ABOUT
POPSCENE
Where DJ dance parties and live music collide.
Spinning the best in new music: indie, electronic, synthpop, post-punk, Britpop, new wave, mod, '60s soul, '90s alt, future bass, chillwave and much more.
Venerable San Francisco indie nightclub POPSCENE had humble beginnings. It was the original vision of four relentless music fans who collectively first met at formidable independent record store Mod Lang in Berkeley, CA back in the early ‘90s. Aaron Axelsen, Omar Perez, Eric Shea, and Jeremy P. Goldstein all shared the same passion and affinity for the UK music scene of the time, which encompassed bands like My Bloody Valentine, Radiohead, Stone Roses, Lush, Blur and Pulp, to name a few. This insatiable passion led to the birth of POPSCENE, currently one of the longest-running weekly parties in the country after making its definitive debut on the San Francisco nightlife scene 21 years ago.
"We simply wanted to create a club night and dance party for fellow music fans that loved discovering new bands," says Perez. "And, we wanted a place where we could spin our favorite, new, and classic indie tunes in a fun and vibe-y club atmosphere, all while providing a platform to expose our favorite new bands on our stage," adds Axelsen.
POPSCENE is a musical cocktail of indie DJs, legendary dance parties, and a launching pad for live bands and beatmakers alike. It has become synonymous with discovering and introducing to San Francisco the ‘next big thing.’ Throughout its history, POPSCENE has debuted impressive, incredible live acts in an intimate setting, many of whom go on to headline large Bay Area venues and festivals. Some alums include Sam Smith, Calvin Harris, Muse, Killers, Arctic Monkeys, Alt-J, Mumford and Sons, Klaxons, Dandy Warhols, Vampire Weekend, Glass Animals, and countless others. Adding to the folklore of POPSCENE, the club hosted Amy Winehouse's only Bay Area performance back in April of 2007 at its original home, the now closed 330 Ritch Street.
Additional alums such as Flume, Phoenix, Washed Out, John Newman, Flosstradamus, Milky Chance, Oh Wonder, Bloc Party, Silversun Pickups, La Roux, Dillon Francis, Florence & The Machine, Jake Bugg, RL Grime, Jessie Ware, Editors, Kaiser Chiefs and Steve Aoki represent just a small fraction of the acts that have played the POPSCENE stage. It is a reflection of the insatiable appetite for music that exists within the resident DJs and POPSCENE family.
Finally, the key ingredient to POPSCENE's longevity is quite simple: our supporters. POPSCENE is truly fortunate to have established a symbiotic relationship with fellow Bay Area music heads, enabling the ability to create a unique nightlife experience where all can share the passion for music together: on the dance floor.
