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Categories: Dance Clubs, Karaoke [Edit]
Neighborhood: SOMA"The Staff here are absolutely amazing. Super helpful and accomodating. As well as professional and and just all-around fun! I "rented" out…" read more »
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if you're going for a big huge selection of karaoke songs to sing all night, this isn't your place. but if you're going for the style of music, want to sing some atypical and better music than most karaoke places, this is your place. (no, i don't think that acquaintance you just met through work will be able to annoy you with her cover of mariah carey's 'hero' here, you'll be glad to know...)
yes, they definitely have flight of the conchords songs. bring a buddy and show off your best hiphopopotamus and rhymnocerous.
the cover's not horrid, but midwestern girl wishes it were still cheaper. (i'm pretty sure i just invented a new superhero right there...but have yet to figure out her super power. my bad)
drinks aren't priced too badly at all. if you get there at 10pm, you'll have free range of singing whatever you want. wait until midnight and you'll have a bit of a wait.
leisure is one weekend a month in the upstairs of paradise lounge. i liked the vibe of the upstairs. though, for the record, i paid different prices for the same drink upstairs and downstairs. boooo.
all and all, a decent night out. fun people, good music selections that will allow for lots of fun, and group silliness.
yes. i vote yes.
Bring out your best Jermaine and Brett because they have Flight of the Conchord Karaoke! I totally missed it on the front pages so i didn't get to sing it right away.
Songs include: "The Most Beautiful girl", "Hippopotamus and rhymenocerous" and a few more..
Now only if they had "the Humans are dead." I've been working on my Binary free-stylin'...
Location: Paradise
Date: 9/05/09 (1st Saturday of every month)
Pros:
+Good Music
+Cheap Cover
+Karaoke
+Open until 3am!
Cons:
- BF ran into an old friend who thought it was appropriate to bother us TWICE by interrupting us while we were dancing. Next time, she gets socked. In the face.
Being that I was a Leisure virgin during this visit, I'm convinced that this place/event has 5 star potential... and something about it only being once a month makes me want to keep coming back.
If you're a fan of Brit Pop, Madchester, Mod than there's nowhere else you want to be than at Leisure the first Saturday of every month.
You can expect all the tunes you have9had) in your own collection. It's just great to hear them on a big sound system. Morrissey, Pulp, James, Joy Division, Happy Mondays, yes and even Oasis(YAWN. So over them). But they're the band you love to hate, no?
Solid monthly that's been going on for years, with a solid scene too. Makes for some great people watching. Lots of stylish eye-candy, 'crumpets' as it were
: )
As this is the only place in SF where one can listen and dance to the British sound of 80s and 90s, I am always tempted to go. If only DJs would have a more versatile sets of songs. Sadly, no surprises... ever. If there are, they are totally blurred. Also, speaking of the interior, everything is wrong with the Paradise Lounge. Everything. They do need one Feng Shui master...
I love Leisure even better now that it's at Paradise, though some more dance space would be even better - hey, how about turning the upstairs karaoke room into the second dancefloor?!
They played a brilliant mix last night from all over the decades. Nancy Sinatra's Boots, Sonic Youth "Kool Thing", Space "Female of the Species", Queen, Iggy Pop, Supremes. I was in near rapture and kept being tugged to the dancefloor.
Sweet!!
Leisure was the one dance night that got me through my crappy, unemployed, sad life. This was even more so when I was a shitty 8th grade teacher at a horrible school where I got screamed at by the principal biweekly.
So I go last time in the new venue, and what do they play? Frigging Queen. Okay I'm not against a little Bohemian Rhapsody myself, but time and place people!! I hate not being able to hop on the stage, the glaring lack of Newcastles, and the fact that the Dj's seem to think that the only Suede song that matters is "Beautiful Ones."
And to top it off, I got a 50 dollar parking ticket last time!!!!!!!
Although they really overdo it on the Smith's songs sometimes and once they refused to play my… Read more »
I won tickets, so my friend and I didn't even have to pay, woo. Never having been to the older version of Leisure, I can't compare it.
The best part was that draft beers before 11pm were $3. Which we didn't realize until my friend got a bottled Corona for $4 and then I got out of there with a big ole pint of Big Daddy for $3, hahhaha. It didn't seem fair... ;)
Going here with a big group looked like fun. I saw several groups shaking their groove thang. Maybe we were there too early before the alcohol lubed everyone up and the karaoke superstars showed up, but what we heard of the karaoke was bad, and not in a funny karaoke way. Also, no one was singing Britpop songs! I expected it would be non-stop Britpop karaoke.
I am a pretty big Britpop nerd compared to your average person, but compared to most people here I am probably a piker. My friend and I had to scratch our heads a few times with some of the one hit wonders from the 90s they played - now who is this again?? My 30 year old brain cells are dyingggg. ;)
My friend and I also loved watched the videos that were being projected (silently) and trying to guess which Pulp video was for what song. Jarvis is so sneaky.... he fooled us on several of them. We assumed they were of the His and Hers era because he looked "normal" back then, but actually one of them was from This is Hardcore.
Also seeing Blur videos from back in the day was neat. Neither of us grew up with cable TV, so we aren't very familiar with the videos of the 90s.
I had fun finally seeing what clubbin' with Britpop is like, but sadly I think clubbin' in general isn't really my thing (and never really was) unless I'm with a big group, which in my circle is a bit rare these days.
Maybe it'll take awhile to get used to the new venue. I have two main issues: 1) Only one beer available 2) The second floor railing makes me feel like I'm dancing for visitors at a zoo.
Otherwise, same music, same party people.
They're playing Doves?? And people are... dancing??
I'm sold!
I'm over Leisure.
Is it the new bar, closer to the heart of SoMa? Maybe, because it attracted a different crowd than I had seen before. "Look, that place has a line. Let's go there!"
Is it the fact that Aaron, a guy who clearly knows how to program a radio station, has played the exact same DJ set every month for the last few years? Yes, probably that. If you've been there regularly, you know the set: Disco 2000, Paint It Black, Supersonic, etc. Change your songs, Aaron!
Is it that they took the tables out of the karaoke area so that it's no longer filled with nerdy karaoke junkies (guilty!) but rather a bunch of disinterested loud talkers? Yes, probably this.
I know that Annie's was a bit too small for the crowds that went there, but the drinks were better, the bartenders were better, the layout was better, and the crowd was better.
My 30th birthday, my friend takes me to a club in SOMA because I was feeling old, and Leisure did the trick. I felt like the youngest person in the room (and there was a group of people from my high school who were a couple years ahead of me, so I know this is at least partially true)!
The dance floor was super crowded (not a bad thing), but small, cramped and really hot (bad things). There was a lot of bass, but insufficient treble so that it actually sounded like music.
Pluses: The women's bathroom had toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, and didn't smell. There's karaoke in the back room, and a big noise drop-off when not on the dance floor (it is possible to have a conversation in the bar area).
$7 cover, $2 coat check.
I love the music. but man, the people there were something else to behold.
it was like 30 years back in high school again. each trying to out dress the other one in a sad little fashion parade of aging hipster still trying to cling on their last piece of youth by looking ridiculous in tight jeans, fedora hats and faded Smiths t shirts. remind me that when I have my midlife crisis to avoid this place like a man with the plague.
do you remember the first time? sadly I do. the dress code is depression and misery bc if you're not… Read more »
I love Leisure. I've only been going for about a year now, but I like it whether it's a Paradise Lounge or Annie's. Most people here aren't too obnoxious or stuck up. Bartenders make strong drinks and are friendly and succinct. I love the Brit Pop. Good place to dance.
Only one drawback. It's only on once a month -- first Sat. Really? Really?? Really?!? Maybe if it were open more frequently, it would be taken for granted. Whatever.
This place is just a great Britpop dance club (is there any other kind?) It's a great time in SF. One of SF's finest.
Let me mention that: LEISURE IS AT ANNIE'S SOCIAL CLUB, AND IT IS ONLY ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
We had a great time here, not only because the people that came were fairly diverse, but I'm also partial cause I'm a big britpop fan. The dancefloor was pretty kickin. I didn't get the chance to make it to the back room for the karaoke, but I did get the chance to see it around 9:30 before all the people showed up, and of course there was some chick back there belting it like she was up for a grammy...
And you gotta love when your friend makes out with some random dude... while she's recovering from strep :)
That's hot.
This is the most fun, dance-for-the-sheer-joy-of-it dance night i've experienced in SF. growing up in the heyday of britpop in 90s england, this takes me back to high school and it's awesome to find people who love it as much as i do. they do have a few songs on rotation, but it's kind of like seeing your favorite band a few times and having them play their hits. it just goes without saying that classics get more love.
don't miss it. the crowd is laid-back and friendly, the floor is always hopping, and you're bound to dance until those lights come on.
Really like the new location for Leisure, a britpop nightclub/dance club. Upstairs is a lot more roomy, with a bigger Karaoke room and a quieter room next to it with couches, windows on to the street, and a fireplace. British Pop karaoke you can't find anywhere else (Glasvegas! The Editors!!). Russell, the karaoke host, is rad. Minus one star for the cash only bar and the limited beer selection.
Took my lady out to Annie's for the britpop night, and we had a grand old time! The crowd's pretty much silly geeky hipsters, which is my kind of crowd... some dressed down, some dressed up, nobody seemed to look or feel out of place, and nobody cares if you don't know how to dance. ;)
The decor is fun too; dark red and black walls, baroque chandeliers, and a naked lady painting over the bar adds that touch of tongue-in-cheek class that tells you this isn't a place to take yourself too seriously.
There's not a lot of seating area, so be warned -- if you're going to dance your poor footsies off you may find yourself having to improvise a leaning location.
Cash only, modest cover. Token fee for coat check (you will get warm).
Adult Swim if you're into BritPop and don't want to play in the 18-and-over Popscene sandbox on Thursday nights. Aaron and Omar are fantastic DJs who play one treasure after another -- Joy Division, the Smiths, Blur, Oasis, the Cardigans, and Rolling Stones. Be still my Anglophile Heart.
Even last night's visit by the Jerk Store could not mar my good time. A guy with whom i had one date was there, and he and his Loser Entourage decided to make my friends and I as uncomfortable as possible by slamming into us and deliberately shoving me several times. When we eventually left, they followed us with their bikes. Ooh, I'm so scared! Sorry, ET was only a movie -- you cannot peddle fast enough to propel yourself airborne.
Seriously, people meet, date, and sometimes the chemistry does not gel. Connections are a two-way street and they are not a reflection of you. Don't take it personally or as an affront. We've all been there and the feeling of rejection sucks. I'm sorry it did not work out with us, but it was one date, okay? But stalking and harassment is NOT the way to my heart.
A charming dive full of friendly people. And when I say full, I mean sweaty hipsterdork pressed up against a sea of fellow sweaty hipsterdorks. Which made for great people-watching, but was challenging for actual dancing. Excellent tunes, mostly 80s-ish, but also more recent Britpop.
I really liked the style of the coatcheck chick who looked like she should be in a John Waters movie, and I mean that with great admiration; and the guy with the handlebar mustache and op-art British flag button down shirt. Those were the folks who work there.
As for the attendees, most of the guys wore either a shirt & tie in that sexy nerdy way or just a regular shirt in a more casual way, and both fit in just fine. The women were either decked out in retro-hipster-chic or just wore typical club clothes, either way totally cute. But not fake or plastic or intimidatingly beautiful. Some people really embraced the 80s aesthetic, like that woman who wore a business shirt with ruffles and a business skirt with hose. She looked like a really hot extra in that movie with Melanie Griffith where she's all 80s & in that office outsmarting Sigourney Weaver. I'm not sure if I say that with the utmost admiration or not, but I was certainly entranced by her style. I also really liked the guy who danced at the front of the stage who really embraced his inner emo rockstar. I think those two knew each other. I kind of loved them.
The music wasn't really dance music per se, but that didn't stop anyone from boppin' around. A LOT of people, all bobbing at once. It was all pretty vertical bopping in the interest of space.
If this place were less crowded, it would be my favorite place on earth. But I hate crowds, so I'm not sure if it's really the place for me.
My friend that was visiting from hawaii dragged me to this place because she saw a poster or something for it, and thought it sounded cool. I was actually kind of dreading it, but after about 3 minutes in there I absolutely loved the place.
I think that this is hands down the best club I have been to in the city when it comes to having a fun atmosphere, a cool crowd, great music, a decently sized dancefloor and fantastic music. Oh- and did I mention karaoke?!! Their drinks are also good and on the strong side. I definitely recommend going to Leisure at Annie's Social Club. We had a blast!
This is hands down the GREATEST night in the City. It's got the best music, the best crowd, REALLY STRONG DRINKS, a photobooth to document who you were making out with, Britpop karaoke in the back room, awesome mirrored bathroom stalls (on the outside, not the inside- that would be scary), sweet visuals and posters...yeah, it's like Christmas for Britpop geeks.
Highly recommended.
This is a very homogeneous scene-club. That scene is nerds. Super hot nerds. Everyone at Leisure seems to be having a good time and it has the potential to be a great event for all those "super cool and not-really-emo but sorta indie" kids that seem to fill the place.
The only problem is that everyone there is socially retarded so all of the dancing involves people bobbing up and down in small circles of friends. Looking at the dance floor visually it looks as if a junior high square dancing class got put in a trash compacter and then put to the soundtrack of Pulp.
Its your one night a month too meet new super hot nerds but you always go away with the people you came with. - I guess that's what common people do.
My 100th review!
Like others have said, this is a place to check out on occasion because of the similarity of songs played (brit-pop/new wave/early alt 90s - The Smiths, The Cure, The Cardigans).
Brit-pop karaoke sounds like a good idea until you hear just turned 21s stammering lines to The Smiths and everyone is forced to smile and clap to continue the momentum of the drunken revelry.
The crowd here sometimes gets a bit too packed to dance, but is more mature than the Popscene 18+ / Rickshaw Stop scene.
I haven't encountered many frat jerks here, and the coke usage at this 'club' isn't as excessive others (Blow Up!).
The only negative is that it gets way too hot and crowded that as it gets later the dance area feels like you're moving further into the shrinking distorted room at the Exploratorium (http://www.youtube.com...). Thankfully, to burst our personal dance bubbles, drinks are cheaper than normal club prices.
Brit pop heaven...
Five bucks to get into a venue that is far too infrequent here in the bay. Because of the lack of clubs that play music that is actually GOOD and isn't full of THUMP THUMP or back that ass up, I can do nothing but enthusiastically rave about Leisure.
So as I walk in for the first time, I hear Morrissey singing, "and if a double decker bus, crashes into us..." Ahh, my kind of place. The bar is fairly ample and I usually get nice large glasses of Jameson without waiting long at all. Good work bartenders!
In the back there is karaoke... KARAOKE! The sound system kinda sucks in there, but people were still giving it their all to Brit Pop delights and other not so delightful modern stuff (someone sung No Doubt). What's great is that the Karaoke thing is in a totally other room, as not to interfere with the other music played by the DJ. I'll have to say, the patrons aren't as good as those at the Mint, but the Mint karaoke crowed as in a league of their own... (meaning lots of time in front of a mirror with a brush in hand).
Anyway, the dance floor is great. I'm usually there with at least 6 others in a group and we have a blast dancing while belting all those hits you sing in the car. Key moments? Watch out for Common People, the crowed goes fanatic and MAKE SURE you know the words. Also, Dandy Warhols was kind of a show stopper... my friend said, "aren't they from Oregon?" Meaning, put the Brits back on. A bit snobbish, for sure, though it was true. But hey, if it's just the fucking Dandy Warhols that I have the complain about from the whole night of music, I should just shut up right now, because I'm an idiot. GOOD JOB DJ'S!!!
The last time I went, I took a friend of mine (Juan) and I was seriously getting tired since I had just came from Arcade Fire and a myriad of other destinations before hand. I couldn't for the life in me, drag Juan from the dance floor and back home. He kept saying, "but it's just a half hour!" And I kept responding, "I KNOW, what gives?!" In the end I'm glad I stayed. We did one final sing-a-long to Radiohead's "Just" and limped off the dance stage soaking wet (oh yeah, it's uber hot on the dance floor). Nearly caught a cold in the freezing SF fog, but when I got home, I looked at Juan and said, "we had a great night." He agreed.
4 stars because I can dance to The Smiths, Pulp and Blur...but minus a star because it is SO crowded I can barely move. It's really unfortunate that it's only once a month, otherwise I'm sure the crowd wouldn't be so huge.
First Saturday of the month at Annie's Social Club...
LOVE this club night. I used to live half a block away so it made stumbling home after one too many Spark's a lot easier.
Just shut up and dance.
Hosted by your friends at popscene Leisure is hands down my favorite monthly party. The DJ's here play a mix of mostly British music (with the odd Pixies or Dandy Warhols song thrown in) ranging from the 60's (Rolling Stones, The Who), the 70's (The Clash, The Buzzcocks), the 80's (New Order) a giant dose of the 90's (Oasis, Pulp, Blur,) and recent stuff (Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party).
The crowd is cool, everyone seems happy and just wants to drink and dance. The bar is good, cheap strong drinks with fast service.
so is this where all the dirty hipsters and wannabe hipsters hang out? actually, some of the clientele here are probably are products of the 90s, so it ain't that bad after all. being part of that latter group, i've gotta say leisure at annie's social club is guaranteed novel fun. there's a lot of cool nostalgia (and general silliness) that it invokes, all of which make for a good time.
i love the new addition of union jack off karaoke by the way, infusing the song list with a lot of new tunes that you can't wait to attempt to belt out.
Great music.
Hit this place up really late in our night and WOW, such good music! Seemed like everytime we wanted to take a break and get a drink another good song came on and we rushed back to the dance floor. Had good vibes from the people inside too. We loved it.
kind of a scenster/hipster/almost under age geek place.....
good music, go with friends since no one most likely will talk to you...
pseudo modish....
I never thought I would find a place that would think dancing to Belle & Sebastian was cool, but I found it!!!
Other favorites during this Brit-Pop dance night on the first Saturdays of the month: Supergrass, Oasis, Elastica, The Cardigans, Blur, The Beatles, Pulp, New Order, Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, etc.
And if you don't like Morrissey or The Smiths, then you probably shouldn't go.... they are big fans.
The cover and drinks are also reasonably priced!
Leisure's 2nd Anniversary ROCKED!
They should have a band everytime!!
Good people, Good Vibe...
Leisure @ Annie's Social Club Rules!!!
AugustuS
Oh hells yes! Everyone is old like me, the music is great, and you can actually park in this neighborhood! For the first time in ages, I went out dancing didn't get tired/bored/annoyed until almost 2am. And you just have to love the people watching.
I've been coming here for a while and it's always a guaranteed good time. Yes, the songs sometimes get a bit old when you go often, but it beats most clubs any night. They play stuff from Oasis, Pulp, The Smiths, The Cure, etc. The people who go always get dolled up and I enjoy eye candy just as much as the next guy. I don't want to go to no club with ugly people! j/k. It tends to get crowded around 11pm so if you are serious about getting your dance on, then come early. You can also come early and entertain yourself and friends by doing the punk rock karaoke in the small back room. My friend Britpop Bill is the KJ so show him some love and tip the brother! afterall, he does get stuck in the back listening to all the drunk people singing terribly and does a fabulous job of pretending he enjoys every second of it!
This place has been compared to a better, more grown-up Popscene, and I agree with that -- but what really sets Leisure apart from other dance clubs is that it offers karaoke in the back. Other people's reviews are spot-on when they mention the laid-back atmosphere of Leisure's demographic and I'd give the place 5 stars if it weren't for the searing-hot dancing room. It's literally 20 degrees warmer in there.
Good music, cute enough crowd, & karaoke in the back. The perfect description for this club is, "Popscene for the 21 & over crowd." (I like that it doesn't have bands playing!)
It is hot in there. Good music and good times though. It reminds me of Popscene. It probably helped that I was wasted but I had so much fun. Cover is pretty cheap and drinks are decently priced. I have already made plans to go back and rock that dance floor.
A Popscene production for the 21+ crowd held at Cherry bar...Brit Pop, '90's indie hits as well as indie hits of today for $5. Preferable to Popscene at 330 Rich only because the crowd is older. It is missing the live performances that Popscene offers.
Great start to the night with some classic britpop tunes. However, it started to go downhill fast once they started repeating songs they had just played an hour or so earlier...
2 for 1 drinks
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