Dirtybird Made a Grand Hometown Return at Dirtybird Players SF

The spirit of Dirtybird was alive and thriving in San Francisco as the flock celebrated Claude VonStroke during the Dirtybird Players’ stop at The Midway.

Since the inception of Dirtybird in 2005, the Bay Area has remained smitten with the label, its talented artists, and the community that has been fostered. In recent years however, the Dirtybird has seen tragedy fall upon their community, first, through the closing of the Dirtybird Quarterly’s resident San Francisco venue, the Mezzanine, and the recent cancellation of the beloved Dirtybird Campout this year. Since then, the San Franciso house scene has felt a gaping hole in its heart where Dirtybird used to be, but the stop on the Dirtybird Players tour served as a testament to the community and what it means to the city.

Last weekend, the Dirtybird Players tour made a hometown stop in San Francisco at The Midway, just in time to celebrate Dirtybird founder Claude VonStroke’s birthday. With a banging lineup including n808, Mike Kerrigan, VNSSA, Choopsie, and Mary Droppinz, we knew we were in for a good time. n808 kicked it off in the main room with some minimal house to get people moving as the crowd filled in to start the night off right. With his tasteful tune selection, this local star knew how to get the room into a mood.

As the side room kicked off, fans realized that Choopsie would not be in attendance. Filling in, however, was Dirtybird label manager Deron Delgado, who truly brought the funk. Deron got down with some funk, disco, and more and had the side stage grooving like nobody’s business. Meanwhile, Mike Kerrigan took to the stage in the main room and commandeered the room with some fast breaks to keep hearts pumping. It was clear that the Dirtybird community was out in full force around me as the night progressed.

Photo Credit: Amanda Lynn Fabian

From Dirtybird merch and party hats to funky outfits with their signature vests to nonstop dancing and grooving, the Dirtybird community was out and ready to party.

VNSSA soon stole the spotlight with effortless crowd control, dropping some crowd favorites, like a snippet of Hot Since 82‘s remix of Green Velvet‘s “Bigger Than Prince” and a techno remix of “Rave Grave.” At that moment, VNSSA transformed the Midway into what felt like a discoteca rave, with bodies gyrating, the air around us heating up, and nothing but the music on our minds. For a second, it felt like we were back at the Mezzanine with no worries in sight.

For the main event, the Dirtybird family came together on stage to sing a happy birthday to the guest of honor as Claude VonStroke segued into his set.

Claude VonStroke took over and kept the party going strong until 3am. Throughout the rest of the night, I became very aware of how different the atmosphere was from most other events. We’d encountered no cliques, creeps, or excessively rude crowd pushing. The vibes were high, everyone was in great spirits, and people were just there to dance. At one moment, I found myself in a state of euphoria and looked around me to realize I was surrounded by a handful of people dancing alone around me, vibing with each other and being themselves freely. The fact remains, there ain’t no party like a Dirtybird party.

Photo Credit: Amanda Lynn Fabian

The Dirtybird Players’ stop in San Francisco was truly something special.

Not only was this a night with celebration in the air, but it was a moment of togetherness that the Dirtybird community had been sorely missing. While Dirtybird events may be sparse in California at the moment, the community is still alive and well, keeping the spirit alive in all its glory. The energy from this night is something we’ll remember for years to come when we reflect on why this multi-faceted brand means so much to us.

Fortunately for fans, the Dirtybird Players SF tour stop was followed by the announcement of the tour’s second part, which includes stops in Detroit, Las Vegas, New York, and more. Tickets are available now for all future stops on their official website. Get yours now to experience the Dirtybird spirit one more time!

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