Whether you're talking about legendary speed pioneers like Exodus or masters of heaviness like Sleep and Neurosis, the Bay Area has always been a breeding ground for various forms of extreme music and expression. Watch Them Die have fearlessly positioned themselves as heirs to this crushing tradition of excellence, confronting a metal heritage that has left many an inferior band swimming in their own blood and excrement.

Launched in 2003, Bootie was the first club night in the United States dedicated solely to the burgeoning artform of the bootleg mashup - and is now the biggest mashup event in the world. Mixing and matching every conceivable musical genre, era, and style into one big dance party where everyone feels welcome, Bootie provides the soundtrack for the A.D.D. generation - with free mashup CDs given away like candy!

Resident DJs Adrian, the Mysterious D, and Party Ben keep your brain guessing and your feet dancing with creative song combinations, while live house band Smash-Up Derby rocks the house every month at 11 PM. Guest mashup DJs from around the world are featured, while the infamous midnight mashup show showcases popular local drag and burlesque performers. Bootie... because one song at a time just isn't enough.

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Pummeling dancefloor grooves and distorted beats combined with scathing vocals and electro arrangements produce a full-tilt dancefloor onslaught. The new Combichrist album is a must for all lovers of the harsher, more noisy and danceable stuff. Expect world domination with their upcoming album, What The F*&$ Is Wrong With You People? (Metropolis records/Out Of Line).

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Katchafire music is mostly reggae mixed with traditional Maori music of New Zealand. The eight-piece touring band plays to sell-out crowds across their county. Their debut album, "Revival" went double platinum with the biggest selling single of 2002: "Giddy-up".

Their sound is very reminiscent of the great reggae band Third World and to a lesser extent Aswad and Steel Pulse. Their performances at home often morph into sing-a-long affairs.

The Ex-Boyfriends: "With audible influences like The Cars, Weezer, The Cure, and Alkaline Trio, the tempo of the record is far from broken-hearted. This threesome is clearly on the prowl with infectious hooks and off-the-charts danceability factor." --Spin

Pop Roxx combines the best flavors of SF nightlife. Rotating top DJs from the City's most popular dance parties, Pop Roxx keeps the energy high with an eclectic mix of indie, new wave, rock, and electronic dance tunes. The party presents industry breaking buzz bands hot on the cusp of infamy. Add to the mix the world famous Bootie Mash-Up Lounge, industrial-grade go-go dancers and VIP bottle service, and Pop Roxx serves up a world class nightlife and dance floor experience.

For more than 5 years, Meat has been serving up hearty doses of heavy Industrial beats and BBQ treats. Created to be more than just another dance club, Meat aims to constantly raise the bar for creative nightlife experiences. Meat has extensive abattoir-themed decor, highly skilled DJs, costumed blood-splattered go-go dancers, video, and free fresh BBQ meat. Satisfy your primal hunger.

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Today, for the Chicago-raised San Francisco transplant, playing sold out shows in every corner of the globe is routine. When Madonna performed at the 2006 Coachella Festival, Kaskade along with Paul Oakenfold were the opening acts. Overseas, Kaskade has been the headliner at huge festivals and events including Field Day and Park Life in Sydney, Australia, or he'll pop up on any given weekend at mega-clubs ranging from Carfax in Johannesburg, South Africa to Summer Dance in Manila. If there's a dance culture alive and well in this world, Kaskade has likely been there, and he's likely scheduled to go there again soon.