Wax Motif Dispels San Francisco Doom Loop Narrative at Downtown Event, On Ellis

Every third Thursday, a free rave synthesis of local businesses and promoters called On Ellis is catalyzing a new nightlife zone featuring big names and local talent.

On a cool fall evening in downtown San Francisco, just a couple of blocks north of the busy Moscone Center, a new event has cemented itself in the heart of the city on Ellis Street. One of the five new entertainment zones that allow open alcohol containers resulted from a partnership between On Ellis, NPU Live, John’s Grill, 620 Jones, and The Midway SF.

At the official second event hosted on Ellis Street, Wax Motif helped bring several thousand ravers downtown for a one-night-only event. The liberal, new entertainment zones have become a rallying point for young people to gather and change the narrative of San Francisco’s “doom loop” that has permeated the news media during the city’s pandemic recovery.

Situated at the conjunction of where Ellis begins at Market Street, the block is perfectly cordoned off by the Powell Street Cable Car, a San Francisco staple tourist trap. It made for a hilarious backdrop as confused tourists whisked by backstage to their final stop to hopefully join the crowd.

Despite the presence of various vices at the event, it truly was an all-ages show. One lucky, young girl on her father’s shoulders, wearing a pashmina and crown from a Burger King around the corner, got a shout-out from Wax and was invited up on stage for a photo at the end of his set.

Photo Credit: Slvcker

The openers, Hudson Hazard and Jai Bae Bae, got to enjoy the sunset glow for their sets — but it was direct support for Wax from DWATA that helped whip up the crowd. Born and raised in the Philippines, she’s now a rising star in the local SF scene. The crowd responded in kind with several cheers to encourage her.

Playing for two hours, Wax Motif showcased the full range of his production work and remixes to an enthusiastic crowd hungry for more. The track that truly sent them surging was his newest release, “Gimme That Money,” with nearly everyone singing along to the chorus of Kelis’ “Baby I Got Your Money.”

In addition to the outdoor bars and John’s Grill serving as a VIP section in the street, there were food trucks and vendors selling art as well as local and vintage clothing. John Konstin Jr., Owner of John’s Grill and Founder of On Ellis stated, “Dance music has always been a part of San Francisco’s identity. We are proud to be bringing energy, music, and vibes to downtown SF’s recovery.”

All in all, the production was well managed, the street jam packed, and only a few tourists and locals seemed miffed trying to move through the crowd to get back to their hotel or apartment. Hopefully, they won’t mind the new zone, and time will tell if these once-a-month, city-approved raves will be the boon to the local economy that everyone on Ellis needs right now.

There’s no reason San Francisco can’t be the dance music capital of the West Coast. Events like On Ellis help make downtown SF somewhere people want to live, work, and vibe. We’re thrilled to be contributing to a city we love, and are grateful for our incredible partners at 620 Jones and NPU.
On Ellis Producer Scotty Jacobs

Photo Credit: Mark Whalen

Changing the Narrative

Headlines suggesting that San Francisco is on the brink of failure are nothing new. Though the city is a virtual roller coaster built on the booms and busts of industrial and tech phases, if anything, this could be the opening chapter of the city’s revitalization.

“The West Coast’s New York City” has a social media-connected mayor and is capitalizing on a historic rave scene in the city to bring together civic partners and promoters for something new. Now, On Ellis’ Downtown Third Thursdays look to capitalize on the momentum of the other entertainment zones.

Not just the city, but the entire region seems to be benefiting from these partnerships. Both the Midway and NPU Live recently hosted LP Giobbi and Bonobo in Napa Valley. The stage utilized for Khalid in Golden Gate Park got a double use as the endpoint for Diplo’s Run Club that same morning.

Clearly, both promoters are deeply invested in changing the “doom loop” narrative. Their next planned event will host Sara Landry at the Palace of Fine Arts before they bring the Tulum vibes of Zamna to their flagship venue in November, as well as another edition of Third Thursdays.

No opportunity comes without risk, but greater is the risk of feeding into the narrative that SF has flatlined. All the artists, promoters, stagehands, DJs, and photographers who all came together to make this event happen told a different story. The future of SF nightlife is bright on Ellis, and I’m already looking forward to their announcement for next month.

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