TUESDAY
Drawing huge crowds, the venerable L.A.-based emo party keeps growing up, from its beginnings on a tiny dive bar dance floor in Echo Park to a full-blown touring act. Next stop: San Francisco, where the foggy weather makes emo a way of life, no matter how time ticks on. There’s no shame in cry-singing along to your favorite sad AF songs from the late ‘90s and early aughts, so let that eyeliner run, kid.
WEDNESDAY
Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live!
MST3K fans just keep getting wins. The cult-fave TV show got a reboot this year and now it's hitting the road for a live tour. Show up for a cheesy b-movie peppered with wisecracks from creator Joel Hodgson, current host Jonah Heston (Jonah Ray) and trusty robo-sidekicks Crow and Tom Servo. There are two shows to choose from: Wednesday’s showing features a fan favorite, Eegah; the following night features a surprise film never before aired on MST3K. Might as well buy tickets to both.
Photograph: Courtesy the Fillmore
FRIDAY
Waxahatchee, the vulnerable indie-pop project of singer-songsmith Katie Crutchfield, turned heads (ours included) with 2015's triumphant yet bittersweet Ivy Tripp. This year, Crutchfield's ready to do it again with her brand new release, Out in the Storm. The indie-folk gold spinner has been on the road with The New Pornographers as of late; here she headlines with support from Cayetana and Snail Mail.
This band's grandiose rock—the most important thing ever to emerge from Wasilla, AK, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise—fuses soulful vintage psych-pop with hectic modern production. With its latest album, Woodstock, Portugal. The Man has ambitious plans: to address the "avalanche of flaming biohazard material sliding down a mountain of used needles into a canyon full of rat feces" that constitutes our contemporary political moment. Here, they will be playing a music concert with opening act Local Natives.
SATURDAY
Although scant on the details, this DIY-style mini music fest is worth a drop in if you’re lingering around the Mission or planning on lazing about Dolores Park this weekend. More than a dozen local acts will perform an array of indie-rock goodness for folks on the north side of the park. Attraction is high for this scrappy gathering (over 8,000 people on Facebook are “interested”) — get there early, and don’t forget to pack out your trash!
Young nuns climbing every mountain. Busty redheads under the sea. Dog-lovers over the rainbow. If someone in a movie is singing, San Franciscans love to sing along. But what about a quote-along? The Jim Henson cult classic Labyrinth is perfect material for just such an outing, as Jareth, Sarah, Hoggle and friends come to life at this Alamo Drafthouse-presented screening. (Don’t worry, there are songs, too. David Bowie songs).
Photograph: Courtesy TI Wines
SUNDAY
Super NSFW and definitely not family-friendly, the annual Up Your Alley street fair is a snack-size version of September’s Folsom Street Fair for those lovers of latex, leather, whips and chains who simply can’t wait a full year for their dose of exhibitionism. Vendors specializing in your particular kink mingle alongside energizing food and drink offerings, while a trove of talented DJs provide the soundtrack. The treasure hunt begins on Dore Alley between Howard and Folsom. If you get lost, just follow the guy in assless chaps.
Treasure Island Wines 10th Anniversary Pop-up BBQ
Get a taste of the Hawaiian Islands on an island this weekend as Treasure Island Wines celebrates its tenth anniversary with a pop-up barbecue. Chefs Scottie Turbee and Jordan Lorenz will be serving up yellowfin poke, kālua pig sliders and much more. They’ll be pouring everything from Chardonnay to Syrah — once you get a whiff of these wines, you won’t believe this incredible winery has been under your nose for an entire decade.