"The town was not very well lighted, and it is putting it mildly to say that San Jose was reluctant to be out o' nights." -Ambrose Bierce
Tired of going to the City for fun?
So were we. I mean we live so close to the undisputed Gay Mecca of the World, but yet its so far away. The drive up 101 sucks no matter how you slice it and forget about driving if you want to drink and have a good time. If you do drink, there are only so many times you can crash at your friend's place in the City before it gets really old. Take CalTrain? Ha! Not only does it take well over 90 minutes to get there, but you best get your butt back to 4th & King by midnight or you're stuck with a $75 cab ride. No real viable options.
But what about the gay bars we already have in San Jose?
- "I go from stool to stool in singles bars hoping to get lucky, but there's never any gum under any of them." -Emo Philips
Ah yes...we are blessed with a smattering of Authorized Gay Bars, but its sad when you get more action in the parking lot than in the establishment itself. You see, we believe that Silicon Valley is full of gay folks that probably moved here to take that hot dot com job 2 years ago, looked at the map and thought "Gee...when I move to (San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Campbell, Milpitas, Fremont, Los Gatos, Alviso etc...take your pick), I'll live so close to San Francisco that it will be so blissfully wonderful to head up to the Castro after work and party with my gay brethren. I was never able to do that in Cincinnati." Then the harsh reality of how far away SF can be sets in.
You make a few friends, maybe catch a movie at one of the Camera Cinemas and grab a cup of coffee at the local Starbuck's with someone you met online, but no real social options for going out, partying, and painting the town pink with your own kind.
The Solution
"A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go farther than a great idea that inspires no one." -Mary Kay Ash
Thanks to the founders of the original Guerrilla Queer Bar in San Francisco, we had a solution. Take a group of fun-hungry folks and head to the nearest bar that we deem fit for our company. You'd be amazed at the number of locations that serve alcohol. We believe that it all boils down to this: Its not where you go that matters, it's who you're with.
GQBSV will serve as the coordinating point for these outings, chiefly through our email list (use the form over there to sign up). Email messages announcing the next destination and date will be irregular, fairly brief, and typically on short notice, so pay attention! We will always announce the date and time well in advance so you can block out some time in your PDA. You will find the traffic on the list to be minimal. If you want to clog up your email with GQB chit chat, consider joining The Junta by emailing Lee Newbauer. The Junta is primarily responsible for scouting and selecting future targets. We have a lot of fun doing it. Lord knows one person could not do this alone.
Rules of Engagement
- "I can think of nothing less pleasurable than a life devoted to pleasure." -John D Rockefeller
#1 - Have fun! Sure we may piss a few people off here and there, but we are out to have a good time, not make some political statement.
#2 - Never piss off your bartender. If you take care of the bartender, things will almost always come off without a hitch.
#3 - Keep this phone number handy: 408-344-0138. Due to the frenetic and unpredictable pace of what can happen on the night of a GQB event, this phone line will always be updated with current troop movement information.
Since I've had enough people ask, you may also want to check out our new FAQ section.
Chat with Lee Newbauer live!
I'm hooked! When is the next event?
"Often it does seem a pity that Noah and his party did not miss the boat." -Mark Twain
The next event is going to be Thursday, December 19th. Check out the deets here. More details will be released as we figure them out. You'll get those details by signing up for our email list. You did sign up for our email list right?
Join Our Party Invite List
"For a list of all the ways technology has failed to improve the quality of life, please press three." -Alice Kahn
Be the first to know about what we're up to! Use the handy dandy form from our friends at Yahoo! Groups to sign up to the email list. You should receive a confirmation email from them when you sign up. If this is too complicated for you, email Lee Newbauer and he will sign you up manually.
GQBSV In The News
December 2002 - San Jose Metro
October 2001 - OutNow! Magazine
Archives
"History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon." -Napoleon Bonaparte
You missed the premiere of Guerrilla Queer Bar in the South Bay? Check out the archives for the few write-ups and photos we have or view the Trail of Terror to see the list of bars we have visited so far.