slims - SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports

A Nightclub Called YOLO Is Slated to Replace the Legendary Slim's

Jay Barmann — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 23:46:40 GMT

A nightclub called YOLO, from a pair of San Jose club owners, is applying for a permit from the SF Entertainment Commission to open in the former Slim's space — you know, whenever such things get to safely reopen.

Owners Michael Hu and Peter Lin appeared before the Entertainment Commission last week seeking the new license, and part of their assurances, which will be depressing to live music fans, is that they won't be featuring live performers, only DJs primarily. As KQED reports, Hu and Lin own Pure Nightclub in San Jose — a place that features bottle service and an all-female waitstaff wearing uniforms that consist of garters and lingerie.

The pair is promising "mostly EDM, Top 40 DJs," who will likely play both YOLO and Pure in succession in a given weekend, and they promise "the music output from a DJ performance will be much less than a live band."

As KQED notes, Pure "has also held afterparties 'hosted' by well-known rappers and R&B stars" including DaBaby, YG, Blueface and Nipsey Hussle — and these performers likely did a number or two at their appearances.

YOLO is seeking to retain Slim's after-hours permit, which allowed it to remain open (without selling alcohol) until 4 a.m., and the owners — perhaps disingenuously — said they wouldn't exercise this right often.

Slim's, as many SFist readers know, was a well loved venue in SoMa for three decades before shuttering for good at the start of the pandemic. (Longtime owner Boz Skaggs said only, "Slim’s did what it was here to do." Over the years the club hosted the likes of Sheryl Crow, Beck, Melissa Etheridge, Bruno Mars and No Doubt, and intimate shows by Pearl Jam, Radiohead, David Bowie, and Prince. It is missed and will continue to be, as live music venues of this size (600-person capacity) continue to seem like an endangered species.

Commissioners say the main complaints by neighbors in the area come from patrons congregating on sidewalks and making noise late at night, not typically from noise inside — which Slim's addressed with heavy-duty sound-proofing.

But Hu and Lin got their conditional permit approvals, and it looks like YOLO is go, at some point, probably next year.

Photo: Shu Hua H./Yelp

Anvil! The Story of Anvil Special Screening and Live Performance at Slim's April 12

Leanne Maxwell — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:37:26 GMT

Upon the release of one of the heaviest albums in metal history in 1982, heavy metal band Anvil influenced scores of bands, including Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax. Unlike their successors, wealth and fame had evaded Anvil for the past couple of decades. Billed as the real life This is Spinal Tap, the documentary follows the band in its last-ditch effort to succeed, and thanks to the support of VH1 Classic, Anvil has recently experienced success. They've signed with Rick Sales, have an upcoming U.S. tour, and have been extremely well received across the world with the premiere of Anvil! The Story of Anvil. Lars Ulrich, Slash, Scott Ian, and Tom Araya, and many others make appearances in the film.

San Francisco is Anvil's second stop in their tour across the country on Sunday, April 12 at Slim's, in which they perform live after a special screening of the documentary. The film opens in San Francisco and Berkeley theaters on April 24.

Anvil! The Story of Anvil, special screening and live performance by Anvil | Slim's, 333 11th St, SF | Sunday April 12, 6:30 p.m., $18, all ages | Opens April 24 at Landmark Theatres in San Francisco and Berkeley

Augie March Shines at Slim's

Spencer Williams — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 10:15:12 GMT

Augie March, looking a bit haggard - maybe a little drunk, performed their second set of the day - earlier they made an appearance at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival at Golden Gate Park. This didn't stop the Melbourne based band from rocking out their eclectic mix of music at Slim's on Friday night. Their music ranges from pop in "One Crowded Hour" to folk in "Bottle Baby" then jumps head first into the rockabilly with the honky-tonk piano on "The Baron of Sentiment." The exciting part about their performance was that they could play each one of these genres with precision.

Though a small crowd (Augie March was opening for the opener) it seemed that their music reached a variety of people. There was the stereotypical super-fan (a pseudonym for crazy-ass-girl) who was rocking out like nobody's business in the front row who sang every word, while a forty-something Mom (with her teenage son) bobbed her head and analyzed each nuance. We stood there smiling because we enjoyed the music as much as we did the people-watching. Even those who were there to see The Aliens (the headliner) seemed to be digging it.

The banter between the drummer, David Williams and lead singer, Glenn Richards, was fascinating and quite funny even though their thick Australian accents took some getting used to. Richards' singing voice was clean, non-affected and unique. He shined when he sang the folk tune, "Bottle Baby" which he accompanied himself on the guitar. The crowd favorite was "One Crowded Hour," the first single, off their latest creatively-named album, Moo, You Bloody Choir. Though short, Augie March's set was flawless and quickly hooked the audience with their catchy, yet eclectic, range of music - we understood why this band was voted #1 on Australian's radio station winning them an Australian Music Prize (AMP) in 2006.

Take the jump to see pictures of the concert...