Popscene Turns 10

Popscene Turns 10

Making The Scene: Aidin Vaziri | For the past decade (actually, it all started at Cat's Grill and Alley Club in 1995 but with all the late nights and potent cocktails, who has time to keep track of actual anniversaries?), Popscene has catered to an evergreen clique of Bay Area Anglophiles. Every Thursday, college-age kids with vintage Fred Perry polos, Mick Jagger-style shags, black nail polish, tight jeans and skinny ties storm the dance floor to shimmy to the latest import singles, Britpop staples and even unsigned bands Axelson happens to come across at the station. In any given hour, patrons might hear Blur, the Rolling Stones, Duran Duran, Franz Ferdinand and Fatboy Slim alongside English-influenced local acts such as Scissors for Lefty and Every Move a Picture. Or they might get to consort with their heroes, as members of New Order, the Smiths and Pulp drop by to mingle, drink and maybe spin a few records. "From the very beginning, we wanted to make it feel like you were hanging out in your living room with a band," Omar Perez says of the party that served as the catalyst for acts like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and the Rapture.