For the past I don't know how many months I've stayed on Long Island Saturday nights. I've stopped dancing. I've stopped being adventurous. It hasn't been making me feel so good about myself. Almost every week for the past several weeks I've been saying that I was going to go back into the city, but each week I've found a reason to stay on L.I.
Gosh, for years I went into the city clubbing week after week after week, and I almost always had the time of my life. Eventually though, with the opening of XL and then the closing of Splash, my visits to NYC have waned. I'm glad we've got Nuts n Bolts out here, but it's nothing in comparison to a city club.
Out here, the people are the same, there's really no dancing, and it's easy to get bored with it each and every week. In the city it doesn't matter who you know. Anonymity makes it easy to be yourself, and I find it so easy to let loose when I have no one around me, judging me. At least that doesn't make me uncomfortable.
So tonight, I am returning to the city. My first destination is XL Nightclub and then perhaps The Ritz, where I haven't been since last spring. I can't wait to be out there on the dance floor!
Last night, my friend Paul and I went into the city for one of our occasional nights of clubbing. It was the first time I'd been to the city in a couple of weeks and since it was a Friday night, we were planning on hitting bars in Hell's Kitchen, the newest gay hot spot in Manhattan. This area of the West Side, just outside of Times Square, is teeming with clubs and bars and we planned on hitting at least a couple of them.
For the first time in awhile, I was excited to go dancing again. In the past I would have already been out a few times during the break, but for whatever reason, visits with friends, working, lack of funds, writing, etc., I haven't gone out like I used to.
Penthaus at the Copacabana
Our first stop for the evening was the opening of an all new Friday night club at the Copacabana on 47th Street. Penthaus is the newest 'gay dance party' by Alan Pincus and Justin Luke's BoiParty, and from the looks of just the line as we approached, this one was gonna be packed.
The line went quickly, thankfully, because it was absolutely freezing out, and before you knew it, we were up on the third floor of the Copa at a packed Penthaus. The place was gorgeous, with two giant rooms, one with a dance floor and the rooftop area, complete with seating and a big bar.
The crowd was pretty, and brought to mind the image of Chelsea Queens, only this wasn't Chelsea. One dude was prettier than the next, and the ones that weren't pretty thought they were. Needless to say there was a lot of attitude in this very crowded venue. The only other bright spot other than the place itself was the music, spun by the fabulous Scotty Rox.
After about an hour and a half, and a couple of way overpriced drinks, we decided to head on out of there. I wanted to try another new bar, Hardware, but the drinks had emptied my pockets quicker than I expected, so we hopped down one block to my always go-to place, The Ritz.
I love The Ritz! It is always jam-packed with people and it's very hard to move around in, but the music is always slamming and the crowd is always good looking and never snooty (see above!). Last night was their final Flex Friday of the year and we got there around 1:30 AM and stayed until the wee hours, and as usual, the music was fierce and the crowd friendly. I just may have to do a piece on the place for Examiner. They like to call their patrons Ritzians, which I absolutely love...I guess I'm one!
Oops...I almost forgot about Circus Wednesday and Ruby's B'day Bash
I almost forgot that I had gone out on Wednesday night, as well. Today is my friend Ozzie/Ruby's birthday and she had a big birthday celebration at Lizard Lounge the other night. Though it was very cold, windy and rainy, I traipsed out for my friend...ugh...to be a part of his night.
The show was extra long and featured all of the resident drag queens, Sassy Temptress, Saline Dijon, Savannah Monroe, and others. Savannah, who loves Katy Perry, went all out and gets my vote for best dressed (see below). Unfortunately for me, I got sick all of a sudden and had to leave during Ruby's second performance. Ah, well, I was cold and tired anyway.
Check out Savannah's outfit...very cool!
Nuts & Bolts is back!
I also forgot all about last Saturday, too, when I returned to Nuts & Bolts, which had been closed for almost a month after its grand opening. I went with my pal Blanche, who had missed the opening because he was out of town, and I'm glad to say it's still getting a nice crowd. There was a fear that being closed for so long would have killed it a bit, but as I said in my two pieces about the place, it was needed! Yay!
Well, I guess I did do substantial clubbing this week after all! Anyway, happy birthday to Ruby and Ozzie...and as always, thanks for reading!
Thanksgiving Eve is probably the most well-attended night at bars and nightclubs across the country, as practically everybody in the world has the next day off. All of the gay bars on Long Island were having special parties to mark the occasion, and even the M Lounge had their monthly get together last night. Among all of the stiff competition going on for Thanksgiving Eve bar dollars was the opening of Nuts & Bolts, a new bar in Holbrook that's been a long time coming.
I've long been complaining about the nightlife scene here on Long Island. Ever since entering back into the fray of singledom five years ago, I found that the bar scene out here had been decimated at best. What was once a thriving community of choices and types of bars had become a sparse, disjointed mess, with the few clubs out there catering to the twinkie and drag queen set. Now there's much more I can say about that, but this is a topic for another time.
Enter Nuts Bolts, a bar whose opening had been rumored since last spring, but had yet to come to life until last night. I had actually met the partner of one of the owners a couple of weeks ago at M Lounge. His name is Bernard and he gave me the scoop on the new place, and I posted a preview of it on Examiner last Saturday. Opening night was last night, Thanksgiving Eve, and judging by the crowd at the new place and the competition for the night, the evening was a smashing success!
I won't go into all of the details about the place itself here...I just posted my review of it here, but I will tell you that I had a great time. Talk of the opening was the buzz at bowling on Tuesday and many of my fellow bowlers were on hand, in addition to other friend I'd not seen in a long time from the old Bunk House, Fire Island and other places. My pal Dit also came by to check it out and he was equally impressed.
So hopefully the place will endure. It is a much needed local alternative for people like me, who often get ignored by the cliquish crowds found at other bars. One opinion, though, while I'm thinking about it, is that they need to establish an anchor night that will attract the kind of crowd that they had last night. The place will be open 7 nights a week, and so surely they won't be getting the type of crowd they got last night. There will be a disco night on Sundays starting at 6, but maybe an extended happy hour on a Friday or even a Thursday might bring in larger amounts of people on a regular basis. Just a thought!
Anyway, I'm sure you'll be hearing more about it from me as time goes on. In the meantime, here are a few pictures...
It’s Saturday night and almost time for my weekly visit to Splash. My birthday is next Wednesday and I plan on having fun both this weekend and next, and since this’ll be my 4th night in a row, I guess first one check! My friend Paul was supposed to come with me tonight, but he called a little while ago to tell me he was already in the city with a friend, and so I go alone, which is totally cool.
As always this has been a trying week, as you could probably see from my post on Thanksgiving night. Thankfully I smoothed things over with mom and felt much better afterwards. I went into the city and remembered why I love going on Thursdays, because the music was awesome! I was having such a good time that I had to remind myself that I lived an hour away and had to pace myself for the weekend ahead, and I got home at a decent hour…for me anyway, lol. Gotta love that dance therapy, though. Works every time!
LI Eagle
Last night was a fun night, too, as I had some pleasant surprise company at the Eagle. Blanchie had been away for the holiday and I’d been feeding his cat while he was gone. I texted him yesterday afternoon to ask if he needed me to go and feed it one more time before he got home last night, and to my surprise he was already home. We got to talking and when I mentioned I was going to the Eagle, he actually offered to meet me there. It was sort of a blast from the past, as that’s what he and I used to do all the time twenty-something years ago.
I wanted to go to the Eagle again because I wanted to write a piece on it since its owner, Brett, had contacted me on FB to ask why I hadn’t before. I wrote the piece this morning which you can see here. I say again because I also visited the Eagle on Thanksgiving Eve because I didn’t want to venture into NYC and I figured it would be as good a time as any to give it a try. I had a really good time both nights, though it was much nicer having Blanchie with me last night…these Long Island bars are so clicky!
Another New Dawn
As I mentioned earlier, this Wednesday is my birthday and just like the New Year or the start of a new school year, a birthday is a good time to start fresh once again. I’m really tired of being stuck in neutral, so to speak, because of the economy and I think desperate times call for desperate measures, so I plan to make myself some birthday resolutions and set some goals for myself. I think that kicking the, dare I say, habit, might be high on the list, and so is becoming more sociable. I need to dig out that “Life” book again… We’ll see!
I’m thankful for my car
I figured I’d use this opportunity to put in another Thanksgiving Thanks, this time for my car. My 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse is the nicest looking car I’ve ever had and it came to me quite unexpected. On Halloween weekend of last year, my good buddy Jorge was moving back to his country, Chile, and he needed to get rid of his car and he made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. So here I am a year later with my beautiful car that’s a pleasure to drive every day. It’s one of the things I’d surely miss whenever I do get to the city. Thanks Jorge!
Well, it’s time to hop in the shower, so I’m going to sign off here. I have a feeling I’m going to be very tired tomorrow! Have a great evening and thanks for checking me out!
Good morning everyone! What a beautiful November day we have out here on Long Island. It’ sunny and crisp and just a great day to be out and about, which is what I plan to do as soon as I’m through with this post. Catching up…
Today I’m heading out to the Smithaven Mall in Lake Grove. My destination is Macy’s, which is holding their latest “Private Men’s Sale,” which I guess is not so ‘private’ anymore. Shopping therapy is my next favorite way to make me feel good after dancing therapy, of course. Though I’m not really in need of therapy, it’ll still be good to buy some clothes after a long, long time.
This particular sale is Macy’s best, where there are practically no exclusions on items from which to apply the discounted 25% off. One of the best things that Joe taught me during our time together was that buying good clothing is much better than cheap, since it always lasts longer, and this is a great way to buy good, quality clothes. As my friend Dita would say, “Weezie’s getting himself some new frocks,” lol. Yes, and I am looking forward to finding something good to wear tonight, too!
Today is a playoff game for my school’s soccer team. It’s the second round of the playoffs and one of my former students is a player for the team. Can (pronounced “John”---he’s Turkish!), told me yesterday that the game is being played in Medford, which is right near where I live, so I am going to try and make the game after shopping. Good luck!
The opening night crowd at Metro Fridays
Metro Fridays
Last night I went to Metro Fridays at the Lizard Lounge. It was the first time I had been there since their opening night and I have to say I was a little disappointed. Now this is no offense to Jay or any of the other great folks at LL, but the crowd was a little too sparse and since last night was the first night with a cover, I have to say I’m not sure if I will be going there again on a Friday night anytime soon. I really went for my pal Ozzie, and it was nice to see him after a few weeks, but also the show started at 1:30, which for me was a little late, especially for a day in which I was up since 5 AM.
I understand that Metro Fridays is a new thing and that it may take some time to get a regular crowd going, but the nearby dance club, Glass, already has a Friday night crowd and I that club is more suitable for dancing, which is what I would think people would be more inclined to do on a weekend night. Of course, LL has an awesome sound system, complete with video screens, but the dance floor is kind of small and I’m not sure if anyone would ever consider it a dance club.
It’s funny, but I mentioned here awhile back that they had noted on their video screens awhile ago that Circus would be opening on Saturdays, which I think would have been a better fit. The other Saturday night dance club on Long Island is Gation, which is in Nassau County, so I think that LL would maybe have gotten a better crowd if it were gay on Saturdays, providing a Suffolk County alternative for that night’s crowds. Hindsight is 20/20, I guess, so it’s all speculation on my part. I am by no means an expert on the bar business and that’s only my honest opinion.
Still, Lizard Lounge is a great place and I will return, probably more likely on a Circus Wednesday than a Metro Friday, at least for now.
Earlier this week, it was announced that the great comedy show from the early 90’s, Keenan Ivory Wayans’ “In Living Color,” will be coming back to television with two new specials. I used to love that show and there were so many things about it that were great, including the many recurring character skits like “Men On,” “Wanda,” “Homey the Clown,” “Vera DeMilo,” “Bonita Botrell,” and many, many more. Several big names also got their starts on the show like the Wayans Brothers, Jim Carey, David Alan Grier and others. J-Lo even began her career on the show as one of the famous “Fly Girls.”
Needless to say, I am very excited about the prospect and I plan to do a piece or two on it, so that’s all I’m going to say for now on the subject. If you’d like to read more, check out a piece on the new shows from the NY Times right here, and in the meantime check out one of my all time favorite sketches from the show. It originally aired during halftime of the Super Bowl and it is just classically funny! So many great one-liners…
Check out DVD's of In Living Color at great prices from Amazon here:
Happy Monday! Not to tease you or anything, but it’s so nice not to have to worry about what day it is anymore, at least for the summer. Monday, Hump Day…whatever…it’s all the same to me and I love it! Anyway, it’s a beautiful day once again, summer life after another beautiful weekend…
The Grove Saturday
On Saturday evening I ventured back once again to Cherry Grove. After returning to the city during the week it was nice to go somewhere close by, and besides the weather was absolutely perfect! I hopped on the 8:20 ferry and I was off. I stopped for a slice of Cherry Grove pizza before heading to the bars and this really nice dude who works there gave it to me for a buck fifty, just because I had a great smile! It was the beginning of a fun night.
I went to Cherry’s at first and was surprised to see that there were only a handful of people in the bar. It was weird because as I said it was such a beautiful night, but even the ferry wasn’t that crowded. It was strange, but once again I saw my friend Michael and we hung out for a little bit. Apparently the weekly drag show at the Ice Palace had started a little early and that’s was the reason for the small crowd at Cherry’s, which got really busy later on.
The lifeguards all aboard
Lifeguards!
When I had first gotten to the ferry terminal I saw this group of nice-looking guys. I didn't realize it until the ferry started moving that they were Fire Island lifeguards, who were going to the Grove to try and raise money for an upcoming competition in Cape May. One of them got up from his seat upstairs on the ferry and solicited donations for their cause. They were selling lifeguard t-shirts and such and they were going to have a 50/50 raffle in all of the bars.
Of course, with gay people there's always a little naughtyness, and one dude from the boat asked what else he could buy with his money. With that, another lifeguard jumped up from his seat, lifted his shirt and said, "I'll give ya a lap dance."
"Oh my, we've got abs!" I Facebooked right then.
The dude had what looked to be a ten-pack. I couldn't help but smile at how cool these obviously straight guys were. It turned out that I saw them again dancing at Cherry's with each other and pretty much everyone else. I donated my $10.
The lifeguards whooping it up on the dance floor
All in all it was a fun night, with of course a lot of dancing and a lot of sweat. I actually left a little early because Saturday was also the opening night for Alfie’s Bar in Patchogue, which I told you about the other day.
Alfie’s Guys Night Out
Well, I can’t really gauge how the first night at Alfie’s was because I didn’t arrive until 2 A.M. By that time, there weren’t many people left, but from the chatter going on I think the guys were pleased overall with the turnout. I did stay until the wee hours, not really sure if I wanted to reveal my identity to George, the owner, for whom I penned the piece on Examiner. In the end, he never recognized me and I didn’t say who I was. I’m not really sure why, but who knows???
I did meet this nice guy named Ozzie who was very chatty with me. He told me he was a drag queen at several place on the island and I could definitely see that. I forgot his handle, but I know he performs at Circus Wednesdays, so I may hit it one of these days. Ozzie was a character, funny and sweet at the same time. Hopefully I’ll see him again and hopefully I’ll get to Alfie’s earlier so that I can give it an honest review. They’re having a White Party next Saturday so we’ll see…
Cherry Grove in the Daytime
I’d almost forgotten how nice Cherry Grove can be during the day, as well. The place is so beautiful. Being over there at anytime feels like you’re on a vacation even though you’re just a few miles from home, and the daytime has a whole different feel to it that the night. There are no cars and no roads, only boardwalks through a little town of bars, restaurants and gift shops. Then of course there’s the beach…I think that maybe I will hit it the next, or the first, time I make my way to la playa (I need to go...someone told me the other night that I was really white.)
Anyway, yesterday I planned to spend the day with my good buddy Laura Kim, who just turned 40 a couple of weeks ago. She and I hang out every now and again, mostly for a bite and some chit chat, and I wanted to treat her to a meal for her birthday in a special place. We’d been to the Grove together before and so she was up for it as well as I.
I can’t say enough how beautiful the weather was, clear, sunny skies, warm temps and beautiful views. We’d both been really hungry once we got over there on the ferry so we headed to Cherry’s Restaurant, overlooking the Great South Bay. We were seated for Sunday brunch in the cushiest chairs I’ve ever sat in overlooking everything below. Even though breakfast was not on our minds, the breakfast choices on the menu sounded delectable and so that’s what we ordered. LK had poached eggs with crab cakes (not my thing, but they looked good) and I dined on steak and eggs, which were out of this world.
The view from brunch at Cherry's Restaurant
After brunch it was time for one of Laura Kim’s favorite pastimes (mine, too!), shopping. We hit all of the gay shops in the Grove, she trying on a dress or two and I buying a cool muscle shirt. It’s funny but of all the times I’ve ever spent at the Grove I never went shopping. It was obvious, though, that LK has because she knew the guys in the shop at the Ice Palace, who were absolutely giddy when they first saw her.
After a few rounds of window shopping, we had some ice cream, which I’ve been eating too much of lately. I couldn’t resist the “Moose Tracks” with the peanut butter cups inside and LK had some black cherry with Oreo cookies in em’. Yum!
Pina Colada!
Burlesque at Cherry’s on the Bay
By that time I was ready for a cocktail and I suggested we hit Cherry’s. That was where the real fun began! Laura Kim and I chatted, mixed and mingled at Cherry’s for a few hours, having fun all along. At 5 P.M. they had a burlesque show featuring a guy and a girl doing several R-Rated numbers in front of a largely unappreciative crowd.
Me and LK with our cherries
Really, they weren’t very good, although there were moments of fun in their show. The gal did a few comedic renditions of songs like Rebecca Black’s “Friday” and other such camp, stripping layers of (some very cool!) costumes along the way. The dude mostly stripped, in a burlesque sort of way, with some theatrical movements and props helping him out. At one point, Laura Kim mentioned, to my agreement, that we’d seen way too much of his ass. Really, the whole thing was a little over the top and the crowd weren’t enjoying themselves too much. In fact, by the time we’d left, most of them weren’t even paying attention.
The audience participation portions of the show, which I always hate, had one fun spot and another moronic one. The more enjoyable of the two came in the form of a cute twink, whom the dude in the show dubbed as the New Go Go Boy. The poor guy was stripped down to his skivvies and at one point the guy from the show even yanked them down, giving all a quick glimpse of his buns. He took it all in stride, though, and for me at least it was the most enjoyable part of the show.
Next came the beer drinking contest. Two members of the audience, one guy and one gal, were chosen to drink a beer from the crotches of our hosts. It was everything everyone hates about these types of shows, idiotic and stupid, but the worst of all was the last skit we saw.
The beer drinking contest...pretty much the only pic of the show I can share with you...
It was the dude’s turn to entertain (?) and he came out with a large lollipop to the sounds of the song “Candy Man,” by Sammy Davis, Jr. He did his thing, slowly peeling off portions of his costume right down to his g-string underwear, and that’s where it got downright disgusting! During the number, a couple of strippers came into the audience passing out Hershey Kisses, which were a little soft from the sun. As they did so, the dude peeled one and ate it, then grabbing his stomach with a painful looking grimace on his face. That was when he revealed his buttocks once again, spreading his cheeks to reveal the melted chocolate caked all over his crack.
“Let’s go,” I said to Laura Kim.
Without a word, we got up and left, headed for the ferry. It was a disturbing finish to what was otherwise a pleasant day at the Grove. LK and I came home and we made a tray of my world-famous mac and cheese, with spicy pepper jack, filling ourselves happy on what I must say was my best ever.
Well, folks, that’s all the time we have for today. As always, I am forever grateful for your readership and I hope that you enjoy my little space on the Web. Here’s a video of another “Candy Man,” one I like, by the Mary Jane Girls. Enjoy!
Happy Saturday night everybody! It’s been a long, busy day and I’m a little beat. I just wish life would slow down sometimes so I can just kick back and relax for a change…maybe come summer! Here’s what’s going on:
Last night at Bunk House – literally!
Upon hearing and reporting on the news that the Bunk House was officially closing this weekend, I called my buddies Dita and Blanche and we all agreed to go there one last time. Though the Bunk was never any of our favorite bars, it has been a staple of the gay community of Long Island for a long time, and we’ve all had our moments there, so it was fitting that we had one last drink and dance in the old place.
The three of us met there for a few drinks and a couple of dances like we used to do more often back in the day. Rich and I got there first, around 11:15, and it looked like it was going to be a slow night, sadly. They had just announced the closing of the bar at 4PM, so at first I thought that if more people would have known it would have gotten a bigger crowd, but happily the place packed it in later on.
Blanche was the last to arrive and the first to leave…he was tired and maybe just a wee bit cranky, lol. It’s okay, though, because the three of us shot the breeze just like we always do and I even got both of them on the dance floor for a bit. Once Blanche had left, Dita and I danced some more and hung out until the wee hours of the morning. It was towards the end that he finally expressed sadness over the demise of the old standby.
“Now I’m getting a little sad.”
I knew what he meant. Even though the place has had a lot more downs than ups in recent years, it was still a place where we’d spent many a night having a good time. The downs, though, undoubtedly left us all with sour thoughts in our minds: At one time, for a long time, there was a horrible odor permeating the bar area towards the front of the building. It smelled like puke and the disgusting smell lingered there for months at least. The Saturday night crowd became smaller and smaller as more people headed out to Industry in Levittown for Gation Saturdays and the $10 cover charge had gotten to be ridiculous, especially considering other, better bars that charged the same or even less to get in.
The biggest thing that irked me about the last incarnation of the Bunk House came in the form of a Mylar balloon. I remember when the present owners first took over. There was this silvery, broken balloon stuck in a branch just over the fenced-in area over the outside deck. It stayed there for months, possibly even years before it was finally removed. That to me represented what had gone wrong there in the first place. It was often filthy all around, with cigarette butts and garbage strewn everywhere, broken bricks on the stairs, and eyesores such as the balloon adding to the negative atmosphere of what the Bunk House had become.
Thankfully the owners got their act together the last year or so, and thanks to ‘Da Bunk’ Fridays they actually got their crowd back. They say they’re moving to a new spot in Patchogue very soon. There’s a gay night going on tonight at a place called Alfie’s on Rte. 112 in Patchogue. I’m wondering if that’s going to be it. I’ll keep you posted as I hear news, but wherever the new place may be, and whatever they call it, it won’t be the same. That unassuming building on Montauk Highway in Sayville has seen a lot of action over the past 30 years or so and to me that will always be the real Bunk House.
As Rich and I headed to our cars to leave the Bunk for the last time, he turned to look at it and said he was going to miss it.
I received an invitation through Facebook today, one which came unexpectedly. Though rumors and speculation about the closing of the Bunk House have run rampant for almost two years, no one knew exactly when that end would come. For me and my friends, that end will be tonight, and for everyone else the bar that's been around for thirty years or so will close its doors for the last time tomorrow night.
It is truly the end of an era. The Bunk was the very first bar I ever set into, and though my relationship with the place has had its ups and downs over the years, especially lately, it's sad to see it go. I just published a piece on the announcement, which you can read here. In the meantime, I have to start getting ready soon for my own finale at the joint.
The Facebook invitation and its ensuing commentary says that the Bunk House will reopen soon in another location, perhaps in the town of Patchogue where I live. That could be cool, but I'm thankful it's summer and at least I've got Fire Island for a couple of months, but then what? We'll just have to wait and see...
Here's a song tribute to the place that holds so many memories for me. It's one of my favorite slow jams and it kind of fits the way I'm feeling right now at the end of this era. Enjoy 'Reflections (I Remember)' by Mary J Blige:
P.S. - On Sunday, the Bunk House will be holding an auction of many of the items found in the tavern, from pictures to urinals and more. Some of the proceeds will be going to Thursday's Child charities. The auction begins at 8PM. Check out the Bunk's Facebook page here for more.
Stay tuned for more on this as things develop. Tweet
Tonight is a very special night at Gation Saturday’s in Levittown. Every Saturday night, Long Island Hotspots puts on one of the hottest gay parties on Long Island, and tonight hopes to be one of their best. On hand to perform their new single 'Push It' live for the always happening crowd at Gation is the fast and funky band Jessie and the Toy Boys.
Jesse and the Toy Boys will be the opening act for Nicki Minaj and Britney Spears on the upcoming “Femme Fatale” tour, and fans of Britney will certainly love the pop-dance-electronica sounds of this entertaining group. ‘Push It’ is one of those songs “that sticks to your brain long after you’ve heard it for the first time,” lead singer Jessie Malakouti says in a recent interview. With a guest rap interlude by hip hopster Yelawolf, this one has all the makings of a dance club smash.
Regretfully I won’t have a chance to make it down to Gation tonight due to other commitments, but if you’re a Britney fan and you love to party, get yourself down to Gation tonight and check out what’s sure to be a rockin’ blast! In the meantime, check out ‘Push It,’ by Jessie and the Toy Boys:
For more on Gation Saturdays, check out their Facebook page here and the Long Island Hottspots page here for more on their weekly Gation Saturdays and Da Bunk Fridays.
To check out more on Jessie and the Toy Boys, check out their website right here. Tweet
Today is Easter Sunday and I have a hangover! I haven’t had a hangover for as far back as I can remember, but at least I remember last night, which is a good thing. I just took a couple of aspirin and I’m hoping that by the time I finish this, the pounding will stop. Ah, the price you pay for a good time!
Monster Ball
Last night a friend and I went to see Lady Gaga perform her Monster’s Ball show at the Nassau Coliseum. It was the first time I ever got tickets to a concert on the same day as the show, and it was tense almost all day long as we watched Stub Hub throughout the day hoping that the right tickets would come available at the right price and in the best spot. We got lucky! Instead of ending up in the rafters, which we expected, we got primo seats in just the first section up, Row A, directly opposite the stage. We couldn’t have asked for better, except….well, more on that later!
I love going to concerts! I’ve been to many of them in my life and I still get as excited as a kid in a candy store whenever I’m going to one, and yesterday was no exception. As soon as we booked the tickets, my mood immediately elevated. I grabbed my iPod and went straight to my Gaga folder. I remember when I first heard Fame Monster; I liked almost all of the songs the very first time. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again here that Gaga wouldn’t be as popular as she is without good, quality music, and her music IS quality!
After an awesome dinner at Bertucci’s, my friend and I headed off to the Coliseum. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a lot of traffic and we were there in no time. Not since the last KISS concert I went to have I seen so many people in costume. Gaga’s were everywhere, and in all stripes. There were bubbles and lace, sequins and heels, construction stripping and soda can hair rollers. I loved it! At one point a rather large bald man in fish net stockings, high heels and full makeup walked out on to the floor of the Coliseum to the frenzy of fans. He entertained them all by getting down to Michael Jackson. The party had just begun.
Next came a deejay and then the opening act, a punk/dance band called Semi-Precious Weapons. Not my kind of music, but during their set they had said that they’d been touring with Gaga since the beginning. She came to one of their shows in the city and liked what she saw, and so she’s a fan.
After the band had finished their set, it would be a long wait til Gaga. The set had finished at 9PM and Gaga didn’t come on until a little after 10. It was a frustratingly long hour, but once she came on all was forgotten.
Now I’m going to save the total review for a Y!CN article, but what I will say here is that she was great. The show was completely entertaining and she sounded just like her records. She played all of the hits, with the curious exception of her latest, ‘Judas.’ I was stuck in a section of farts who made me wonder why they had even come to the show in the first place. They sat for ‘Love Game,’ ‘Just Dance,’ and even ‘Telephone.’ I’m not the type of person to just get up and block views, so I just sat there dancing in my seat, but by the time she played ‘Poker Face’ I couldn’t control myself any longer.
The show was fast-moving, with nothing but up tempo stuff, except for a piano rendition of ‘Born This Way’ and a new song called ‘You and I.’ The rest was good, danceable joy, with ‘Paparazzi’ being one of my personal favorites!
Gaga spoke a lot!
“LONG ISLAND,” she screamed more than a dozen times to the frenzied response of the audience. She spoke of being bullied as a teenager and how her story should inspire others. As in the song, ‘Born This Way,’ she preached on the fact that everyone is special, no matter what their story, and I think that’s one of the things that empowers herself so much with her fans. It was the song she finished with, and when it was over, everyone walked away smiling. Stay tuned for more…
Gation Saturdays
After the concert, my friend and I headed out to Industry Nightclub, home of Gation Saturdays, one of the hottest gay nights on Long Island. All cylinders were a go last night as the club was simply a ten-minute drive from the Coliseum, and I wasn’t the one driving (thus the hangover!).
Gation was packed with people of all kinds, and thanks to my good buddy who recognized me a couple of weeks ago I was put on the guest list for a discount. Bingo! It was a blast from the get-go as my friend and I danced all night long, getting down and having fun with our fellow club goers. The music was awesome and a Britney Spears lookalike (uncanny!) performed some of that singer’s best, much to the delight of dancers all over the club.
I'm in there somewhere!
Britney?
At one point, there were these three Latino guys dancing near us and suddenly one of them grabbed my friend from behind, whispering sweet nothings into his ear, I think. I laughed my ass off until his two friends sandwiched me during ‘Till the World Ends.’ As it turned out, the first guy, who sidled up to me after awhile, was Colombian, and he told me in very broken English that he was looking for a boyfriend. I just smiled and kept dancing, pretending that I didn’t understand him. My friend and I shared a chuckle about it afterwards and went on with our night.
I got home around 4AM, the same time I usually get home from Splash. It was a nice change of pace for me and I think I may go there again on a Saturday when I don’t feel like venturing into the city for some fun. Thanks to my friends from Long Island Hottspots for bringing some fun back into Long Island gay clubs. Check out their Facebook page here. (and thanks to them for some of the photos posted here!)
Happy Easter!
I never was a religious person, being born and raised in a non-practicing Catholic family, so I’m not ashamed to admit that to me Easter is simply one of those religious holidays where I just have to spend time with my family. This will be my only form of writing today because I have to head out to mom’s for dinner at 3.
Not that I don’t believe in God. I do! I just don’t necessarily ascribe to any of the organized religions’ teachings specifically. I wrote a piece on it once; you can check it out here if you like:
Anyway, I do like Easter. It comes at a time of the year when the weather is turning nice, and I always liked coloring eggs, even though as a child I was deathly afraid of the Easter Bunny! So, to those who celebrate the holiday, I say Happy Easter to you all!
Well, it’s late already and I need to shower for Easter dinner. I hope to see my new friend later on tonight, at least for a bit, so I probably won’t be back on here until tomorrow. In the meantime I’ll leave you with another Gaga video, of course, to enjoy. Next up, Kylie!!!! Have a Happy Day!
