The Juice Box

Rating: 3 out of 5 bottles of water

by Leif Wauters

It’s not like the End Up is a full-fledged dance event. After a typically long week, happy hour release and maybe some chow, this San Francisco mainstay is just where people end up. It’s a reliable friend where people let go of the race they’ve been running and bounce around an intimate dance floor with friends and others on the same mission. I don’t go often and must confess to commonly going to hear friends spin, but it feels like home when I do.

My buddy Bud and I went to hear Sean Green open the night. We arrived around 11:30 (loving it’s free before midnight) and were surprised by the healthy crowd. Some of which were friends who were still chugging along from a 6 PM start at 440 Castro. I don’t know about you, but when I drink that much I just fall asleep. But they were fun, along with a gang of other familiar faces.

Sean was playing a meaty, need-to-dance set that had more people moving than not, which is sometimes not the case there. He doesn’t play there that often, but he brings out faithful fans when he does. I’ve been one since I first heard him so many years ago and have followed him when I could through many of his nightlight contributions, including running the epic dance areas at Up Your Alley and Folsom Street Fair. I can always trust that he’s there to bring a good time.

Not to candy-coat the club being a bit of a dive, with beat up furniture and battered back deck, but it’s seasoned and used, as it should be. Since the club is up for sale, I very much hope the new owners adhere to the stipulations of ownership, and keep it up as home room for San Francisco’s club culture. Thanks to David Hawthorne for continuing to bring us this weekly escape.

Tags: End Up, Ghetto Disco, Leif Wauters, Sean Green