WELCOME TO THE KIRBY GRIPS SITE
LIVE SHOW PHOTOS 
KIRBY GRIPS CD! (7" ALSO NOW AVAILABLE)
UnCool Beans! #10
Food and Cooking issue
Available Now! $6 postage paid, or Subscribe to Coolbeans zine!
The magazine contains an interview with singer/songwriter Daniel Johnston, an MK Ultra tour diary, a 16 page pull-out vegetarian cookbook, a rundown on San Francisco's 24-Hour Restaurants, Absinthe & Coffee, McVeggie Burgers and the usual mess of writing about Bootlegs, Bicycles and Taxi Driving as well as Live and Zine Reviews!
Includes bonus 72 minute CD entitled Every F**king Song is Radio Friendly, with tracks from - The Moons, Songs For Emma, Daniel Johnston, Dark Noerd, Deerhoof, Me First, Queen Cobra, Black Queen, Virginia Dare, Ciao Bella, Polkacide, The Double-U, Souled American, MK Ultra, Food, rRope, Kirby Grips and A Minor Forest.
Here are three realaudio tracks (from the CB-10 bonus CD) to check out:
The Moons - Rainy Days
Dark Noerd - The Dagger of Saint
PCS
Deerhoof - Rabbit-Dog Needs Food
Right Away
KIRBY GRIPS PRESS COVERAGE
KIRBY GRIPS ARTICLE FROM SAN FRANCISCO BAY GUARDIAN
Heidi Chiao - 12/18/98 22:25:21
My Email:hchiao@jps.net
Other fave bands: Bernard Butler, Oasis, Bay Area local bands such as
Oranger, The Kirby Grips, The Chantigs, The Orange Peels, and The Kinetics
What do you like about Neil?: His amazing eyes, that face...
What's your fave video(with Neil in it)?: The ones I've been able to see?
Beautiful Ones
Comments:
Wondrous site. Keep up the great work.
:) Heidi
KIRBY GRIPS UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
KIRBY GRIPS HOTLINE -- (510) 704-5258 
You are encouraged to leave
a message on the answering machine with your address so that you
can be added to
the Kirby Grips mailing list. 
"CTRL" and simultaneously push
the "F" key
(which is an abbreviation for the word "find").
A dialog box will pop up asking for a string to Find, and you
type in kirby all in lower case, and you should find the
first upcoming show. Keep hitting the FIND NEXT button
to find any other future shows.
But remember, even though you can see listings
for many tempting shows you could
go to, you're goal is to find Kirby Grips shows,
although the Kirby Grips do give you permission to go
see other bands on days when they're not performing anywhere.
If you move towards the bottom of The LIST you can see
announcements of live Cable TV and radio appearances (which don't appear
in the official printed version), and there's a listing of good radio
DJs to listen to.
Most people usually get a copy of The LIST when
Steve hands out copies
after various live music shows, or from stacks at certain music stores,
like Amoeba Records (at 2455 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley 510-549-1125)
or Epicenter Records (at 475 Valencia St
near 16th St in San Francisco, one block west of the 16th street BART
station). You can instead send an email
message to Steve Skoepke (including
your email address) asking to
subscribe to
the electronic version of The LIST.
MAPS TO KIRBY GRIP SHOWS 
DRIVING DIRECTIONS button on the lower left
below each map that gives you door to door directions from your home to
each club. Just enter your street address, spelled out city name,
and enter "CA" as the state, and
you receive a printable list of instructions about how to drive to
the club. Unless you're using an old internet browser (without Java),
in which case the DRIVING DIRECTIONS button doesn't do
squat. But there's another web site you can use, but you have to
type in the club's address, city, and state abbreviation yourself:
DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO CLUBS (for Older Web Browser)
THE AGENDA LOUNGE MAPThe Agenda Lounge (formerly called Marsugi's) is in the South Bay at 399 South First Street, San Jose (408)287-4087. I'm not sure of the future status of this club as of January 1999, so you might want to call the club before going to any show there. If you think the headlining band might make a show here sell out, you can use a credit card to BUY 'TICKETS' TO KIRBY GRIPS SHOWS USING 'TICKETWEB' SERVICE. There is a full explanation of the ticketweb service in the 'Bottom of the Hill' club listing below. The Agenda Lounge even have their own Agenda Lounge web site. At the club there's a basement with dance music, there's a bar on the ground floor, and upstairs you'll find the live bands playing. If the Kirby Grips are playing here, you South Bay residents should hurry over, since they don't play down here very often.
BOOMERANG MAPThe Boomerang is located at 1840 Haight, San Francisco, next to the end of Haight Street at the park near Kezar Stadium [415-387-2996]. This is a long small bar with the far end of the room widening out for a high stage. Of course it's 21 and over only, and you're likely to be set back a few bucks as a cover charge. You may have heard that the bar quit doing live shows -- true, but only for a few weeks, they're now doing live music again. If you're hungry after the show, you might be lucky enough to get into the late night burrito shop on the other side of the street.
THE BISTRO MAPThe Bistro is located at 1001 B St near Main, in downtown Hayward, a few blocks east of the Hayward BART station (510)886-8525. When you walk in, it has every appearance of being a bar, but underage people are allowed up until around 9pm when the restaurant closes. This must be the classiest place in Hayward.
BLAKE'S MAPBlake's is an American restaurant with bars in Berekeley at 2367 Telegraph Ave near the U.C. Berkeley campus. From I-80, take the University Ave freeway exit, go all the way to the edge of the UC Berkeley campus, turn right, go several blocks to Durant, turn left, go several more blocks and look for parking (good luck!). Blake's is a couple blocks south of campus, near the fabulous record store Amoeba. There is a restaurant with a bar upstairs, and another bar downstairs where the live music happens.
BOTTOM OF THE HILL MAPThe Bottom of the Hill is located at 1233 17th St (near Texas), in a very safe part of the Portrero Hill district of San Francisco (415)621-4455. This is a nice medium sized nightclub with a small back patio. They serve a limited amount of food, and most shows are 21 and over. Call the Bottom's phone number to find out for sure what ages are allowed at the club for a particular night. If the headlining band is extremely popular and you have a credit card, you can purchase 'tickets' to Bottom of the Hill shows through the internet at the 'Ticketweb'® site. You have a few options: you can get tickets mailed to you (expensive and pointless), or you can have your name put on the guest list (real cheap -- about 50 cents service fee per person, but you MUST bring the credit card that you used to order the tickets). BUY 'TICKETS' TO KIRBY GRIPS SHOWS USING 'TICKETWEB' SERVICE (to be more accurate, you'll get a display of any show with the phrase 'Kirby' in it). If you don't have a credit card, you can use a bank card if it has a credit card symbol on it, or you can buy Ticketweb tickets from Rasputin's records on Telegraph Ave in Berkeley. Typical cover charge is $5, but Sunday afternoon shows are usually free.
COCO CLUB MAPThe CoCo Club is located at 139 8th St (a block south of Market), in San Francisco's civic center district (415)821-1891. MAY 2000 NEWS FLASH: Due to noise complaints by nearby yuppie loft residents, the bar is only allowed to have quiet acoustic performances. This club is a bar downstairs in the basement of the Chat House, which is a women's cafe (who will happily serve you even if your sex organs are politically incorrect). It's a small 21 and over venue with a beautiful bar. Expect a cover charge of $5 or less.
EDINBURGH CASTLE MAPThe Edinburgh Castle is located at 950 Geary a St, few blocks north of Market Street, 1½ blocks east of Van Ness (between Polk and Larkin) in San Francisco's Tenderloin district (415)885-4074. The neighborhood may be seedy, but it's a good 21 and over big Scottish bar downstairs with a small 'rumpus room' upstairs for live bands. If you're hungry, you can get food delivered from the fish & chips restaurant around the corner -- just ask your friendly bartender. Typical cover charge is $3. You may have heard that the Castle was closed down -- well, that was only temporary after some naughty underage youngster got caught by 'the fuzz' after sneaking in and drinking booze. There's a sign on the sidewalk in front of the club telling you where to get parking, or try your luck at least 4 blocks to the west. Parking here has become a bit more difficult since the AMC movie theater opened up the block at Van Ness.
IVY ROOM MAPThe Ivy Room is located at 858 San Pablo Avenue (at Solano) in Albany, a small city north of Berkeley, near the I80 freeway (510)524-9220. This is a 21 and over bar with a usual $5 cover charge where you might typically expect to see a country or blues band play with friendly bartenders and many locals. It used to be the big 'hipster' east bay bar, but that crowd has moved on to other hangouts.
LAST DAY SALOON MAPThe Last Day Saloon is way out at 406 Clement St at 5th Avenue. The first Kirby Grips show at this location was in July 1999, and the door cover was only three dollars.
LOST&FOUND SALOONThe Lost & Found Saloon is located at 1353 Grant Ave (near Green) in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood (415)397-3751. This is a bar with an attached room for live bands, where you might typically expect to see a blues band play. Sometimes their Sunday shows are free.
MISSION RECORDS MAPMission Records is located in the Mission district on Mission street at 2239 Mission ... mission ... mission ... mission ... the Missionary position is between 18th & 19th street, a few blocks south of the 16th & Mission BART station (415) 285-1550. Yes, that is a NEW location. The record store is now on the East side of the street, a couple of blocks north after their move in late 1998. The new location used to be a total dive bar. There are neighbors nearby, so please try to be quiet when outside the show. There are plenty of restaurants and bars nearby on Valencia and Mission, and you can eventually find parking to the west of the record store. Usually, obscure Mission punk bands play here at poorly advertised underground shows. You should expect a band practice sound system in a tiny space with no real stage, and a cover charge from $3 to $5. Bring your own booze in a paper bag, or buy some at any of the excessively abundant nearby liquor stores (like the one right across the street for you jaywalkers). Please keep all alcohol inside of the record store. Shows are always all ages allowed. Be very careful when noting the starting time of shows here, since weekend show sometimes start as early as 3pm. You should probably park to the west of the record store.
PARADISE LOUNGE MAPThe Paradise Lounge is a south of Market bar at 308 11th Street, San Francisco (415)861-6906, across the street from Slim's. All shows are 21 and over. Confusingly, there are three stages, two at ground-level and one upstairs. Sometimes early shows are located upstairs, and are run as separate shows. But the Kirby Grips usually play nighttime shows that happen at one of the other two stages. When both ground-level stages are used, bands' performances alternate, so there's no time gap between bands.
PURPLE ONION MAPThe Purple Onion is located at 140 Columbus Ave near Jackson between the North Beach and Downtown sections of San Francisco (415)398-8415. Descend the long staircase into the Purple Onion and witness the 'legendary' owner Tom Guido verbally haranguing the bands and provoking the audience. The owner hasn't been bothering to get show listings in the local newspapers, so don't be overly concerned that any show there has been canceled. Currently the major venue for 60s style bands, this is the club where Phyllis Diller started her career. It's a small 21 and over bar (no hard liquor) with lots of diner-style seating, and a cover charge around $6. Try driving to the southeast to find parking. The Kirby Grips LOVE the Purple Onion!
STARRY PLOUGH MAPThe Starry Plough is located at 3101 Shattuck Ave near Woolsey, in South Berkeley near the Oakland border, a few blocks south of Ashby street (which is an exit off of the I80 freeway) (510)841-2082. The Plough is an Irish bar owned by Iranians which is next door to the La Peña latin cultural center . . . that's multicultural Bezerkeley for you. The sound quality here is very good. For you hip San Franciscans, shows here start earlier than you're used to, since the sleepy east bay crowd has to hit the sack early for their long commute. It's a medium sized 21 and over bar with a cover charge around $5, and there's a limited restaurant menu available earlier in the evening.
STORK CLUB MAPThe Stork Club is NOW located at 2330 Telegraph Ave in downtown Oakland, near twenty-something street. The bar used to be located at 380 12th St near Franklin, but they lost their lease late in 1998. They have now reopened about a dozen blocks north. Their old phone number was (510)444-6174, and it may still work. It's a 21 and over bar with a Christmas decor every day of the year, and a cover charge around $4. The new location has food available and with a nice bar. Past the bar, down the hallway, past the bathrooms you'll find a small additional hidden room with a pool table and electronic darts. The former regulars were a mixed crowd of hip twenty-somethings, who will probably gravitate to the new location. Don't try to sneak in your own booze, or you WILL be thrown out!
THE TEMPEST BARThe Tempest Bar is located at 431 Natoma St., a block or two south of Market street, a half block down an alley way at Fifth Street in downtown San Francisco. It's across from the printing plant for the Chronicle and Examiner newspapers. It's a small bar with a single pool table that you're not allowed to use when bands are playing. There are a few tables and far fewer than two dozen stools at the bar. Surprisingly, at night parking is generally available nearby. The women who tend bar here are sweethearts, so tip generously.
TIP TOP INN MAP 
The Tip Top Inn is located at 3001 Mission St at 26th St, San Francisco (415)824-6484. It's in the Mission district two blocks south of the 24th Street BART station. There is a small 21 and over bar with a narrow back room for live bands, and a cover charge around $5. There are a couple of stairs to the live music room, which is not wheel-chair accessable. It's best to park towards the west of the bar.