I’m not sure if this is really LOUIE-related topic, but next month, there’s going to be a major 2-day celebration to honor the late Dirk Dirksen, the “pope of San Francisco punk rock.” Here’s a couple of flyers for these shows:
To recycle a press release…
“DIRK FEST”, a tribute to the “Pope of Punk”, Dirk Dirksen (1937-2006) will be held on Thursday, June 7th, at Slim’s, and Friday, June 8th at the Great American Music Hall, In San Francisco. The show will feature reunion performances by many of the great bands who once graced the stage of the Mabuhay Gardens back in the heyday of punk rock in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Tickets are going fast, but are still available!
Last November, Dirk Dirksen, the punk rock impresario who ran San Francisco’s Mabuhay Gardens, also known as the “Fab Mab”, and later the On Broadway during its heyday in the ’70s and 80’s, died in his sleep with a smile on his face at the age of 69. This June 7th and 8th, Dirk’s friends and colleagues will host “Dirk Fest” to pay tribute to Dirk and help raise funds to pay off his final expenses and for the preservation of his rare archive of videotaped performances, photos, posters, and other punk memorabilia.
Thursday, June 7th, Slim’s:
Pearl Harbor and the Explosions, Toiling Midgets, The Lewd, The Sea Hags, The Rubber City Rebels, The Symptoms, Ron Jones spoken word poet (w/ Megan Bierman), DJ Denise Demise, Film shorts by Karl Hinz, Emceeing the show is V. Vale (of RE/Search Publications and The Counter Culture Hour) and Spencer (of the DNA Lounge).Friday, June 8th – Dirk Fest at GAMH:
Emcee- Jello Biafra, The Avengers, SF Mutant Non-Allstars (w/Naomi Ruth Eisenberg), The Contractions, The White Trash Debutants (w/ the fabulous Jon Gries “Uncle Rico” of Napoleon Dynamite), No Alternative (w/ Chip Kinman of the Dils and Rank and File), Dana Albert (musician/poet), DJ Denise Demise, Film shorts by Karl Hinz, Special Guest, Ness Aquino, the original owner of the Mabuhay Gardens restaurant which Dirk helped transform into the “Fab Mab.”
Dirk was a great guy, and I’m very proud to have worked with him, videotaping various punk rock shows, and some performances with the San Francisco Mime Troupe. There’s gonna be a lotta tears shared for this lovable old curmudgeon who left us way too soon. I look forward to attending this event and seeing a lot of old friends..
For more information, you can check out the official DirkFest MySpace page, or send an email to my friend Kathy Peck, the main organizer of this event.
– E. P.