Joshua Rotter, 48 Hills Journalist Profile

Articles

Portraits of Past has risen—or perhaps the Bay Area hardcore act never truly died? - 48 hills

1 week ago | 48hills.org | Joshua Rotter

For the past 30 years, Portraits of Past has been a touchstone in the evolution of hardcore. The group’s discography—anchored by a single full-length album and EP—may be abbreviated, but it continues to resonate with new generations of screamo and post-hardcore musicians and fans alike. Long before they were labeled a legendary hardcore band, they were just a group of teenage friends from the Bay Area—skateboarding after school, obsessing over Metallica tapes, and hauling gear into garages.
Sasha Velour's 'Big Reveal'? Upcoming Berkeley run is her hometown debut

1 week ago | 48hills.org | Joshua Rotter

Sasha Velour, the boundary-busting, Berkeley-born drag icon and creative visionary, returns to the stage with her most ambitious project to date: The Big Reveal Live Show. Following the success of her debut solo show, Smoke & Mirrors, Velour invites Bay Area audiences into a magical multimedia experience (which runs June 4-15 at Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theatre) that is equal parts over-the-top spectacle and raw vulnerability.
Hail the 4 Queens: Stephanie Mills sounds off before epic Oakland diva fest

1 month ago | 48hills.org | Joshua Rotter

“The Queens: 4 Legends, 1 Stage” is not just another package tour—it’s a celebration of music royalty. Featuring the legendary Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, and Stephanie Mills, this must-see show, coming to Oakland Arena on Sat/10, is a once-in-a-lifetime gathering of icons who have defined the soundscape of R&B, soul, and pop for decades. The excitement around this tour is palpable, and for Mills, it’s the culmination of a longtime dream.
Groundbreaking 'Godfather of Asian American Media' gets his due at CAAMFest

1 month ago | 48hills.org | Joshua Rotter

At its heart, Third Act is a story of love, loss, resilience, and the power of storytelling. Directed by Tadashi Nakamura, the deeply personal documentary (opening the CAAMFest Asian American film festival on Thu/8) chronicles the life of the filmmaker’s father, Robert A. “Bob” Nakamura—widely known as the “Godfather of Asian American Media”—through three pivotal acts.
For AAPI Heritage Month, two huge chefs reboot a star Taiwanese dish

1 month ago | 48hills.org | Joshua Rotter

To mark Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, two culinary superstars—Brandon Jew and Martin Yan—are joining forces in a collaboration that bridges generations, honors cultural legacy, and redefines Chinese-American cuisine.
Playing a gig worker—and being one, too—in an increasingly chilly SF - 48 hills

1 month ago | 48hills.org | Joshua Rotter

“I was a gig worker and frankly, I still am,” says Asia Kate Dillon, star of Outerlands, the closing-night feature of the 2025 SFFILM Festival. “Acting is gig work. But I also did restaurant work, babysitting, and even sold drugs at one point. So in many ways, I knew Cass already.
Don't box Isaac Mizrahi in—or turn off his mic - 48 hills

1 month ago | 48hills.org | Joshua Rotter

Isaac Mizrahi is a free spirit—the type of artist who can’t be contained in a stylish black-and-white Chanel box or neatly tied up with a silk ribbon. In a career spanning fashion, TV, theater, music, literature, and podcasts, the Brooklyn-born polymath has long defied labels. Now, at 62, he’s relishing his latest act as a cabaret star.
Community re-telling of Compton's Cafeteria riot storms Tenderloin stage

1 month ago | 48hills.org | Joshua Rotter |SF Weekly

The Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, a powerful piece of immersive theater, returns to the streets of San Francisco’s Tenderloin District on Fri/11.
Sean Dorsey Dance's divine work turns 20

2 months ago | 48hills.org | Joshua Rotter |SF Weekly

Sean Dorsey Dance’s namesake founder needs no introduction. But after two decades of groundbreaking work as a transgender, disabled, and queer dancer, choreographer, writer, educator, and activist, his upcoming milestone is simply too monumental to skip the lead-in. And so: as the first widely recognized transgender modern-dance choreographer in the US, Dorsey has transformed the landscape of contemporary dance.
Bay Area Derby skates into new season—and all are welcome to the jam - 48 hills

2 months ago | 48hills.org | Joshua Rotter |SF Weekly

A roller derby match and a congressional meeting have more in common than one might expect. Think mayhem, smackdowns, and a lot of people going in circles. One striking difference, which is particularly apparent in Bay Area Derby (BAD) and many of its sister leagues, is their respective approaches to trans athletes. On the roller rink, trans athletes competing in women’s sports is a non-issue.