Death Guild is the oldest continually operating gothic/industrial dance club in the United States, and second in the world (preceded only by Slimelight in London). Death Guild opened on March 15, 1993, and is currently held every Monday at DNA Lounge in San Francisco.
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Death Guild has always been an 18-and-over dance club, a rarity in San Francisco where most dance clubs are 21+. Death Guild has also been the promoter of most of the gothic and industrial live shows in San Francisco since the mid-1990s.
The Death Guild crew are also responsible for Death Guild Thunderdome, one of the most popular attractions at Burning Man since the mid-1990s.
History
The party was created by David King (DJ Decay) at a now-defunct venue called The Pit (now AsiaSF). In June 1994, the club moved to DNA Lounge for one night, and then to the Trocadero Transfer, which remained its home for several years, with DJs Decay, Lucretia, Melting Girl, Joe Radio and Damon. The Trocadero began having licensing problems in 1997, eventually closing for good in early 1998. In March 1997, Death Guild moved to Big Heart City, and then to Manhattan Lounge in November 1998. It returned to Big Heart City in June 2003, and in October 2003 moved to Glas Kat, a new venue in the old Trocadero space.
Death Guild finally returned to DNA Lounge in October 2008, immediately after DNA Lounge had succeeded in changing its liquor license from 21+ to one that allows 18+ and all-ages events. Resident DJs are currently Decay, Melting Girl and Joe Radio in the main room, and Sage and guest DJs in the upstairs lounge.
Both rooms play a mix of gothic rock, industrial, darkwave, EBM, futurepop, power noise, and synthpop.
Awards
Death Guild won "Best Weeknight Dance Club" SF Weekly's "Best of San Francisco" readers' poll in 2001.