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12/01/2025

11/30/2025

BESTIES 2026: The Best of the Bay.
in our annual readers poll and you could a pair of tickets to see Cirque du Soleil's ECHO at Oracle Park this holiday season. Vote now at http://surveymonkey.com/r/Besties2026

11/28/2025

Yes, the Bay Area Reporter is back with its 2026 readers’ poll, the Best of the Bay. For the LGBTQ newspaper’s 15th iteration of the contest, voting will be done online only, and is open.

Now is the time for readers to cast their choices for their favorite people, places, and things in the Bay Area. There are multiple categories, and voting continues through midnight Wednesday, December 31. The survey should take about 10-15 minutes, a great thing to do during a quick break in your holiday festivities.

Categories include Arts and Culture, Community, Dining, Nightlife, Nightlife Venues and Events, Services and Shopping, and Weddings and Destinations. This year’s nominees are a mix of previous winners, runners-up from prior years, and new entries. Nominees are included for each category, along with a write-in option if readers have a better idea.

Yes, the Bay Area Reporter is back with its 2026 readers’ poll, the Best of the Bay. For the LGBTQ newspaper’s 15th iteration of the contest, voting will be done online only, and is open.

11/25/2025

As the holiday performing arts season unfolds, the Bay Area shines as a vibrant hub of LGBTQ artistry and imagination. From glittering drag extravaganzas to innovative reinterpretations of seasonal favorites, San Francisco and its surrounding communities offer a dazzling array of performances that honor our diverse community.

And for an added dash of sparkle, writer Philip Mayard included a few standout programs that aren’t holiday-themed, but were too good to leave out.

https://www.ebar.com/story/160573

11/13/2025

A singer’s voice, distinctive and immediately recognizable, is the key to their success. It’s what earns them a devoted following of fans who will stick with them through thick and thin. In recent years, a handful of memoirs by musicians, including “The Harder I Fight The More I Love” by Neko Case, “I’ll Never Write My Memoirs” by Grace Jones, “Boys Keep Swinging” by Jake Shears, “Broken Horses” by Brandi Carlile, and “Trans Electric” by Cidny Bullens,” have succeeded in capturing those voices in prose form.

The same can be said for gay musician Roddy Bottum’s memoir “The Royal We” (Akashic Books). Known by many for his membership in the bands Faith No More, Imperial Teen, and Man on Man, Bottum’s story, told without hesitation, is one of survival and resilience.

In advance of his book launch at City Lights Bookstore in conversation with author/musician Brontez Purnell on November 20, Bottum shared some inspirations for penning his memoir.

Known by many for his membership in the bands Faith No More, Imperial Teen, and Man on Man, Roddy Bottum’s story, told without hesitation in his memoir, "The Royal We," is one of survival and resilience.

11/12/2025

Even though it’s been 10 years between Andy Bell solo albums (if you don’t count Bell’s “Torsten” side projects), the gay music icon hasn’t exactly been sitting idly by. As one half of Erasure, Bell (and Vince Clarke) released multiple studio albums.

But now Bell is back with the fabulous “Ten Crowns” (Crown Recordings Limited). Glittering with Bell’s trademark vocals, it has enough dance beats to take you on the “galactic journey” he references on album opener “Breaking Thru The Interstellar.” Bell was gracious enough to make time for an interview in advance of his upcoming tour dates, including in San Francisco Nov. 28 & 29 at the Palace of Fine Arts.

Even though it’s been 10 years between Andy Bell solo albums (if you don’t count Bell’s “Torsten” side projects), the gay music icon hasn’t exactly been sitting idly by.

11/11/2025

Ginger’s – the San Francisco financial district’s only LGBTQ bar – is closing again, at least for now.

The bar had suspended its operation in 2020 as downtown emptied of customers during the COVID pandemic lockdowns but reopened in 2024. Now, a little more than a year later, it shuttered its latest iteration October 30.

Future Bars, the company that owns Ginger’s along with FiDi mainstays Nightingale (239 Kearny Street), Rickhouse (246 Kearny Street), and Pagan Idol (375 Bush Street), didn’t return a request for comment for this report.

Future Bars CEO and founder Brian Sheehy told SF Gate last week, “Traffic to Ginger’s has not been consistently strong. Without enough customer support, our staff don’t earn enough tips, and Ginger’s operates at a loss. We have struggled to get people into Ginger’s, despite the valiant efforts of our entire team and the great shows being put on by the performers.”

As the Bay Area Reporter previously reported, the bar had been resurrected thanks to the efforts of Dana Marinelli, a le***an who had been general manager at Oasis but who went to work at Future Bars in 2024.

Ginger’s – the San Francisco financial district’s only LGBTQ bar – is closing again, at least for now.

10/23/2025

Yes, boo; pretty much every bar and nightclub is hosting a Halloween party sometime this coming week, leading up to October 31. But we’ve got plenty more activities and entertainment that don’t require a costume. Check it all out in Going Out.
https://www.ebar.com/story/159485/

10/14/2025

Flex, the muscle worship night with big guys, held each fifth Friday at the Powerhouse bar, featured this beefy gogo guy, captured by freelancer Cornelius Washington.
Visit their website for more events.
1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

10/02/2025

Along with the Castro Street Fair, the largest gathering this coming weekend, there are plenty of arts and nightlife events for you to consider as well. Dive in with Going Out.

https://www.ebar.com/story/158731