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Joshua Bote

Joshua Bote is a reporter focusing on the nexus of culture, trends, and digital phenomena within San Francisco.

Previously, he covered technology for The San Francisco Standard and SFGate. He’s also served as a trending news reporter at USA Today, and as a music writer at NPR. His work has been published in places like New York Magazine, Billboard, and Paste.

Dregs One’s second annual History of the Bay Day was a love letter to Bay Area rap

With performances from Kamaiyah and Souls of Mischief, the festival was a crucial celebration of the Bay’s one-of-one hip-hop scene

October 21, 2024

Fake Fleet Week ads on bus stops around the city call out US role in Gaza violence 

One of the ads shows a photo of Air Force serviceman Aaron Bushnell lighting himself on fire in protest of Israel’s killing of civilians

October 15, 2024

Exclusive: The San Francisco Chronicle offers voluntary buyouts to staff 

The city’s paper of record is making the offer in anticipation of a ‘challenging’ 2025, according to memos viewed by Gazetteer

October 11, 2024

Chatbot service Character.ai takes down school shooting, ‘Diddy party’ simulators after Gazetteer inquiry

The company was valued at $1 billion last year, and recently announced a harder pivot into chatbots

October 2, 2024

To hell with Portola and Folsom — this weekend, I got my kicks at a yo-yo party thrown by a folk star

This weekend, a quieter fun was had, far from the loud noises of Portola Festival

September 30, 2024

The Dare is a lot of fun — but illustrates the letdown of indie sleaze 2.0

Some nostalgia is maybe better left in the past (even if you weren’t old enough the first time)

September 27, 2024

At the Greek Theatre, Mitski illustrated the pain and pleasure of pop stardom

In the first of three Bay Area shows, the singer pushed back against her fame with a bizarre — but delightful — mix of cabaret, performance art, and pure pop showmanship

September 24, 2024

Reminiscing about Ben Davis, the iconic workwear brand that helped define San Francisco

Beloved by generations of San Francisco OGs, the brand’s legacy is kept alive by artists and obsessives alike

September 19, 2024

Neighbors are suing philanthropist Bernard Osher for (allegedly) flooding their apartment during a party

A suit in San Francisco Superior Court blames clogged pipes and a distracted HOA president

September 10, 2024