Spinning the DJ Gender Gap

By David John Chávez

Three female and queer DJs flip the script on who can lead the way in the Bay Area music scene.

DJ Lady Ryan, DJ Del and DJ DeeAndroid make the Bay Area a better, more badass place, one mix, scratch, one track at a time. Or maybe even four at a time.

A Full Circle

By Julius Rea, with H.P. Mendoza

The poetic prince of SF independent film paints the picture of his illuminating career trajectory.

Substrate Arts co-founder Julius Rea spoke onstage with San Francisco-based filmmaker H.P. Mendoza as he tours his newest film, “The Secret Art of Human Flight.”

September 2, 1990

By Hiya Swanhuyser

Nazi punks, fuck off! The night of a small-town rebellion.

Bad trouble came to Petaluma’s Phoenix Theater in the form of skinheads wearing military-style jackets, tall boots, and armbands with swastikas. That night, a group of teenagers banded together to resist that racist violence—culminating in an intense but nearly forgotten confrontation.

Sweet Heartache Landscape

By Hiya Swanhuyser, with Yea-Ming Chen

As part of Substrate Arts’ Launch Party held at Magic Theatre in June 2023, Substrate Arts co-founder Hiya Swanhuyser spoke onstage with songwriter, composer, and actor Yea-Ming Chen.

Lowriding with J.J.

By David John Chávez

“The burgeoning Chicano culture, lowrider cars and bikes, Lowrider Magazine, which published for the first time in 1977 and a firm commitment to a whole new fashion for brown kids everywhere made for the perfect time for the 18-year-old Amaya to move his fledgling audience in a whole new direction.”