FEATURED GUARDIAN EVENT

GUARDIAN HELLRAISERS PRESENT: DOCTOBERFEST!
The Guardian Hellraisers stage our German-themed preview celebration of DocFest 2008 at one of the Mission's most beloved venues! Enjoy specials on German beer, delight in delicious fresh offerings from Underdog (The Organic Sausage Joint), hot tunes and engaging screenings from previous SF International Documentary Festivals! Great giveways include festival tickets, movie passes, and more! 5:30pm – 8pm, 21 and over, NO COVER!
September 25 @ Elbo Room, 647 Valencia btw 17th/18th Sts.

FEATURED GUARDIAN EVENT

HELLRAISER HAPPY HOUR:
OUTDOORSY! AT FIDDLER'S GREEN
Join the Guardian Hellraisers for our celebration of Bay Area outdoor activities, at the cheeriest bar in Fisherman's Wharf! Enjoy delicious beer specials, rockin' tunes, tasty nosh, and sneak peeks at the fantastic new film from Matchstick Productions, "CLAIM: The Greatest Ski Movie...EVER!!"

Enter to win awesome prizes from
Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort, SFO Snowboarding,
Sports Basement...and more!

5:30pm – 8pm, 21 and over, NO COVER!
October 1 @ Fiddler's Green, 1333 Columbus at Beach

Best MUNI options:
10 Townsend, 19 Polk, 30 Stockton, 47 Van Ness,
F Market Streetcar, Powell/Hyde Cable Car

GUARDIAN READERS' SURVEY:
BAY AREA AMERICAN CLASSICS!
We need YOUR help for our upcoming special issue FEAST: The Guardian's Food & Drink Magazine! Click here to let us know which bars & restaurants you find your favorite American classics in the categories below
...and YOU'LL be entered to win over $150 in gift certificates to PRANA RESTAURANT and THE BUBBLE LOUNGE!
The Guardian readers' favorites will be revealed in the Guardian's next FEAST issue on October 8th!

BURGER (over $10)
BURGER (under $10)
FRIES
HOT DOG
MAC N' CHEESE
APPLE PIE
CUPCAKES
BANANA SPLIT
MILKSHAKE
MARTINI COCKTAIL

Deadline for entry: 3pm, Wednesday, October 1st.

HOTEL UTAH SALOON: THREE ASS KICKING WOMEN!
For one night only, a triple bill featuring Nefertiti Jones from New York City ("Captivated by Nef Jones, the musician with the Superstar looks, who is singing a devastating song in a powerful, moving voice" -- SF Bay Guardian), Pi from LA ("Her crystal-clear voice is flexible and flawless" -- Singer Magazine) and our very own Essence from SF ("A bewitching set, replete with layer upon layer of aural sensations [part acoustic, part electronic] just waiting to be discovered and savored" -- Billboard Magazine). If you like, rock/hip hop/pop/ trust me you will be pretty happy with the line up!
September 25 @ Hotel Utah, 500 4th St at Bryant

44th ANNUAL BIG BOOK SALE
Book lovers get ready! The Friends of SF Public Libraries are hosting their biggest book sale to date. The largest book sale on the West Coast is just around the corner with over 50,000 more books than last year! Admission is free to the general public Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Books will range from $1-$5 and all books remaining on Sunday will be priced at $1 or less. The sale will also feature DVDs, CDs, books on tape, cassette tapes, vinyl, VHS, and other forms of media. All proceeds from the Big Book Sale are given to the San Francisco Public Library to fund education programs that promote literacy for children, teens and adults. Last year, over $250,000 was raised for San Francisco’s libraries.
September 25-28 @ Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason

ONE MAN STAR WARS TRILOGY
Three movies, one man, and a galaxy far, far away! A hilarious, high energy, nonstop blast through the original Star Wars trilogy, but with one catch: there's only one cast member, Charles Ross, a writer and solo performer who spent way too much of his childhood in a galaxy far, far away. Ross plays all the characters, recreates the effects, sings the music, flies the ships, and fights both sides of the light saber battles, making for a side-splitting evening.
September 25 – October 12 @ Post Street Theatre,
450 Post btw Mason/Powell

36th ANNUAL SAN FRANCISCO BLUES FESTIVAL
Blues music lies at the roots of America’s great musical traditions, from rock to jazz to pop. This year’s San Francisco Blues Festival concerts feature an eclectic mix of blues musicians performing within the distinctive genres that we know collectively as “the blues”: Mississippi Delta, Louisiana, Texas, Chicago Southside, and West Coast. Highlights of this year’s lineup of renowned blues talent include Hot Tuna, Buckwheat Zydeco, the Bay Area’s Elvin Bishop, guitar legend Johnny Winter, soul-blues diva Denise LaSalle, 93-year-old Mississippi Delta legend Honeyboy Edwards, a tribute to John Lee Hooker, and much, much more! Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster outlets or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available at Streetlight Records in S.F. (24th Street/Noe Valley store), Streetlight Records in San Jose, Down Home Music in El Cerrito, Mill Valley Music, The Music Store West Portal, and 101 Music North Beach. Children under the age of 10 are admitted free.
Friday Free Waterfront Kickoff Concert -- “A Tribute to John Lee Hooker” -- Sept. 26, 2008 at Justin Herman Plaza -- From noon to 1:30 p.m., the annual kick-off concert to San Francisco Blues Festival weekend will be a special tribute to John Lee Hooker, featuring the Coast to Coast Blues Band, with Deacon Jones, Rich Kirch, Ron Perry, Lizz Fischer and Bryant Mills, plus special guests Zakiya Hooker (John Lee Hooker’s daughter), his nephew Archie Lee Hooker, singer Kathi McDonald, and guitarist Ron Thompson.
September 26 @ Justin Herman Plaza, FREE
September 27-28 @ Great Meadow at Fort Mason

SURYA DUB!: AMBASSADORS OF DREAD BASS
The time has come for one of the most highly anticipated shows to hit San Francisco. Surya Dub, the Guardian’s Best of the Bay 2008 winner for “Best Ambassadors of Dread Bass,” welcomes none other than The Bug alongside Warrior Queen hot off his new release “London Zoo” on Ninja Tune Recordings. The Bug has spanned the range from heavy dubwize production to noise and metal as part of Techno Animal/Godflesh but has found his place as a leading voice in the Dubstep and bass crunk communities. Also for this special performance the elusive and extraordinary Warrior Queen debuts in SF with her electrifying presence which is sure to blow up the spot. The eclectic int’l Maga Bo who recently released Archipelagoes on Soot Records, packs a slammin palette of beats spanning the globe and brings a wicked live set. Local fav and selectress Daneekah rounds out the vibes with top ranking roots and dancehall to keep ya winding and bouncing all night long. We’ve got special limited advance tix so don’t sleep on this one of a kind event! BOOM!
September 27 @ Club Six, 60 6th St btw Mission/Market

THE 9th ANNUAL EXPO FOR INDEPENDENT ARTS!
The Bay Area's only grassroots connection fair for independent arts, music and culture! Join us at our first ever outdoor Expo in Dolores Park! This is an open invitation to arts and music organizations, businesses, schools, solo producers, artisans, unsigned bands, local labels and publishers to reserve a table at the Expo and meet each other and the community. As always, tables for small nonprofits and community groups cost just $25. 11am – 6pm.
September 27 @ Dolores Park, San Francisco

FOLSOM STREET FAIR 2008
Voted "Best Street Fair" in the Guardian's Best of the Bay Readers' Poll 2008: "More cock than a chicken fight! More ass than a donkey show! Break out those chaps and grab some lube when the sprawling granddaddy of leather events hits in September." The world's largest leather event is filled with people in their most outrageous leather/rubber/fetish attire! With live performances by Berlin featuring Terri Nunn, The Presets, The English Beat, Shiny Toy Guns and more. Folsom Street Events promotes diversity within the leather/alternative lifestyle, highlighting entertainment, service and vendors. Proceeds from the production of the fairs are distributed to organizations which promote a sense of community, diversity, cooperation, health and human services. 11am – 6pm.
September 28 @ Folsom Street btw 7th and 12th Streets

GUARDIAN ARTS SERIES:
ASIAN ART MUSEUM'S MATCHA: JAPANESE TATTOO
There's more to getting inked than you think. Takahiro Kitamura -- "HORITAKA," apprentice to the revered master Horiyoshi III -- is an author/publisher and prolific tattoo artist. He will deliver a talk on the time-honored art of Japanese tattoos, a rich culture of beauty, commitment, and history. See LIVE demonstrations employing both traditional (no electric needles!) and modern techniques. Joining Horitaka's diverse, talented crew of tattooists are special guests from Japan -- Shige, a powerhouse tat artist who's showcased all over the world; Mutsuo, who's designed for Bathing Ape and Hysteric Glamour; and Kazunobu Nagashima, a client of Shige who will proudly display his backpiece, which won a 2007 Milano Tattoo Convention award. In addition, dip into the world of Zen among ancient Samurai warriors through a guided tour of the galleries, learn about Japanese altars, sample teas by Ito En, soak up DJ Saiman's aural offerings, enjoy a cocktail with friends, and much more.
5pm – 9pm. FREE with museum admission ($5 after 5pm.)

Get your monthly arts and culture fix at the Asian Art Museum’s MATCHA -- a first Thursday evening mixer series. Experience live performances, create art, check out special exhibitions, embark on special gallery tours, mingle with friends over cocktails, or simply relax to DJ-spun music.
October 2 @ Asian Art Museum, 200 Larkin Street

SAN FRANCISCO LOVEFEST 2008
"If you had experienced the Loveparade in San Francisco the last 2 years and have tasted the Rapture at its heart, then you will know something of what is coming. The new San Francisco LoveFest experience is at the very heart of the dance culture phenomenon that is spreading rapidly and unstoppable around the world. It is about LOVE and it is about FREEDOM. It is about remembering Who We Really Are and why we are here. The San Francisco LoveFest itself is part of a much wider personal, social and spiritual transformation-revolution which will utterly change our world over the coming decades. Our very ideas about who we are and what we are capable of are about to be turned upside down. With this next evolution of the event, we are about to take a step into a different future in which all that is best and most beautiful in the human soul will find the right conditions to flower.
THIS IS OUR FUTURE. OPEN YOUR HEART ... FREE YOUR MIND ... FACE YOUR FEARS... LIVE YOUR SOUL ... DANCE!"
Dr. Motte, Founder: Loveparade Berlin
October 4 @ 2nd St./Market to Civic Center

25th ANNUAL SANDCASTLE CLASSIC
The Sandcastle Classic is Northern California's largest sandcastle building event! Every year Leap hosts this spirited competition between teams of architects, engineers, contractors, designers and local elementary school students. Please join us for another exciting competition showcasing the Bay Area's most enthusiastic young minds! Leap...imagination in learning is a local nonprofit organization that works to put art back in the public schools. 10am – 4pm...FREE!
October 4 @ Ocean Beach (near the Cliff House), San Francisco

CLAIM: THE GREATEST SKI MOVIE...EVER!
The popular movie tour lands in San Francisco to blow your mind with the greatest powder carvings and slope takeovers ever caught on film! The most remote locations are no match for the athletes showcased in the amazing footage from Matchstick Productions! “CLAIM” is filmed in high-definition on location in Whistler, Chamonix, Courmayeur, Valdez, Aspen, Chatter Creek, and additional destinations worldwide. The MSP Movie Tour heads to San Francisco this fall, where the premiere features athlete appearances, poster signings, after parties, live entertainment, and more.
Tickets $15, doors at 7pm, screening at 8pm.
October 7 @ Cowell Theater at Fort Mason, Buchanan & Marina Blvd.

111 MINNA GALLERY: LOOKOUT WEEKEND
A happy hour of epic proportions! Open bar hosted by Peroni beer and Fernet, 4pm – 5:30pm. Complimentary appetizers courtesy of Bar Crudo, 4pm – 7pm. Welcome the weekend with fantastic beats and delicious treats!
$3 before 6pm, $5 after. 21 and over, valid photo ID required.
For free entry, RSVP to guestlist@justoneent.com.
EVERY FRIDAY @ 111 Minna Gallery,
on 2nd btw Mission & Howard

foolsFURY: ALL YOU CAN EAT
GOLDIE award-winning theater mavericks foolsFURY give you a seething exposé of the American Dream through the eyes and thighs of the rock band ALL YOU CAN EAT on the first night of their comeback tour. Our culture is shot through with puritanical constructs of what is clean and what is dirty – with ubiquitous hand sanitizers and oddly dehumanized pornography. In this sterile space we are left idolize the spit we catch from our rock and roll gods. Who better to indulge our senses, bash the rules, and satiate our primal hungers? ALL YOU CAN EAT grapples with the seething confusion and contradiction of values and entitlement that precariously coexist in contemporary American culture. Get your backstage pass to the world premiere of “All You Can Eat,” an original collaboration by writer/director Steve Morgan Haskell and the foolsFURY ensemble. $15-25 Sliding scale, $12 Student/senior/TBA. Pay-what-you-can performances: Thursday shows, and bonus show Sun 10/5.
Now through October 11 @ Traveling Jewish Theatre,
470 Florida and 17th St.

CONSERVATORY OF FLOWERS:
THE BUTTERFLY ZONE: PLANTS AND POLLINATORS
Fly on over to the Conservatory of Flowers this spring because the butterflies are back, and there are more than ever. The popular exhibit “The Butterfly Zone: Plants and Pollinators” returns to San Francisco’s beloved greenhouse with double the number of butterflies and special new Night Safaris, that let you search with flashlights for nocturnal moths. When you visit during the day, you’ll walk amongst a wide variety of brightly colored blossoms, watching (and sometimes ducking!) as butterflies fly from flower to flower drinking nectar and getting covered in pollen. The Butterfly Bungalow in the middle of the gallery also allows you to observe the pupae in their chrysalis stage. You never know, you may be lucky enough to catch the moment when one of these transformed, winged beauties emerges. Then come for a special Night Safari every first and third Thursday at 8:30 p.m., a rare opportunity to visit the Conservatory after dark to look for the mysterious, green Luna moth and other nocturnal critters!
Now thru November 2 @ Conservatory of Flowers,
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

YBCA PRESENTS BAY AREA NOW 5
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts' fifth triennial exhibition of Bay Area art, asks some fundamental questions: What, in this age of globalization, virtual everything, and a population that is both wired and mobile, defines a Bay Area artist? Is simple geographic residency enough? Are we aesthetically bound by our ZIP codes? More importantly, what issues and ideas dominate the thinking of Bay Area artists, and how do they matter to us? In the process, we discover insights and understandings that may challenge your view of what it means to be a part of life in the Bay Area. This year’s exhibition will feature a signature group survey of 22 Bay Area artists organized by YBCA curators Kate Eilertsen and Berin Golonu. Don’t miss out!
Now thru November 16 @ Yerba Buena Center for the Arts,
701 Mission Street