EndUp : Disco Clubs at DiscoMusic.com

Disco » Discotheques and Clubs of the 1970s/80s » EndUp

EndUp

6th and Harrison, San Francisco, California, US

EndUp The EndUp is to San Francisco what San Francisco is to the rest of the world: as infamous as it is famous, it survives against all odds because it has always known its future by knowing its past.

The EndUp is one of those rare places where DJ's celebrate the art of playing to a devoted crowd. Many of the patrons have been regulars for more than 10 years, and much of the staff has worked there longer. The Endup has been recognized by the mayor, featured in Armistead Maupin's "Tales of the City" and is mentioned in the title of Miss Polly's book, "I Found God at the Endup".

The EndUp, at 6th and Harrison, is in the same space that it was in when Al Henken opened it in 1973. Physically, the main layout of the club looks the same, including the large roundabout wood bar in the front room. But other things have changed, the old plastic "Saturday Night Fever" dancefloor that was covered with scuff marks was removed and replaced with a solid wooden floor.

In the seventies the EndUp was a seven night a week gay disco with go-go- boys and "wet jockey short " contests. The Endup served as a "coming out" bar for a lot of boys at that time. There was a good mix from the East Bay that came in.
Construction of the patio deck also started at that time. 1980

EndUp Now a decision was about to be made that would change the EndUp in a profound way. The staff thought it would be a good idea to open the EndUp at 6am on Sunday mornings so people could come to the club for after-after hours. They thought San Francisco should have a morning "sleaze" club like the Anvil in New York. People could come in the morning and stay all day for T-dance. Well, it happened...

The EndUp was opened on Sunday mornings at 6am. This was the beginning of "Church", a phenomenon that still goes on to this day. DJ Glenn Judd slowly built up the morning until Steve Fabus was brought in from the Trocadero to play.

Steve Fabus became the EndUp Sunday morning resident DJ for the next three years. There was Garage groove in the morning with records like the Stylistics "Drivin Me Wild", D-Train's "You're the One For Me" and Junior's "Mama Used To Say".

EndUp George Ferren, director of the Top 25 DJ Pool, came on after Steve at 2pm and played till 8pm. Steve and George built up an all-day solid Sunday at the EndUp.

Sundays were an institution at the EndUp. Many great DJ's played there in the early years including, Rob Kimbel, Lester Temple, Randy Tyler, and Tommy Rogers. Later in the late 80's, Alec Cunningham had a devoted following along with Aaron O. and Larry Larue.
---We pay our respects to Rob, Randy,Tommy, Alec, Larry and Aaron. All these DJ's succumbed to AIDS.

With a soulful urban sound already established at the EndUp it was natural that it would evolve as a home for House music. The EndUp is now a revered club that is internationally recognized for House. Two major resident DJ's that started playing at the EndUp in the early to mid nineties are David Harness and Ruben Mancias. David Harness plays Sunday "Church" afternoons at the EndUp. Ruben Mancias produces "Devotion" at the EndUp on Sunday nights. Ruben is the resident DJ at Devotion and brings in weekly guests. Tony Humphries..Louie Vega... EndUp DJ residents...Neon Leon, Pete Avila, Adrian, Rolo, Vince, David Peterson, Charlotte the Baroness.

Alison Page does promotion and bookings for the club.

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Posted by:
Steve Fabus
on Nov 23, 04 | 1:42 pm

Reader Comments on EndUp

Great review on the EndUp. The EndUp is San Francisco. There are few parties anywhere in the world like Sunday night's devotion. You don't know San Francisco until you have stood in line at 6 am on Saturday or Sunday morning waiting to get in.
There is no better cross section of San Francisco people that those found at the EndUp. And the music remains pure. Pure beautiful authentic disco inspired house. The best party in San Francisco can be found at the EndUp on Sunday.

Posted Feb 19, 05 | 4:21 pm by timcfl

Back in the day, -Steve Fabus and Alec Cunningham started it all at the EndUp.

Posted Apr 17, 05 | 1:41 pm by robsf

Thanks for the great historical overview of what can truly be called a nightlife "institution" - in more ways than one!! I am putting together a press kit for the Club and would love to use some of the comments I found on this site (which I love, by the way!).

One correction, though - I believe Tommy Rogers reloctaed to Florida.

Bless you for helping to keep the Endup's magic alive!

Alison

Posted Sep 27, 05 | 9:44 am by Alison Page

Don't forget the amazing Mark Watkins (a great DJ and also the creator of Shawn Benson's "Seclusion") As well as Damian Johnson, Mike Dianella (who, with his partner Jake, ran the original Record Rack! There was also Mike D'Camp, and Warren Sanford - a remix genius.

Boy, those were the days - when DJs really had to work and be talented - not just beat match!!

Posted Nov 03, 05 | 5:15 am by Alison

I started going to the EndUp in 1984 and I'm still going to the EndUp! You started your Saturday evening at "The Troc" (Trocadero Transfer), you leave there at around 5am and the grab a bite to eat and off you go to the Endup. Now, I cheated a bit, I needed to go home for a couple hours of beauty rest after the Troc. After that I'd grab some breakfast at Hamburger Mary's, and then head over to Sunday Services at the fabulous EndUp. What a wonderful club full of the best mix of SF clubbers you're ever gonna find. Dancing at the EndUp to those great DJs mentioned in postings above was a true release. We'd also hang out on the patio and before it was paved over, we used to sun bathe on the soft grass in the back. So you dance your you know what off at the Endup and then you run to the Haight for the 6PM Sunday T-Dance at the I-Beam -- whatta way to spend a weekend -- after many years of this, I now need a lot more beauty sleep! PS. One of the female bartenders that was there in 1984 still works there now. She looks the same too -- guess she realized it's better to sell the drinks, then buy them!

Posted Nov 14, 05 | 12:40 pm by Lee Anne

Great stuff! I started at the End-Up at the tender age of nineteen in 1986. I was good friends with Randy Tyler, and I remember he used to hold "choir practice" late on Saturday morning's. One great story: Randy wanted to take a candy-brake one morning, out in the parking lot and away from the watchful eyes of the door-man. He slapped on Hills of Katmandu, which we all know is a 14 mintue long play. While out in the parking lot Randy and company got busted by the cops (remember that the city jail was right across the street!). They hauled them off to jail. Katmandu played and played, until it could play no more, and the record eneded, and so did the dancing, and then everyone asked: "where is Randy?" The rest, they say is history.
What a great time to dance, what a great time to be alive.
All my love to those who have passed, and props to those of us who remain.
D

Posted Jan 29, 07 | 5:57 am by Damien

I don't ever remember not living with memories of the End Up. I was first there at the break of the disco boom when the dance floor was "Saturday Night Fever" style and I heard they had problems with maintaining the dance floor from scuff marks, breaking points, and overall condition, later deciding upon wooden platform. I loved, absolutely loved the circular bar inside and roaming around inside to back patio, and then to pinball machines. Most of all the great music is all a blur to me now, but noteably I heard the extended mix of Claudja Barry's "Sweet Dynamite", and 12" version introduction of Andrea True Connection's "New York, You Got Me Dancing." (Remember "Ease On Down The Road" by Consumer Report?)Dancing on that floor was a great experiance, I talked to the DJ several times, and loved the atmosphere. It was my early morning weekend "what to do" fix!

Posted Apr 23, 07 | 2:55 pm by dancer56

I have fond memories of the End Up from 2000-2005 when I left SF for NYC. We sometimes made it there for f** Fridays but most times we were there bright and early on Sunday morning. We never called it "Church" but I like that nickname.

Security has always been very tight there. You had to be very careful if you were ever indulging.

It is the perfect location and the inside/outside layout really makes it a unique space.

I wish I could remember more but I was usually high as a kite when I was there. HA!

Posted Mar 04, 08 | 5:05 am by SK

I was DJ at the Endup when our second string DJ "Wayne" approached Al (the owner) about opening the Endup on Sunday mornings. He would call it "church". The first day it was packed and stayed packed until Randy and Steve and I cam in to do the Jockey Shorts Contest in the afternoon. Come read about the history of the Endup in the 70's - at www.petermixt.com
Pete Struve - PeterMixt
Co-founder of BADDA and the SF "Top 25" record pools.

Posted Mar 03, 09 | 9:18 am by Pete Struve

Was recreated to look like 1976 for the film version of Tales of the City.

Posted Jan 24, 10 | 2:53 pm by Jauers