Yesterday I was going to cover another concert in San Francisco. When I learned the venue was going to be Slim's - it was like finding an old friend on Facebook. My history with Slim's is a long one. Slim's which was opened in 1988 by legendary R & B Artist; Boz Scaggs and was right around the time that I was going to concerts on a 3 x week basis. Slim's was my favorite place to see concerts since it would book big name acts but you would be able to see them in an intimate setting. I could remember that it was always a clean nightlcub with very good service at the bar as well as a balcony where you could order some "good eats" and kick back and watch a great show.
It has been at least 10 years since my last visit to Slim's and when I turned down 11th Street and saw the familiar neon Slim's sign I was growing more excited to visit my old friend and wondered how it may have changed. For this concert, it was a lineup of Puddle of Mudd and two opening bands; The Veer Union and Burn Halo. My son Ryan is a big Puddle of Mudd fan and he when he stood in line next to me, he commented how he couldn't believe that it was a smaller venue. The thought of watching a concert from the front stage and not having a 10' spacer betweent the crowd and the stage was increasing his excitement by the minute.
They had the security patdown at the door and we had to check the camera that we brought. I never remember having either of those experiences there but I was ready to check it out. As soon as I walked up the stairs to the open floor, my mind flooded with memories of awesome concerts long forgotten. It was nice to see that it really didn't change much. Slim's was like Dick Clark, the years went by but it was hard to tell the wear and tear of it. I looked around and saw the balcony filling up with concert-goers who were ordering dinners, there were the die hard PoM fans right up at the stage ready for action. The setup of the venue is really ideal for all types of fans. You have a long L-shaped bar that runs the length of the open floor. You then have a small area with high chairs and tables near the bar area. Towards the back of the nightclub are stairs that lead you to a balcony with tables for dinner or just to sit back and enjoy the show from above.
We found some seats at a table near the bar and ordered some appetizers. The service was exceptional and to my surprise; good food. I have been to concert halls where the last thing on their mind is offering good food. It seems they are more interested in running up the bar tab than providing good service or good food. That is not the case at Slim's. They had great drinks and great food and our server was pleasant.
I have to tell you it is every bit as great as it was in the late 1980's! If you have not been to Slim's before, you will have to check it out. They have acts throughout the week as well as the weekend so I am sure you will find something to fit your schedule. Later I will tell you about the concert but I felt that Slim's deserved their own post!
Great Job Slim's! Just like those old friends you find on Facebook, I will make more of an effort to revive our friendship by visiting often.
If you would like more information on Slim's you can check out their website at http://www.slims-sf.com/ They are located at 333 11th Street San Francisco, CA
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