Both Oasis and the Eagle Tavern are reopening indoors and out this weekend for the first time since the pandemic began, bringing LGBTQ nightlife back to SoMa in time for Pride.
While a few of the remaining LGBTQ venues in SoMa have been open for at least a couple of weeks — The Powerhouse and Driftwood both did outdoor cocktails through the spring and are now open inside, and now Hole in the Wall and The Lone Star Saloon have reopened as well — two of the biggest venues in the neighborhood remained dark for far too long. But this weekend, they both come alive again.
SFist reported earlier this month that Oasis, the six-year-old nightclub and cabaret venue at 11th and Folsom, would be hosting its grand reopening on Pink Saturday. The club's Princess party relaunches on June 26, with drag performances and dancing, and it will likely be crowded with fans eager to return to this beloved space. (Oasis was open for outdoor dining and some masked drag shows last summer and fall, but it's been fully closed since November.)
Owner D'Arcy Drollinger explained that the roof deck has been reconfigured, and that the front bar has been renovated, with a new stage added. And on Pride Sunday, there will be a day-into-night roof party at Oasis as well, with a dance party downstairs, just like old times.
With the reopening comes a slate of new parties and cabaret performances, including the formerly all-online, all-Black drag show Reparations, hosted by Nicki Jizz, which kicks off Friday, July 9. As Ms. Jizz tells KQED this week, she hopes that fans will bring their dollars and "put your money where your black square is," referring to everyone who replaced their profile pics with black squares in solidarity with Black Lives Matter last year.
"Everyone put a Black Lives Matter message in their bio but immediately went back to posting thirst traps,” she says. "This is not just a fad. This is not just a summer thing. This is a forever thing. We need to support Black arts every day."
See the full calendar of upcoming Oasis shows and parties here, and note that the July 10 edition of Princess will feature Rupaul's Drag Race star Gottmik.
In newer news, the Eagle announced that it is reopening tonight, Friday, June 25, and it will be open all weekend long for the first time since March 2020. As Hoodline reports, after some renovations and a fresh coat of paint outside, the SF Eagle is having its grand reopening bash starting at 9 p.m. — and on Sunday is the return of DJ Bus Station John's party, Disco Daddy.
The Eagle also recently received landmark status from the city's Historic Preservation Commission — something that only one other still-operating LGBTQ bar in the city, Twin Peaks, has received.
The Eagle is one of several gay bars around the country with ties to the leather community to share that name, though none of these bars are officially affiliated. Opened in 1981, the Eagle has been a continuous center of San Francisco's leather scene ever since, save for the two-year period between 2011 and 2013 when it was closed and changed ownership.
Elsewhere in SoMa, there are a slew of other Pride parties happening, some at venues that are not full-time LGBTQ spaces. There are parties Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night at Monarch (6th and Mission), including tonight's Go BANG! Pride party. There are also parties all three days at DNA Lounge, including Fake & Gay on Saturday night — an 18+ party featuring hostess Honey Balenciaga (from Legendary Season 2). Audio is hosting Hot Tea on Sunday, featuring DJs Dan Slater, Marvin Ayy, and Allysson Luis. The Lone Star will be having a bear-friendly patio party with DJ Paul Goodyear.
And Driftwood is having a Pride Sunday party as well, which is free and starts at 2 p.m.
Top image: Tommy Gunn via leathermentravel/Instagram