Out There receives an insane number of pitches, releases and swag from record companies, and we're not really sure why. But there are a few new albums out, or soon to be released, that caught the attention of our ever-thirsty ears.

A fire in San Francisco that was set by a workman in 1981 ignited a whole different sort of blaze: A media frenzy of anti-gay sensationalism. This feature casts a look back at a disgraceful episode from a deeply homophobic era.

A standing-room-only crowd piled into the GLBT History Museum in the Castro to hear a lecture on what led to the death of San Francisco's famed gay bathhouse culture.

It's that time of year again when the entire city comes alive with everything leather and kink! Whether you're a Bay Area resident, a pilgrim to Folsom, or watching from afar, you'll want to know all about this year's fair.

Last Friday night's San Francisco Opera gala opening signaled the official start of the San Francisco arts season.

This week we offer our second round of fall preview pieces in Arts & Culture. In these pages you'll find coming attractions in fall films, art museum shows, and the San Francisco Symphony and Opera seasons.

From the mid-'60s through 2008 there was another type of downtown bar - the businessman's bar. The two downtown bars which lasted the longest and had the biggest impact were Sutter's Mill and the various incarnations of Ginger's.

The Amy Winehouse exhibit at the Contemporary Jewish Museum/SF an intimate and intriguing look at the back-story of the gifted singer-songwriter whose life ended tragically in addiction and alcohol poisoning.

Visitors to Pacific Heights could be excused these days for thinking there is little gay about it, save for the gay colors on Victorians like the Painted Ladies in Alamo Square. But this was not always the case.

A warm summer night earlier this month in San Francisco. Out There and our personal-size pizza Pepi found our way down to the Embarcadero, invited to a dinner at the Americano restaurant in the Hotel Vitale.

Gardens of music and brunch delights in this week's edition of Out There!

John Waters returns to the Bay Area this Fourth of July Weekend to host the sixth annual Burger Bugaloo. The film icon talks about his upcoming holiday gig.

Club Chaos (at the Crystal Pistol on 842 Valencia Street) , Club Screw (495 14th Street) and most of all Club Uranus at the End-up (6th and Harrison) both raised and lowered the bar for dance spaces that followed.

Here is a plan for a fabulous summer escape east, where we share the joys of Brooklyn's cultural and natural splendor, with a hot weekend dose of Manhattan and Brooklyn clubs, and Broadway hits with a queer edge.