Attended Slam Town's Ekpyrotica at the Continental Club this past weekend, and had an enjoyable experience. The listed ticket time was 8:00 to 11-ish, but in reality it was more like 8:45-11:20pm (doors opened around 8:00pm, and the entry line went quick). The place wasn't too crowded, and though there was a bit of seating against the walls, it was mostly standing room for viewing of the show. Beware, the action takes place both inside and outside the ring, so be ready to move if you're on the first level and the wrestlers end up battling it out and rolling around on the floor or against the pillars, or on the merchandise table (like they did this past FrIday). We watched from upstairs, and didn't miss a thing... they had a large screen for closeup views of all the shenanigans happening in and around the ring, too. There were quite a few matches throughout the night, including characters like Cereal Man, Prisoner 420, and my bf's fave, Bart-Man, doing their thing. I was a big fan of the MonsterTown tag team, all of the creatures dressed in comical costumes and putting on even funnier moves against their rivals, especially the three-headed giraffe and mummy. Lots of props used throughout the show, including ladders, full-size doors (for the dramatic illusion of slamming opponents into these and breaking them), and fake weapons...... oh, but THIS IS REAL... and the dynamic chants from the crowd will remind you all night. Commentary by the "news anchor" host helped guide the storyline with a bit of humor, but I've experienced better and more entertaining announcers outside of Slam Town. Apparently this underground wrestling show is a lot tamer now (in April 2026) than it used to be, back when it was known primarily as "Hoodslam", but we still had a good time. The next Slam Town event is happening on May 22nd at Drake's in Oakland. read more

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fun hyphy vibes in a quiet neighborhood AND hotboys for food?! it can't get better than this!

Amazing show!!! One of a kind experience in Oakland. Definitely check this out if you're in town. Would definitely go again

Aspirational update and invitation. This Friday, doors open at 8:30. Convenient to the party going on downtown, convenient to the Ferry. SF - ferry over and Bart home. No better way to make an entrance for an Oakland night out. This show rocks. I'M NOT KIDDING! read more

I just. Don't. Get it? The band and announcer were super fun and the energy was amazing. The audience was super into it and it was contagious at first. Maybe I was too tired or too sober, but the excitement wore off after the first match. For the rest of it, I was just standing on my tip toes struggling to see anything over the sea of bros and trying hard not to breathe too much second hand smoke (with very little success). This magical experience can be yours for the not-so-reasonable price of $20. So obviously I wasn't a huge fan. But my friends really liked it, so maybe I'm just no fun? If you want to go check it out for yourself: -bring cash or buy your tickets presale online -be prepared to wait in line when you get there. It moves pretty quick though -have a drink or two before - I regretted not doing this -consider rethinking going if you have asthma or are otherwise sensitive to smoke. There's a lot of it in there. -prepare for a bizarre, uniquely Oakland experience read more

It's outdoor due to covid, so crowded and barely see anything, they should have put screens/tivi.

I don't normally like to swear in my Yelp reviews (keeping it family friendly and all that), but I have to say this about Hoodslam: THIS. IS. REAL. THIS. IS. REAL. HO-LY. SHIT. HO-LY. SHIT. Now imagine that being chanted over and over at the top of your lungs. Then imagine a warehouse packed full of people doing the same thing, fist pumping full beers into the air. All of this, headed by the bro-est of all bros, "Broseph" Joe Brody. We were here for Fuck the Fans V: BROetic Justice (sorry, there's just so much swearing involved in these events that there's no avoiding it). Every first Friday night, a warehouse near Jack London Square turns into the bro-est, most amateur, most "realest" night of wrestling EVER. If only Yelp would let me upload videos (not a video review, but a video of the event). The events of the night were Cereal Man v. Scorpion, Lights-On, Falls-Count-Anywhere match between Shelly Martinez and "Ultragirl" Brittany Wonder, Booze v. Blunts Tag Team Grudge Match, Prince of Darkness match between El Flacco Loco and Doc. Atrocity, a four-way match for the Golden Gig between Juiced Lee, El Chupacabra, Virgil Flynn III and Drugz Bunny and the 21-and-over (the top rope) battle royale to top off the night. It was hot, it was humid, it was sweaty, it was in your face. It was drunk. It was 420 everywhere. It was amazing. IT. WAS. REAL. Seriously, a lot of fun and totally worth the $10 cover at the door. Everything's cash only, so come prepared. read more

Hoodslam - The bro-est of all bros. - Performing Arts Near Me - Oakland, California

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The cover is now $20. We parked in Jack London parking lot, which is only .6 miles from the event. We got here around 8:45, the line it around the corner, and took us about 30~35 mins to get in It is hot inside and loud, during the break the metal banding is playing. It is definitely 420 friendly. Mix drinks (Jack/coke) is about $7. The wrestling match is entertaining and the crowd is really into it. Ladies, just remember, this place is PACKED, so if you are pushing yourself through the crowd, you might get some unwanted physical contacts. I saw few angry shouting matches. Like I told my friend, I'm glad I did and I enjoyed it. But once is enough. read more

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Are you a drunk boy who enjoys having Jack Daniels sprayed on you by another drunk boy? You'll love Hoodslam! Are you a petite girl who doesn't enjoy having 6 foot tall men stand right in front of you and block your view of everything, whilst spilling their beer on you? Maybe stay home! Two tips for anyone - 1) be drunk, 2) drink, and 3) drink some more. Otherwise, you're not going to have much fun. Definitely a cool and unique (if not a bit scary) show if you can stay out of the line of fire(ball) falling from the sky and if you can actually see anything. read more

Mother heck yes!!!! I can't believe I've lived in Oakland for this long and neeeevverrrr knew about Hoodslam. Buy your ticket(s) in advance. You'll be able to get through faster. They're super clear "Do not bring your effing kid." Sorry adults only. There's a bar on your left when you enter and one in the back. Casssssh money y'all. There's plenty of beer to drink and enjoy. You'll then walk to the back and see the ring. This is where all the action takes place. High flying. Hard hitting. Exciting moves. The MC really gets the crowd going. Now, the place gets packed. Like, lots of people. Drinking. Getting rowdy. And there's no A/C so be prepared to sweat - a lot. There's a merch table where you can get some one-of-kind stuff like a onesie that looks like a dude's chest. Overall, it's a very fun and different way to spend a night in Oakland. And it's one you won't forget. read more

Professional wrestling was never my thing. "It's so obviously scripted", I wrote online, "how can anyone possibly enjoy this?" Having now attended my first event, after joining deafening chants of "This is real", I totally understand it. For $20 cover (in cash at the door or on Eventbrite), you're in for a thoroughly bizarre yet riotously fun night. I saw a stereotypical frat bro pour shots of Jack directly into the front row, two men dressed as Ken and Ryu of Street Fighter fame duel Mexican Batman and Cereal Man, and a huge wrestler do a piledriver from the top corner ropes onto his opponent on the concrete "opera house" floor. I'm not sure if there's enough different from event to event to merit going every single time unless you're into the show, but I certainly enjoyed myself, despite my constant confusion regarding the events that were unfolding in front of me. This is real. read more

I'm going to make a bold claim here and say that this is the most fun you can have in Oakland for $10 on the first Friday of any month. "Professional wrestling? Lame." No, stop. Hoodslam transcends professional wrestling. Hoodslam is to professional wrestling what Tribute by Tenacious D is to music. The show takes place at the Oakland Metro Operahouse near Jack London. You'll have a hard time missing it if you arrive after 8pm: there will be a line going down the side of the building. Doors open at 8:30pm and you'll get a quick pat down and pay $10 to enter after showing your ID (21+ only, no kids). There are 2 bars: one near the entrance/bathrooms and one in the main room with the stage and ring (I paid $4 for a beer). There are no seats and no separation between the crowd and the ring. During the show fans will bang on the ring mat to hype up the place. Sometimes the wrestlers will go over the ropes and out into the crowd. There is also a stage/entrance way where the house band will play the entrance music and a table for the announcers/commentators who will give play by play during the whole show. It should be noted that with the band it can get loud, my left ear is still ringing a bit the morning after. The magic of the show is definitely the characters. Your main play by play announcer/hype man for the evening will be "Broseph" Joe Brody. His gimmick is being your typical bro - he sprays Axe on himself, adds "bro" to everything, and in between matches while the band plays he'll pour shots of Jim Beam (I think) into the mouths of waiting fans around ringside. It seems the cast of characters has some that are on every card (Drugz Bunny, The Stoner Brothers, James, Ultragirl Brittany Wonder, etc) but they also do special matches/characters to fit the theme of the show. Our night was 80s, and one match featured Toad (of Mario fame), Karate Kid, Rocky IV, and Little Mac (of Punch Out fame). Too awesome. Oh, you may also be in for a Gimp wearing a checkered singlet, a black mask, and waving a dildo around. It's... amazing. Despite the gimmicks/characters there is legit action to be found here and the in ring ability of some of the wrestlers is astonishing. The spirit of the show would then be the fans who have adopted this thing as their baby. You definitely seem to have the regulars who bring signs and know every character and get the chants going, but also you have the first timers and the casual fans who are just there to drink or smoke. Speaking of smoking, fans(and some wrestlers) will be smoking weed inside and it can get hazy so be aware of that if it isn't your thing - they do have fans blowing in from the street that keep the venue somewhat cool and ventilated. By the end of the night you will be cheering and chanting right along with the regulars at the action in the ring. In a somewhat otherwise dark and boring industrial area near Jack London, hundreds of people are coming out on the first Friday of each month to witness this, whatever it can be summed up as I'm not sure. But it makes me happy to know that this exists and can bring hundreds of people together, and I will definitely go back. read more

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Condescending woman doing a rude job as door security.. big woman with a so very ugly attitude, otherwise bartenders were friendly, bathrooms weren't bad, plenty of stalls. I remember going years back when it was kinkier and cheaper. $20 was way too expensive in my opinion, but my friend is a wrestling fan and really enjoyed it. The announcer was a little hard to listen to. It could have just been the night - Chasing Waterfalls Feb 2020 read more

For only $20 a person (pay at door in cash), every first Friday of the month next to Jack London Square (free parking after 6pm), a professional wrestling event that'll blow your mind takes place. There at at least 6-8 high quality matches with all sorts of fun gimmicks and the amateur-ish wrestlers really go all out and do a great job and some insane stunts, WWE style. I highly recommend it. Saw a bunch of tag team actions, 5 counts, off the rope drops, into the crowd flips, weapons match, table breaking, kembo sticks. Real finishing moves like the F5, Clothesline, hurachanrana, etc. The wrestlers all have fun personalities and unique characters as well. Street Fighter, Back to the Future and Mortal Kombat themed wrestlers did their fictional counterpart's moves too. The 'ultimate bro' MC is amazing. He never stops talking (in a good way) with witty comments and unique move names. He's awesome. Drinks are only $5 for liquor or beer! My only negative is that people smoke cigarettes and cigars inside. I can understand the 420 (even though I don't do any), but the nasty cigs and cigars were too much to take and got overwhelming. Also, crowd beware, if you're near the front you could have a wrestler jump into you or land on you (for better and worse). Super fun. Crowd chanting the whole time. 21+ only! 5 stars if it wasn't for the nasty smoke. read more

Like Hulk Hogan in late 90's WCW "I'M BORED BROTHER!!!!!!!" This was literally some of the worst shit I've ever seen in my life. WWE Fans:"The product is bad and has really fallen off its boring." Hoddslam: "Hold my beer." read more

This type of "entertainment" plays to the lowest common denominator of human-kind. I really like wrestling! Me and my boyfriend went here and it was just trashy shit! Later on in the month I went to a similar wresting thing in Los Angeles called "Lucha Underground" and was much more impressed. The underground show in LA had nicer fans, the staff was better. There was still alcohol on site, but more organized.. Go to "The Temple" in LA Not this mess read more

Now I may be biased since I've been around Hoodslam since the very first show, or I could just be very well informed. Probably both. Hoodslam is the best event I've ever attended in the bay area, without a doubt. The Oakland Metro is also the perfect venue for Hoodslam and I've grown to love it just as much as, if not more than, it's original home The Victory Warehouse. Each month is honestly the best show ever and is a must see for anyone who loves video games, zombies, beautiful women, and loud music. Oh and wrestling, I guess it is a wrestling show and the boys putting on the show are easily some of the best Nor Cal wrestling talent around. Seriously if you haven't made it to a Hoodslam show, you need to. read more

Awesome times!! Was here for Hoodslam and it was a pretty great show! I've never been to a real wrestling wwe event but I imagine this was probably just as better since it's smaller than the usual stadium style wrestling. The characters were pretty funny (the first guy that came out had a dildo as a prop!) and other characters looked super mean and scary! Music was great and the commentators did a really good job. I'd see them again! read more

Omg such a great show!!! The security and staff are amazing!! So nice, so helpful, really caring made my night!!

The ticket guy took his day out on me when I politely asked for my partners and my money back after coming in for only a couple minutes. He mocked me and told me to get the F@&K out. Both of us stared at him quielty while he caused a scene. In the end he gave us part refund but he was completely out of line how he responded. Never ever going back!! read more

Hoodslam is like someone took Chikara (wrestling with over the top characters), MST3K, Video Games, Alcohol and spun it around and then snorted it up with a bunch of uppers. In fact, one of my favorite wrestlers there, Drugs Bunny, probably has done this before. If you want to see wrestling live, and want to be goddamn entertained, go to Hoodslam, where the Marks make the show better, and the Heels and Faces are more creative and inspired than nearly any and every wrestling promotion combined. Thugged out Winnie The Pooh who destroys people with his "hunny pot" full of weapons? Check. Twice Dead Gorilla Zombie people who get murdered and their murderer (Juiced Lee, the actual true teacher of Bruce Lee) arrested and put on trial. Check. A Panther Who Is PInk who is also a horribly corrupt official/manager who cheats the faces at every chance he gets. Check. The aforementioned Drugs Bunny. Name says it all. And of course the myriad video game inspired characters, who are fucking bastards that need their reign to be stopped. Also a fucking mexican werewolf, Stoner Brothers, The James Gang, A goddamned Super Rhino and occasionally the Ghost of Charlie Chaplin. THE REAL GHOST OF CHARLIE CHAPLIN. BECAUSE THIS SHIT IS REAL. Now go there, get drunk, yell at James (Seeeeeeeeeeeee) and fuck the fans! P.S I like Ike Burner! read more

Awesome experience and I can't wait to go again next First Friday!! They put on a great show by mixing some comedy, relatable characters, and some death metal from Satan himself. They also have a live band that plays the entrance songs of all the wrestlers. A 5-star show. They deserve to be in a bigger arena with how hard they all perform to execute an excellent show. The announcer was I think a former WWE star so he knew how to work the crowd and the show. Just an awesome experience and I highly recommend everyone at least go once to experience HOODSLAM!!!! read more

The place was awesome as fuck. The venue was large and they served beer which was kind of expensive but, expected. Always nice to see the different events. read more

This is the bee's knees. Seriously, hella Oakland, hella fun. The fighting is insanely entertaining, the announcing is spot on, and the venue just feels perfect for the event. I will be attending every month I am able, and I recommend you do the same. Also, if you ever have friends in town who want the Oakland experience, take them here. Just remember, Don't Bring Your Kids. read more

This was literally one of the most ridiculous things I have ever witnessed/participated in: 10/10. Hoodslam is blowing up. I would recommend getting to the venue around 7:30-7:45 to get in line. Doors open at 8 and the "wrestling" starts at 9. The venue is basically a warehouse with a couple of bars. The wrestlers all wear crazy and hilarious themed costumes. I just can't even describe it further. You have to witness it for yourself! read more

Hoodslam - Performing Arts Near Me - Oakland, California

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Never seen wrestling not even on tv... went for my birthday and hellll yes it was epic! Loved it! Everyone was pumped up, great energy! Tip- pregame... there was only beer and wine. read more

This is real! super talented show. I'd recommend anyone going just don't bring your kids

OH MY GOD. Hoodslam is amazing if you like drinking, pot smoke and being entertained! I had never been and had no idea what to expect as our friends led us to this abandoned looking warehouse in Jack London Square. When we got inside there were multiple bar set ups and a huge wrestling ring in the middle. Lots of dudes- ladies don't come here alone unless you're tough as shit. The characters and back stories are hilarious and fun. We did not stay for the burlesque show, but I've heard it can't be missed. I cannot wait for the next one! read more

I was wondering about this event since my son age 28 bought the tickets as a gift I am twice his age. I have not laughed this hard in a long time. Very well run and so much fun. Great crowd everyone had fun. read more

I've been a lifelong fan of wrestling and grew up watching WWF, WCW and later found ECW. I then moved on. I felt like wrestling just wasn't for people my age anymore and the current WWE product had moved to a PG-rating style that really made it a shadow of the product I knew as a teen. Hoodslam has brought back memories of the fun, edgy style of pro wrestling that I loved. It doesn't take itself seriously. All of the fans in the Metro know the chants, slogans and trademarks of Hoodslam and you feel an amazing energy from being at Hoodslam. It's not a juvenile, shitty energy, either. The people at Hoodslam are pretty damn respectful and chill wrestling fans. You get the occasional douchebag, but for the most part, everybody there is in on the fun and wants everybody to have fun. You pay $20 to get in, though some shows are $10 and if you join the Fan Club for just $50, you get in to certain shows for free. The announcing is great. I just saw a show with musical act Arnocorps playing between every couple matches and Jello Biafra guest sang California Uber Alles. It was a great event and all of the matches were pretty entertaining. You do end up standing up for about 3 1/2 hours if you stay for the whole show, so bring some comfortable shoes. The time will fly, though, because you'll be having a ton of fun. There will be smoke in the air. This is an adults only show. Don't bring your fucking kids. (That's a Hoodslam slogan, by the way.) The only DQ in Hoodslam History happened last night. Scorpion brought baby Scorpion into the match and got DQ'd for bringing his fucking kid. Other than that, there are no rules. Just don't be a dick. read more

This is an awesome show and a real party atmosphere. I have been to at least a dozen of these shows and they are pretty much the best thing to do in the bay area. The shows are getting better and better every month and the production has recently been upgraded with TVs and Projector screens to accommodate the 1000 plus audience. If any of the following are interesting to you - wrestling, live music, parties, drinking, smoking, 90s nostalgia - then this is the place for you. A few other things to know, it does get pretty crowded and often sells out, the inside gets very smokey, it has developed into quite a "scene". read more

Never been to a wrestling show before but this one was a blast! It was a wild time. My favorite wrestler of the night was Cereal Man. There's something about chanting "CEREAL!" while a gigantic man throws another across a fighting ring. The place smells of sweat and stale beer, but the entertainment is anything other than stale! read more

In general, Hoodslam is great entertainment, if you like silly mindless fun. The only problem is the mc' s potty mouth. He uses the f bomb up to 4 times per sentence. It is especially offensive that he says mother f er and Jesus mother f inChrist. That's awful. I hear his mother is a grammar teacher. Maybe she could help him with a creative writing class. read more

doors at 8 but plan to be in line by 7 if you really want to guarantee that you'll get in. the cover is $20 and it's all cash only. don't wear clothes that you don't want to smell like smoke after. enjoy the show. read more

I was out in San Francisco last week and came across HoodSlam - Don't bring your F'n kids! Fun start to the night was lining up outside, my buddy collapsing, banging his head on the sidewalk. Someone calls 911, the paramedics arrive in a fire engine, by this time my buddy is mostly recovered and fully embarrassed. After checking him over, and signing him off, the paras ask "what's going on in there anyways?" "Wrestling" "Wrestling? We're going in to check that sh*t out!" Awesome venue, as soon as we get in there is a buzz about the crowd. Lots of hot girls; a good surprise for someone used to wrestling house show audiences of feral kids, pissed off parents and fucking fat obese fans. I grab a beer at the bar and waited for festivities to start. Cue Terminator theme music riffed out by the in-house band, who had several obscene names. Then @ajkirsch came out and amped up the crowd. He's a former Tough Enough contestant, stacked and charismatic. He touts a big time crowd reaction to Stone Cold, "give me a f*ck yeah!" and gets the fans through a bottle of JD pretty fast. Great vibe, hitting a fever pitch and keeping it there. The luchadore GM certainly looks the part, is credible and a real good double act with @ajkirsch. We only stay for three matches, but it's great seeing all the irony Hoodslam manage to squeeze in. I've watched WWE for 30 years and am always amazed at my tenacity to try to suspend disbelief and try to enjoy the product. Why does it have to be so f*cking effortful? So much of it now is hollow, saccharine, fast forward, trying to evoke a response. Where's the true connection with the wrestlers? Why does it take Daniel Bryan or Lesnar returning after a decade to make the fans go apesh*t. The answer isn't in Bryan himself, it's his intensity and connection of his actions. F%cking Obese Nerdy Gamer is a hilarious character, the superb, deadpan solid commentary made people around me burst out laughing every minute. "Get the noodles" was inspired, so great to see a product that's able to make fun of itself, not try to elicit bullsh*t methadone-type responses but instead genuinely make people laugh. I'm not immersed in ring psychology or any of that sh*t, I'm immersed in the Hoodslam experience. Big, exaggerated, high impact spots with great commentary. That's what people want! F*ck filler. Steamboat / Savage was a great match because of the crisp, decisive, high impact moves. You don't need a storyline for that. Action, response, rinse and repeat. But the biggest pop I saw was Mr @DrugzBunny. Did that guy make an impact when he burst into the ring and yo-yoed against the top rope. It doesn't have to be a five star frog splash to get people hyped. It's showing up punchy and present. Daniel Bryan-style "Drugz! Drugz!" chant was really over with the crowd. Often smaller promotions will have non-mainstream / inappropriate characters but the charisma of this guy is genuine and he uses it well. He does something and people react. If you can't do that then you might as well go home because you're not captivating. The last match we saw before we took off early was the Stoner Brothers vs some green Brazilian Zangief type guy and partner. Funny and engaging but again I'd emphasise the best thing about Hoodslam is just being there, talking, laughing my *ss off and soaking it up. This review is not a list of holds and events because I lived for the hour and a half I was there. So did 900 other people. I'd love to see this in the UK, it's this distinction between 'wrestling fans' and people who want an unhinged, visceral, sweaty, demented night out. That's me, despite having a 'civilised' day job. Hoodslam is something I'll shout from the rooftops until wrestling promoters decide to stop being WWE's poor relation and instead create a vibe where people want to come. The pictures on the site sum it up great - big aerial slow motion spots, hot girls, amped up crowds and that intangible feeling of soaking it up with the grown-up versions of the little WWF/WCW/ECW fans. read more