Black Rhythm Happening

Join us Friday June 30th for a very special BRH. Featuring a performance by poet and muralista and a special set by LA’s most in-demand DJ ! Head down to the at 9pm for a special mix of all-vinyl R&B, Soul, Funk, Afro-Funk, Disco and more. Sounds of Black resistance and joy brought to you every month by and . See you on the dance floor! 🎶🥳🎧⁣
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About Flavia: ⁣
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Flavia Elisa Mora is a q***r, Mexican migrant artivist, raised in La Mission, San Francisco. Amongst her interdisciplinary art practice, her main two focuses are muralismo and poesía. Flavia is a published writer, she has performed poetry throughout the Bay Area, and is one of the lead artists for the mural, “Alto al Fuego en la Misión” located on 24th and Capp. Her passions for both muralismo and spoken word poetry collide through her understanding that both forms are vessels for preserving history, intergenerational healing tools, and expressions of the soul.⁣
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About Clifton:⁣
DJ Clifton Weaver, a.k.a. DJ Soft Touch, is tight behind the turntables in more ways than one. A sharp dresser with impeccable selections, Clifton has showcased his singular style as a DJ at Southern California’s biggest parties for over a decade and remains one of the most sought-after selectors in California nightlife. ⁣
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Clifton also spent 11 years working crowds of phenomenal dancers at L.A.’s biggest soul and raw funk dance party, Funky Sole.⁣
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Clifton’s deep roots in Los Angeles’ soul community and superb taste in everything from funk to Bollywood, Afrobeat to ‘60s go-go and Britpop, have landed him gigs opening for Daptone Records legends such as Charles Bradley at The Getty, and setting the scene for Mayer Hawthorne, Adrian Younge, and Stones Throw’s Peanut Butter Wolf. As a member of Love Grenades, Clifton opened for Janelle Monae and his current band, The Mercury Wheel, backed by Nolan Porter.

Join Black Rhythm Happening on Friday, July 30th as we welcome two creative powerhouses. Selector (Super Soul Shakedown, Super Soul Sunday’s, Funky Sole) joins us all the way from LA and will bring his signature mix of all-vinyl Soul, Raw Funk, Bollywood and Afro Jazz. ⁣🎧
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And we can’t wait to open this beautiful night with local artist and poet ’s creative genius. Flavia is a q***r, Mexican migrant artivist, raised in La Mission, San Francisco. Amongst her interdisciplinary art practice, her main two focuses are muralismo and poesía. ⁣ 🎶
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Flavia is a published writer, she has performed poetry throughout the Bay Area, and is one of the lead artists for the mural, “Alto al Fuego en la Misión” located on 24th and Capp. Her passions for both muralismo and spoken word poetry collide through her understanding that both forms are vessels for preserving history, intergenerational healing tools, and expressions of the soul. 🖊 📝

We’ve missed you, world. BRH returns this Juneteenth to celebrate the ancestors. , , . ❤️🥳🎉

In honor of Texas Titan Barbara Lynn and International Women’s Day, the BRH crew will bring you a curated selection of WOC songstresses tomorrow ! Join and from 10 pm to hear only the finest and rawest 45 selections!

This Sunday at The Knockout! ❤️

This Saturday evening the BRH crew crosses the bridge for a special East Bay Evening! Join and as we spin only the finest and rarest rhythm and blues and soul 45s! All vinyl, all night long! 9:30-1:30 and fully free! 🎼🎧🎊

♥️🧡Vote Gloria BERRY for San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee 2020, we are!🧡♥️ ~MV

Such a special evening, thank you so much to the joined forces that came out to support Gloria BERRY for San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee 2020 last night.
Our speakers who shared their support for Gloria, thank you for your time and compassion: M. Lacey, Shahid Buttar for Congress, Jackie Fielder for State Senate 傑基. 菲爾德, Westbrook, Ben Becker.
My DJ sisters Lis Owuor, and Noel Dunlap for helping organize and share your vinyl joy.
Friends Paul Costuros, King, Heidi Chiao, SF, and so many more... every little bit of your support goes noticed and is warmly appreciated 🥰!
Happy Birthday to Brina Mack!!! Hope we weren’t too outta tune 😁.
Last but not least, Gloria’s amazing campaign manager, Williams, for glueing everything together so positively!
~MV

TONIGHT after raising funds during happy hour for DCCC Candidate Gloria Berry , join and as they spin with Slow Jams resident . 10pm ! 🎼🎧

Tonight the BRH brings you a special double feature! First we head to the KO before joining behind the decks at Slow Jams. Catch us at 6:30 as we raise funds for DCCC candidate Gloria Berry.

“Gloria Berry is a Bayview resident, Grandmother, Navy Veteran, and formerly worked in Corrections at San Quentin where she promoted nonviolent de-escalation. In her life’s journey, she has had to rise-up from experiencing homelessness, chronic illness, sexism and racism.

As a candidate running for the Democratic County Central Committee in 2020, Gloria knows that the San Francisco Democratic Party must represent voters who want to see fundamental change.” Brought to you by residents and , featuring special guest and BRH fam member !
@ Mission District, San Francisco

TONIGHT ! Featuring homie, BRH fam member, and special guest DJ Abrilita ()! Needle drops at 10. All vinyl, all night long & only the finest selections in rhythm and blues, soul, funk and more! Brought to you every second Sunday of the month by and !

Our 1-year anniversary party was a special evening dedicated to intentional community-building in honor of the late Dr. King! Many thanks to bands This Train Don't Stop and Calafia Armada, and beloved friend and BRH fam member Brown Amy for joining us on stage and behind the decks.

On another note, February is a busy month for the BRH crew! THIS Sunday, we're back at The Knockout for our monthly do Black Rhythm Happening : Special Guest ABRILITA (yes, we can't wait to have April Garcia join us!). You can also catch us early on Feb. 18th as we raise funds for former Navy veteran, grandmother, and Bayview resident Gloria Berry for DCCC - Fundraiser Dance Party. That's a busy night for us, as we'll also be joining Primo Pitino later that evening to hold down the low and slow soul tunes at Slow Jams. Am I still typing? Yes, I'm still typing. And finally, we'll round out February with a special East Bay edition of BRH at the one and only Radio on Saturday Feb. 29th! Come for one or come for all, just come! All photos by Amani Hope.

Stay tuned for photos from our very special 1-year anniversary party soon! But until then... stop by new spot BARbarella SF to catch Spread Love with, Guillermo (Sweater Funk, Spill the Wine), DJ Noel (Down To Funk / Sweater Funk) and BRH’s own Maria Victoria (Bay City Soul/ Black Rhythm Happening). They’ll be spinning funk, soul & disco in a ‘60s sci-fi themed lounge in the Tenderloin. It's an early mid-week affair, 8 to midnight. No cover. Come through!

TONIGHT ! BRH celebrates its 1-year anniversary! Featuring live performances by , .sf plus special guest ! Hosted by your residents and . Needle drops at 9pm. $7 at the door. In honor of Dr. King’s legacy and our solidarity with , we’ll have a donation jar on stage. 100% of those proceeds will go to their fight for housing justice! ❤️🎧🎼💪🏾 @ The Knockout

San Francisco soul band, .sf, plays good music that makes people dance. Fronted by three dynamic vocalists, Lydia Walker (Lydia & the Projects), Marvin Hollins and Ashley Walter (both of the Wicked Mercies), the entire TTDS line-up consists of musicians whose roots are firmly grounded in soul, R&B, country, funk and punk. This Train Don’t Stop is known throughout the Bay Area for their high-energy, dance party-starting performances. Catch the band LIVE on stage TOMORROW (MLK Sunday 01/19)! The band joins local live act and for a very special BRH 1-year anniversary party ! All vinyl, all night long! Spinning only the finest and rarest rhythm and blues, soul, funk, Afro-Latinx, and more! Hosted by residents and . $9pm, $7 at the door! 🎼🎧❤️ @ Knockout

Calafia Armada is a diverse collective of performers telling the story of the first and only Black warrior queen of California through the rhythms and melodies of the Caribbean coast of Colombia and Mexico. Catch this talented, diverse group of musicians LIVE on stage this MLK Sunday 01/19! The band joins local live act This Train Don't Stop and and DJ Brown Amy for a very special BRH 1-year anniversary party The Knockout! All vinyl, all night long! Spinning only the finest and rarest rhythm and blues, soul, funk, Afro-Latinx, and more! Hosted by residents Maria Victoria and Dizzy Miss Lizzy (Lis Owuor).$9pm, $7 at the door! 🎼🎧❤️

has been djing in the Bay for 10 years and is a co-founder and DJ of Hard French and member of Chulita Vinyl Club. She’s a record collector at heart but loves the technical aspect of spinning and sharing music. Catch Amy live on the decks THIS MLK Sunday 01/29 as we celebrate our first birthday! Amy joins residents and on the decks with live bands and .sf providing some musical healing. Needle drops at 9pm! $7 at the door to support our local music creators. 🎧🎼 @ The Knockout

Birthed in 2019 by Maria Victoria and Dizzy Miss Lizzy, Black Rhythm Happening was founded with one mission in mind: we wanted to bring people together with the healing and spiritually edifying power of Black music. And we wanted to do it loud, at 45 revolutions per minute, with the tactile joy of vinyl as our medium of choice.

One year later, we’ve done just that - from our homebase at The Knockout to the shores of Italy, it’s been truly inspiring to spin the sonic joy of four decades of rhythm and blues, soul, funk and more. Join us for a very special birthday celebration on Sunday, Jan. 19th (MLK Sunday!) as we welcome local music creators DJ Brown Amy, Calafia Armada, and This Train Don’t Stop to grace the KO stage. To commemorate this special evening, the needle drops at 8pm! 🍾🎊✊🏾

Who is Mr. Vernard Atkins? Just one Mr. Boogaloo Souldog, that is! Join us on December 8 at The Knockout to hear him spin that signature sound: Funk, Soul and more...all on vinyl! Hosted, as always, by your main selectresses Maria Victoria and Dizzy Miss Lizzy (Lis Owuor).

BRH’s own Dizzy Miss Lizzy will be channeling Junior Wells’ this Thursday at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts! As always: spinning only the finest and rarest rhythm and blues, soul and more at 45 raw revolutions per minute. 5-8 pm. FREE!

Thanks to Brown Amy for hooking this one up. She’s stealth mode amplifying and lifting up WOC DJs in the Bay and beyond. Flyer: Mohair Sam. ✊🏾🎼🎧🎶🥰

Dick has lots of lovely 45s just in! Pay that rent then stop in!!!

Nov 10 Sunday, is our next “Black Rhythm Happening,” lovelies,.
And, if our send off is any indication of our homecoming, then you’re in for a real get loose!...not too mention we brought back a whole lotta Italian afterglow from our trip... 😘🇮🇹❤️🔥

Fresh from our Saturday gig , is now off to an intimate set in Trieste, Italy with ! And stay tuned for more raw 45-centric sound at this Saturday’s Pordenone Soul Allnighter! 🎧🎼 @ Trieste, Italy

This Thursday in Trieste, Italy! and Maria Victoria () will be reuniting in the afterglow of “Dig This Alldayer Milan,” with Andrea Manzoni, , and Barbara Loren for “Viva Soul Session 26.” Such a lovely warm welcome from our Italian friends to the northeast of Italy, before we are off to thee “Pordenone Soul All-nighter!” @ Trieste, Italy

“Black Rhythm Happening” ...happened in Milan!!!
Can’t give enough stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ to Fabio Conti and Enrico for inviting us to your living room!
Thank you to Andrea and Mitja for sharing the decks. All the DJs had different sounds yet complimentary all at the same time, a true family. It was a very, very special night for both of us. ❤️ Until next time.... 😘😘😘love you Milan! ~Lizzy & MV

First stop MILAN...then to PORDENONE... see all you lovelies on the dance floor!

Next week the BRH crew heads to Milan! Join us on Saturday, October 12 as we tear down the house with a collection of OG soul, funk, and rhythm and blues 45s sourced from all over the globe. ⁣
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But first, our neighborhood haunt will host us TONIGHT! Stop by to get a preview of our EU set before we take to the skies! As always, only the finest and rarest 45s from across four decades of black rhythm! 🥰🎼🎉🎧🎤

“Lord I'm going to the party
Gonna have some fun
Gonna shake and shout
Until the morning calls.”

- Sugar Pie DeSanto, Soulful Dress

Slip into your Soulful Dress THIS Sunday for ! Always at , always FREE, and always spinning the rarest and finest Rhythm and Blues, Soul, and Funk 45s. Featuring BRH co-founders and resident DJs and . Needle drops at 10pm! 🎧🎤🎼 @ The Knockout

Bay City Soul Maria Victoria Ahearne, Vernard Atkins, and Ben Sidran supporting your local record store exchanging goods!
See you all this Sunday @ Black Rhythm Happening!:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1099095640281448/?ti=icl

Bay City Soul Maria Victoria Ahearne, Vernard Atkins, and Ben Sidran supporting your local record store exchanging goods!
See you all this Sunday @ Black Rhythm Happening!

DJing with Noel was such a pleasure, I truly hope to do it again- what a lovely person and amazing collection of 45s!
Lis Owuor was missed as she held it down in Vancouver, djing the Kelly Finnigan show. Thank you Keith for settin that up and Paul for fillin’ in last minute! -MV
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Tonight! With resident DJs Maria Victoria and . Featuring very special guest ! At the . The needle drops at 10pm! 🎶🎶🎶

Saying hello to Dick, always an afternoon delight!

Before our regularly scheduled Sunday fun at the Knockout, BRH’s Dizzy Miss Lizzy stops by Vancouver to spin a few 45s with Keith McCafferty at the Kelly Finnigan show!

Black Rhythm Happening sends a hearty thank you to the lady selectors , and , who all donated their time and DJ skills last Saturday at . With the help of both online and offline donations, we raised over $1500 dollars for Mother Brown’s mission to open a homeless shelter in SF’s Bayview-Hunter’s Point neighborhood! • •

On another note, join us for the next at THIS Sunday, June 14th for another round of women-led, vinyl-centric DJ sets. We’re thrilled to host special guest , a selector of the finest order and member of the Sweater Funk crew. ❤️🎶

@ ELI'S MILE HIGH CLUB

Love you Oakland and Global Soul Fam! ❤️👊🏼

Heartfelt thank you to the 2nd Annual Bay Area Soul Weekender for throwing down such a delicious weekend! Tight organizing by Suavecito Souldies, Alcatraz Soul Club, and Sweater Funk crews! It was fun saying goodbye with a cozy open decks rotation of friends. 'Til next year....😘kisses, Lis & Maria Victoria

📸: Linney