Downtown in San Francisco. Entering a building looks like a house, finding a friendly atmosphere and reminisce about the grunge rock boom of the 1990s.
Rock club, approx. 2 km south of downtown San Francisco. It is an area called Potrero on the east side of the Mission District, which has recently become a popular tourist destination.
This club was founded in 1991. This is the place that started with the grunge rock boom of the 1990s. Some of the bands played in this club were Blink 182, Green Day, Marilyn Manson, Alanis Morissette, Oasis, The Flaming Lips, The White Stripes. It is a true 90’s lineup.
Although it is a building, it looks like a single house from the outside. When entered through the front entrance, I can see the stage about 20 meters away. A staff member was in front and taking care of.
There was a retro-looking cash register at the entrance counter. I bought a ticket online and went in, but when I told my name to the staff since she asked my name, she took out a piece of paper with a list of names written on it and marked it in a very analog way. Perhaps it is because of the particularity of this club. It is highly likable.
Inside the building, there is a bar counter on the right side of the main entrance, and a stage on the left side of the front. The height is about 1.5m. It is about 5m wide and 4m deep. It is narrow. It can feel cramped if there are a lot of band members. The stage is just an elevated floor with stairs on the side.
In other words, performer have access from the audience space. The left side of the stage faces the wall of the building, and on the right side where the stairs are, there is a passageway about 2m wide that leads to the back. There is a space in the back with tables and chairs where visitors have a rest.
The restroom is next to the passageway to the right of the stage. The graffiti in the men’s restroom was amazing, so I recommend lining up to enter the men’s restroom.
The capacity is 246 people, but the space in front of the stage is full if there are 100 people. When I entered, a folk-rock band was playing. Looking at the excitement of the audience in front of the stage, it seemed like the space had a very local and friendly atmosphere.
This place was built in 1911, and was once a restaurant. The neon “Bottom of the Hill” sign hanging in front of the building is picturesque. I recommend to view it from a little distance and get a feeling for the special atmosphere of this rock club. In my personal memory, the atmosphere may be similar to the “Anti Club” used to be in Los Angeles.
Finally, I am surprised when I look the homepage of this club. There is a list of all the bands that have ever played. Japanese bands are also performing, so please check. For example, I was able to confirm the names of “Shonen Knife” and “Buffalo Daughter”.
Visited in 2024
Basic Information
■ Name : The Bottom of the Hill
■ Address : 1233 17th St, San Francisco, CA, USA
■ Homepage : https://www.bottomofthehill.com/calendar.html
■ Performed Musicisn : Blink 182, Green Day, Marilyn Manson, Alanis Morissette, Oasis, The Flaming Lips, The White Stripes
