Where is the Pleasure going?

By Ken Taylor

In terms of timing, I'm not sure I could have planned this departure any better. This, the final installment of Synthetic Pleasures, seems like the perfect end to one wonky-ass year. I won't get into the personal shit, but can we all agree that everyone had their brushes with weirdness, tragedy, dashed hopes, or something out of sorts at least once or twice in '05? Good. Thanks for humoring me.

At least when it came to Clubland SF, things were – and still are – on an upswing, and I couldn't have asked for a more enlivened year to be trawling the scene in search of scandal and salaciousness. From the lame to the untamed, whatever the place, 2005 brought bodies back to what many said was a deader-than-dead nightlife. But that speaks directly to the dire situation regarding national politics, no? When shit goes down in Washington, shit gets down in San Francisco.

Sure, I hit a few weekday duds here and there, happy hours notwithstanding, but for the most part, we were a pretty happening joint. Yeah, losses were had – I personally miss Jack at Underground SF the most – but generally speaking, crowds were packing dance floors, warehouse parties, and art galleries all over town. And on certain weekends, like, say, when Love Parade and Folsom Street Fair hit the city, stuff was off tha heezy-hyphy-hook-chain-line-what-have-you. SF, you've done yourself proud, and you made club columnists' jobs that much easier and more entertaining. "Jobs," I call them.

But let's dispense with the teary-eyed reminiscing for at least a couple of paragraphs, shall we? Holiday season comes but once a year, and with that, so do ass-Xeroxing office parties. Think The Office Special's (BBC Warner) gathering, where Keith got his shot at wowing the Wernham-Hogg crew on the ones and twos, and Dawn and Tim finally hooked it up. My wife's completely tame affair at an arts-associated nonprofit in Oakland set a laid-back tone for a couple of weeks of eggnog keggers to follow. The Bay Guardian holiday shindig at Levende Lounge (always a classy gathering) with our old buddy the Tourist – a.k.a. Mickey Darius, who now wrangles sales for the Lower Haight's venerable culture club Upper Playground – on the decks, went down as smooth as the pureed-lentil hors d'oeuvres. I chased that event down the next day with my new office cohorts from XLR8R (yep, that's where I'm headed) at Dalva for a special Red Wine Social evening. And though I nearly made it out unscathed, I couldn't escape the clutches of DJ Toph One as he handed me an over-the-top-putting shot of Fernet.

You know, this seems about a good a time as any to thank my intrepid scouts, who have, time and again, come through for an either sick or tired Yours Truly when the rounds had to be made. On Dec. 9 they were dispatched to Live 105's Not So Silent Night After Party at Club Six, where new grime queen Lady Sovereign and hip-hop wizard-woman Princess Superstar, among others, held it down with live PAs and DJ sets respectively. Nice to see that aside from the predictable alt-rock-radio-type bill held that night at Bill Graham Civic (à la White Stripes, Death Cab, et al), the event's after-party pushed the limits way beyond what most of the station's minions are listening to.

And last, thanks to the many promoters, DJs, musicians, artists, and friends new and old who kept this thing moving along from week to week – and who I'm sure will continue to rock it in the new year. I'll still be around these parts, hopefully penning more reviews of stoner-rock reissues for Grooves and chiming in on all things electronic once in a while, but for now a Christmas-themed white elephant party awaits, and I've got a crate full of psy-trance promo vinyl to unload. Ho, ho, ho, indeed.

Kontrol and Dirtybird present Justin Martin, Sammy D, Claude VonStroke, Craig Kuna, Worthy, and Alland Byallo plus special guests New Year's Eve, 9 p.m., RX Gallery, 132 Eddy, SF. $10. (415) 756-8825.

E-mail Ken Taylor wishes of good luck and good riddance at synthetic@sfbg.com.