Marvin K. White’s Haight Street Tour Evokes Summer of Love

by Barry David Horwitz

Walking up Haight Street again reminds me of that long ago Summer of Love in 1967. Even today, the street is painted with psychedelic murals, rock music wafts from storefronts, and rainbows of gay, straight, and gender fluid folks populate The Haight.

Some guys sitting at a street corner might invite you for a toke if you hang around—it’s a breath of the era when Sylvester James, Jr. rose from a gospel singing L.A. boy to become the Disco Queen of San Francisco. Sylvester blossomed into a world-wide recording phenomenon in the 80s.

The walking tour of OUT of Site’s “Sylvester, The Mighty Real” begins at the Big Pink Wall on Haight Street, in Sylvester’s old haunts. Although Sylvester died in 1988 of AIDS, he has become an icon of 60s love and 80s Disco fame. Director Michael French and writer Marvin K. White show that Sylvester opened a door for all of us. That door is still open.

In glittering 60s robes designed by Kipper Snacks, our hosts Cemora Valentino Devine and Nic Sommerfeld lead us on the tour. We wear earphones from the sound cart—listening to stories and songs that recount Sylvester’s journey. He was ahead of his time as a Black Disco Queen, breaking race and gender boundaries and building queer community. Imagine that Summer of Love.

They point out the Victorian house where he lived, while we listen to interviews with friends and neighbors. As we parade up Haight Street with our happy, hippie group, we meld softly with the friendly folks, buoyed by Sylvester’s songs.

Even though I was around here in 1967, I was too busy finding ways to get into trouble in the Haight and the Park and dives to know more than gossip about Sylvester. He was a founder of The Cockettes, he inspired the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, he appeared at gay events—he was everywhere with a new sound, new looks.

And by the 80s, his music ruled the Disco scene—with songs that fire our brains as we promenade the Haight together. Together, we rock to Sylvester’s songs:  “Over and Over,” “Do You Wanna Funk,” “Dance Disco Heat,” and “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real).”

The pounding beat and magical lyrics invoke past and present. Sylvester has been inducted into many Halls of Fame for his Number One records. When we enter a shop fitted out in Disco black and neon colors, we choose costumes from the Disco era. We dance again to his beats, worshiping at the Church of Sylvester.

Join in as we praise his name and sanctify his memory—it’s the right thing to do. The canonization of Sylvester is the point of this miraculous journey. Our lovely, hippie guides help us to understand the meaning of a life of music and love. What a superstar he would be today!

Sylvester’s tour thrillingly “mixes memory and desire.” It’s a one of kind promenade in the place where it happened. It’s still happening—a divine pleasure.

 

“OUT of Site: Sylvester, The Mighty Real” by Marvin K. White, directed by Michael French, produced by Seth Eisen, visual design by Sharon Virtue, costume design by Kipper Snacks, sound design by James Ard, by Eye Zen Presents, San Francisco. Info: EyeZen.org – to October 1, 2023.

Cast: Cemora Valentino Devine, Nic Sommerfeld, and the Haight Street scene.

Banner photo: Cemora Valentino Devine & Nic Sommerfeld. Photos: Robbie Sweeny