San Francisco. 1982. The hippies have fled, Punk's on its death-bed, and rumors of a mysterious new disease are starting to hit the streets. All in all, not the best of times to declare the City your new home.
But with high school now behind him, Rob Walstein couldn't care less. He leaves Mill Valley, finds an apartment, meets a club-hopping hellion named Annie. And through her, he hooks up with Kurt Wagner, poet and troubled front-man, eventually falling under his spell, and joining his latest band.