, you’ll enjoy the aggressive overt vibe of the leather bars of days gone by with low ceilings, lower inhibitions, and a play space – with mixmaster Serge that dark, sexy sound he’s pioneered for years in the dark rooms of Berlin.

Prime party started a few years ago with our friend Ed throwing himself a big 50th birthday party and then it kinda became a thing. I think as the generation of men that survived the 80s and 90s is hitting their 50s and 60s their redefining what it is to be a gay man after 50: active, vital, confident, horny, and fun.

Club Six is on this strange hellhole block of 6th Street between Market and Mission. You should be fine walking in a group but if you’re solo, I’d grab a car or find some other guys in leather and chat them up and walk with them. There’s a reason the convenience store cashiers are behind plexiglass. Keep your phone in your pocket, headphones off, and your wits about you – that goes for the whole weekend.

But their security is the friendliest in town, led my mama Chris making sure everyone’s having a good time and staying safe – she’s like Ron’s long-lost auntie.

Get there early, a few years ago the line for this event went all way down a block and half down the alley and the line inside for clothes check was all way from the basement up the stairs and into the bar.

Read more about the genesis of the Prime party in Race Bannon’s article in The Bay Area Reporter: “Celebrating Grey — the Older Kinkster”

DJ Neon on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, and Facebook.

DJ Serge on SoundCloud and Facebook.

Lots of photos to show you what to expect and what to wear. Or not wear. Visuals, lasers, and videos from the always dazzling William Brown. Coat check benefits AIDS/LlfeCyle.

Details on the Facebook page for the event and follow TrophyDad’s Facebook page and see lots of photo galleries on the TrophyDad’s Facebook page including photos of 2019’s Dore edition.

Horse Meat Disco at Public Works, presented by Bearracuda with DJs Horse Meat Disco and Mateo Segade

If Friday night you’re feeling into the thick hairy boys and/or a big hairy boy yourself, the Bearracuda crew is back with their trademark winning formula of big boys and fat beats. These aren’t those Insta-twink fiber pill influencers that are all omg sis, I’m so thicc or the muscle queens that are all Folsom is gonna get whatever body I give it! while being coy about their cum gutters (have you ever tried to explain cum gutters to straight people?). No bitch, these are the original thick boys. Thick with a capital K. Booty with a capital T. The kinda heft you want to feel on top of you (or underneath).

Producer Matt Bearracuda and the boys are pleased as punch to bring London’s notorious Horse Meat Disco back to the main floor of Public Works for the entire six-hour evening. HMD is billed as “a disco behemoth of classics, italo disco, oddities, [and] punk funk.” In the upstairs lounge is local mixmeister DJ Mateo Segade.

We’ve gone to many Bearracuda events over the years and it’s always a friendly mix of guys and a great vibe. And I’ve heard positive reviews from friends that have gone to Horse Meat Disco parties all over the world. Overwhelmingly they say if disco is your thing, then this is your party.

Public Works features a dense main floor with two story ceilings and a wrap around balcony above with a side lounge loft tucked in to the side. Lots of places to watch and be watched. It’s got odd traffic patterns, it’s not just you.

Background on the Bearracuda parties – produced in over 60 cities all over the world – and their creator Matt in this profile in Homoculture.

Profile and interviews with the four DJs that make up London’s Horse Meat Disco and their first album in The Guardian.

Horse Meat Disco on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook. No word yet on which two of the four HMD DJs is joining us.

DJ Mateo Segade on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Details on the Bearracuda website, the Facebook page for the event, (their Facebook Page), their Instagram, and here’s a photo gallery from a couple years ago.

Stank at Powerhouse, produced by Spencer Adams with DJs Sappho, Fawks, and Jumpr

Want a whiff? Get a waft! Everybody’s favorite gay dive bar kicks off the weekend with an evening devoted to the natural smell of men as God made ’em and as God intended.

Stop showering a couple days beforehand and hit the gym hard so you can go in perfectly fragrant (we have a couple friends who declare it “natural poppers”). Be ready to bury your face in a man’s ripe pits and enjoy the aroma and taste of the gogos as they ply their trade.

But get there before midnight so you can participate in (or just appreciate) the Ripe Pits Contest.

Sappho on Instagram, SoundCloud, Facebook, MixCloud, and her site. Sappo featured in this interview in Portland Monthly.

Resident DJ/pup Jumpr on Instagram and SoundCloud. Here’s his set from the pups’ virtual Beta party last year, Omega party 2019, Omega 2018, and their 2018 Packed party.

Resident DJ/pup Fawks on Instagram, SoundCloud, and his website fawkstales.com. Here’s his mix from Beta party 2017.

More details will be on Stank’s Instagram.

Prowl at Eagle

The Folsom edition of Prowl at the Eagle features a cigar lounge. DJ TBA but will keep the men bouncing as they prowl around for what this weekend is famous for.

No Facebook page event yet but check their Facebook page (also a Facebook group) and their website.

Saturday September 24th

Big Muscle Party at DNA Lounge, produced by BigMuscle and BigMuscleBears.com, benefitting Positive Resource Center

I always like taking friends to this event because if you don’t know it’s happening on a Saturday afternoon, you don’t know what you’ve been missing. Several hundred muscle guys of all sizes and stripes, and their admirers pack into DNA Lounge (founded with Netscape money and like every other big venue always at risk of closing) to have cocktails and dance and make Mary. It’s got a fantastic vibe whether you’re in the mood to dance on the main floor, chill in the back lounges, hang out and chit-chat in the side bars, or people-watch from the wrap-around balcony.

Ron and I contend that this party usually has the hottest crowd of Folsom weekend. And some of the guys are yooooge! Like water buffalo galloping through amber waves of grain on the dance floor. It always makes me want to start a Tumblr called Big Guys, Tiny Fans.

It’ll be bright outside and dark as night indoors so it’ll take you a bit to see once you’re in the club. Reminder: DNA Lounge is a huge venue! It took me a couple years to realize, “Ohhh shit there’s that back bar there… and oh damn is that another bar further on back…” So after you’ve enjoyed the main floor, go upstairs to the balcony, the side bar on the left with the windows to the street (and another DJ lineup), the bar behind that, the bar behind that (and another DJ lineup), the bar that swings around behind back into the balcony to the lounge with seating and back around to the other side of the club.

There’s also the photo booth in the balcony (house-left) where you can get photos of your hot ass and hot-ass friends for posterity. It closes earlier than the event ends, so be sure to get up there sooner than later.

If you get overheated, there are A/C vents to chill you right in front of the street-side balcony bar.

Halfway through the party you’ll meet the men of this year’s Bare Chest Calendar. For 35 years the annual calendar has been a huge part of the San Francisco community, raising over $3 million for PRC and its program AIDS Emergency Fund. PRC (Positive Resorce Center) is devoted to providing residential treatment and supportive housing for people with mental health, substance use, and HIV/AIDS-related issues. Buy a calendar! Our bestie Moe is Mr. January!

And yes you’re smelling pizza from the dance floor. DNA Pizza (menu) is next door through the doors on the left. Cuz, you know these gals like to eat. The veggie slice is called Artichoke-Me-Daddy. You can go between the pizzeria and the club and even go outside for a smoke or a vape during the event – just be sure you don’t sweat off your wrist stamp.

Aside from the pizza the area between Audio, DNA Lounge, Halcyon, and Oasis often has street vendors serving bacon wrapped hotdogs and holy fuuuuuuck are they good. If you smell sizzling meat, be on the lookout.

This event will sell out. Get tickets now.

If the “buy a ticket” line outside is too long. You can probably buy tickets on your phone on the DNA Lounge site and then jump over to the ticketholder line which moves faster. Or just buy your ticket now and save a few dollars. Usually $15-$20 at the door but advance tickets available on the DNA Lounge site. Service fees are kinda bullshit but know that none of that goes to the producers.

Photo gallery to show you who-all’s there and what to wear in Out magazine: “109 Photos From BigMuscle Party at Folsom Street Fair”

Full details will be on on the BigMuscleBears Facebook page and tickets will be on the DNA Lounge website.

Masteurdome presents Tom of Finland at Regency Ballroom, produced by Brian Kent Events benefitting Folsom Street Events and the Tom of Finland Foundation, with DJs Pagano, Karsten Sollors, Justin Nicoll

Masteurdome is back this year in tandem with the Tom of Finland for a wild night of leather and lust. No matter the venue, producer/impresario Brian Kentalways pushes events to be more startling, more innovative, expanding the local palette of parties and music. He’s started producing parties in PV, so watch out!

1000 sexy leather men, bears, pigs, voyeurs, exhibitionists and kinksters from around the world will descend on the historic Regency Ballroom (a former Scottish Rites masonic lodge from 1909) located right in heart of San Francisco and central to one of the biggest leather weekends in the world.

Global tech house producer Pagano is always fantastic. He was one of the DJs on the January whore-boat Atlantis Cruise a couple years ago and showed his breadth with tea dance, prime time, and afterhours sets. And we’ve heard him on land several times and always enjoyed it. DJ MAG UK described him, “Pagano has emerged as one of Italy’s finest DJs. An accomplished hand in the studio and behind the decks… Pagano is no overnight DJ sensation. A keen studier of sound, the man is obsessed with finding obscure gems and unique cuts and layering them together in his own inimitable manner”

Karsten Sollors we last heard at the notorious Black & Blue Ball at Chicago’s House of Blues as part of the International Mister Leather weekend. His sound also has a tech house foundation with additional melodic elements and traditional house, blended with some classic vocals and soulful funk and grooves.

I’ve been Insta-stalking Justin Nicoll forever. The tattoos, the smile, the muscles – and he’s PhD! – and now his music. His sound emphasize melodic elements fusing edgy, progressive, and driving rhythms with uplifting classics, ethnic chants, and sexy vocals. He merges techno, progressive house, and tribal to keep your body pumping and grooving all through the night.

And celebrity photographer Mike Ruiz will be shooting more men for his iconic LEATHERMAN project. He’ll be taking a limited number of exclusive leather portraits in the Regency basement, each of which benefits Folsom Street Events. Be a part of history, be shot by a legend!

This event is also fundraising for Folsom Street Events and their annual roster of beneficiaries as well as the Tom of Finland Foundation, devoted to promoting and protecting the work of this legendary gay erotic artist. If you don’t know the massive influence of this iconic artist on how gay men perceive themselves, be sure to watch the movie about him (trailer) or this 4 minute video tribute. He essentially invented us.

Pagano on SoundCloud, Facebook, and Instagram.

Karsten Sollors on SoundCloud, Facebook, and Instagram.

Justin Nicoll on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook.

Full details on the Facebook event page and get tickets now before their gone!

New Breed at Club Six, produced by Polyglamorous and Pound Puppy wtih DJs Leonce, NSA, and Guerilla Pump

This is the one of the most sex party-ish events of the weekend. Upstairs, the Polyglamorous crew is running their usual dance party while downstairs, the gang from Pound Puppy is getting a bit more carnal.

Tickets will sell out within hours. But usually lots of tickets at the door.

Full details om the Facebok page for the event.

Pervert at Midway, produced by Cecil Russel, Matinee, and XOXO Productions, with DJs Tom Stephan, Nina Flowers, Paulo Fragoso, J Warren, Cindel, and live act Amanda

Producers Cecil Russell, and Mansingh Chouhan and the team at XOXO have joined forces with European production group Matinee to bring the Pervert party to San Francisco. Direct from Circuit Festival in Barcelona, Pervert features 10 hours of music with international master DJ Tom Stephan and luminaries Nina Flowers, Paulo Fragoso, and J Warren. “Live Act: Amanda” is on the poster. Not sure what that means yet.

Tom Stephan we’ve heard several times at IML and other events and he’s always good. With 17 Billboard Number One hits, he’s spun Black Party, White Party, Algeria, etc. pretty much every big party everywhere. A darker circuit sound with a horny edge born from the NYC afterhours scene and mixed with an East London sound. He also mixes under the psuedonym Superchumbo.

If you don’t know her music, you might know Nina Flowers from her stints on Ru Paul’s Drag Race, Drag U, and Drag Race: All Stars. Nina Flowers descends upon a party like a vengeful alien queen ready to tear the fucking walls down with the dirtiest hardest beats you’ve ever heard. You won’t be able to sit still.

We’ve known J Warren for years and he is perfectly at home with a tea dance, prime time, or afterhours mix with a relentless drive. It’ll be good to hear him do something darker and hornier.

Brazilian-born, Miami-based Paulo Fragoso blends house, tribal, and the progressive styles and energetic sets all over the world. And he’s easy on the eyes so there’s that.

Pervert is at Midway, one of the city’s largest performance venues. If you want something in the Euro high-gloss high-production style of circuit, this is probably your best bet.

Tom Stephan on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and Instagram.

Nina Flowers on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and Instgram.

J Warren on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and Instagram. Our two favorite dark mixes of his are from the Grunt and Fukr parties. Here’s his promo podcast mix for Pervert.

Paulo Fragoso on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and Instagram.

More details on the Facebook page for the event and ticket info on their site.

The Slot at SF Underground, produced by Vaseline Alley with DJs Rich King, Max Bruce, Matthew Paul, Chuck Gun, and Carlos Souffront

LA’s Vaseline Alley is back with anothe tribute to the bygone days of our slutty past – a 12 hour party! This time a tribute to SF’s notorious sex club The Slot. From the history books:

“In 1976, before the Folsom Street Fair became the iconic festival it is today, among the bars, baths, and blue-collar joints South of Market, at 979 Folsom Street, stood the South-of-the-Slot bathhouse. Built in 1906 and licensed as a hotel, the Slot’s three stories catered to homomasculine concupiscence. The Slot was for those who kept their fingernails clipped short and carried a can of Crisco. It was for men who knew their way through minefields of drugs and implements of pain and pleasure.” (The Bay Area Reporter)

They’ll be at SF Underground in the Lower Haight neighborhood, with a sleazy back room. Rich and Carlos will be playing all vinyl sets.

No tickets, $10 cover at the door.

It’s a slutty party, but no clothes check, so dress light.

Not a lot online yet for this event but you can follow Vaseline Alley on Instagram.

Black, Brown, & Kinky at Powerhouse, produced by Onyx Northwest with DJ Subeaux

Onyx Northwest kicks off the weekend at our favorite dive-bar Powerhouse featuring sexy kinksters, jello shots, QT BIPOC leather folk with geared up gogos, fetish demos and more. $5 suggested donation at door and proof of vax + booster required. Kinky dress encourage and there’s always room for Jello… shots.

Subeaux on Facebook, SoundCloud, and Instagram.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and stay up to date with Onyx events with their Facebook page and on Instagram.

Metamorphosis at SOMArts, produced by Twisted Windows, benefitting the SOMArts Cuisine Center

Self-suspension diva Shay Tiziano – author of Tying & Flying – will be part of this event from local arts collective Twisted Windows brings you “an extravagant Folsom Gala featuring exquisitely erotic, sensually subversive, and particularly perilous queer performance art, including aerial acrobatics, suspension bondage, pole dance, and fetish acts, as well as interactive and display art & other participatory marvels. This year our Folsom event explores metamorphosis – “a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means.”

Twisted Windows events combine scintillatingly sensual shows with interactive activities, all at stunning and spacious San Francisco venues! Our events invite attendees create a unique experience exploring concurrent performances, innovative interactive activities, and visual art. Their select group of performers savor artistry and exhibitionism, bolstered by backgrounds in various performing arts (from dance to circus-craft to theatre to music). Many of our performers have experience in the adult industry (including Kink.com, HardTied, Pink & White, Skin Two, Cum & Glitter, and many more). Seriously subversive, particularly perilous, and exquisitely erotic – Twisted Windows will bring your fantasies into reality.

Full details on the event on their site.

Lick It at Powerhouse,produced by Lance Holman, with DJ Jason Godfrey benefitting Bay Area Cancer Connections

Monthly party Lick it ladns at Powerhouse for their Folsom edition n promising a decadent party promoting ‘playful compassion’ with a focus on house music. Come explore your kink with men from around the worlddancing to the hottest beats by resident DJ Jason Godfrey. as they get their 2022 Folsom weekend groove on at Powerhouse. Check your clothes….show off your gear and … Taste the flavor of Folsom! September 24th at 9pm The Powerhouse (1347 Folsom Street, SF, CA) Beneficiaries: Bay Area Cancer Connections Sponsors: 9x6Lubes Pure Silicone,Mr-S-Leather

Full details on the Facebook page for the event.

Safeword at F8 produced by Black Techno Matters with DJs Sharlese, Fawks, Bastiengoat, Blvksite, Stukes, and B_X_R_N_X_R_D

East Coast meets West Coast with this late night techno affair at F8 nightclub in San Francisco. Black Techno Matters is augmenting the weekend with this alternative frequency of programming featuring sultry and shocking sonic vibrations from local and global DJ talent.

Black Techno Matters is on a mission to reclaim techno as a manifestation of Black expression in a society that has oppressed it by creating spaces that celebrate the black roots of techno: “An assertion and a reminder that Techno IS Black.”

Full details on EventBrite and on the Black Techno Matters site.

Rogue at the Eagle

Rogue is one on of the city’s monthly fetish events. Their Folsom edition will feature dark and sexy beats while gogo slaves grind it out for you. Expect hot and twisted demo acts of taboo and perversions play out on stage. Hot men in gear cruising for some action pack the back patio maze for a night of fun that grabs you by the balls and won’t let go.

No Facebook page event yet but check their Facebook page (also a Facebook group) and their website.

Code at Edge

Code is The Edge’s monthly event bringing leather back to the Castro with geared-up gogos and a no-frills bar packed with congenial leather-clad gents and resident DJ Sean McMahon, spinning Code’s signature dark and cruisy beats.Don’t know the theme yet.

DJ Sean McMahon on Mixcloud or Facebook.

No Facebook event page yet, but details will be on page Edge’s events listings on Facebook, the Code page on their site, or their Instagram.

Whatever happened to Magnitude? Legendary Folsom Saturday dance party Magnitude is no longer produced. It’s too expensive and no venues will allow a playspace. Here’s the organization’s explanation in The Fight magazine: “Keeping It Fresh: What’s New And Different At Folsom Street Events.” It’s a fucking shame, really. Gay billionaires out there, please buy The Armory, give it a huge endowment, and put the women who ran Mezzanine (closed a few years and now office space) in charge. Do The Eagle and Club 6 as well.

Sunday September 25th

Well, good morning, precious! How’re ya feeling? Doesn’t matter. We’re not done yet. Momma didn’t raise no quitter! A few years ago, we got home from a party around 3am and decided we’d just take a brief nap and then go to Aftershock which starts at 4am. Instead, I woke up at 8:30am next to Ron and thought, “Oh shit. Do I tell him?

So rinse off the shame or get ready to apply a whole new sheen – but if you’re gonna lie down – set the alarm!

Aftershock at City Nights, produced by Frisco Disco, with DJ Abel

This is the Saturday night/Sunday morning afterhours before the fair. Aftershock is before the fair. Starting on Sunday. Before the fair.

Grab a circuit queen’s phone and go to the alarms. They probably a preset for 3am. Aftershock is why.

It’s easy to say why Aftershock is one of our favorite events of the year. Now in it’s 28th year, it’s got that perfect dark, horny, forbidden, unforgiven ambiance. None of this happy R&B diva vocals and “Isn’t life great!” bullshit. I take my problems to the dance floor, damned for my sins, dragged to hell, and stay there (did I mention I was raised Catholic?).

And DJ Abel is the fucking king. We’ve heard him in several cities and on Atlantis cruises and whether it is prime time circuit, tea dance, or afterhours, he’s just simply a master at what he does. I know it’s stereotypical to talk about a DJ taking you on a journey but he absolutely executes that every single time. Aftershock starts promptly at 4am. Everyone is pretty much wearing just jockstraps, harnesses, and boots.

The line for Aftershock starts well before 3am, and goes down the street, into the parking lot, almost to the overpass. Hopefully you’ll find a way to pass the time. Maybe there’s a cute Argentinian guy who has already taken his pill and is standing in line high as fuck and wants to grope and kiss, calling you “guapo” and asking, “When are we getting together, papi?” as your husband watches, laughs, and shakes his head from the sidelines.

Aftershock achieves that strange surreal feeling that while you’re dancing in a crowd of hundreds of hot horny, sweaty men, you aren’t entirely sure the world outside the club exists anymore. Here’s a video from last year at 7am.

City Nights is one of our favorite venues with a huge front room/lobby so if you get overheated or claustrophobic you can go chill out there, bar will be faster on that side anyway.

The main room is massive. Enter the main floor from the side, the stairs down in the back will have tons of guys strutting on it and not moving at all. And don’t foget the mini lounge up the staircase house-left with the couches and mirrored ceiling. The line for the bar in the main hallway always gets morphed with the coat check line so it’s a big mess for the first few hours of the party.

Coat check at City Nights is always a shitshow. Like every time. Producers have tried over and over again to make it move faster to no avail. So just know that. You could dance with your backpack or whatever until the line cools down. Just don’t be surprised if you wait up to 45 minutes to get stuff checked if you get there during the rush. I know Ky and company are always trying new tactics to get things moving faster. But like they have some sort of mental block over there. If the bar in the hallway is open, the line for the bar will run into the line for the coat check.

I said we never wait in lines for things in San Francisco. Aftershock is actually worth waiting in line for.

This event is sold out. There will be 300 tickets at the door at $80 each.

DJ Abel on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, and Facebook. I’ve never listened to an Abel mix online that comes close to approximating how he is live and he seems to have a a specific style he reserves just for Aftershock. Here are his sets from Aftershock 2019 and 2021,

Lights and visuals by Guy Smith and Rob Montenegro.

Event details on Facebook. Aftershock benefits the Folsom Street Events organization.

Again, Aftershock is before the fair on Sunday.

One year, we stumbled out of the club into the sunrise walked back to our place holding hands. We turned down Folsom street which had already been blocked off for the fair, and vendors and volunteers already setting up booths and stages for the street fair that would start in just a few hours. As we walked up 10th St towards our building, a guy in a jockstrap from a second-story apartment closing his winsow blinds yelled, “Go to bed, queens!” So we did.

Folsom Street Fair produced by Folsom Street Events

Ah the fair. It’s huge. You won’t realize it’s so many people until you are there. It’s crazy. Folsom Street Fair is on Folsom Street between 8th and 13th Streets. It’s a recommended $10 donation to get in. Enter on the side streets, especially Harrison, for quicker entry and to get into the crowd faster. It’s over 400,000 people packed into 13 city blocks for 7 hours. It’s insane. The Fight usually publishes the official guide a few weeks before the event (2017, 2019) which will have a full map of the fair and a full calendar of events, but is much less obnoxiously opinionated than this one.

Hundreds of booths of fetish and leather vendors. There are several stages with some of the city’s best DJs plus a constant cavalcade of indie music rock acts and room to rock out and dance. Other stages feature fetish demos like bondage, BDSM, and etc. Hopefully naked Twister is back, but that is a HUGE bottleneck of traffic.You’ll see just about anything there.

Concessions have been odd the past few years. I’m not sure what’s going on. For Dore there was just one kebab truck. I’d recommend you pop on over to Azucar Lounge just outside the fair and get tacos and eat them – great outdoor seating! – then come back into the fair. The Diana Market convenience store also has lots of drinks and such but the line was crazy. You can try and get drinks at Powerhouse or the other bars inside the fair but the lines will be crazy.

As far as philandering, no impeding traffic while you’re doing your business, and no public penetration. Butt-ass naked is fine. Don’t bring pets, they’ll be stressed out by all the people.

We’ve passed a local ordinance that single-serve water bottles can’t be sold or provided on public property at a permitted event. Foldable bottles are available for a dollar or reuse a juice bottle or bring your own canteen to refilll at any of the Water Towers throughout the fair.

Get tied to an electrical pole and get flogged, buy some leather stuff, watch BDSM demonstrations, have a chicken skewer, dance your ass off, get drunk/stoned/high/fucked/fucked up, or whatever you’ve got a whim for. One year we saw a group berating a naked man with whip marks on his back, re-enacting Cersei’s walk of shame from Game of Thrones. You will see people dressed in their favorite fetish attire whether is is leather or biker or athletic or rubber or corsets or neoprene or even Edwardian formal wear right out of A Room With a View. Some of these kinksters wait all year for events like this to strut their stuff and fly their freak flag. If you don’t like it or roll your eyes and can’t delight in seeing perverts celebrate their perversions, don’t be a twat about it. Not every thing is for every body.

What do you actually do there? Well last year, Ron went full KimK.

There are two main strategies to enjoying the fair:

1. Walk the length of the main drag. Though any place there’s a demo going on the crowd is going to be dense and slow or down where the pornstars play naked Twister.
2. Stay in one place, and eventually everyone will pass you.

Some of our friends absolutely love the fair and stay all day and have a great time.

White people/Wypipo: APPLY/BRING SUNBLOCK. The sun is pretty much high noon and direct with little shade and most of the surrounding buildings are one story. But there’s usually super hot sexy tattooed EMTs with sunblock at the first aid tents.

People of Color: Please continue to get super-dark and sexy. But don’t burn. And if you got more tattoos, I would not be mad. We thank you.

Here’s the Facebook page for the event and you can follow the Folsom organization’s page and and just about anything else you’d like to know at folsomstreetevents.org.

Tons of photos at their galleries by photographer Gooch

Some of our friends absolutely love the fair and stay all day and have a great time. I’m usually wanting to rest up for:

Real Bad XXXIII at 1015 Folsom, produced by Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation with DJs Rob Phillips, Mascfish, and Jumpr

This is the ticket to get and you probably won’t be able to get it.

Sunday night on Folsom weekend is our favorite event of the entire year. If I could go to only one dance party a year anywhere in the world, it would be Real Bad. Real Bad is one of the few parties still going strong since the the 1980s crisis and they’ve raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for their beneficiaries.

Thousands of the friendliest, hottest men you’ve ever met (and some women) pack into local dance mega-temple 1015 Folsom for a night of dancing and revelry. The event is produced by local non-profit Grass Roots Gay Rights. All the money from the general admission tickets goes directly to local and national beneficiaries.

Real Bad is special to us because it is the centerpiece for an entire year of gay dance events in San Francisco. From the initial margarita party kickoff where they announce the DJs and then the check presentation party where we all cry as they give the funds to the beneficiaries, it’s an entire narrative across the year for the global community that we the Circle of Friends.

You can’t really separate the event from the venue it is in: 1015 Folsom (the address and venue name are the same). A nondescript front door gives way to a warmly lit lobby with stairs and a ramp spilling into to the main dance floor. If you haven’t seen the remodel, they took the wall between the lobby and main room out. Three-story ceilings are complemented by a wrap around balcony – all with Brazilian hardwood dance floors. The rear balcony includes the lust-laden Red Room and then on the opposite (street-side). The upstairs lounge with seating and refreshments that comprise the VIP area for the first half of the evening (it opens up to everyone later on, so be sure to get up there). The first year we went to Real Bad, we spent most of our time on the ground floor and in the balcony and then we finally went downstairs to discover The Underground – the glowing low-ceilinged basement of the venue – where it’s a whole ‘nother party with a differentDJ playing more downtempo steady-state house sound, much cooler down there, too. Our friend Joey spent most of his first Real Bad in just the lobby – thinking the event was just the front lobby (I’ll have what she’s having). So be sure to explore.

This year DJ Mascfish is opening the night right as the fair ends and about halfway through Rob Phillips will take over and take us into the morning.

Rob Phillips is a Brazilian DJ and producer has produced at numerous massive events all over the world and brings a contagious energy with strong beats and lots of personality. Local favorite pup

Jumpr will spin most of the night in the Undeground – the basement – with a more relaxed sound. The music on the main floor usually starts laidback and kinda disco-y as everyone makes their way from the fair to the venue then gradually gets a bit heavier and leans more into prime time circuit for much of the night and then a little more abstract and dreamy as the night carries on. But always a nice weight to it and density. Never “pots & pans.”

We spend most of our evening on the outer third of the crowd. Dancing in the dense crowd under the disco ball in the center of the main floor can be exhilarating or exhausting depending on how you’re feeling at the moment. Take a break in the upstairs lounge. Snuggle up with a guy in the basement. Catch a breath outside in the cordoned-off smoking. Or have a stunning tattooed Iraqi muscle stud help you unwrap a Starburst in the lobby. That’s not even a euphemism, it was a literally a Starburst.

Real Bad is also our yearly check-in with everyone and where they are in their lives. People have seen Ron and I go from two wide-eyed young bucks from Chicago to two inked pierced bearded married muscle dads (and this past December, moved back to Chicago) and part of the usual usuals orbiting the community and it’s related events. I’ll see friends that we were very close with for a few years, had wonderful memorable times with them, and now I’m just somebody that they used to know. You’ll see now-separated couples with their new beaus. Or couples with their new thirds knowing that by next year they might be broken apart.

I can’t say enough about Real Bad. It’s a singular experience distilling everything amazing about the city of San Francisco into one event. I know that sounds trite. Every year I walk down that ramp from the lobby to the main floor and think, “Goddamn this is a whole other level of party.”

Around midnight, look for Ron and I among the platoon of men and women in aprons (which Ron designed!) and hats (and little else) barreling through the thick crowd handing out popsicles to the over-heated crowd. Sometimes it’s hard to convince a queen to eat a calorie (bruh it is day 3, hour five, have a goddamn treat). And be sure you’re in the main room for when they drop the leather flag. The whole night has several peak moments.

Real Bad tickets are a complete bitch to get. Most tickets are only available through a host system of a couple hundred hosts. Each host is given a handful of ticket codes to share with friends and their network . That approach helps preserve the vibe that nearly the entire crowd is there because of someone they know in the organization’s “Circle of Friends.” With capacity rules, there are fewer tickets than ever this year.

There will be some general admissions tickets available online on Eventbrite at a time to later be decided, info on the site. They went in minutes last year.

As the weekend approaches make sure eveyrone around you knows they’re looking for a Real Bad ticket. As the fair ends and everyone decides if they’re really going to go the event, tickets become available. We had one friend leave the fair, take a nap, got texts about an available ticket, and was on the dance floor in an hour.

Short documentary about Real Bad, Activism with a Beat.

Article about Real Bad in The Daily Californian.

Rob Phillips on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook.

Mascfish on SoundCloud, and Instagram.

Pup Jumpr on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook.

Past Real Bad sets for your listening enjoyment:

• Real Bad XXXII had Matt Effect opening the night with the perfect evening apertif while Paul Cowling kept steady in the Underground (3 hours of his set). The prime time slot was local favorite Russ Rich. He tore the fucking place down (part one , part two). You’ve never seen a club go off like this. Two years of a community’s expectation and excitement to celebrate. We all lost our shit. Ron’s video from the balcony. And then around 3am he snuck in Acraze’s remix of “Do It To It” – a few weeks before it hit big – and everyone was like WTF is this strutting subterreanean bass line. I over-played that song for months. More recently, I’ve been overplaying the amazing remix of Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” at 42 minutes in on part two).
• There wasn’t a Real Bad event in 2020, but a few DJs gave us sets to hold us over: DJs Ale Maes, Jesus Pelayo, and an Underground set from Fawks.
• Real Bad XXXI in 2019 with DJ Ales (early/warm-up, peak/prime time, afterhours) and Fawks (in the Underground) and video of the leather pride flag peak moment
• Real Bad XXX in 2018 celebrated 30 years had two DJs on the main floor with Jesus Pelayo (peak medley, main room) and Charly (main room) and then Byron Bonsall (in the Underground) and a fantastic recap video
• Real Bad XXIX in 2017 with Juan Escadero (main room) and video of peak moment with the leather flag, popsicle deployment, confetti drop, and recap/relive video
• Real Bad XXVIII in 2016 with Xavier Alvarado (preview set, main room) and and videos of peak moments one, two, and three
• Real Bad XXVII in 2015 with Brian Maier (in the Underground)
• Real Bad XXVI in 2014 with Fabio Campos (main room) and Corey Craig (in the Underground)
• Real Bad XXV in 2013 with Luiggi (main room) and Craig Gaibler (in the Underground)
• Real Bad XXIV in 2012 wtih Kam Shafaati (in the Underground)
• Real Bad XXIII in 2011 with Brian Reyes (early/primetime, late) and Steve Sherwood (in the Underground)
• Real Bad XXII in 2010 with Sean Mac (early/primetime, late) and Peter Canellis (in the Underground)
• Real Bad X in 1998 with Joe D’Espinosa (part 1, part 2)

Full details on the Facebook event page and a lot more info on their website RealBad.org.

A Folsom-Leaning Tea Dance at The Foundry, produced by FawksTales with DJs Anastasia Kristense, Clarisa Kimskii, ADAB, Jeffrey Sfire, Deezy, Fawks + Devin Jay (Fawkstales), Five, Trevor Sigler, amd aunteesam, hosted by Timo Aviance

Pup Fawks and Devin – known together as Fawkstales – are back with a 12-hou marathon of local and global techno and house music favorites at the huge Foundry venue – which is literally inside the fair. Entry is free before 6pm.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and on Resident Advisor.

NSA Underwear Party at Club OMG, with DJ Sir Ellis

The NSA honchos are back on with a Folsom edition of “the sluttiest underwear night in San Francisco” on Sunday afternoon from 3pm to 8pm. Promotions always promise dim lights, sexy bartenders, bangin’ beats, horny men of all ages, races and body types underwear party, and a sexy playful vibe.

Club OMG is on that that strange hellhole block of 6th Street between Market and Mission. Keep your wits about you.

DJ Sir Ellis on Facebook, Instagram, MixCloud, and SoundCloud.

You can follow the NSA at OMG folks on Facebook and Instagram for more updates

Rated X at City Nights, produced by Ky Martinez with DJs Alex Acosta and Alexander

Rated X is back! Last year’s premiere was a rowdy rutting good time and for Folsom Sunday, they’re (probably) coming to City Nights (where you were for Aftershock just this morning). Leathermen will be geared up out in gear and ready to cruise.

We’ve known Ky Martinez and his husband Juan for many years (they sat at the circuit queen table at our wedding reception) and it’s been wonderful watching them go from producing their monthly House Party event at Powerhouse (every second-Saturday) to building their reputation with larger more sophisticated events like Imagina and Heaven – and Nocturnal, the party you’ll be at later this morning. Their events always draw a sexy crowd that is a diverse, broad slice of the city’s denizens (leather, muscle, queens, bears, queers, jocks, fairies, and all the rest).

Music will be aggressive circuit with slutty gogo dancers and several fetish demos.

DJ Alex Acosta we’ve heard many times over the years in different cities and he’s always a great blend of tribal and house circuit with enough vocals to keep everyone satisfied.

DJ Alexander on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook.

Details on the Facebook page for the event and you can follow Ky Martinez Events on Facebook and check out his site.

Hot Tea at Audio, produced by Cecil Russel and Evan J-Sun, with DJs Dan Slater, Arno Diem, Orel Sabag, Jack Chang

Cecil Russell, in association with Evan J-Sun, are once again bringing you their piping Hot Tea event at Audio nightclub. They’re also taking over the first floor of the adjacent Bergerac club so you’ll have two floors and four DJs of music to choose from. Leather-clad gogo gods and goddesses will undulate and provide entertainment all night.

Super-handsome Aussie, Dan Slater spins a fantastic prime time sound with upbeat, chunky house sound blending the progressive sounds of the European club scene with the Latino fire of South America beats as he moves seamlessly between house, circuit, tech and deep house.

Not finding much intel about LA’s Arno Diem but I pinged him for details on his sound, SoundCloud link below.

Also from Los Angeles, Israeli Orel Sabag has a tribal house sound that’s been featured at events like Reload, WE’s Arena Carnival, and the Papa party.

And my God: Mutha-fuckin’ Jack Chang. Before we even started going to events, we were streaming his mixes and dancing around the house. I have external hard drives full of his mixes. We finally stalked him enough we became good friends, and we are so pleased he’s back state-side. Jack’s pedigree spans from the notorious sex parties in the sleaze-hauses of Berlin to sun-drenched pool parties in Brazil with a high impact sound with lots of drums and vocals.

Audio nightclub is in the heart of SOMA, right across from DNA Lounge where the Big Muscle party was and a few doors down from where Ram was and Nocturnal will be. The events starts as the fair ends so it’s a quick stumble to get there. Limited VIP tickets include VIP lounge area near the DJ booth, bottled water, and snacks.

Dan Slater on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook.

Arno Diem on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook.

Orel Sabag on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook.

Jack Chang on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook. He also has his more techno-influenced alter-ego Ertönen.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets at Gloss Presents site.

Folsom Sunday at Oasis

A few steps from the fair, Oasis is giving you a 12 hour marathon of music and festivities (they’ve confirmed it’s happening but not the DJs yet).

Oasis is a fantastic gay-owned venue founded by drag queens with a big front bar, rooftop area, and a legit stage and cabaret theatre space that doubles as a dance floor. You can barely tell it used to be an 8,000 sq ft gay bathhouse in a past life (that step down into the main concrete floor is the old pool space). They had a fantastic fundraiser during the worst of the pandemic and put that money back into the club including a fantastic new rooftop remodel for some old fashioned open-air cruising.

Full details will be on their Facebook page and on their site.

Party on the Patio at Eagle

Join everybody at the Eagle during and after the fair where the party goes all day and deep into the night. Thousands of hot, sweaty, half naked bodies pack the place throughout the day and night where things get going that have made this party world (in)famous!!

No Facebok page yet for the event you can follow their Facebook page or their Facebook group.

Folsom Aftermath at Powerhouse

You don’t have to worry about choosing Powerhouse or the fair. Powerhouse is literally inside the fair! They’ve got horndogs aplenty ready to be rowdy. They’ll clothes check all day and night and several DJs making you move.

No Facebook event yet but you can follow Powerhouse on Facebook and check their site for events as they are added.

Monday September 27th

Nocturnal Extreme Afterhours at Halcyon, produced by Ky Martinez with DJ Paulo

This is the Sunday night/Monday morning afterhours, after the closing parties. Monday morning.

I can’t think of a better way to close out the night, the morning, and the weekend, than with Ky Martinez’s Nocturnal party under the direction of the original “tribal bitch” DJ Paulo for the entire morning. And at this time of the morning you need a good hard pounding like only Paulo can deliver.

We usually come home from Real Bad, rinse off, re-gear, and walk over to Halcyon nightclub. You think well shit it’s early and it’s day four so this’ll be cute, I guess. You walk in and it’s like the weekend never even happened. Guys streaming in from all the other events all morning. DJ Paulo at his cauldron, playing this type of groove that makes you want to move. Again, we kinda like an afterhours because the guys that are there are there to dance.

VIP tickets are worth it for Halcyon because there’s a nice lounge that sits behind the DJ and on the sides of the club opposite the bar so you’ll be able to escape the crowd but still enjoy the music. Video from the VIP lounge.

Halcyon (formerly the old Beatbox space) is one of only three clubs in the world to feature the Dolby Atmos immersive sound system. Halcyon regularly ranks among the top clubs in the country and is noted for its all-women management and being a welcome home for LGBT events and producers. The exposed brick and steel keeps the warehouse vibe alive and with one of the city’s few 24-hour liquor licenses, DJs have been known to spin from dusk to dawn and into the affternoon.

DJ Paulo on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Twitter, and Facebook and listen to past mixes from Nocturnal including his 2017 preview, live set from 2017, and live set from 2019.

Full details will appear on their Facebook page and you can buy tickets and get info from their site.

And then on Monday afternoon everybody hits the bars and switches to alcohol and calls it “recovery.”

Folsom Recovery at Lookout

No one wants to admit a good thing has to end, so a couple of the bars will be packed on Monday. Lookout and Eagle seem like the most popular ones. Lookout especially. One of our top local DJs will be on hand at Lookout to keep the party going as you stave off thinking about your terrible life choices this weekend.

Most of the producers and DJs of the weekend will be there.

No official event page yet but usually the Recovery events start at 1pm and go until 9pm.

So if you’re still in town, slather on the eye cream, and head over to Lookout. Their kitchen can be slow, but their snacks and food are good.

More details will be on their Facebook page.

And then the rest of the year

San Francisco doesn’t stop.

The week after Folsom is the annual Castro Stret Fair – founded by Harvey Milks many years ago. It’s kinda the official “end of summer” for the city.

Okay let’s do a run down of other important stuff:

More questions you may have and stuff you should know:

“Do people really wear just jockstraps at these parties? I don’t want to be the only one dressed like a whore.”

Yes. Even at SF parties outside the high holy days, there’s always a big leather and bear presence at every party so you’ll always see harnesses and guys stripped down to a jockstrap. Some guys will be in the classic full leather uniform out at the bars but that’s way too much clothing for a steamy dance floor. Most guys will wear a shirt and shorts over their jock and harness. You’ll want to have pockets to keep your ID, ATM card, phone, cash, mints/gum, and such handy. Or if you have no pockets, wear long athletic/slut socks and stuff them in there. Some guys wear fanny packs (that’s “bum bags” for you Brits). Our European friends are surprised to see that even guys who are tops wear jockstraps. Yep. You wanna make sure they can move those hips!

Peruse the photo galleries of the events for a sampling of the various options available. We’ve done kyoot couples’ matchy-matchy outfits before and planned things for the entire weekend in the past. Anymore, I’d rather wear something comfortable I can move in. Or just keep your shorts on and knot your shirt in your belt loop. Otherwise you’ll lose your shirt on the floor and have to walk back to the hotel like a hooker.

Oh and trim your nails. You just never know your fingers might end up. And maybe a pedicure in case you meet a guy into feet?

“Are all these events just a bunch of hairy white guys looking for other hairy white guys?”

These events can have a tendency to be a bunch of big hairy white guys only interested in hanging out with other big hairy white guys. Honestly, unless they have field markings (tattoos) I can’t tell all these white motherfuckers apart. When we all had masks on in SF, I had no idea who anyone was for two years.

The race politics of the gay dance floor can be pretty shitty. And the body fascism. And that sucks for our brown, black, and/or smooth, skinny, and/or non-huge/short brethren. The weekend’s events will have pretty broad range in body type and ethnic/race mix. Chances are you’re “totally my type” for someone in the crowd.

One shortcut is to find the mixed couples (easier to pre-qualify). That’s also in case there’s an emergency, we have to shepherd all the men of color out of the club quickly. Inked brown and black muscle is our nation’s most precious natural resource.

No hovering: We’re implementing a No Hovering Rule. If someone or group hovers or orbits near you more than three times you have to say hello (assuming they aren’t being creepy).

Stop being a racist piece of shit.

Take all that race preference shit off your profile (no, it’s not just a preference). It’s disgusting and shit manners. Our gay black and brown brothers move in a world that reminds them every day that they are “other.” They don’t need that when they are in a gay space. And if you are “into” a certain race, ethniticy, complexion, or color of guys, don’t say it out loud, just go talk to the guy.

Don’t be a Terrible White Gay! Decolonize the dance floor!

And for fuck’s sake don’t ask a guy, “What are you?” or “Where are you from? No where are you from-from?” or “You’re really sexy for a [ethnicity].” You don’t need to know. It doesn’t matter if you did. Maybe yoyu don’t get to know everything.

Consequently, the music you are dancing to all weekend is black music. House music is black music. Disco is black music. Techno is black music. Circuit music wouldn’t even exist without the black and queer DJs, producuers, musicians, and singers that created the very bass line you’re moving your scrawny ass to.

Another short cut is:

Always party with the bears and the Brazilians

Numerous studies in the field and around the world have confirmed that the bears and Brazilians are usually having the most fun at any dance party. And if you find Brazilian bears, it’s going to be an amazing night.

Pro-tip: If you are looking for the bears at any club, find the big industrial fans. The big boys overheat easily so they’re usually near the fans, or they have actual fans, or are near the A/C vents.

And I dunno maybe talk to guys that aren’t your type. Think of your total type in your head and go talk to guys that are the exact opposite. It’s okay to talk to guys you’re not going to fuck. We call that being friendly.

If everyone around you looks just like you, you’re doing it wrong.

Worst Folsom pickup line ever remains: “Hey, you’ve got bitch tits, too.” Let’s have some manners, gents.

And when talking to couples, maybe talk to both of them.

Don’t mix G and alcohol, you stupid fuck

Oxygen, drips, and stretchers are not rave accessories. Don’t mix depressants and definitely never mix alcohol with GHB or it’s pre-cursors GBL and 1,4-Butanediol (“BDO”). If you mix alcohol and G, you’re basically telling your friends you’re a selfish piece of shit and you think it’s cute that others have to take care of you. We once saw a guy ‘falling out’ (the more glam way to say overdosing) in a play room being attended to by EMTs. Nothing kills the vibe like a guy who’s stopped breathing. They were trying to keep him awake.

Just one milliliter too much – 1/5 of teaspoon! – can be the difference between being a good-time gal versus your knees buckling and your friends pissed they have to take you home (or so pissed you keep doing this to them that they hand your ass off to the EMT). Know your mLs and timing. It’s why Tim Cook invented Apple Watch.

Use a bumper for powders so it’s more measured. Label your powders.

Poppers and Viagra are both vasodialators and together can cause blood pressure to drop dangerously low. Go slow. Also coke can kill your E high, and your dick, and make your bowels move.

I won’t even talk about crystal meth. Tina is insidiously efficient at destroying lives. It has been tearing down the LGBT community and many small towns like the one I grew up in and we’ve seen friends destroy their lives, marriages, and friendships to sustain their addiction. Handle your shit, ladies (and ask for and get help). If you see tina at the private party or the trick’s hotel room, walk out the door.

So definitely:

Always thank the EMTs when you see them

I usually say, “Thanks for working tonight.”

They are there to make sure everyone has a safe, memorable time and stays in the guard rails. If you see someone getting stumbly, ask if they’re okay. If you hug someone and they seem cold or have stopped sweating, ask if they need some water or sugary soda. If you know any of the producers of these parties you know that the (mostly straight) venue owners are very harsh when The Gays are a hot mess (though we never have fistfights, just ambulance calls). We risk losing access to these spaces for gay events.

If you are sober and out at these events, be sure you know local AA/etc. meetings so if you need support to stay on track, you’ve got it. If you’re unsure, don’t go.

Be generous. Have a great time. Take care of yourself. Take care of others.

And thank security

There’s a whole phalanx of security guards working at all the clubs all weekend and many of them are queer people that specifically want to work the events of Folsom weekend.

Like our gal Donna, if you see her outside running security for an event, it’s going to go smooth as silk.

These men and women have an incredible sense of ownership and protection of us as we head out for the evening. One memorable moment of Dore was a lesbian security guard outside the club (not Donna above) who was inspecting bags and doing pat-downs, saying to the guy in front of me and to all of us, “Okay now you guys might have some paraphernalia. I don’t want to see it. Management doesn’t want to see it. If you’re doing stuff just don’t do it on the dance floor. Ok?” And then as she patted me down, “Gotta take care of my community. I love my girls – and my boys. Have a good night!”

It’s easy to take for granted all the people putting aside their own chance at a fun weekend so they can take care of their people.

Most venues have security that will frisk people on the way in. Don’t be an idiot and you’ll get through with your accourtrements. That’s why God invented the taint.

Get off your goddamn phone

A friend at Dore a few years ago spent half the night at one club checking his phone for updates from this guy he wanted to hookup with. He had a street address, but no apartment number. We said there’s no fucking way you’re leaving the club to go stand on the street at this time of night for some trick whose probably already asleep. He’s literally surrounded by hundreds of beautiful horny down-to-fuck men and he’s staring at his fucking phone. It turned out okay: He fucked a guy in a bathroom stall. And they say romance is dead.

If you’re doing extended texting, step to the side of the dance floor and continue. And turn your screen brightness down. It’s obnoxious.

No really, get off your fucking phone

Just wanted to say it a second time.

Faster flirting with keyboard macros

But if you’re on your phone and tired of guys asking what your are into or what parties you are going to and typing it over and over again. Setup a macro!

iPhone: Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Tap + type the phrase you want to add then enter the macro. Like whenever you type /folsom, the phone will pop in your full agenda.

Android: Anybody know if this is standard? Lemme know.

Get a couple portable USB chargers to have fully charged up in your European Carryall or backpack or purse.

Be where you are

People talk about wanting to go back to the happy days. We can’t go back. We can stand still or go forward.

I’m prone to getting annoyed if the music isn’t perfect or people are bumping into me and just burning the entire evening down and going home and Xanax-ing myself to sleep. Ron’ll adominsh me, “Stop obsessing! Deal with it!” If you and your partner bicker or have an argument, stop. Talk about it next week. Stop waiting for that guy that said he’d be at the place at that time that wanted to meet up or breed you or get your load or get a selfie. Stop chasing that porn star (he’s probably booked all weekend making videos for his OnlyFans page and wants you to “collab” for free).

I always say I hope for a good time with good music and good friends and my amazing husband in my arms – and everything else is a bonus.

Remember Daddy Aaron’s only Folsom rule: If you’re local, don’t make this the weekend you make it happen with that local guy you’ve been over-staring at the gym. Focus on the fresh, transient meat.

“I looked for you all night!” NO. Stop. Be where you are. Here and now. Don’t make this a make or break weekend for anything or anyone. It is what it is. Enjoy it.

Save this GIF to your phone to drop in group threads when someone’s being a needy/dramatic twat:

And maybe don’t fuck your boyfriend blocking the bathroom entrance. K-thnx.

We don’t really wear cologne in San Francisco

When we were in Madrid it was kinda nice that everyone smelled so good and some guys put on a little cologne before going to club. Less so when a few of them smoke cigarettes in the club. In Saugatuck everyone was getting sweat but no one was getting odoriferous.

But in SF we’re a little more… earthy. This is the town that birthed Manson, Jonestown, and the hippies.

Some guys have a nice fresh sweat on clean skin aroma. Others seriously need to rinse off their taints. I usually put some beard balm on for the night as an extra bonus to whomever gets up in my business. If you like a good man musk you’re in for a treat in this town.

But do whatever you want. If your cologne is too strong someone will probably tell you.

“What’s with the colors and armbands?”

When hooking was more difficult and dangerous, gay men developed the ‘hanky code’ where you’d wear a specific color of handkerchief to signal what you were into and what you were looking for. Left back pocket meant, top. Right side, bottom. Both sides, vers. This has been carried forth in the colors of harnesses and armbands you see out and about. But sometimes yellow is a signal and other times you just want to wear yellow. It’s a fun retro part of the culture we’ve carried through to today. Here’s a full rundown of the hanky code colors in probably one of the oldest web pages you’ll ever read these days. Also:

Getting “mistaken” for a bottom isn’t an insult

And if you think it is, you’re probably also a misogynist piece of shit. Jokes about, “Omg bottoms are needy and petty just like women, isn’t that hilarious?” are tired as fuck. If nothing else a man getting fucked by another man is the most masculine thing in the world. It’s like a totes-masc Voltron. Let’s dispense with the 1950s gender roles.

Everyone secretly hates your fan clacking

In moderation and on the beat, clacking fans can be positively electrifying. But every goddamn song? Don’t clack them all night with that sharp sound that feels like an icepick behind your right eye.

And let’s not with the fucking parasols

Stop bringing parasols to parties. You are not the star of this wedding. It fucks up the event photos with your big goddamn umbrella in the way, blocks the view of people around you, and it’s not that fucking clever. Glare at anyone who brings one and say, “You should really check that.” Or break it over your knee and throw it away.

Buy multiple drinks at a time (and tip)

Bars will be busy and/or under-staffed. If you are buying Gatorade for three friends, grab six. If you are buying cocktails, buy double, chug one and then sip the other. Hell, grab 8 Gatorades and hand a couple to guys you don’t know as you make your way back to your friends. And pay cash if you can. Credit cards slow everyone down. Most venues have an ATM/teller but go into the venue with cash. We usually try to have $100 on us for the night. Break your twenties so you can tip (tip the gogo dancers, too!). Non-Americans, the usual tip for a bartender is $1-2 per drink served.

Many of these events have patrons that turn to non-alcohol sources for their enhancements. It’s lost revenue and a problem every producer will mention. So buy soda, Red Bull, Gatorades, and waters!

Don’t grab someone’s piercings without asking

You don’t know how they like them handled – if at all. And if they’re new, it’ll hurt. For pierced folks, watch out for mesh and fishnet or harnesses and hardware that might hook ’em as you make your way through the crowd!

Schedule your haircut and beard trim now.

If you’re in a gay metro area, you know there’ll be a rush to get your hurr did. Schedule those appointments now!

Assume clothes check will be a disaster everywhere

Coat/clothes check will probably move at a glacial pace. We usually bring one of our gym bags and put everything in there (and put keys, phones, and wallets in obvious pockets so we can find them quickly for the keys-phone-wallet-ready?! check as we leave the club). That way if our stuff gets misplaced or mis-tagged we can say, “Look for the bright red Timbuktu backpack. I can see it right there!”

Another option is to dress to enjoy the first part of the party and then once the coat check line dies down, go check your shorts and shirt so you can really get down. But if you’re desperate to get to your skivvies you can dance and flirt in the line. One friend wears a backpack the first half of the night and checks that once the lines clear. Another wears super lightweight shorts and a tank top and ties them around his ankle for the night. That’s a solution.

Take a photo of your coat check tag so you have it on your phone, and text it to a friend just in case.

And coat check usually is cash only.

Get tested the week after (and two weeks before)

A circuit party is a Petri dish with a bass line. A lot of people have a lot of sex with a lot of people during Folsom weekend. There’s a possibility you might get a bug – even if you’re the most careful condom user ever-ever.

Go to your primary care physician or local clinic to get tested for the full palette of STIs. Keep in mind you can have gonorrhea, syphillis, or chlamydia and not show any obvious symptoms for a while. And even if you’re a “total top” that doesn’t really mean anything since infections can spread between oral, anal, and genital regions regardless of who is fucking who. Notify the other people you had sex with if you have their contact info. It’s common courtesy and comes with the territory in this high-volume-hookup sex-as-a-hobby culture.

If you’re really an ethical slut, get tested two weeks before the weekend just in case you’ve got some critters. That way if you end up having something, you’ve had enough time to complete a full course of antibiotics (usually 7-10 days). Nobody wants to spend Folsom in sex jail (sex jail sounds super hot, but no, it is not). And of course, get tested for HIV. And if you test positive for HIV, go into treatment immediately. It is much easier these days to get down to undetectable levels and manage your health properly.

Undetectable = Untransmittable

You should already know that undetectable is untransmittable, This means that an HIV+ person on meds whose viral load is undetectable carries virtually zero risk of transmission through sex.

Get vaccinated

• Get COVID vaccinated and boosted. Most events aren’t checking vaccine status anymore. But have a digital one or a photo of it on your phone. And favorite that photo on your phone so you aren’t scrolling through hole pics while a bouncer waits.
• Get a meningitis vaccine while you’re at it. There was an outbreak in Florida earlier this year. Get the ACMY vaccine since the current is meningitis serogroup C.
• Get the HPV vaccine too if you’re the right age (it’s expanded) and have coverage. HPV can lead to forms of anal cancer.
• Get the smallpox or monkeypox vaccine because fuck me looks like we’re doing this shit all over again with monkey pox. If you’ve had the smallpox vaccine in the last 5 years you might still have some protection. This website has updates: https://mpoxvaxmap.org/

Getting “ready”

A lot of guys will also be “cleaning out” for the weekend in the event that they bottom. Hell, lots of tops clean out just in case they meet a guy who’s sponge-worthy. Here’s a guide (not keen on the stomping). Pack the shower shot or buy one at one of the sex stores. We all know the bulb sucks. Don’t forget the wrench (which TSA may take if it is in your carry on, I think you can get a plastic wrench that won’t show up as much in x-rays). Some guys even forego eating real food and use Imodium to halt everything for the day or weekend. I’m not saying any of this is healthy. Video: Jonathan Van Ness explaining this to Tiffany Haddish is comedy gold.

And thus it was written:

“Blessed are the bottoms, may their waters always run clear.” (Matthew 6:9)

If you are HIV-, get on PrEP

If you are HIV-, get on PrEP. It doesn’t protect against other STIs but the risk of HIV transmission is statistically that of condoms. We have the technology to stop HIV in its tracks in this generation and we’re stupid if we don’t take advantage of it. If you are not on PrEP and have unprotected sex and think you might be at risk for HIV, know about the PeP protocol which is for after a possible exposure.

If you don’t want to take PrEP all the time, there’s also the new PrEP 2-1-1 protocol for an intermittent trampage. You take two Truvada 2-24 hours before sex, one pill 24 hours after the initial dose, and one final pill 24 hours later. Full details.

When agreeing to meet or hookup, be clear about condom use (or not) so no one feels pressured to make choices not aligned with their values.

And if you take Metamucil or Pure or other fiber supplements to be bottom-ready, do not take them at the same time as your PrEP or other meds. Fiber supplements might soak up the meds in your digestive system and prevent them from working.

“I’m too fat, too thin, too short, too tall, too young, too old to go…”

Now that I’m 47, my sister says I’m officially pushing 50. The only difference these days is we take ibuprofen before we head out for the night. You’re never too old.

Both straight mainstream culture and the queer/gay minority sub-culture is co-opted by marketers to tell us we never have enough, do enough, or are enough, so not hating the way you look all the time is kind of a triumph. Fuck the male gaze (that we literally created ourselves). There aren’t “leagues.” No guy is too hot to go up and talk to. And if he thinks he is, he’s probably a terrible fuck. Or a bad kisser. And a hot guy who can’t kiss is a crime against God.

You will see all types all weekend. You will see guys who are so roided up they are practically parodies of masculinity (and probably have a dialysis machine hidden in their jock). Other guys have their ass sticking out so far, you’d think you’re at a pelvic tilt convention. You’ll see beanpole guys who are skin and bones and guys going nuts over them, too. All shapes, all sizes, and ages ready to have a great time.

Don’t tell tall guys they’re tall or tell short guys they’re short. They know. Find something else to compliment them on.

Introverts, here’s a Facebook thread I started about meeting guys on the dance floor. (My solution has always been: Marry an extrovert. Or try the bend and snap.)

You have the right to have a fucking great time no matter how you look or how you feel about how you look.

Don’t wait until you “lose the weight” or “do a cycle” or whatever other barrier to entry you’re setting for yourself.

“Can I go to these events if I’m a straight man or a woman?”

Yes, you can. Keep in mind though: Most of the events I’ve detailed in this guide are intended for and produced primarily by gay men seeking to meet and dance and do whatever with other gay men. You might not be the target audience for many of these partes. It’s our space – it’s great you feel safe here, too – but we built this. There’s several lesbian and straight women that are a big part of the community out here and join us for many of the parties as patrons and producers and talent. And they know the events that are more play-oriented aren’t really for them and sure they could go into a back room and look around, but turning someone’s sexuality into a tourist attraction is tacky and gross. You will probably see public sex between men at the fair or on the dance floor or in a bathroom or in a lounge or in an alley way. Enjoy watching or just turn 180 degrees and voila! it doesn’t even exist anymore.

And put your hair up. Nobody wants your long hair sticking to their sweaty chest or back.

“All these goddamn events are sold out!”

You waited too long. In this town, they buy our tickets early (and much cheaper first-tier pricing).

If you are looking for tickets for a particular event, post as such on the Facebook page for the event. Mark yourself as Going for the event so you’ll get alerts if someone posts that they have a ticket available. As the weekend develop, people decide which parties they are or aren’t going to and will unload their tickets.

“What if I have tickets I don’t need?”

The opposite of the above, post on the event page to see if others are interested in buying your tickets.

Be wary of third-party ticket sales from questionable sources

Scammers that will post on the event pages that they have last minute tickets and then take your money and tell you to walk with Christ. Look for friends you have in common and vet sources if you need to.

“OMG, Folsom is not just about the parties!”

You’re right. There’s an entire leather community anchoring this whole thing. But this is a party guide.

Always do a ticket inventory the week before

The week beforehand, make sure you havwe all your tickets. If they are in your email, use the pin/star feature to make sure they bubble up to the top or take screencaps of all your QR codes. Nothing like the, “Oh my god I bought tickets for the Folsom Brut but not the Dore Brut, Ron’s going to kill me…” panic attack. Some of these parties and producers do events for both weekends with the same names, don’t get them mixed up!

No life decisions the week after a party

Until there is at least a glimmer of hope in those dead cow eyes, don’t get together or break up or get married or close things or open things or move out or move in or quit a job or start a job. I’m usually a dessicated husk until at least Thursday night after a weekend rage. On Tuesday, it’s “That wasn’t so bad. I feel fine.” Around Wednesday, it’s “Ugh nightmares last night. We really have to stop doing this.” Thursday is, “What am I doing with my life? Am I a good husband? Am I a terrible son?” Then Friday is, “I feel great when’s the next one?!” After one year’s revels, my CEO alerted staff the following week announcing, “Don’t ask Andy anything. He hasn’t slept for five days.”

I’m sure I’ve forgotten some events, let me know

No slight to producers or DJs if I’ve missed one (and I didn’t even do shoutouts to all the talented lighting, sound, video, laser, and environment designers and special performers). Message me via Instagram or Facebook Messenger.

Where to visit while you’re in town

We lived in San Francisco for 13 years and here’s our recommended points of interest and touristy activities if you’re here for several days:

Former federal prison Alcatraz Island has a haunting audio tour.

Muir Woods is a forest of giant redwood trees (think ewoks/Endor).

The best photos of the bridge are Golden Gate View Point, plus nearby abandoned gunnery stations from WWII.

The California Academy of Sciences has huge aquaria and a four-story tropical rainforest installation and a planetarium where she kept talking about “Sharon” and I realized oh she means Pluto’s moon Charon and I couldn’t stop giggling. Classic Sharon! The Conservatory of Flowers just across the way is also worth a trip.

Fisherman’s Wharf is trashy and you didn’t come all this way to eat Ruby Tuesdays. It does have the only In-N-Out in town, though I’d tell you to go to local favorite Super Duper Burger (see below). The Krispy Kreme there has closed.

There’s wine country – Napa and Sonoma. We find the whole wine thing boring. But go for it if you’re nuts for wine.

Dolores Park you’ve seen in movies and TV with the great view of the city.

Where are all the taxis?

Like most other big cities. Uber and Lyft have destroyed municipal taxi systems and thousands of jobs. You’ll probalby use apps for getting to and fro.

Where to eat while you’re in town

We’re both from the Midwest so we’re not really foodies, we just like to eat. Our go-to restaurants:

Skip the Whataburger vs In-n-Out debate and go to Super Duper Burger. They’re our usual post-party lunch of burger, fries, and milkshake. Several locations in the city.

Taco Boys next to the Castro Super Duper is our usual taco place. Tacorgasmico is across the street as well. Bonita’s nearby always has dry-ass chicken and beef.

Fable serves modern American cuisine with a huge back patio. Reservations through OpenTable.

Catch is great for brunch or dinner with a front patio with lighting that takes strangely high-quality selfies. Reservations through OpenTable.

The Cove diner across from Castro Theatre has been a Castro institution for over 40 years.

Sam’s Diner across from the Whitcomb Hotel on Market near 9th has non-complicated breakfast and you can add tater tots.

Mona Lisa in Little Italy/North Beach has great Italian food and homemade pasta.

You probably have some for-real foodie friends in San Francisco if you’re really looking for a high-quality fine-dining type thing. Ask them for their recommendations (they’ll probably roll their eyes at mine).

And don’t forget the full raft of delivery restaurants on Grubhub and other apps in case you need a cube of cheese. Our usuallly places are iThai, Tara Indian Cuisine, Bamboo (Chinese), and Tanglad (Vietnamese run by Filipinos, with a location in Castro).

And if you need poppers and lube, there’s several sex stores and smoke shops in the Castro (including Mr. S mentinoed above). We usually go to Koheba Gifts on Market (might not be gay-owned, but Yemeni immigrants, I think). Get tacos next door while you’re over there. There’s also stores like Does Your Mother Know and Rock Hard.

Finally: Fucking dance

Must has been lost. Again.

Another goddamn pandemic. Another rush to blame The Gays. Another bungled federal response with LGBT health organizations stepping in to do the legwork.

All we have is righ now.

For now we get to dance. Have a beautiful man in our arms. Feel his beard against yours. Feel the bass rattling your ribcage.

Hold your friends close. Hold them tight and dance. Love unabashedly.

We lost two friends in on week in August. You never fucking know what tomorrow will bring.

I try to remind myself it hasn’t been that long ago that police would invade gay bars to stop men from simply dancing together. It is easy to take the level of relative safety we enjoy now for granted. And many queer groups in many countries and cities are still not completely safe. Hell, is anybody completely safe?

Dance for yourself. Dance for your friends. Dance for your community. Dance for those never got to have the man or woman of their dreams in their arms. Dance for those that are no longer with us. Dance for those that are still here. Dance for Pulse in Orlando, for the UpStairs Lounge in New Orleans, and for all the rest who died or were hurt while simply trying to have a fun night out.

Dance for the closeted queer kids stuck in backwards boondock burgs or dangerous families trying to just hold on until they can get out (please just hold on). Dance for those that live in countries where they would kill us for simply holding hands.

Dance for the queens, the queers, the faggots, the fairies, the leathermen, the bulldykes, and all the other outlaws who said no seriously fuck this shit and fuck you and risked their lives and their careers and their families and put it all on the line. You have the luxury of living right here, right now, because so many people fought for it.

Don’t ever forget that.

See you on the dance floor, gentlemen

…and ladies, and everyone else in between. It’s incredibly rewarding to have guys from all over the world come up and say hi and say that they read my guide or shared it with friends. So, if you see us on the dance floor, say hello (reference photo above).

That photo is from Chicago Pride 2022 after we moved. When we first met 22 years ago we marveled at the hot muscle dads we’d see out at pride that looked amazing and happy. This year we realized: We’re those muscle daddies now.

Look for the complementary Polynesian sleeve tattoos on the sexy pierced Filipino muscle daddy with the huge smile dancing with abandon and probably waving (but never clacking) a majestic fan (my husband Ron) and the semi-serious/RBF’d inked pierced bearded white muscle daddy wolf trying to keep up with him (me).

Thanks for reading – please share!

Andy (with editing/etc. from Ron)

p.s. You can follow my writing on Facebook, Twitter, and enjoy cat photos, thirst pics, Ron’s Stepford streak, aggressive shirtlessness, and fear of aging on my Instagram (andymaticgram), but actually Ron posts better photos on his Instagram (ronamatic) and his account for his pandemic macaron obsession (macarons_by_ron). If you want even more reading in this vein, you can read my previous guides for Dore (this year, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, and the 2016 recap) and Folsom (2019, 2018, 2017, and 2014 recap). Or read about that time I turned 40 or when we got married. or on the Daddy Issues podcast talking about roids and racism, gay Trump supporters, and being pretty vs smart. And if you’re really retro, there’s the old fashioned RSS feed for my blog at andymatic.com

p.p.s. This past year was our last Folsom as San Francisco residents. We moved to Chicago this past December. When we first started going out years ago in SF, we’d walk home by ourselves since we didn’t know anybody. Then a few years in, we’d have friends walking with us to get refreshed for the next party or house guests coming back to crash. Other years, a lucky guy or couple we brought back to our place for post-party adventures. This past year when we walked back from Aftershock, it was just us again.

The city has been good to us.

(Or are you looking for the Folsom guide?)

Be sure to bookmark this guide. I’m constantly updating as new events, venues, and DJs are announced.

You can always find the latest at andymatic.com/dore – just tell friends “it’s at andy matic dot com slash dore” – easy to remember!

Party grid for the weekend (so far!):

(compare to previous years 2021, 2019, etc.)

Up Your Alley? Dore? Dore Alley?

Yes, it’s true. The weekend is named for the street fair that takes place on Sunday. Most people just call it “Dore.” Rhymes with whore-y. Named for the street intersection the fair is oriented around, Dore Alley and Folsom Street. Proper usage:

• “Are you and the pups coming for Dore?”
• “Which parties are you and your Sir going to for Dore?”
• “Will you and your husband be playing separate for Up Your Alley weekend?”
• “Are you ready to hoe it up for Up Your Allley?”
• “Do you think that piece of shit Madison Cawthorne will show up at Dore this year? She’ll know where the coke orgies are.”

The weekend of events is anchored by Sunday’s Up Your Alley street fair. The street fair celebrates gay kink and leather culture and is produced by the Folsom Street Events organization. They also produce the Folsom Street Fair in September which is an even bigger kink/leather event and bigger weekend. The difference between the two? Up Your Alley weekend is usually described as a bit kinkier/nastier, more gay male centric, and attended by more locals. You’ll have fewer tourists gawking at the zoo and more people ready to participate.

But there’s a lot more there there than just the fair.

First: Know Your History

Leather is embedded in San Francisco’s history and Dore is connected to that history and pedigree. There’s always a few leather guys at even the most mainstream-y party. From Dore Alley Street Fair, a history lesson:

“The Up Your Alley Fair, wasn’t originally on Dore Alley, and it wasn’t originally ‘Folsom Street Fair’s dirty little brother’. In fact, the two fairs were originally completely unrelated to one another. The first Folsom Street Fairs were celebrations of SoMa’s neighborhood diversity whereas Up Your Alley was a celebration specifically of the gay leather community.” Read the full article…

I’ve put together a list of the many events for Dore weekend. Keep in mind this is just one guy’s opinion on what to do and where to go. I’m not a big kinkster. I don’t think I am. I’ll tie you up, spit in your mouth, smack you around, and ask you if you like being dad’s whore like the next guy. But like, we know people that are for-real into this stuff much more intensely.

It’s all relative, I suppose. Be sure to ask other friends and acquaintances for their must-do events if this is your first Dore weekend.

I’ll include links to photo galleries for most of the events so you can get a sense for what the crowd will be like and what to wear as well as links to the DJs profiles so you can get a sense of the music.

Early Events

A few notable events to point you to before the main thrust of the weekend:

Early July: Baloney at Oasis, produced by Rory Davis

San Francisco’s “gay all-male revue that’s not entirely gay and not entirely male” is back with their July edition. We’ve gone to the show several times over the years and it’s always a fun evening with these talented sexy men of all shapes and sizes and ages. Baloney combines theater, dance, striptease, song, comedy, and acrobatics into an entertaining evening unlike anything you’ve seen before. Baloney runs the first two weekends of July.

Trailer for documentary about them that’s been burning up the film festval circuit: Baloney: A Queer Male Burlesque (interview with director Joshua Guerci).

Baloney featured in the Bay Area Reporter: Baloney’s back: saucy male burlesque show returns to Oasis and The Advocate

Catch them on Instagram and get more info on their site.

CANCELLED Saturday, July 23rd: Horsemarket produced by The Stablemaster

This event has been cancelled due to the monkeypox outbreaks happening nationwide. The Stablemaster on Twitter: “I’m sad to say that July 23rd party is canceled but it is necessary because of monkeypox. There will be more events soon! If you want more info check out my newsletter.”

Continue to get updates from their Facebook group, Twitter, or their mailing list and learn more on the site for the event.

Wednesday, July 27th

Dirty Alley at Powerhouse, presented by Mr. S Leather

Now celebrating over 40 years of leather, kink, and style, Mr. S Leather is a San Francisco mainstay and globally recognized leather retailer and fetish brand. They’ll kick off the week at Powerhouse and Dore Wednesday with a night of fetish demos, sexy gogos, and [checks notes] “the trashiest bartenders in San Francisco.”

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and you can follow Mr. S on their Facebook page or on Instagram for more information.

Thursday, July 28th

11th Anual BLUF SF Dinner at Don Ramon’s Mexican Restaurant, benefitting Leathermen’s Discussion Group and Transform 1060.

You’re telling me there’s a Mexican restaurant with a buffet and I can wear leather? You can tell who the bottoms are since they aren’t eating any beans.

BLUF SF’s annual dinner has become a tradition to kick off a busy leather week of activities. Whether you’re new to the BLUF group (Breeches and Leather Uniform Fanclub) or want to reconnect with old friends, you’ll find a large gathering rubbing elbows – leather to leather – in a friendly setting.

Full details about the event on Facebook , Eventbrite. or the BLUF SF site.

More detail about the history of BLUF in Leatherpedia.

Rubber Ducky at Powerhouse

New local group Rubber Ducky SF is rolling out the rubber carpet! They’ve started throwing regular local events for the rubber community and those that want to hang out with them. Come relax, chat, and meet other guys into rubber. If this is your crowd, you’ll feel rightr at home surrounded by a crowd of dozens of men in rubber. Whether you’ve never been in rubber, just got your first piece, or are having to throw out your work clothes to be able to fit your ever growing rubber wardrobe, Rubber Ducky has space for you. Help them make a great space to band together as a community, to be into rubber, to starting getting into rubber, to experiment, and to have fun!

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and be sure to follow their Facebook Page and Instagram since they have monthly events.

Flag Alley at Theatre Flamenco of San Francisco with DJ Greg Sueyoshi

Flagging seems to be a form of expression quickly disappearing from the queer dance floor. Usually when you first get to an event, there will be several groups of flaggers spinning on the empty stage or on the dancefloor before the crowd starts to fill. Flagging’s origins are murky but re-emergecned in the 1970s and another resrugence in teh 1990s as HIV meds got better and men started living and ssurv

Flag Alley is an evening originally envisioned by the late Jeff Hettinger, for flaggers, flow artists, and those that love them. He and his husband Robert were always among the flaggers on the dance floor at any event. We always found their love and commitment to each other inspiring and amazing to see in action:

Flag Alley gives flaggers and other flow artists the chance to spin their arts in a wide space with lots of room to move and accented by blacklights to light up your flags. This event is part of this year’s Flagger Destination Weekend with flow artists coming in from all over the world.

This is an event for expert and advanced flaggers all the way to those that just started or those that are curious to learn more.

DJ Gregg Sueyoshi has loved music since he was 5 years old. From his high school days creating mixes on cassette tapes, today he creates a solid sound the incorporatios house, vocals, disco dlassics, nu-disco, progressive house and even dance oriented rock.

This is event will only have water onsite for beverages. You can get a drink at the bowling alley nearyby.

Gregg Sueyoshi on HeartThis and SoundCloud.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and be sure to follow the Flagging in the Park group for the monthly flagging and dancing event at the National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park.

Friday, July 29th

Beta at Club Six, produced by Fog City Pack, with DJs Morenxxx and Aeryn Pfaff

The pups from the Fog City Pack are back with the second installment of their annual three-party trilogy that starts with Alpha party (which happens in March) and ends with Omega (usually before Thankgiving). In the middle – for Dore – the wild Beta party at Club Six. They’ve commandeered both the ground floor and the seedy basement of the club for your evening’s adventures. Make it hoe, but fashion, but probably more hoe.

The pup party music blend is kinda steady deep house – though one of this year’s DJ is a faster tempo like a few of last year’s – with a delightfully sordid and sleazy vibe – tons of tracks linked below.If you love celebratory soaring vocals – this ain’t it. The pups have always brought in fresh talent for the DJ booth. They describe the event and crowd and DJs are like, “No way, I’m so in!”

You don’t have to be a pup or into pup play to enjoy these parties and a broad swath of the city’s queerdom will be in attendance. Lots of leather and jockstraps and you’ll see pups in pup hoods.

You won’t see a lot of guys acting like literal dogs running around on the floor (that’ll be at the street fair). But guys will woof or growl at you if they’re interested. Nearly everyone checks their clothes so plan accordingly.

The best explanation I’ve heard for the whole pup thing is its a persona to make sex fun and playful, without all the baggage and anxiety humans can add to it. There’s several packs of pups in San Francisco that function as fraternal groups supporting each other through their lives and careers. It’s just like the Elks.

Love, love, love the security at Club Six. Always friendly and happy to see us – and they adore the pups. Always get a big hug after a quick frisk. It’s staff like that that puts patrons at ease. Club Six is one of the venues in the city that allows producers to include play spaces in their marketing (though nearly every party this weekend will have somewhere in the club dark enough to seed and breed).

What the Fog City Pack has carved out for themselves, for their community, and for their city is quite remarkable, unique, and amazing. Learn more about our dear pups:

• New York Times: We Live in Packs
• Slate: Teaching Young Dogs Old Tricks
• SF Weekly: Canis Majors
• The Fight magazine: Pups in the Mist

Morenxxx is s a Brooklyn-based artist, DJ, and producer with heavily percussive performances that disrupt genre declaring the dance floor as a “devotional, spiritual site of becoming and unbecoming.”

Aeryn Pfaff is a versatile Toronto based DJ with roots in the queer techno scene. “I play clubs, warehouses, festivals, patios, drag shows, disco, techno, house, breaks, dnb, jersey club, baile funk, vogue house, rave, ambient — I like everything,” he says. He throws a party called 2GETHER at The Black Eagle Toronto, and an Italo-Disco party called Problemes D’Amour.

Morenxx on SoundCloud and Instagram

Aerym Pfaff on SoundCloud and Instagram

Along with the Pack’s resident DJs:

Fawks on Instagram, SoundCloud, and his website fawkstales.com. Here’s his mix from Beta party 2017.

Miloš on Instagram and SoundCloud. Here’s his mix from the virtual Beta 2020 party.

Jumper on Instagram and SoundCloud. Here’s his set from the pups’ virtual Beta party last year, Omega party 2019, Omega 2018, and their 2018 Packed party.

Astro on on SoundCloud. Here’s his mix from Alpha party 2017.

The Fog City Pack SoundCloud also has lots of mixes from past parties.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and follow our merry pups on their Facebook book page, Instagram account, or website. The pack’s Facebook page also has photos from previous Alpha and Beta events, and other past Pack events.

Prime presented by TrophyDad, with DJ Neon the Glowgobear

Ed, Julian, and the gang at TrophyDad will be hosting a gaggle of gogos over 50 with a party dedicated to “men in their prime and their admirers.” If you’re feeling the need to work out some daddy issues (or work over some boys), this will be the place to be. As our friend and daddy connoisseur (papa sommelier?) Baby Jake always says, “You better check for that AARP card first.”

And it feels like we’re in a daddy moment as daddy-themed parties have start popping up across the country and around the world. It seems to radiate from San Francisco for some reason. Prime party started a few years ago as just Ed throwing himself a big 50th birthday party. He had no idea it was going to become a thing. But it has! I think as the generation of men that survived the 80s and 90s is hitting their 50s and 60s they’re redefining what it is to be a gay man after 50: active, vital, confident, horny, and fun.

Prime will be situated in the more intimate Gods & Monsters room of Midway, lower ceiling, less cavernous than the main Ride space. It’s a little bit of a ride so you’ll need to share a Lyft with some other hot guys.

The crowd includes lots of guys you usually don’t usually see out and about and the music will be prime time circuit with celebratory vocals with a modern remix with resident DJ Neon the Glowgobear. And he mixes in the older classics for the geriatrics like us.

Read more about the genesis of the Prime party in Race Bannon’s article in The Bay Area Reporter: “Celebrating Grey — the Older Kinkster”

Visuals and lighting by local master RAGErLAZER.

Neon on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, and Facebook.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event but you can also follow TrophyDad’s Facebook page and see lots of photo galleries on the TrophyDad Facebook page.

Flex at Powerhouse, produced by Andrew Dombos and Cortez Onyx with DJ Brian Urmanita

The quarterly muscle worship party is back for a special Dore edition at everybody’s favorite trashy bar, Powerhouse. Enjoy the company of strong men and rugged attitudes all night long. Classic bodybuilding and muscle worship videos play on the TVs and musclebound gogo studs dance for your enjoyment and perusal. Show off them gains bruh at midnight with their Best Bicep Contest and enter to win fabulous prizes from Berkeley baththouse Steamworks, iconic leather brand Mr. S Leather, and local fitness chain FitnessSF. Plus, a guest bodybuilder on hand to show off his best poses and angles.

The front of the house will be cruising and perusing. The back is where the dense floor throbs with a hot horny crowd. The back-back behind that door on the right is the smoking area outside that also includes various other activites for you predilections but usually its so packed you can barely wedge yourself in there.

And handsome-as-a-Disney-Prince daddy DJ Brian Urmanita will be behind the chainlink screen at the decks spinning a muscular blend of groove and funk-influenced house all night to keep the pecs poppin’ as you cruise.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event. Tickets available at the door.

Fuzz Ball at Eagle, produced by Bo Welge with DJ Bo Bear

If you’re into the furry guys, welcome to Fuzz Ball! Join us at the Eagle for a night of hairy men includinga Best Beard and Hairiest Beast Contest.

DJ Bo Bear on SoundCloud, and Faceboolk.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event.

Saturday, July 30th

Dore Party at Mr. S Leather

Finally, they’re back!

Now celebrating over 40 years of leather, kink, and style, Mr. S Leather is a San Francisco mainstay and globally recognized leather retailer and iconic fetish brand.

If you are going to buy some new leather finery during your trip, get over there when you first get to San Francisco. They can do alterations onsite to ensure a perfect fit and often while you wait. Their leatherworkers will be going overtime so that might be more difficult as the weekend kicks in. Harnesses, hats, ballcaps, boots, uniforms, vests, blindfolds, ropes, lubes, jockstraps, singlets, socks, toys… they’ve got it all. And slings for rent.

I once had a panic attack there trying on a metal cockring. The dressing rooms were all taken and I’m trying to shove my boys into the ring while a gathering crowd starts to watch. I eventually mutter “Goddammit, we’ll just buy it!” and headed to the cash register. Err on the side of caution and use rubber cockrings or the ones that have naps. Ask your ER nurse friends about sawing off cockrings during gay party weekends. And don’t get titanum or you’re really in deep shit. They gotta call the fire department for that.

Mr. S staff are helpful and friendly and want to make sure you look your best – even if you’re new to the whole leather thing. I remember finding the place super intimidating when were first went since we didn’t know much about leather culture. You want to wear the right thing right, right? Now we live just a 10 minute walk away and go at least once a month. I went from having panic attacks when I first walked in to being a model for the new harness they debuted a couple years ago. (Ron’s modeled some of the rubber line, too.)

If you’re worried about wearing your harness wrong: Just check how they are styled on Mr. S Leather’s site or whatever vendor you got it from. A lot of guys wear their harnesses way too low and too loose. You should feel the tightness, the restraint. It’s basically a corset for your shoulders. Shoulders back, pecs out!

If you have a narrow build, look at the harnesses with thinner strips of leather. Some guys can’t pull of harnesses with a lot of leather pieces, coverage, and hardware. And if I’m dancing all weekend I don’t want a lot of things hanging off me.

Mr. S also has their famed brown bottle “cleaning solution” so be sure to stock up.

Big Muscle Party at DNA Lounge, produced by BigMuscleBears.com benefitting Positive Resource Center with DJ Paul Goodyear

I always like taking friends to this event because if you don’t know it’s happening on a Saturday afternoon, you don’t know what you’ve been missing.

Several hundred muscle guys of all sizes and stripes, and their admirers pack into DNA Lounge (founded with Netscape money and like every other big venue always at risk of closing) to have cocktails and dance and make Mary.

It’s got a fantastic vibe whether you’re in the mood to dance on the main floor, chill in the back lounges, hang out and chit-chat in the side bars, or people-watch from the wrap-around balcony.

Ron and I contend that this party usually the hottest crowd of the weekend. And some of the guys are yooooge! Like water buffalo galloping through amber waves of grain on the dance floor. It always makes me want to start a TikTok called Big Guys, Tiny Fans. 

Veteran DJ/producer and house music legend Paul Goodyear will be on the main floor weaving classic 70’s Disco with House, with anything 80’s inspired, with soul, electronica, urban, pop and just about everythign else (“It’s all disco as far as I’m concerned.”) Known all over the world for his disctinct soundscapes and marathon 14 hour setsl he’ll be the perfect cook in the kitchen for this event..

Halfway through the party you’ll meet the men of this year’s Bare Chest Calendar. For 35 years the annual calendar has been a huge part of the San Francisco community, raising over $3 million for PRC and its program AIDS Emergency Fund. PRC (Positive Resorce Center) is devoted to providing residential treatment and supportive housing for people with mental health, substance use, and HIV/AIDS-related issues. Buy a calendar! That’s our bestie Moe as your Mr. January (and in the poster above)

It’ll be bright outside and dark as night indoors so it’ll take you a bit to see once you’re in the club.

Reminder: DNA Lounge is a huge venue! It took me a couple years to realize, “Ohhh shit there’s that back bar there… and oh damn is that another bar further on back…”

So after you’ve enjoyed the main floor, go upstairs to the balcony, the side bar on the left with the windows to the street (and another DJ lineup), the bar behind that, the bar behind that (and another DJ lineup), the bar that swings around behind back into the balcony to the lounge with seating and back around to the other side of the club.

Favorite moments from past year’s is the DJ in the upper bar teasing the growling bass line for “The Humpty Dance” for about 10 minutes and you kept thinking, “Am I hearing that?” and then finally launching into the 1989 classic, then back into the usual house mix. Or in the main room a couple years ago with crowds of muscle queens chanting, “Nails! Hair! Hips! Heels!” And I have an apocryphal story of the DJ dropping in, “All I Want for Christmas,” to troll the crowd with Christmas in July.

There’s also the photo booth in the balcony (house-left) where you can get photos of your hot ass and hot-ass friends for posterity. It closes earlier than the event ends, so be sure to get up there sooner than later. If you get overheated, there are A/C vents to chill you down, right in front of the street-side balcony bar. You’ll see the vents. And come out onto the street for a vape or a smoke or to gawk at the shirrtless guys in the sun.

And don’t forget to grab pizza next door at DNA Pizza (menu) during the party or on your way out. You know these gals like to eat. The veggie slice is called Artichoke-Me-Daddy. You can go between the pizzeria and the club and even go outside for a smoke or a vape during the event – just be sure you have your wrist stamped (or wrist band). If that’s the plan, don’t wait to get in line until the end of the party, it’ll be a long line to get pizza.

Tip: This event has started selling out. And they seem to throttle entry to the club so get in line early. You can usually buy a ticket online the day-of on your phone if you need to.

Usually $15-$20 at the door but advance tickets available on the DNA lounge site, that nasty transaction fee is a doozy (and doesn’t go to the producers, btw).

Photo gallery to show you who-all’s there and what to wear in Out magazine: “109 Photos From BigMuscle Party at Folsom Street Fair”

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets on sale on the DNA Lounge website on the July 2022 calendar page. (ignore the VIP packages, that’s for straight prime time events, and when has a gay man ever ordered bottle service?)

Flagging in the Park at and benefitting the National AIDS Memorial Grove with DJ Kimberly S

There’s not much more San-Francisco-y things to do in San Francisco than Flagging in the Park, a monthly event that comes to us during the spring and summer months. It’s one of those things that once you know about it, you’ll wish you’d known about it sooner. Featuring a sunny pleasant afternoon of some of city’s top DJs spinning bright happy vocals while dozens of people engage in flagging, poi spinning, and other visually enchanting “flow arts.” Bring a blanket, sunscreen, some snacks, and a couple bottles of champagne (or other transformative substance) and enjoy the music and the colors – and even take a try at flagging yourself with helpful folks on hand to show you how.

There’ll be a few hundred people out at the National AIDS Memorial Grove, a lush verdant meadow in Golden Gate Park. This is a free event but donations are encouraged to help with the upkeep and maintenance of the Grove, ” a dedicated space in the national landscape where millions of Americans touched directly or indirectly by AIDS can gather to heal, hope, and remember.”

DJ Kimberly S (Los Angeles) – heralded as “The Queen of The Circuit” – knows how to command a room with a repertoire ranging from joyful house, to sophisticated grooves, to bangin’ big room anthems, she skillfully delivers the sound that packs dance floors, works crowds into a frenzy, and leaves them begging for more.

There’s also a silent auction benefitting the National AIDS Memorial Grove.

DJ Kimberly on SoundCloud, Facebook, and Instagram.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event. Stay updated with other evets on the Flagging in the Park group on Facebook.

Daddy Daycare at Eagle, produced by Dad SF with DJs Mondo Nexus, Kelly Naughton, Jesse Frank, Doescompute, Jumpr with hosts Sir Spense and Christopher Vasquez

“Inflation, daddy formula shortages, expensive mannys… Quality dadcare is hard to find! You can trust your dad will be handled with care, well-hydrated, and fed a healthy helping of nutritious delicious beats by the experienced team of DAD SF. Give your special dude the space he needs to frolic, sniff, and learn world-class DAD behavior. DADdy Daycare, the SF Eagle’s new daytime al fresco discoteca will fill your dad with joy while meeting plenty friendly boys. Mominatrixes, ladydads, transdads, and granddads, are all welcome to play all day.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event.

NSA Underwear Party at Club OMG

The NSA honchos are back with a Dore edition of their weekly underwear party on Saturday afternoon from 4pm to midnight.

Promotions always promise dim lights, sexy bartenders, and a horny crowd so expect a sexy playful vibe.

You can follow the NSA at OMG folks on Facebook for more updates or on their Instagram.

Remember, OMG and Club Six are kinda in that strange hellhole block of 6th Street between Market and Mission. Keep your wits about you.

Brut at The Great Nothern, produced by Brian Kent Productions and Hedonic Productions, with DJs Morabito and Dan Darlington

Saturday night, Ron and I will among your gracious, persuadable hosts helping to facilitate you in making regrettable life choices.

What I remember most about the Brüt for Dore is how hot and steamy it gets in the club. I’m always surprised the lighting instruments don’t short out.

Co-founder/producer Dan Darlington is always a joy to watch as he spins because he always has a huge grin on his face. He’ll sneak in a vocal after a nasty beat that can be just transcendent.

We’ve heard Morabito several times and she’s magnificent. Morabito has dominated the dance scene for over three decades and played at pretty much every big event in the world, driving every party with a wide range of tribal, underground, progressive, and tech house into a seamless experience on the dance floor.

The Great Northern has that step down from the bar into the dancefloor. You can watch queens trip over it all night if you need entertainment. That dark far corner behind the DJ on the right can be fun. Rubber, leather, singlets, whatever… let’s see it.

Morabito on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook,Instagram, Twitter, and website.

Dan Darlington on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and the Brüt site and Brüt’s own SoundCloud. My favorite Brüt mix of all time is this Folsom mix from a couple years ago. It absolutely purrs.

Brut featured in:

• The New York Times: Gay Leather Scene Tones Down From Hard-Core to Dress-Up
• Daily Xtra: How one leather party is taking back New York City
• Project Q: Brut muscles it’s way into Atlanta

Photo galleries from past Brut events.

Full details on the Facebook event page and on the Brut website.

Rated X at Space 550, produced by Ky Martinez Events, with DJs T’Don and Jerac

We’ve known producer Ky Martinez and his husband Juan for many years (they sat at the circuit queen table at our wedding reception). It’s been wonderful watching them go from producing their monthly House Party event at Powerhouse (every second-Saturday) to building their reputation with larger more sophisticated events like Imagina, Heaven, and the notorious Folsom afterhours Nocturnal. Their events always draw a fantastic crowd that is a diverse, broad slice of the city’s denizens (leather, muscle, queens, queers, jocks, fairies, and all the rest) and all generations in attendance.

The Rated X party will have over a 1,000 hot men at at this Saturday main even with fetish demos and slutty gogos. Space 550 is a sprawling location with lots of nooks and crannies, so be sure to explore all the crevices you can. You’ll need to take an Uber or Lyft to get out there. Grab a bunch of guys with you in the hotel lobby and order an SUV and chat ’em up on the way there.

T’Don blends influences from tech house to techno and even trance and nu disco for a solid prime time circuit sounds that will keep you moving all night.

Award-winning DJ Jerac hails from Colombia bringing tribal house and progressive mixes to clubs and events all over the world including The Week, Alegria, and We Party.

VIP tickets include VIP coat check, lush lounge overlooking the crowd, and access to the “infamous XXX room.”

DJ T’Don on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook.

DJ Jerac on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event at kymartinezevents.com.

Rogue at Eagle

Saturday also marks the return of Eagle’s monthly fetish event Rogue. A TBA DJ will be on hand laying down his dark and sexy beats while gogo slaves grind it out for you while hot and twisted demo acts of taboo and perversions play out on stage. Hot men in gear cruising for some action pack the back patio maze for a night of fun that grabs you by the balls and won’t let go!

No Facebook page yet for this event but info will show up on their Facebook page.

Ritual at 1015 Folsom, produced by Real Bad benefitting Grass Roots Gay Rights, with DJ Charly

Ritual is a Sunday morning afterhours before the fair. Before the fair.

We missed not having it last year!

Real Bad events always have the friendliest, warmest crowd. The Real Bad org has been producing events for 30 years including their crown jewel – and literally our favorite party of the entire year – Real Bad (one of Folsom weekend’s closing parties). In 2018, they took a a risk producing a Dore aftehours..

Ritual doesn’t try to be Real Bad, Part Deux or try and mimic the surreal feel of Folsom weekend’s Aftershock party. Ritual hits a whole new chord. It has an afterhours feel but less “pots and pans” or abstract but not quite prime time circuit with vocals. The crowd was hot and horny and aggressive, the gregarious fun crowd you expect at a Real Bad event. The guys weren’t tweaking and falling over themselves and shoving you as they pass by.

Ritual is at 1015 Folsom, one of the city’s top dance temples and the same venue as Real Bad in September, but with a more intimate configuration. The balcony and upper lounges are closed off concentrating the action in the lobby and the main room with three story ceilings and signature church-style lanterns floating above the crowd.

DJ Charly (Real Bad XXX, Ritual 2019) returns for an unforgettably sexy open-to-close set. Expect world class production, friendly and flirty hospitality, and unmatched dance floor magic, all benefiting local LGBTQ nonprofits.

Laser wizard RAGERLAZER will deliver a stellar light and laser show while video alchemist Kristen Violet creates an unforgettable visual experience.

This party starts at 4am Saturday night/Sunday morning (before the fair) and goes well past sunrise. Proceeds benefit the Real Bad/Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation and their many local and national beneficiary organizations.

And a special sweet treat when you least expect it!

DJ Charly on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, and Facebook.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and photos from the 2018 and 2019 events.

Sneaks at Club Six, produced by Polyglamourous with DJs Marceaux Marceaux, Lisa Frank, KK/Nark

Polyglamorous’ naughty sneaker fetish party returns for their Dore edition to reminds us that leather culture’s Venn diagram is broad and deep. Dress code is enforced so you must wear sneakers (no jeans, no slacks) and sports attire is encouraged (jockstraps, singlets, gym shorts, etc.). The party is at Club Six, where Beta was the night before, so it, too, will have two floors with two different sounds and vibes.

MarceauxMarceaux is a Memphis-based, New Orleans-born DJ/ producer whos style is an eclectic blend of soundscapes and rave-friendly techno that feels right at home on a dark dance floor.

Lisa Frank – known as “The Queen of the DC Underground” – has been running with underground crews to re-ignie warehouse culture in DC. Her sets connect to your mind, body and soul; regardless of whether they’re playing techno, disco, house or Miami bass. With a recent move down to South Florida, she’s got focus on production, her label, and her Sunday night residency at The Eagle in Wilton Manors.

Nark, aka Kevin Kauer, founder of label Bottom Forty and Nark Magazine, has devoted his life to dance music and club culture. Purveyor of slithering acid. Anxiety-ridden intro-extroverted socialite. [checks notes] Totally nice and likes to be pet gently. Requires naps Can say “biyee” in several languages.

I’ve never been to a Polyglamorous party so I asked one of the other Short Circuit Andys to describe what he loves about Sneaks:

“I always describe Sneaks as the queerer, more-techno/house sound of Dore weekend. It’s the ‘locals’ choice on Saturday night as far as I’m concerned. Sneaks feels home grown. It’s black-lit which has become commonplace at Polyglamorous parties. It’s a mix of leather, drag, burner [Burning Man] and queer. The biggest thing I’d stress to readers is that [lower priced] pre-sales [tickets] always go fast but there are always tickets at the door as well.”

One of the other Short Circuit Andys. There’s three of us. A group of Andys is called a “griffith.”

Clothes check provided, venue is cash only. No cameras allowed. One of the few parties specifying proof of vaccination (digital version or photograph of card should be fine).

Several tracks on the Polyglamorous profile on SoundCloud.

Marceaux Marceau on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook.

Lisa Frank on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook.

Nark on SoundCloud, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Polyglamorous producer and resident DJ Mark O’Brien on SoundCloud.

More detail on the Facebook page for the event and more info about the collective on the Polyglamorous Facebook page and their site.

Dad Vibes at Lone Star Saloon, produced by Gabriel Garcia and Charlie Stuart with DJs Carlos Souffront and Omnibot

Dad Vibes is back with their Dore edition at Lone Star Saloon on Dore Saturday afternon. From 3pm-9pm, so perfect hours for dads!

Carlos Souffront is a music gourmet with the unique ability to create deeply rhythmic narratives that offer unexpected and exotic spices. He mastered his deep mixing skills with a cassette deck and a belt drive turntable in his father’s den.Equally entrenched in indie rock, post punk, experimental music, ambient, rock, house, and techno, Carlos was always a man of many worlds – with an ability to traverse though them with an unique imagination.

DJ Omnibot mostly for founding the disco celebration of short kings, Studio 5’4″, is programmed for all moods and genres while keeping it funky with emphasis on fun.

Carlos Souffront on SoundCloud, Facebook, and Instagram.

Not seeing any URLs or proflies or mixes for Omnibot.

Full details on the Facebok page for the event

Code at Edge, with DJ Sean McMahon

Code is The Edge’s monthly event bringing leather back to the Castro with geared-up gogos and a no-frills bar packed with congenial leather-clad gents and resident DJ Sean McMahon, spinning Code’s signature dark and cruisy beats.

The category for their Dore edition of Code is: Pups! So dress in your canine best and bring your handler as well.

Resident DJ Sean McMahon on Mixcloud or Facebook. 

No Facebook event page yet, but details will be on page Edge’s events listings on Facebook, the Code page on their site, or their Instagram.

Black, Brown, & Kinky at Powerhouse, produced by Onxy Northwest

The Northwest chapter of Onyx kicks off the weekend at our favorite dive-bar Powerhouse featuring sexy kinksters, jello shots, leathermen of color with geared up gogos, fetish demos and more. Photos of past events on their site.

No Facebook page for the event yet but stay up to date and follow Onyx NW on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and their site.

Where did Bay of Pigs go?

I assume the best-named and most tastelessly named party – Bay of Pigs – isn’t happenign this year since they haven’t said anything yet. Here’s some old mixes for ya Wayne G (2017), Phil B & Phil Grasso (2015), and Phil B & Russ Rich (2012).

Sunday, July 31st

Up Your Alley Street Fair, produced by Folsom Street Events

And then there’s the fair.We’ll probably go for a bit. It’s funny how it seems kinda normalized anymore for us to go to a street fair and see a guy chained to a telephone pole being whipped or porn stars playing Twister in jockstraps or a domme in a carriage being pulled by a quartet of human ponies or shirtless women being flogged to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Like Folsom, the fair encapsulates the crazy kinky libertine spirit of San Francisco – and with Up Your Alley it’s much grittier and more queer/gay than Folsom Street Fair.

You will see people dressed in their favorite fetish attire. Some of these kinksters wait all year for events like this to strut their stuff and fly their freak flag. If you don’t like it or roll your eyes at people or can’t delight in seeing perverts celebrate their perversions, don’t be a twat about it. Get the fuck out of there and go to Woodfield Mall. Not everything is for everybody.

Full details will be on the Folsom Street Events website.

Dore at Oasis, prodouced by Oasis with DJs Bugie and Pumpkin Spice

Oasis invites you to join them after the fair for drinks, dancing, and dirty Dore fun!

Oasis is a fantastic gay-owned venue founded by drag queens with a big front bar, rooftop area, and a legit stage and cabaret theatre space that doubles as a dance floor. You can barely tell it used to be an 8,000 sq ft gay bathhouse in a past life (that step down into the main concrete floor is the old pool space). The remodeled during the shutdown and it’s better than ever.

No details but you can follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and their site.

Play T-Dance at 1015 Folsom, produced by Brian Kent Productions and Paradigm, with DJ Russ Rich

Play T-Dance is back! After a couple years away, one of our favorite events ever-ever is back on the schedule and ready to dazzle and enthrall a whole new generation of patrons.

And it’s at our local dance temple 1015 Folsom (you were just there this morning for Ritual).

Some background about the party, from my interview with the party’s founder, P. Tyrone in Left magazine a few years ago:

“In 2000, my experience at night clubs had started to shift. There was much more meth use in our community and at the clubs. The music had shifted away from beautiful melodic music, to heavy, dark, tribal beats. And we were paying a lot of money for parties that lacked hospitality and production value… So I decided that I had to do more than just complain, and joined forces with Chuck Connor, an epic event corporate producer in his own right, to launch a new tea dance event called PLAY T-Dance.

The basis of the concept was simple: provide a beautiful vocal tea dance musical journey appropriate for an inside/or outside tea dance event, be thoughtful about production value and decor, focus on hospitality, fun, joy, and making connections for guests. And our tagline ‘Flirt. Frolic. Dance.’ was born.”

And so after a weekend of leather and wild revelry at clubs, private parties, and at the fair, it’s time for something a little lighter. A little more celebratory. A little more playful and theatrical.

The crowd will be sexy, affable, and relaxed. The guys skew a bit more mature so there’s less attitude. Everyone is there to have a wonderful playful time.

Play’s resident DJ Russ Rich is back spinning Play’s signature “black tea” sound – a darker side of tea dance mixing uplifting vocal house, peak-time anthems, and harder, driving rhythms. Russ is one of our favorite local DJs. He’s a fucking master at whatever he does and has been a part of some of our most memorable nights on the dance floor. The last few parties he’s spun he always weaves in a new epic mix of Amber’s “Sexual” and I swear each time it gets a little more operatic. Love it. And if he brings in “Runnin’ (Lost It All)” or the mix of “Never Enough” everybody hates but we love expect to see Ron and I scream-singing it at each other.

This year’s theme is side show so explore your curiosities, unbind your inner freak, and be hypnotized by mystifying performances, mesmerizing visuals, and spectacular lighting and lasers.

DJ Russ Rich on SoundCloud, Mixcloud, Facebook, and his site. His Real Bad mix from last year’s Folsom was astounding (part one , part two).

Full details on the Facebook page for the event. Photos from past events on the Play’s Facebook page.

You do know why we have tea dances right? Know your history with Back2Stonewall’s article: The Very Gay and Interesting History of the Almost Lost Tradition of the Sunday Tea Dance.

Heaven at Halcyon, produced by Ky Martinez Events, with DJs Isis Muretech and Thiago Oliveira

Ky Martinez and the gang’s got you set for Sunday night at City Nights with a Dore edition their Heaven party.

Isis Murtech is a fantastic talent that blends latin drums and influence with a rough jungle beat with residencies at Mantamar Beach Club (Puerto Vallarta) and Jubileo (Mexico City). Do not be fooled. She’s a cheery pixie Mexicana but once she’s behind the decks, she’ll tear your face off. Here she is plying her trade at a Heaven party in June 2021 at Halcyon.

Hunky, handsome Thiago Oliveira displays a jubilant style of house, adding Brazilian rhythms to house, tribal, and progressive sounds.

Isis Muretech on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Thiago Oliveria on Facebook and SoundCloud.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and ticket information on kymartinezpresents.com.

Rogue at Eagle

Rogue is one of our newer monthly fetish events featuring dark and sexy beats while gogo slaves grind it out for you. Expect hot and twisted demo acts of taboo and perversions play out on stage. Hot men in gear cruising for some action pack the back patio maze for a night of fun that grabs you by the balls and won’t let go.

No Facebook page event yet but you can keep track of things on the SF Eagle’s Facebook page and Instagram.

Shaggin at Powerhouse, produced by Guido Can-Fauxking-Dito with DJ Dakota Pendent featuring Florence Frightengale

Polish those boots and buckles and wear as much – or as little as you like – and make sure the water runs clear! Your host Guido Can-Fauxking-Dito – with an assist from Florence Frightengale – will oversee the horny procoeedings as the music jumps through time to the 90’s with grunge and boy bands spun up by mix master Dakota Pendent.

Dakota Pendent on SoundCloud and Facebook.

Guido Can-Fauxking-Dito on Facebook.

Florence Frightengale on Facebook.

Details on the Facebook page for the event.

Monday, August 1st

Recovery at Lookout

Like with most party weekends, a lot of folks take Monday off. That means Monday afternoon everyone will go to the bar Lookout for “recovery” which means we all just keep drinking and raging since we don’t want to think about going to work tomorrow morning. A lot of guys start to head over to Guerneville and Russian River for Lazy Bear. But usually one of the city’s favorite local DJs is on from 3 to 9 and so the bar will be bouncing. So if you’re still in town, slather on the eye cream, and head over to Lookout.

Not details yet but you can follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Other Events in 2021

Aside from all the upcoming Folsom events (guide) here’s several more San Francisco parties coming up:

Every Second-Saturday: Ky and his husband Juan produce the monthly House Party at Powerhouse I mentioned above where every second-Saturday a couple hundred guys come out to try and stuff a deep house/circuit party into the back of a trashy gay dive bar (we always succeed). Follow Ky Martinez Productions to stay in touch.

Also every Second-Saturday is local leather event: SOMA Second Saturdays a fun afternoon with queer art, kinky crafts, local artians, fun vendors, clubs and orgs of the South of Market neighborhood. Details and site.

Omega party in November, the final part of the Fog City Pack’s trilogy of licentious parties, is usually before Thanksgiving. Stay in touch with their Facebook book page, Instagram account, or website.

You look amazing. Get photos.

You probably look foyne as fuck this weekend. You should preserve the moment. Our friend, photographer Trevor Ott will be again doing his impromptu photo shoots with the street fair as the backdrop. We did a shoot with him at Dore a few years ago (above) and had a great time. Contact him on Facebook if you’re interested and peruse his work on Instagram. One day you will look at those photos and say, “Dear God, I was a beautiful thing!”

Dore on a Budget

Travel, tickets, transportation, refreshments, enhancements… this kind of weekend ain’t cheap. But, if you’re trying to keep spending to a minimum:

Echo the old-school Castro clone look of our forefathers with tight jeans, a t-shirt (probably no-shirt), and boots. GQ recently published a history of the Castro clone look.

If you feel you have to have some sort of leather on ya, grab an armband from Mr. S or one of the other stores.

Hang out at the bars in Castro and SOMA (historically known as “the Valley of the Dolls” and “the Valley of the Kings,” respectively). They’ll be packed with lots of other guys that are more into the cocktails & cruising dynamic. Most bars will have a modest cover charge.

Most of the bars are walkable from transit. If it’s super late you don’t want to be walking around too much in the dark. Keep your phone in your pocket, headphones off, and keep your wits about you. It’s San Francisco, but it’s still a big city with crazy people.

If you really have barely any money at all, you must use it to go to the fair. If ten bucks is all you have, give it to the fair and charity that is the centerpiece for the weekend.

Volunteer for events. Another way to keep costs down is to volunteer for events. For the first few years we were here, Ron and I were greeters and ticket-takers at lots of parties and that was fun because you literally meet everyone their way in and you get to put wristbands on hot guys and once your shift is over you can go dance.

Quick Run Down of FAQs

(Jump to the end of my Folsom guide for the extended set of FAQs)

In short:

• Vacccine #1: Stay informed about monkey pox and get vaccinated if you can. It looks like we’re gonna do this fucking shit all over again. This Google Doc has frequent updates on monkey pox vaccination information for the US. 800k doses have been released from a Denmark plant and should be on their way to the US in the next few weeks.
• Vaccine #2: Get COVID vaccinated and boosted. Most events aren’t checking vaccine status. But have a digital one or a photo of it on your phone. And favorite that photo on your phone so you aren’t scrolling through hole pics while a bouncer waits.
• Vaccine #3: Get a meningitis vaccine while you’re at it. There was an outbreak in Florida. Get the ACMY vaccine since the current is meningitis serogroup C. Your local CVS, Walgreens, etc. should have it available or your primary care physician.
• Vaccine #4: Get the HPV vaccine too if you’re the right age (it’s expanded) and have coverage. HPV can lead to forms of anal cancer.
• Get STI testing 2 weeks beforehand so you have enough time to get your results and complete a round of antibiotics if needed. Get on PrEP of course if you’re negative, make sure you have enough meds in your luggage if you are. And every gay man – hell everyone – should know that undetectable is untransmittable. If you are an intermittent whore, know about the PrEP 2-1-1 “on demand” protocol (poster).
• Be gracious to security (many of them are also gay and giving up their weekend to take care of your messy friends).
• Thank the EMTs for taking care of our trashy brethren.
• Coat/clothes check is usually a bitch. Lines are long. Plan accordingly. We usually plan hoe-optional ensembles that are not dependent on checking shorts – and we don’t jackets.
• Never mix G and alcohol, or G and other depressants. Know your mLs. Just one milliliter – 1/5 of teaspoon! – can be the difference between being persuadable versus your knees buckling and your friends pissed they have to take you home (or so pissed they hand you off to the EMT). When in doubt, wait an hour or stop altogether. If you forget if you already put it in that drink, throw the drink out, start again. Don’t leave drinks unattended.
• If everyone around you looks like you, go somewhere else. It’s not just a bunch of hairy white guys only interested in fucking their mirror image.
• Don’t spend a party looking around for acquaintances or waiting for that one guy that you saw on the apps or that dickhead you know from Instagram. You are where you are. Be there.
• Don’t grab piercings without asking first.
• Know your hanky/armband code. Left side, top. Right side, bottom. Both sides, vers. Color chart (history). But remember sometimes red is just a sartorial choice.
• Fuck your fan clacking and don’t bring parasols to parties (it fucks up event photos).
• You have the right to have a fucking great time no matter how you look or how you feel about how you look. You don’t have to look a certain way to enjoy the weekend. Don’t wait until you “lose the weight” or “do a cycle” or whatever other barrier to entry you’re setting for yourself. 
• Get tickets early. In SF, we buy first tier tickets early. Months early. If you have tickets you’re not using, announce they are for sale on the respective event or producer’s Facebook page. If you’re looking for tickets, same thing. If you pay at the door, you’ll pay out the ass. Watch out for scalpers online.
• If you are sober, be sure you know which Whatever Anonymous meetups are happening at all times so you can stay on the straight and narrow while being bent over.
• The week beforehand, make sure you have all your tickets. If they are in your email, use the pin/star feature to make sure they bubble up to the top or take screencaps of all your QR codes. Nothing like the, “Oh my god I bought tickets for the Folsom Brut party but not the Dore Brut, Ron’s going to kill me…” panic attack.
• And Daddy Aaron’s rule: No in-town trade when out-of-town trade is in.If you’re local, don’t make this the weekend you make it happen with that local guy you’ve been over-staring at at the gym. Focus on the fresh, transient meat.
• There’s not a lot of cabs. You’ll use Lyft and Uber a lot.
• SF is colder than you think during the day it will be but you probably can leave jackets at home at night since you’ll be surrounded by hot men radiating heat.
• Save this GIF to your phone to drop in group threads when someone’s being a needy/dramatic twat:

And of course – Folsom’s rule applies to Dore:\

See you on the dance floor, gentlemen…

…and ladies, and everyone else in between. It’s incredibly rewarding to have guys from all over the world say hi and say that they read my guide or shared it with friends. So, if you see us on the dance floor, say hello. Look for the complimentary Polynesian sleeve tattoos on the sexy Filipino muscle dad with the huge smile dancing with abandon and probably waving (but never clacking) a majestic fan (my husband Ron) and the semi-serious/RBF’d inked bearded white muscle daddy wolf trying to keep up with him (me).

Thanks for reading – please share!

Andy (with editing/etc. from Ron)

p.s. You can follow my writing on Facebook, Twitter, and enjoy cat photos, thirst pics, Ron’s Stepford streak, aggressive shirtlessness, and fear of aging on my Instagram (andymaticgram), but actually Ron posts better photos on his Instagram (ronamatic) and his account for his pandemic macaron obsession (macarons_by_ron). If you want even more reading in this vein, you can read my previous guides for Dore (2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, and the 2016 recap) and Folsom (2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2014 recap). Or read about that time I turned 40 or when we got married, on the Little Gay Guide podcast, or on the Daddy Issues podcast talking about roids and racism, why gay Trump supporters are such terrible people, and being pretty vs smart. And if you’re really retro, there’s the old fashioned RSS feed for my blog at andymatic.com

p.p.s. Typos are my gift to you. If you’re eagle eye catches one, DM me on Ig or Fb.

Folsom is a Rorschach.

What is Folsom Street Fair?

Know your history:

• Recon News: San Francsico, a Gay Kink Destination by the always amazing Race Bannon
• SFTravel article Behind the Harness: The Extraordinary History of the The Folsom Street Fair.
• Found SF article Changes and Continuities in the Leather Community.
• SFist article Brief History of the Folsom Street Fair
• Blogger Broke Ass Stuart’s Down and Dirty History of the Folsom Street Fair

No LeatherWalk this year, Leather Pride Parade  instead

Here’s a list of many of the events of Folsom Street Fair weekend:

Taste in music is so individual

San Franciso parties are different

Wednesday, September 25th

Dirty Alley at Powerhouse, produced by Mr. S Leather

Thursday, September 26th

Horse Market, produced by the Stablemaster

The mares [bottoms] arrive before the stallions [tops] and get prepared for the event. They are to strip naked, have their hands bound (lightly) and are then blindfolded. Then the stallions appear and can fully inspect the bound mares at their leisure. When a stallion has decided on a mare, he then leads the chosen mare to a place of his choice to mount. When the stallion has finished covering the mare, this mare is then available for covering by other stallions.

The Balcony at Underground SF, produced by Mr. Drummer 1979 with DJs Orographic and Matthew Paul

“Named after the Jean Genet play that was a favorite of the leather set, the bar had a large front porch overlooking Market Street and was located next door to the Swedish American Hall. The Balcony bar on Market Street is where Castro Street meets Folsom Street, where the t-shirt clad ‘All American Boys’ rub elbows with the heavy leather crowd, where motocycles line the curb along with Karmann-Ghias, where taxi cabs jerk to a stop to load and unload cars full of dancing ‘hot’ men on their way to and from the local boogie palaces. It’s a wild, wild scene, turning off as many people as it turns on, but intriguing everyone.”

Cigar Social at The Eagle

Baloney at Oasis, produced by Rory Davis

Friday, September 27th

Folsom Block Party at Mr. S Leather

Brüt, at the Great Northern, produced by Hedonic Productions and Brian Kent Productions, with DJs Dan Darlington, Peter Napoli, and Manny Ward, benefiting Positive Resource Center

1. A couple years ago at Folsom Brüt, Dan slowed down the beat and mixed in Nine Inch Nails’s “Closer” and you had hundreds of rutting leather-clad men chanting “I want to fuck you like an animal!” and then as the song ended, Dan kept repeating that Downward Spiral descending motif from the classic album as he brought the beat back up.
2. Hearing them drop in the remix of DMX’s “It’s All Right” featuring the elegant subtle couplet, “It’s all good! It’s alright! Fuck all day! Fuck all night!”
3. This past March’s Brüt party in SF. It was later into the night when things start to feel a little otherworldly, and Dan was on the decks (with his usual devilish grin), and he’d just suspended a really hard bass line, and as you caught your breath from dancing so hard, he faded in an isolated vocal of Debbie Gibson cooing, “No… only in my dreams… as real as it may seem… you are only in my dreams…” Transcendent.

• The New York Times: Gay Leather Scene Tones Down From Hard-Core to Dress-Up
• Daily Xtra: How one leather party is taking back New York City
• Project Q: Brut muscles it’s way into Atlanta

Prime at Club Six, presented by TrophyDad with DJs Neon and Serge P

Bearracuda at Public Works, produced by Matt Bearracuda with Horse Meat Disco and DJ Mateo Segade

Code at The Edge, with DJ Sean McMahon

HARDER at F8, produced by Ricardo Tavares with DJs Steve Fabus, Kelly Naughton, Sindri, and Dr. Teeth

Growlr party at Eagle, with DJ eur-O-steve

The Maze at Atlas, produced by Atlas SF

Tinlicker at Audio

Magic Kinkdom at Oasis produced by Shenanigans at Oasis

All-Gender After-Party at Catalyst, produced by The Exiles

Saturday, September 28th

Big Muscle Party at DNA Lounge, benefiting Positive Resource Center, with DJ Charly

No Magnitude This Year.

“We will not be producing Magnitude this year. The big reason is cost. Magnitude has always had high production costs, primarily due to its sheer size (approximately 2,500 attendees). There are no existing night clubs in SF that have that capacity, so we have been working with large scale venues that, in most cases, require a complete build (sound, lighting, stages), and come with an exorbitantly high rental fee – we’re talking $50K to $75K to rent the space. However, many of those venues have either closed, or are unwilling to host the event due to its sexual nature. In the past, we’ve been fortunate enough to have a space at Magnitude for “getting frisky.” That changed in 2017, EVERY venue we approached was not on board with it, so that aspect of the party had to go away. … Also to note in 2017, we thought we had found Magnitude’s “forever home” at the San Francisco Armory. However, the building sold and the new owners had no interest in hosting the event. Magnitude as a party is over 20 years old, and lost money for the first time, affecting the entire organization. We had to reduce our charitable giving amounts and we had to make substantial cuts to our 2019 administration and production budgets. We literally do not have the funds to produce Magnitude this year. We want to keep it fresh, and with the overwhelming need to find the right venue within our budget to keep the party to our standards, we thought it best to take at least a year off.”

Rogue at Eagle, with DJ Tony Moran

Full Fetish at Space 550 Barneveld, produced by Folsom Street Events and Recon, with DJs Cyril G and Brian Novy, benefiting Folsom Street Events beneficiaries

Masteurdome at Regency Ballroom, produced by Brian Kent Productions and Audrey Joseph, with DJs Chus + Ceballos and Ralphi Rosario

Pervert at Mezzanine, produced by Cecil Russel, Matinee, and XOXO Productions, with DJs Dan Slater, Nina Flowers, and Isaac Escalante

New Breed at Club Six, produced by PoundPuppy SF and Polyglamorous with DJs Justin Cudmore, D. Tiffany, Perfect Lovers, Kodemul, Victor Rodriguez, and more

Friendly Fire at Danzhaus, produced by Gage Lennox with DJ Trever Pearson

Geared Up produced at Atlas, produced by Atlas SF

Electroluxx at Public Works, produced by Electroluxx

NSA Underwear Party at Club OMG, produced by NSA

Overnight at Catalyst, produced by San Francsico Bay Area Leather Alliance

ONYX vs FLSM at Powerhouse, produced by Onyx Northwest

ShangriLa at End Up, produced by ShangriLaSF

Sunday, September 29th

Aftershock at City Nights, produced by Frisco Disco, with DJ Abel

Folsom Street Fair, produced by Folsom Street Events

1. Walk the length of the main drag. Though any place there’s a demo going on the crowd is going to be dense and slow or down where the pornstars play naked Twister.
2. Stay in one place, and eventually everyone will pass you.

Party on the Patio at Eagle, with DJs Paul Goodyear, Russ Rich, Bus Station John, Bulldog Mike, Frank Lucas, Derek B, and more

REAL BAD 31 at 1015 Folsom, produced by and benefiting Grass Roots Gay Rights with DJs Ale Maes and Fawks

Deviants Adult Arcade at Mezzanine, produced by Folsom Street Events with DJs Whitney Fierce, Lina, and Chris Cruse hosted by Mario Diaz

Gear Queers at Jolene’s, produced by Folsom Street Events and Kink Studios

Cumunion at Catalyst

Horse at Atlas, produced by Atlas

House of Black Leather, produced by Honey Soundsystem

Release at Catalyst, produced by San Francisco Bay Area Alliance

Monday, September 30th

Nocturnal Extreme Afterhours at Halcyon, produced by Ky Martinez with DJ Paulo

Folsom Recovery at Lookout, with DJ Phil B

Speaking of which – there’s also all the bars

You’re looking foyne as fuck

Folsom on a Budget

Other San Francisco Parties for 2019

Okay let’s do a run down of other important stuff:

“Do some people really wear just jockstraps at these parties? I don’t want to be the only one dressed like a whore.”

“Are all these events just a bunch of hairy white guys looking for other hairy white guys?”

Always party with the bears and the Brazilians

Don’t mix G and alcohol, you stupid fuck

Always thank the EMTs when you see them

And thank security

Get off your goddamn phone

No really, get off your fucking phone

We don’t really wear cologne here

“What’s with the colors and armbands?”

Getting “mistaken” for a bottom isn’t really an insult

Everyone secretly hates your fan clacking

And let’s not with the fucking parasols

Buy multiple drinks at a time (and tip)

Assume clothes check will be a disaster everywhere

Get tested the week after (and two weeks before)

“Blessed are the bottoms, may their waters always run clear.” (Matthew 6:9)

If you are HIV-, get on PrEP

“I’m too fat, too thin, too short, too tall, too young, too old to go…”

“Can I go to these events if I’m a straight man or a woman?”

“All these goddamn events are sold out!”

“What if I have tickets I don’t need?”

“OMG, Folsom is not just about the parties!”

No life decisions the week after a party

I’m sure I’ve forgotten some events, let me know

Where to visit while you’re in town

Where to eat while you’re in town

Finally: Fucking dance

See you on the dance floor, gentlemen

Thanks for reading – please share!

At a glance grid:

Yellow indicates the events we are probably going to and is by no means at all a comment on the quality of the other events. With Dore and Folsom, the city’s top producers, DJs, designers, and queer denizens roll out the red carpet to show you how we do things in this crazy libertine town. You’ll have a great weekend attending everything – or nothing but the fair.

Up Your Alley? Dore? Dore Alley?

Yes, it’s true. The weekend is named for the street fair that takes place on Sunday. Most people just call it “Dore.” Rhymes with whore-y. Named for the street intersection the fair is oriented around, Dore Alley and Folsom Street.

Proper usage:

• “Are you and the pups coming for Dore?”
• “Which parties are you and your Sir going to for Dore?”
• “Will you and your husband be playing separate for Up Your Alley weekend?”
• “Are you ready to hoe it up for Up Your Allley?”
• “Do you think that piece of shit Aaron Schock will show up at Dore this year? She betta wear a pup mask.”

The weekend of events is anchored by Sunday’s Up Your Alley street fair, which celebrates gay kink and leather culture, produced by the Folsom Street Events organization. They also produce the Folsom Street Fair in September which is an even bigger event and bigger weekend. The difference between the two? Up Your Alley weekend is usually described as a bit kinkier/nastier, more gay male centric, and attended by more locals. You’ll have fewer tourists who are there to watch rather than participate.

But there’s a lot more there there than just the fair .

First: Know Your History

Leather is embedded in San Francisco’s history and Dore is connected to that history and pedigree. From Dore Alley Street Fair, a history lesson:

“The Up Your Alley Fair, wasn’t originally on Dore Alley, and it wasn’t originally ‘Folsom Street Fair’s dirty little brother’. In fact, the two fairs were originally completely unrelated to one another. The first Folsom Street Fairs were celebrations of SoMa’s neighborhood diversity whereas Up Your Alley was a celebration specifically of the gay leather community.” Read the full article…Dore Alley Street Fair, A History Lesson

I’ve put together a list of the many events for Dore weekend. Keep in mind this is just one guy’s opinion on what to do and where to go. I’m not a big kinkster. I don’t think I am. I mean, I’ll tie you up, smack you around, and ask you if you like being daddy’s whore like the next guy, but like, we know people that are for-real into this stuff much more intensely. It’s all relative, I suppose. Be sure to ask other friends and acquaintances for their must-do events if this is your first Dore weekend.

I’ll include links to photo galleries for most of the events so you can get a sense for what the crowd will be like and what to wear as well as links to the DJs profiles so you can get a sense of the music.

Note: Most of the producers wait until after SF Pride in June to announce full details about their Dore events for July. So bookmark this URL for later or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (actually, Ron posts better photos on his Instagram). And if you’re a really retro there’s the old fashioned RSS feed.

There’s a few events before the weekend really kicks in:

Wednesday, July 24th

Joe & Race Talk Shit About Leather Titles at Catalyst, presented by Leathermen’s Discussion Group

This shouldn’t be controversial at all. Race Bannon, activist, kinkster, author and everybody’s favorite uncle, joins Joe Gallagher, master barber, entrepreneur, kinkster, and International Mr. Leather 1996 sit down for a klatch. “They’ve seen ‘em come and seen ‘em go, while a very small number stick around as sexy hot players who give back to their kink communities. Social media helps us stay acquainted over huge distances, but it’s also given rise to sash queens whose primary contribution appear to be activating their digital lynch mobs to stir up trouble and tear communities apart using the coopted language of oppressed people.” Joe wants YOU—a genuine, kinky, community minded man who plays hard—to run for a title to bring back the honor. Full details on Facebook and http://www.sfldg.org/.

Dirty Alley at Powerhouse, Produced by Mr. S Leather

Local mainstay and global leather brand Mr. S Leather takes over the Powerhouse for their annual pre-Dore Alley event. Fetish and bondage demos by the Mr. S Crew. Sexy gogos and the trashiest bartenders in San Francisco. Full details on the Facebook page for the event.

Thursday, July 25th

The Catacombs: A Tribute at Underground SF, produced by Mr. Drummer ’79 with DJs Air Tight and Matthew Paul

And if you’re into the big boys and/or a big boy yourself, the Bearracuda crew is back with their Dirty Dore underwear party at warehouse space Folsom Foundry. These aren’t those Instatwinks that say “omg, I’m so thicc.” No bitch, these are the original thick boys. Thick with a K. Booty with a capital T. The kinda heft you want to feel on top of you (or underneath).

Our local BFF Brian Kent and producer Matt Bearracuda are back with Bearracuda’s trademark winning formula of thick boys and deep bass, provided by DJs Matt Consola and Paul Goodyear. We’ve gone to many Bearracuda events over the years (I think four New Year’s Eves in a row now!) and it’s always a great, friendly mix of guys and a positive celebratory vibe.

DJ Matt Consola on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and his site.

DJ Paul Goodyear on SoundCloud, Facebook, and his site.

Background on the Bearracuda parties and their creator Matt in this profile in Homoculture.

Details on the Bearracuda website, the Facebook page for the event, their Instagram, and here’s a photo gallery from a couple years ago.

Heat at The Great Northern, produced by Cecil Russell with DJs Ana Paula and Jack Chang

Local producer/maven Cecil Russell brings a special “Leather and Chains” edition of Heat to the weekend with DJs Ana Paula and one of our favorite DJs ever-ever, Jack Chang. You’ll love the venue with its exposed brick, Art Deco accents, and crystal clear sound system.

DJ Ana Paula on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, and Facebook.

DJ Jack Chang on Mixcloud, his old SoundCloud account, Facebook, and his site.

Horse Market, produced by the Stablemaster

This event has moved to Friday.

Meanwhile, the Horse Market is back with a truly degenerate evening for all, inspired by Europe’s notorious Fickstutenmarkt parties (Vice article). Have you heard about this? From the site:

The mares arrive before the stallions and get prepared for the event. They are to strip naked, have their hands bound (lightly) and are then blindfolded. Then the stallions appear and can fully inspect the bound mares at their leisure. When a stallion has decided on a mare, he then leads the chosen mare to a place of his choice to mount. When the stallion has finished covering the mare, this mare is then available for covering by other stallions.

[drops monocle]

The rules of engagement are pretty strict so be sure you’ve read up on everything before you attend. There’s even a Best In Show designation at the end of the event.

So all you guys bitching about Dore weekend losing it’s edge, this is that Berlin-grade filth you’ve been hoping for.

This is a private event, so you’ll need to get updates from their Facebook group, Twitter, or their mailing list and learn more on the site for the event.

Growlr Party at SF Eagle, produced by Growlr and Eagle

Growlr’s monthly party at the Eagle packs the venue and its rowdy courtyard with men of all sizes and delectations with horny bearded bartenders and “gogo chubs & cubs.”

No DJs announced yet for the Dore edition which will be hosted by Mr. SF Leather 2018 Matt Welch.

Details will probaly appear on the Facebook page for this monthly once the Pride event is done.

GlamCocks Stimulus at 1015 Folsom, produced by GlamCocks

Similar to how leather culture is woven into the fabric of the city, so is Burning Man. Communities of burners from all over the world create themed camps and art instatllations in the desert for nine days every summer and keep a sense of continuity throughout the year with local events in their hometowns. GlamCocks is one of these communities, devoted to creating a space that is welcoming, fun, whimsical, glamorous, transformational, and memorable for all.

Their Dore event, Stimulus, invites you to “stimulate someone on the dance floor with your flashiest outfit, indulge in the bliss of textures in our tactile room of sensations, feel the vibrations and emotions of live string instruments in our vibrant lounge, dance, love, feel and be felt throughout our five kinesthetic rooms. Each space will be focusing on intertwining your senses and pushing the boundaries of how we experience sound, light, textures, and all of our senses.”

We’re not burner-folk so I asked my super hot friend Ricky to describe the vibe of GlamCocks events:

“It’s a queer burner party with a variety of themes that promote artistic self-expression, a playful vibe, music ranges from progressive house, electro house, circuit, and some tech house. This party is going to explore kinks that require different senses of the body.”My super hot friend Ricky

DJ lineup still pending.

Check out their 2013 documentary and queer film festival darling, Meet the GlamCocks.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event, follow them on Instagram, or learn more on their site.

Beards & Booze at The Edge

Most of the local bars will also have themed nights like The Edge’s weekly Friday party, Beards & Booze which you can guess will be extra beardy, extra boozy, and extra cruisy with the influx of Dore patrons.

Full details will be on The Edge site.

EXT After-Hours at The Endup, produced by The Endup and PhoenixSF with DJ Joshua D hosted by Tomi Tea

And if you want to keep going all night on Friday night, join the gang at Endup for a special edition of EXT After-Hours (pronounced “X”). The party continues after 6am with the Sunrise event after that. 

Details on the Facebook page for the event or their site.

Saturday, July 27th

The Dore Party at Mr. S Leather

Less of a party-party and more everyone’s shopping at Mr. S Leather anyway so let’s have drinks and gogos and everyone cruises each other while they try on new gear to wear while they paint the town.

I think this is the party where I had a panic attack trying on a metal cockring since the dressing rooms were all taken and I’m trying to shove my boys into the ring while a gathering crowd starts to watch. I eventually mutter “Goddammit, we’ll just buy it!” and headed to the cash register. Anyway, fun times, hot guys, booze, drinks, gogos, pounding bass, dirty movies playing on the in-store displays.

Note: If you are getting the SF early in the week, you might go to Mr. S sooner than later. They can usually do alterations in-store, while you wait if it isn’t too busy, or you can come back a few hours later. Once the weekend is in full swing, it might be a longer wait and they might run out of what you’re looking for.

If you’re coming from out of town, you can shop online on the website to get a sense for what you might like to try on once you’re onsite. You might even see some familiar faces modeling some of the harnesses.

Details on the Facebook page for the event and follow them on Instagram for more information.

Flagging in the Park at the National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park, produced by Xavier Caylor, with DJ Dawna Montell

There’s no more San-Francisco-y thing to do in San Francisco than Flagging in the Park, a monthly event that comes to us during the spring and summer months. It’s one of those things that once you know about it, you’ll wish you’d known about it sooner. Featuring a sunny pleasant afternoon with some of city’s top DJs spinning bright happy vocals while dozens of people engage in flagging, poi spinning, and other visually enchanting “flow arts.” Bring a blanket, sunscreen, some snacks, and a couple bottles of champagne (or other transformative substance) and enjoy the music and the colors – and even take a try at flagging yourself with helpful folks on hand to show you how. Ron showing his flagging prowess from the single-flag to the double.

July’s FitP will be on Dore Saturday with DJ Dawna Montell from SoCal.

This is a free event but donations are encouraged to help with the upkeep and maintenance of the Grove, “a dedicated space in the national landscape where millions of Americans touched directly or indirectly by AIDS can gather to heal, hope, and remember.”

DJ Dawna Montell on SoundCloud and Facebook.

For more information about Flagging in the Park join the FitP Facebook group.

Big Muscle Party at DNA Lounge, hosted by Bare Chest Calendar with DJs Paul Goodyear, Steve Fabus, Tiny Timothy Parker, and Juan Garcia

Everyone still calls this party (and its Folsom iteration) a “meet and greet.” But it isn’t gregarious massive men sharing cocktails and chit-chatting and shaking hands. It’s a club packed full with some of the hottest guys you’ve ever seen in your life ready for dancing and flirting and yes I suppose some conversation. Local charity Bare Chest Calendar is hosting and you’ll get to meet this years dirty dozen of hot men featured in their annual calendar benefitting PRC, a Bay Area organization that for decades has been helping those affected by HIV/AIDS, substance use, or mental health issues.

Music is tea dance-y. It’ll be bright outside and dark as night indoors so it’ll take you a bit to see once you’re in the club.

Usually the hottest crowd of Dore or Folsom weekend. And some of the guys are yooooge! Like water buffalo galloping across the dance floor. Usually $15-$20 donation at the door but advance tickets available on the DNA lounge site.

And don’t forget to grab pizza next door at DNA Pizza during the party or on your way out. You know these boys like to eat.

Reminder: DNA Lounge is huge. It took me a couple years to realize oh shit there’s that back bar there… and oh damn is that another bar further on back… So go upstairs to the balcony, the side bar with the windows to the street, the bar behind that, the bar behind that, the bar that swings around behind back into the balcony. The crowd on the stage escalated pretty quickly last year. Ahem.

There’s also the photo booth in the balcony (house-left) where you can get photos of your hot ass and hot-ass friends for posterity. It closes earlier than the event ends, so be sure to get up there sooner than later.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets for sale now on the DNA Lounge site.

DJ Paul Goodyear on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, Instagram, and his site.

DJ Steve Fabus on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and Instagram.

DJ Tiny Timothy Parker on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, and Facebook.

DJ Juan Garcia on SoundCloud, Facebook, and his site.

Tip: Lines for the Folsom edition last year were unexpectedly long and we were in the “need to buy tickets” line which was moving pretty slowly. Security tipped us off that you could still buy a ticket online. So we bought tickets on our phones at dnalounge.com and then jumped over to the ticketholder line which was moving much faster. Or just buy your ticket now and save a few dollars.

Bay of Pigs at Space 550 Barneveld, presented by Folsom Street Events, with DJ Harvey

The big official party of the weekend is the most cleverly and tastelessly named circuit party ever: Bay of Pigs.

Update: The Pig Pen is back. There was scandal in the past few years when it was announced the event would not have the usual fully outfitted dungeon area (bigger SF venues aren’t willing to risk their liquor license blah blah techies ruin everything blah blah). I am happy to report the producers say, “Join us in the upstairs Pig Pen, for some extra fun that we know you’ve missed.”

This year, the mirror-pig will hang above the crowd at 500 Barneveld, a sprawling location with lots of nooks and crannies and crevices to explore. DJ Harvey helms the lineup this year – looks like for the full evening. Don’t know how raunched up the proceedings are going to be and the listings promise “cheap thrills, obscene kicks, and hardcore action” so I figure life uh uh finds a way…

DJ Harvey’s site.

Full details on the website and the Facebook page for the event and a gallery from last year’s event.

Brut at The Great Northern, produced by Hedonic Productions and Brian Kent Productions with DJs Ralphi Rosario and Dan Darlington

What I remember most about last year’s Brüt for Dore was how hot and steamy it got in the club. I was surprised the lighting instruments didn’t short out.

But co-founder/producer Dan Darlington (who is always a joy to watch as he spins because he always has a huge grin on his face) and the crew kept the boys bouncing – and with house music legend Ralphi Rosario joining him this year, it’ll be an amazing night.

Brüt started as a New York Party but its special mix of leather, music, and muscle and reached across the global with parties in other major cities. Always a sexy, persuadable crowd. We’ve been attending and helping to host Brüt parties for five years in San Francisco and it’s always a fantastic evening of dancing with primal music pumping and guys ready to rutt.

Full details on the Brüt event page on Facebook. Portion of proceeds go to San Francisco’s Positive Resource Center.

DJ Ralphi Rosario on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and his site.

DJ Dan Darlington on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and the Brüt site and Brüt’s own SoundCloud.

My favorite Brüt mix of all time is this Folsom mix from a couple years ago. It absolutely purrs.

Brut featured in:

• The New York Times: Gay Leather Scene Tones Down From Hard-Core to Dress-Up
• Daily Xtra: How one leather party is taking back New York City
• Project Q: Brut muscles it’s way into Atlanta

Photo galleries from past Brut events.

Sneaks at Club Six, produced by Polyglamorous with DJs Noncompliant and Chrissy

Polyglamorous’ naughty sneaker fetish party returns for their Dore edition to reminds us that leather culture’s Venn diagram is broad and deep. Dress code is enforced so you must wear sneakers (no jeans, no slacks) and sports attire is encouraged (jockstraps, singlets, gym shorts, etc.). The party is at Club Six, where Beta was the night before, so it, too, will have two floors with two different sounds and vibes.

I’ve never been to a Polyglamorous party so I asked one of the other Short Circuit Andys to describe what he loves about Sneaks:

“I always describe Sneaks as the queerer, more-techno/house sound of Dore weekend. It’s the ‘locals’ choice on Saturday night as far as I’m concerned. Sneaks feels home grown. It’s black-lit which has become commonplace at Polyglamorous parties. It’s a mix of leather, drag, burner [Burning Man] and queer. The biggest thing I’d stress to readers is that [lower priced] pre-sales [tickets] always go fast but there are always tickets at the door as well.”One of the other Short Circuit Andys. There’s three of us. A group of Andys is called a “griffith.”

Clothes check provided, venue is cash only.

DJ Noncompliant on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, and Facebook.

DJ Chrissy on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, and Facebook.

And Polyglamorous’s resident DJs will also be spinning you into the night.

Several tracks on the Polyglamorous profile on SoundCloud.

Details about the party on the Facebook page for the event, more info about the collective on the Polyglamorous Facebook page and their site.

Code’s The Shining at The Edge, presented by Erick Lopez, San Francisco Bay Area Rubber, West Coast Rubber, and Rubbout, with DJ Sean McMahon

Code is The Edge’s monthly event bringing leather back to the Castro with geared-up gogos and a no-frills bar packed with congenial leather-clad gents and resident DJ Sean McMahon, spinning Code’s signature dark and cruisy beats.

Their Dore edition is all about rubber with San Francisco Bay Area Rubber joining forces West Coast Rubber and Rubbout for a rubber social. It’s time to slick it up and get out for ton of slippery fun! So shine all your latex, lube everything up, and get ready for what is sure to be one wet night.

DJ Sean McMahon on Mixcloud or Facebook.

Details on the Facebook page for the event, page on Facebook, the Code page on their site, or their Instagram.

Friendly Fire at Danzhaus, produced by Gage Lennox with DJs Salazar and Trever Pearson

Gage Lennox is back with another wild Friendly Fire event for all you piggies. This time it’s a a special “Red vs Blue” edition (if you’re not sure what the colors mean, check your hanky code). As you enter the party, they’ll be giving out red or blue armbands when you arrive, so everyone knows what everyone is there for (and some guys are probably there for both).

Danzhaus is one of the few venues in the city allowing a fully outfitted playspace including showers. Gage is encouraging a liberal clothes check policy of checking everything and the more clothes you check the less you’ll pay at the door. Our own DJ Salazar is on hand to deliver a good pounding for the night.

Event design is by 3 and he is a visual and environment effects master so the eye candy will be of all flavors.

We’ll probably start our night here to say hi to Gage and the rest of the gang. He’s cultivated an amazing global community of enthusiasts and dedicates a lot of time and heart to these events.

Venue is cash only.

DJ Salazar on SoundCloud and Facebook. Sets from past Friendly Fire events available on SoundCloud.

Full details on the event on Facebook and stay connected with Gage and the rest of the Friendly Fire ffolks on their Facebook group.

Onyx’s Dore Alley Invasion Weekend, presented by Onyx Northwest

Onyx Northwest invades Up Your Alley weekend and our favorite dive-bar Powerhouse with their Dore Alley Invasion event featuring sexy kinksters and leathermen of color with geared up gogos, fetish demos, and more – all for charity.

Full details on the private Onyx Facebook Group.

Onyx NW has a whole set of events for queer/LGBT menof color and their admirers throughout the weekend, so be sure to check their Facebook page for the rundown.

Hard French at The Stud, with DJs Colored Craig, Trevor Sigler, Brown Amy

The gents of Hard French are back with their Up Your Alley party at the historic bar, The Stud (which helped anchor an entire neighborhood of leather bars and businesses back in the 1960s).

Just as the haze of their SF pride party stars to refocus, the gents of Hard French are back with “a Dore party to bring you back to the fuzzxxxzz…” promising “a very special, very ‘whoaaa,’ very ouchy edition.” LA’s Colored Craig whips you into a frenzy alongside the local favorite Trevor Sigler and Brown Amy.

I can’t find any tracks of Colored Craig online.

Trevor Sigler on SoundCloud and Facebook.

Brown Amy on Mixcloud and Facebook.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and more details about the Hard French group on their site.

Ritual After Hours at 1015 Folsom, produced by Real Bad with DJ Charly

Real Bad events always have the friendliest, warmest crowd.

Real Bad has been producing events for 30 years including their crown jewel – and literally our favorite party of the entire year – Real Bad (one of Folsom weekend’s closing parties). Last year they took a risk for Dore.

They canned their usual post-Folsom Recovery party and the Reach tea dance at Pride events and launched Ritual in the Saturday night/Sunday morning afterhours time slot.

Ritual is before the fair. It’s in the same slot as Aftershock for Folsom weekend. Before the fair.

Nobody really knew what to expect last year with the new event. It couldn’t be Real Bad, Part Deux or try and mimic the surreal feel of Folsom weekend’s Aftershock party. Happily, Ritual hit a whole new chord. It was afterhours but less “pots and pans” but not quite prime time circuit with vocals. The crowd was hot and horny and aggressive but the gregarious fun crowd you expect at a Real Bad event. The guys weren’t tweaking and falling over themselves.

Ritual is at 1015 Folsom, one of the city’s top dance temples and the same venue for Real Bad, but with a more intimate configuration. The balcony and upper lounges were closed off concentrating the action in the lobby and the main room with three story ceilings and church-style lanterns floating above the crowd (which I predict will be a signature element going forward).

Last year’s Real Bad headliner, DJ Charly, is coming back to spin Ritual for the entire event that lasts well into the morning.

As I always say about a good afterhours, yeah sure there’s guys that are ready for some bathroom stall action but a good afterhours is when people just want to dance till dawn and have a good time. We were so proud of our friends on the production team because they created something wholly new from familiar ingredients.

As we stumbled into the morning sunlight last year I told Ron, “People are gonna find out about how good this was. Next year, it’s gonna be packed.”

This party starts at 4am Saturday night/Sunday morning (before the fair) and goes well past sunrise. Proceeds benefit the Real Bad/Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation and their many local and national beneficiary organizations.

Full details on the Real Bad website or the Facebook page for the Ritual event.  Here are photo galleries from last year’s event.

DJ Charly on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, and Facebook.

More about the Real Bad organization:

• Short documentary: Real Bad: Activism with a Beat
• A history of the organization on their site
• 2013 article in The Bay Area Reporter: “Impromptu Party Spawned Legendary Dance Fundraiser”

Sunday, July 28th

Up Your Alley Street Fair produced by Folsom Street Events

And then there’s the fair. We’ll probably go for a bit. It’s funny how it seems kinda normalized anymore for us to go to a street fair and see a guy chained to a telephone pole being whipped or porn stars playing Twister in jockstraps or a domme in a carriage being pulled by a quartet of human ponies or shirtless women being flogged to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Like Folsom, the fair encapsulates the crazy kinky libertine spirit of San Francisco – and with Up Your Alley it’s much grittier and more queer/gay than Folsom Street Fair.

You will see people dressed in their favorite fetish attire. Some of these kinksters wait all year for events like this to strut their stuff and fly their freak flag. If you don’t like it or roll your eyes at people or can’t delight in seeing perverts celebrate their perversions, don’t be a twat about it. Get the fuck out of there and go to Woodfield Mall. Not everything is for everybody.

White people/Wypipo: BRING SUNBLOCK. The sun is pretty much high noon and direct sun with little shade and most of the surrounding buildings are one story. But there’s usually super hot sexy tattooed EMTs with sunblock at the first aid tents.

People of Color: Please continue to get super-dark and sexy. We thank you.

Full details on the Folsom Street Events website or the Facebook event page for the event.

Play T-Dance at City Nights, produced by Brian Kent Productions with DJ Russ Rich

Play T-Dance is back! After a few years away, one of our favorite events ever-ever is back on the schedule and ready to dazzle and enthrall a whole new generation of patrons.

Some background about the party, from my interview with the party’s founder, P. Tyrone in Left magazine a few years ago:

“In 2000, my experience at night clubs had started to shift. There was much more meth use in our community and at the clubs. The music had shifted away from beautiful melodic music, to heavy, dark, tribal beats. And we were paying a lot of money for parties that lacked hospitality and production value. … So I decided that I had to do more than just complain, and joined forces with Chuck Connor, an epic event corporate producer in his own right, to launch a new tea dance event called PLAY T-Dance.

The basis of the concept was simple: provide a beautiful vocal tea dance musical journey appropriate for an inside/or outside tea dance event, be thoughtful about production value and decor, focus on hospitality, fun, joy, and making connections for guests. And our tagline ‘Flirt. Frolic. Dance.’ was born.My interview with Play T-Dance founder P. Tyrone in Left magazine several years ago

And so after a weekend of leather and wild revelry at clubs, private parties, and at the fair, it’s time for something a little lighter. A little more celebratory. A little more playful and theatrical.

The crowd will be sexy, affable, and relaxed. The guys skew a bit more mature so there’s less attitude. Everyone is there to have a wonderful playful time.

Play’s resident DJ Russ Rich is back. Russ is one of our favorite local DJs. He’s a fucking master at whatever he does and has been a part of some of our most memorable nights on the dance floor. The last few parties he’s spun he always weaves in a new epic mix of Amber’s “Sexual” and I swear each time it gets a little more pathos and depth. Love it. And if he brings in “Runnin’ (Lost It All)” or the mix of “Never Enough” everybody hates but we love expect to see us scream-singing it at each other.

Visuals and production design will be just as fantastic as the music with William Ducati Brown doing his usual wild witchcraft and the entire evening is guaranteed to be unforgettable with master showman/producer Brian Kent at the helm.

Ron and I are hosts for Play T-Dance and have access to discounted tickets. Ping me on Instagram if you need help getting a ticket code. Discount tickets expired Sunday the 21st. Tickets still available on EventBrite and at the door.

Full details on the event’s Facebook page. Photos from past events on the Play’s Facebook page.

DJ Russ Rich on SoundCloud, Mixcloud, Facebook, and his site.

You do know why we have tea dances right? Know your history with Back2Stonewall’s article:

The Very Gay and Interesting History of the Almost Lost Tradition of the Sunday Tea Dance.

Rough at Mezzanine, produced by Folsom Street Events and Lazy Bear with DJs Bryan Hughes and Steve Sherwood

Meanwhile, the official closing party for Dore weekend be in full swing over at Mezzanine (closing soon or maybe not) with the Rough event produced by Folsom Street Events and the producers of Lazy Bear. (Lazy Bear is when everybody can’t deal with Dore ending so they all go to Guerneville in Sonoma county for another week and weekend of revels. It’s more bear-oriented so you know you’re gonna get to eat and drink and have a relaxed time.)

The Rough crowd will be similar to Play’s crowd, but I’m guessing since Play is more lighter, the guys that are still wanting to keep the music down and dirty and dark will go to Rough.

DJ Bryan Hughes on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, and Facebook.

DJ Steve Sherwood on Facebook.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event or on the Folsom Street Events site.

Cumunion at Catalyst

Legit for-real no DJs, no fans, no divas, just-dick play-party Cumunion is back for their Dore edition at the Catalyst dungeons space. The event started as a small sex party after Up Your Alley, nine years ago in 2010. San Francisco. The success of the first party quickly led to a Folsom outing and the party is now in close to 50 monthly parties held in 40 cities around the world. Happy anniversary, Cumunion! Mazel tov!

Full details for their Dore event on their site.

Monday, July 29th

Recovery at Lookout, with DJ Ginger Bear, hosed by Pollo Del Mar

Like with most party weekends, a lot of folks take Monday off. That means Monday afternoon everyone will go to the bar Lookout for “recovery” which means we all just keep drinking and raging since we don’t want to think about going to work tomorrow morning. A lot of guys start to head over to Guerneville and Russian River for Lazy Bear (mentioned above). But usually one of the city’s favorite local DJs is on from 3 to 9 and so the bar will be bouncing. So if you’re still in town, slather on the eye cream, and head over to Lookout.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event.

Folsom Early Warning

I told you we buy tickets early. The Folsom 2019 guide is ready and waiting. Party line-up includes:

• Brut FLSM at The Great Northern with DJs Dan Darlington, Peter Napoli, and Manny Ward
• Prime at Club Six with DJs Neon and Serge P
• Pervert party at Mezzanine with DJs Dan Slater, Nina Flowers, and Isaac Escalante
• Masteurdome at August Hall with DJs Chus+Ceballos and Ralphi Rosario
• Aftershock afterhours with DJ Abel at City Nights
• Nocturnal afterhours with DJ Paulo at Halcyon

You’re Looking Fine As Fuck

You probably look amazing this weekend. You should preserve the moment. Our friend, photographer Trevor Ott will be again doing his impromptu photo shoots with the street fair as the backdrop.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLYp2LUgDcG/

We did a shoot with him at Dore a few years ago (above) and in Chicago at IML with our boy Sunny (photo below) and had a great time. Contact him on Facebook if you’re interested and peruse his work on Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvKcm7QAhPQ/

Dore on a Budget

Travel, tickets, transportation, refreshments, enhancements… this kind of weekend ain’t cheap. But, if you’re trying to keep spending to a minimum:

Echo the old-school Castro clone look of our forefathers with tight jeans, a t-shirt, and boots.

If you feel you have to have some sort of leather on ya, grab an armband from Mr. S or one of the other stores.

The Mr. S Party is free since it’s in the store. You can mill about and cruise guys and try stuff on.

Saturday afternoon’s Big Muscle party is the most affordable of the large dance parties with $20 advance tickets – plus it benefits charity. You can take Muni to Van Ness, walk a few blocks and you’re there. For all the other dance parties above, check out early tier pricing now. Most of the producers we know are sensitive to pricing – especially for younger patrons – and keep their first tier of tickets at a non-insane price.

Hang out at the bars in Castro and SOMA (historically known as “the Valley of the Dolls” and “the Valley of the Kings,” respectively). They’ll be packed with lots of other guys that are more into the cocktails & cruising dynamic. Most bars will have a modest cover charge.

Most of the bars are walkable from transit. If it’s super late you don’t want to be walking around too much in the dark. Keep your phone in your pocket, headphones off, and keep your wits about you. It’s San Francisco, but it’s still a big city with crazy people.

If you really have barely any money at all, you must use it to go to the fair. If ten bucks is all you have, give it to the fair and charity that is the centerpiece for the weekend.

Volunteer for events. Another way to keep costs down is to volunteer for events. For the first few years we were here, Ron and I were greeters and ticket-takers at lots of parties and that was fun because you literally meet everyone their way in and you get to put wristbands on hot guys and once your shift is over you can go dance.

Quick Run Down of FAQs

(Jump to the end of my Folsom guide for the extended set of FAQs)

In short:

• It’s okay to dress like a whore, everybody else will.
• Be gracious to security (many of them are also gay and giving up their weekend to take care of your drunk ass).
• Thank the EMTs for taking care of our hot-mess’d brethren.
• Coat/clothes check is usually a bitch. Plan accordingly.
• Never mix G and alcohol, or G and other depressants, know your mLs.
• It’s not just a bunch of white guys only into guys that look just like them. But wypipo do move in herds. Find the mixed couples and black and brown guys to kill the monotony.
• “I’ve been looking all night for you!” No. Stop it. Don’t spend a party looking around for your friends or waiting for that one guy that you saw on the apps or that dickhead you know from Instagram. You are where you are. Be there.
• Know your hanky/armband code. Left side, top. Right side, bottom. Both sides, vers. Color chart (history). But remember sometimes yellow is just a sartorial choice.
• Fuck your fan clacking. In moderation and on the beat, it can be positively electrifying. But every goddamn song? C’mon, ladies. And by ladies, I mean queens. And by queens, I mean men.
• Stop bringing parasols to parties. It fucks up the event photos with your big goddamn umbrella in the way, blocks the view of people around you, and it’s not that fucking clever.
• If you plan to hoe it up, get STI testing 2 weeks beforehand so you have enough time to get your results and complete a round of antibiotics if needed. Get on PrEP of course if you’re negative. And every gay man – hell everyone – should know that undetectable is untransmittable.
• You don’t have to look a certain way to enjoy the weekend. Don’t wait until you “lose the weight” or “do a cycle” or whatever other barrier to entry you’re setting for yourself. You have the right to have a fucking great time no matter how you look or how you feel about how you look.
• Get tickets early. In SF, we buy first tier tickets early. Months early. If you have tickets you’re not using, announce they are for sale on the respective event’s Facebook page. If you’re looking for tickets, same thing. If you pay at the door, you’ll pay out the ass.
• If you are sober, be sure you know which Whatever Anonymous meetups are happening at all times so you can stay on the straight and narrow.
• The week beforehand, make sure you have all your tickets. If they are in your email, use the pin/star feature to make sure they bubble up to the top or take screencaps of all your QR codes. Nothing like the, “Oh my god I bought tickets for the Folsom party but not the Dore one, Ron’s going to kill me…” panic attack.
• And Daddy Aaron’s rule: No in-town trade when out-of-town trade is in. If you’re local, don’t make this the weekend you make it happen with that local guy you’ve been over-staring at at the gym. Focus on the fresh, transient meat.
• Save this GIF to your phone to drop in group threads when someone’s being a needy/dramatic twat:

And of course – Folsom’s rule applies to Dore:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnPwFuFAFd1/

See you on the dance floor, gentlemen…

https://www.instagram.com/p/Byt_FSdH1Hq/

…and ladies, and everyone else. It was incredibly rewarding to have guys from all over the world come up to me at Dore or Folsom last year and say that they read my guide and found it useful. So, if you see us on the dance floor, say hello. Look for the complimentary Polynesian sleeve tattoos (see photo above) on the sexy Filipino muscle daddy with the huge smile dancing with abandon and probably sporting a majestic fan (Ron) and the semi-serious inked bearded white muscle daddy wolf trying to keep up with him (me).

Thanks for reading – please share!

Andy (with editing/etc. from Ron)

p.s. You can follow my writing on Facebook, Twitter, and enjoy cat photos, thirst pics, Ron’s Stepford streak, doppelbängers, general shirtlessness, and fear of aging on my Instagram (andymaticgram), but actually Ron posts better photos on his Instagram (ronamatic). If you want even more reading in this vein, you can read my guides for Dore (2018, 2017, and 2016 recap) and Folsom (this year, 2018, 2017, and 2014 recap). Or read about that time I turned 40 or when we got married. And if you’re really retro, there’s the old fashioned RSS feed.

“She’s hungry. She wants money, and she wants more luxurious coats, and she wants power. She wants to sit in the chair that is currently occupied by whoever’s in charge, and she doesn’t want to wait for the world to give her that throne. She doesn’t have time for that. She’s not going to wait. She’s going to take it. …

“Why is it that I can easily remember the faces and voices of female cartoon villains, but if asked about female cartoon heroes, all I can remember is the clothes? …

“We look at female cartoon villains and we see what’s forbidden: ferocity. Never laugh with your head thrown back. Never apply your eyeshadow as a cut-crease. Never draw in your brows or dye your hair. Don’t wear nice clothes (unless they’ve been sewn for you by people or animals who love you, or delivered to you by magic). Don’t look in mirrors. Don’t want things. Don’t get old or fat or tall. Don’t make demands. Hope, maybe, but never expect. No, not even if you’ve dedicated your life to a goal—even then, don’t you dare expect. Work hard, but don’t grind for years and years building an empire because if you do, then you’ll get taken down and the audience will cheer at your suffering. Don’t carve your face into a mountainside, because that territory is reserved and your name is not on the list.

“What could we become if we were willing to push aside everyone who stands in our way? What could we accomplish? What would happen to us, if we decided that we didn’t want to scrub floors during the day and wish on stars at night and wonder when the adventure is going to come find us?”

Full essay.

• “People have confused the notion of Mars being habitable for bacterial life and perhaps plant life as being habitable for human life. On a terraformed Mars, you would not live there any differently then than you would today. Life would be spent either underground or in bubbles. Reasoning forthcoming.
• “Mars is tectonically dead. There is no plate movement because the core is either cold or in an extremely energy-poor state from which it will not recover. This means there will be damned insufficient magnetic shielding to protect you from the devastating genetic damage caused by solar rays, and no tectonic sublimation or meaningful volcanism to renew the land over long periods of time.
• “As a consequence of the aforementioned lack of a sufficient magnetic shielding, the solar wind has been stripping Mars of its atmosphere at a phenomenal rate. The winds on Mars currently have little ability to do any damage, the most severe storm basically just kicking up dust clouds. While that may sound nice, it means there’s not enough air to breathe. “But we’re TERRAFORMING!” you say, “We’ll MAKE new air!” Ballsacks to you, and here’s why!
• “No one ever addresses the elephant in the room where terraforming is concerned: Where are we getting all the necessary raw material to create the chemical composition of the terraformed Martian atmosphere? Are you all seriously that ignorant? Do you not understand the phenomenal weight of the material we’re talking about? Air is not nothing. It’s matter. It has density and weight and there’s more of it than your mind really has the ability to comprehend outside of a mathematical framework. And again, Mar’s atmosphere is being stripped. You don’t just have to finds one Mars’ worth of air, you have to find an ongoing renewable source of this material! You are flat out smoking cock-weed if you think that’s in any way feasible. That’s not even science fiction, that’s pure fantasy. You may as well have said “OH, Merlin will come and jiggity whippity us up some air with a magic wand” because that has as much credibility as saying “we’ll just make more atmosphere.”. Horse hockey, we will!
• “Mars is too small. Specifically, it lacks the mass to support us. People in orbit for long periods of time have to do some pretty aggressive, highly disciplined exercising to SLOW DOWN muscular-skeletal degeneration. They can’t even stop it. They HAVE to return to the planet at some point or their bodies will essentially wither. Because Mars has little mass, it has little gravity. It’s only a bit bigger than the moon! No amount of atmospheric dicking around can change that. Anyone who goes to live on Mars is absolutely doomed to a slow, and likely short, painful life of bodily degeneration.

“tl;dr – we ain’t terraforming SHIT. And these, and other similar problems will follow us ANYWHERE in the galaxy we may one day be able to go. We evolved to live HERE, and you all had damn well better get the stars out of your eyes because here is a fucking mess we must clean up.”

Full thread in context.

Image source.

First: Know Your History

27th Annual LeatherWalk on Sunday September 23rd

It’s like a big gay leather prom.

Friday, September 28th

Folsom Sunset Cruise, produced by Brian Kent with DJ Tony Moran

Brüt, at the Great Northern, produced by Hedonic Productions and Brian Kent Productions, with DJs Dan Darlington, Peter Napoli, and Manny Ward

Prime at Club Six, presented by TrophyDad with DJs Neon and Serge P

Bearracuda at Public Works, produced by Matt Bearracuda with DJs Ted Eiel, Victor Rodriguez, and Perfect Lovers

Taboo: Puppy Play at Oasis, produced by Taboo with DJ Chad Bays with guest star Boomer Banks

Recon San Francisco Party at DNA Lounge

Baloney Does Folsom at Oasis, produced by Rory Davis

Saturday, September 29th

Geared Up: The Infamous Folsom Party at Mr. S Leather

BigMuscle Meet & Greet at DNA Lounge, with DJ Shane Stiel benefiting PRC

Magnitude at Fort Mason Center, produced by Folsom Street Events with DJs Boris and Pagano

Bound on Folsom Street, at Folsom Foundry, produced by Brian Kent and Matt Berracuda with DJs Ralphi Rosario and Philip Grasso

Heat at Monarch, produced by Cecil Russel and Evan J. Sun, with DJs Dani Toro and Mohammad

Friendly Fire at Danzhaus, produced by Gage Lennox with DJs Marek and Salazar

Stripped at 415 10th St, produced by Truck Events with DJ Trever Pearson

Aftershock at City Nights, produced by Frisco Disco, with DJ Abel

New Breed: The Second Coming at Club Six, produced by PoundPuppy SF and Polyglamorous

Folsom Street Overnight at Catalyst, prodcued by the San Francsico Bay Area Leather Alliance

House of Black Leather, produced by Honey Soundsystem with the Zenker Brothers

ONYX vs FLSM at Powerhouse, produced by Onyx with DJ Jason Godfrey benefitting Leatherwalk

Sunday, September 30

Folsom Street Fair, produced by Folsom Street Events

What do you actually do there? Get flogged, buy some leather, watch fetish demonstrations, have a chicken skewer, dance your ass off, get drunk/stoned/high/fucked/fucked up, or whatever you’ve got a whim for.

Release at Catalyst, produced by San Francisco Bay Area Alliance

Real Bad XXX at 1015 Folsom, produced by Grass Roots Gay Rights with DJs Jesus Pelayo, Charly, and Byron Bonsall

Deviants Adult Arcade at Mezzanine, produced by Folsom Street Events featuring Derek Monteiro, DJ Lina, and Lovefingers

Monday, October 1st

Nocturnal Extreme Afterhours at Halcyon, produced by Ky Martinez and Cecil Russell with DJ Paulo

Folsom Recovery at Lookout, with DJ Phil B

Speaking of which – there’s also all the bars.

Okay let’s do a run down of other important stuff:

Do you have to be into leather or fetish to attend and enjoy these events?

Speaking of which, I’m looking fine as fuck, how can I preserve the moment?

Do some people really wear just jockstraps at these parties? I don’t want to be the only one dressed like a whore.

Are all these events just a bunch of white hairy guys only looking for other hairy white guys?

Don’t mix G and alcohol, you stupid fuck

Always thank the EMTs when you see them

And thank security

Get off your goddamn phone

No really, get off your fucking phone

Be where you are

No life decisions the week after a party

How to find the bears

What’s with the colors and armbands?

Everyone secretly hates your fan clacking

Buy multiple drinks at a time.

Assume clothes check will be a disaster everywhere

Get tested the week after (and two weeks before)

If you are HIV-, get on PrEP

I’m too fat, too thin, too short, too tall, too young, too old to go…

Can I go to these events if I’m a straight man or a woman?

All these goddamn events are sold out

What if I have tickets I don’t need?

I’m sure I’ve forgotten some events, let me know

Finally: Fucking dance.

See you on the dance floor, gentlemen

Thanks for reading – please share!