Alongside Public Works and KALW, White Crate is proud to be bringing to San Francisco one of the wildest Congolese bands out there: KOKOKO! They’re not based in the Bay but both supporting acts are, and they’re both badasses. DJ Sep, founder of Dub Mission—one of the longest running reggae clubs in the world—will be bringing her fine-tuned heady mix of dub, reggae, and electronic. Ahead of next week’s show, we spoke with Sep about her musical beginnings, the story behind Dub Mission, perspectives on the Bay scene, and more. Get your tickets here.
How did your relationship to music begin?
Music is my earliest memory so you could say that my relationship with music started when I was a toddler. It has always been an important part of my life.
Can you tell us about how you started DJing?
I started DJing at KUSF, University of San Francisco’s radio station, when it was one of the best college radio stations in the country. A friend of mine from S.F. State had a radio show at KUSF. I started volunteering and eventually got my own slot, from 2 to 6 AM. Eventually I also did a radio show on KPFA, the Berkeley public radio station, and started spinning at various clubs.
Can you talk about why Dub Mission is no longer active?
It’s very rare for a club to endure for 20+ years and most of it at the same venue. Dub Mission ran from 1996 to 2019. That really points to a special time in San Francisco, and to our special relationship with the venue, Elbo Room on Valencia Street, and the people who ran it. Over that period of time we graduated several generations of club goers who moved out of the city, had families, and/or were no longer going out regularly. So I would say life changes, city changes, and venue change all contributed. Running a weekly club is also a full-time job and that’s something that I took on as the founder and main resident, booking agent, and promoter, with a rotation of DJs, including Maneesh the Twister and Vinnie Esparza. It was a labor of love, but it was also labor. When the building Elbo Room was housed in was sold, it seemed like a crucial time to make a decision: continue the club regularly elsewhere or not. Transitions are hard but that gave me an opportunity to consider what else I wanted to do that I hadn’t done, so I decided to explore other musical opportunities. DJing will always be my first love though, so that’s something that I continue to do.
How does the Bay Area influence you or the music you make?
That’s an interesting question. The idea for Dub Mission started to form because I was playing a lot of dub on my radio show and one night a woman called in to ask where she could hear this music in a club. I couldn’t think of a place. I was naively confident that there would be other people who’d be interested in hearing this music in a club setting. So you could say that the Bay Area directly influenced its creation, and the interest and enthusiasm of Bay Area audiences sustained it.
As far as making music, however, I’m not sure how much the Bay has influenced me. The community of music producers is truly global. My biggest influence is multiple decades of listening to and playing other people’s music from around the globe.
Venues, platforms, crews—What are some local organizations you admire for doing a great job of creating space for music and artistry in the Bay?
I would massively big up my Dub Mission crew, Vinnie and Maneesh; my DnB/Jungle crew Rhythmic Remedies; and my friends Jimmy, Vicki and Suman, who have run Non Stop Bhangra and Dholrhythms Dance Company for a long time. Check out their upcoming Bhangra and Beats Night Market this summer in San Francisco. The Illuminate Organization and Raise Every Voice who put on free music programs at the Golden Gate Park Bandshell almost every day of the week, a wonderful program for everyone.
When it comes to venues: I would say first of all Elbo Room Jack London, which has closed, and the people who ran it, Matt Shapiro and Erik Cantu, who are part of my musical family. Their dedication to their place and their love of music was so obvious. There are many places throughout the Bay Area that are similarly dedicated to showcasing an eclectic array of music every day of the week. In addition to Public Works and the White Crate crew I would point out Longboard Margarita bar in Pacifica, Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, The Chapel, Victory Hall & Parlor, Monarch and The Great Northern, in San Francisco, and the Golden Bull in Oakland, These are just some of the places that come to mind. Having run my own night, I have a great deal of respect for these venues and many more. It’s not an easy way to make a living.
An eclectic bunch of songs selected by DJ Sep for our show playlist:
