Unplugged

Lingba Lounge is the latest venue forced to turn off the music

By Corbett Miller

For the past year Cody Robertson has had nightly DJs at his Lingba Lounge, drawing music fans to his corner of Potrero Hill. But on the night of Lingba's first-anniversary party the cops showed up and pulled the plug. It seems neighbors discovered Robertson did not have the necessary paperwork to host live entertainment.

Now, even after Robertson has spent thousands of dollars to have the place sound-engineered, neighbors refuse to endorse his bid for a live-music permit.

It appears Robertson's neighbors are worried their sleepy enclave could become the next SoMa if they don't watch out.

John Spencer, who lives right across from Lingba at the intersection of 18th and Connecticut Streets, says he's happy with the improvements Robertson made to the sound system but that the lack of security and designated parking still need to be addressed.

"They're marketing to the club crowd. It's this late-night drunk crowd at 2 a.m. that's causing the problems," Spencer says. "It's not what the neighborhood is for. It's been really upsetting."

Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association president John DeCastro agrees with Spencer about the crowd showing up nightly in his neighborhood. "There's a certain element that goes to clubs and causes problems. The neighbors don't want that."

Lingba occupies the space that once housed the Lilo Lounge, a tiki bar that featured DJs several nights a week. Though the owner of Lilo Lounge, Sebastien Arseguel, never ran afoul of the Boosters, he says he understood what the association could do to him. "There are people who are going to complain no matter what, so we kept it real low-key."

In the past several months a number of clubs and bars have been shut down because of neighbors' complaints or permitting problems. In the Mission District, Bruno's and the Odeon are barely holding on, while downtown, Bubble Lounge and Le Colonial have done everything possible to salvage some of the business they once enjoyed.

"We've tried to be creative in finding new ways to entertain our clientele," Le Colonial manager Justine DeAlba says. Unfortunately, creativity doesn't always draw paying customers who want to hear music and have a good time.

Currently, the San Francisco Police Department oversees the permitting process, but that could change this November if voters pass Proposition F, which would create a new entertainment commission solely in charge of issuing live-entertainment permits. Proponents hope an independent panel would be more likely to hear both sides.

Unfortunately for Robertson and his patrons, the commission wouldn't be active for about a year, if it is approved at all. "It's going to be painful, but we might make it to then," Robertson says.

Lingba Lounge's permit hearing will take place Sept. 18, 1 p.m., Hall of Justice, Room 551, 850 Bryant, S.F. E-mail Corbett Miller at corbett@sfbg.com.