{"id":8036,"date":"2015-03-12T12:30:15","date_gmt":"2015-03-12T04:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.justcharlie.com\/?page_id=8036"},"modified":"2019-05-28T23:45:34","modified_gmt":"2019-05-28T15:45:34","slug":"san-francisco-2015","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.justcharlie.com\/photos\/san-francisco-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Photos: San Francisco, 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On March 1, I returned to San Francisco to attend the 2015 Game Developer’s Conference at the Moscone Center. This is a trip I always forward to, and this year was no exception. It did not disappoint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Beijing<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Passing through Beijing International Airport on my way to SFO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SF<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The first thing you notice about Northern California coming from China is the clean skies and lush vegetation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SFO\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The international arrivals area of SFO is designed like a spaceship conduit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SF<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The day I arrived I caught up with a friend and took a long walk across the city at dusk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"ROTC<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The same night a good friend and lyricist (MC Kensho Kuma) was hosting an event at the Boom Boom Room in San Francisco, a historic venue originally owned by jazz guitarist John Lee Hooker. The event happens every Sunday and is called ROTC (Return of the Cypher).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kensho<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kensho Kuma, who performs in English and Japanese, on stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"cypher\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The sidewalk outside was host to a cypher for half of the night, with a dozen or so emcee’s participating. One thing I always notice about the bay area: everyone is a rapper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Cypher<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"cigarbox<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A boombox made out of a cigar box played instrumental hip hop. Made by Tenzin, the Tibetan American rapper whom I met my first year in Chengdu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"ROTC<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The DJ, Kevvy Kev, isn’t one I was familiar with, but he is skilled. He was by far the best local DJ that I saw on this trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"ROTC<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With Tariq, Kensho, and Tenzin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"ROTC<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Every ROTC event includes a rap battle, decided by judges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Parking<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Justin<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Walking through the park with an old friend, Justin, who’s relocated to Davis, CA in the last few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Justin<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Tommy's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Private<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Outside of the downtown dive bar, Tempest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tempest<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dozens of stickers on the wall inside Tempest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I met a new friend named Bryant who works out of a co-working space called Impact Hub. Its walls are adorned with art like this which tells about what kind of people work here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Co-op<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Co-op<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"SF<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Waterfall\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Market<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Market Street<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SF<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

O’Farrell Street<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chartboost<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Party at the Chartboost office in San Francisco. Every year this company seems to get larger and more influential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SF<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One of the industry parties in a nightclub. There were so many that I can’t remember where this one was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Qbert\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

DNA Lounge with the legendary DJ Qbert performing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"GDC<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Entering Moscone Center South on the second day of GDC 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Playstation<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The GDC Expo opened on Wednesdays and featured massive booths hosted by Sony, Microsoft, Oculus, Valve, and virtually every other major entity in the gaming industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"GDC<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The expo floor is a battle for attention, and every year this arms race escalates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"GP<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Industry parties are a similar arms race for who can have the most memorable amenities. It starts with open bar and ends with things like projection-mapped billiards tables and bourbon ice cream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"GP<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Metacritic\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I attended over 15 sessions the week of GDC, this one being the smallest, which is why it’s being hosted in a hallway. This one was about the algorithm that Metacritic uses to rank games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"But<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Independent games are on fire right now, there are countless interesting new ideas coming from everywhere. This game, Butt Sniffin’ Pugs, was a standout for its unconventional interface: an oversized tennis ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chinatown\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Visiting Chinatown. The best food I had here was Vietnamese, at a restaurant called Golden Star.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SF<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Comic<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I’m amazed and impressed by the longevity of comic books. These cost around $8 a piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tourettes\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tourettes Without Regrets, a variety show in Oakland, at the Oakland Metro. This performance was pirate music on accordion accompanied by a mime performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SF<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Incline Gallery, in the Mission, right next to Mission Bicycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Incline<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Oakland<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Hoodslam2\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This is Hoodslam, an underground pro wrestling event. Standing on the ropes in this photo is Scorpion Junior, a combination of Scorpion from Mortal Kombat and a pregnant Arnold Schwarzenegger from the 90’s movie Junior. During the match the crowd chanted Miscarriage! <\/em>and Scorpion gave birth in the ring to a tiny Scorpion infant, complete with face mask. He attached a rope to it and threw it his opponent (Mexican Batman) while yelling Get over here!<\/em> but was then disqualified for breaking the one rule of Hoodslam: “Don’t bring your fucking kids.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Hoodslam1\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Hoodslam3\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A band that performed at Hoodslam, called Arnold Corps. The lead singer spoke and sang in an Austrian accent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Hoodslam4\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Hoodslam5\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Juice Lee (Bruce Lee on steroids) flipping into Ken from Street Fighter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Hoodslam6\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Hoodslam8\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Hoodslam9\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The referee was chain smoking joints throughout the evening. Inside the Oakland Metro, smoking cigarettes is not allowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Hoodslam10\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Hoodslam11\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Hoodslam7\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Late<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Seedy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Fisherman's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fisherman’s Wharf<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Graffiti<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Street<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Street<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One of the few photos I took in the Mission without police in the frame. There were police everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Jazzy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The last night I went to see DJ Jazzy Jeff with Kensho. Surprisingly, Shortkut opened for Jazzy Jeff and overshadowed him. The same night we had the opportunity to meet and have a brief conversation with DJ Qbert which was amazing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Excellent times in San Francisco, as always. You can see my photos from last year in the city here<\/a>. Next up: Berlin and Hong Kong next month.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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