Josh Sparber

(Escort at Music Hall of Williamsburg via MTVHive)
 

Disco is alive and well—not to mention rapidly reaching new heights of popularity—thanks in part to live acts such as Brooklyn’s Escort and Midnight Magic, both of whom performed at a Spank-sponsored concert at the Music Hall of Williamsburg this past Saturday.
 
“Our musical sensibilities and our sexual orientations are at opposite ends of the Kinsey spectrum.">>>

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(Darren Kinoshita and Michael at The Monster)
 
 
Suited up in green-and-yellow plaid flannel, we descended into the basement of The Monster this past Sunday with high hopes of swapping shirts (and perhaps spit!) at DJs Rich King and Gustavo Motta’s fourth annual Great Flannel Exchange.
 
“I did pick up a handsome boy wearing a nice flannel—which didn't stay on him too long!”>>>
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(Ladyfag at Hiro Ballroom)
 
Pop Souk, Ladyfag's shopping extravaganza, packed Hiro Ballroom on Sunday with a sea of club kids and fashion folk sampling flea-market type tables manned by downtown elite selling everything from clothes and jewelry to candy and household tchotchkes.
 
“People want to buy stuff from someone that’s cute.”>>> continue reading »

(Logan Hardcore @ The Ice Palace: photo by Wilsonmodels)
 
Dozens of drag queens, both professional and amateur, competed in Saturday's 46th annual Miss Fire Island pageant at the Ice Palace in Cherry Grove. Dallas Dubois, the reigning Entertainer of the Year, ended up passing on her crown to Brenda Dharling, while Gusty Winds took Ms Fire island and an injured Logan Hardcore was named Miss Fire Island.
 
"[I feel] hungry! I was in jeopardy of going below 200 lbs. so I was stuffing my face all week but now I’ve been trying to lose a little to get into this dress.”>>> continue reading »

(DJs Sean B and Will Automagic on the East River)
 
Spank hosted the second of three summer boat parties last Friday—a Viking themed evening of disco and Nordic looks—organized by promoters DJs Sean B and Will Automagic and hosts Jason Roe and Matthew LeBaron.
 
“I thought I’d bring my mom on a boat full of faggots.">>> continue reading »

(The Emperor's New Codpiece @ The Laurie Beechman)

With the promise of drag, nudity and a gay send-up of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” we eagerly made our way up to the Laurie Beechman Theatre on Friday for the opening of The Emperor’s New Codpiece. Written by downtown-club-queen-turned-bingo-babe Linda Simpson and directed by Tim Cusack, Codpiece tells the tale of a medieval nightspot, Club Castle, whose hetero owner decides to cut costs by scaling back his drag acts and ramping up his go-gos. Simpson, who plays Castle’s lone surviving drag performer, Melinda, hatches a plan to fool the junkshakers—including super sexy primo go-go Emperor (Buenaventura Rodriguez) into wearing jocks made of invisible fabric so they’ll be sacked for nudity and the queens can return to the spotlight.

FULL STORY AFTER THE JUMP!>> continue reading »

(Josh Sparber and Stephanie Stone @ Marriot Marquis)
Should you ever have the chance to attend The Imperial Court of New York's annual Night of A Thousand Gowns, don't pass it up—even if your gown is at the cleaners! Last weekend, the annual fundraiser known for its over-the-top regal and drag attire mixed performances, a runway show, and ballroom realness all in the name of charity (Proceeds went to The Trevor Project and The Ali Forney Center.)  There were also bejeweled crowns and punny titles awarded to ICNY members and donors—not to mention the official coronation of new Emperor Prince Royal Vanity Society and Empress Princess Royale Pepperica Swirl.
 FULL STORY AFTER THE JUMP!>> continue reading »

(Chi Chi LaRue and Shay @ Eastern Bloc)
East Village watering hole Eastern Bloc hit maximum capacity Friday night, as a line of eager homos snaked down Sixth Street hoping to get in to hear porn director-turned-DJ Chi Chi LaRue on the decks for a one-off dubbed Pop Goes the Zipper. Showing off her svelte figure to the rowdy downtown crowd, LaRue played pop hits old and new, from Stacy Q to Ke$ha. Her take from the soviet-themed club's DJ booth? “Ridiculously hot, ridiculously fun. I thought I was in a spaceship!” Chi Chi told us that spinning at a small bar like the Bloc “is kind of my thing because I can play whatever I want and the people are dirty and drunk and don’t care.” She then turned and gave a very warm hello (wink wink) to porn star and go-go boy of the evening, Shay.

Of course LaRue had her own porn star in town, Alessio Romero, who popped his zipper and slid it all off at 2am, at which point Chi Chi invited patrons to open wide for a tequila shot poured off of Romero’s ass crack or long dong silver. Among the participants was Lucas Entertainment videographer Mr. Pam, who partied in a special roped-off VIP section of the stage with shirtless co-owner Darren Dryden. We’re Chi Chi will come back soon for another installment!  —Josh Sparber continue reading »

(Paradise Garage)

“Let me through! Don’t you know I’m an original card-carrying member of the Paradise Garage?” We overheard some queen actually shout that as we waited outside Santos Party House shortly before midnight on Saturday, eagerly awaiting entry to Keep On Dancin', the PG reunion party benefiting GMHC, LifeBeat and the American Run for the End of AIDS (AREA).

FULL STORY AFTER THE JUMP!>> continue reading »

 (Entertainer of the Year 2009 Logan Hardcore @ the Ice Palace)

Fire Island daytrippers, locals and post-Labor Day vacationers all convened upon Cherry Grove’s Ice Palace Saturday afternoon to witness 35 drag queens out-strut one another at the 45th annual Miss Fire Island Pageant. Vying for one of three titles—Miss Fire Island, Ms. Fire Island (only open to "ladies" over 40) and Entertainer of the Year—competitors showed off their most dazzling day looks, evening wear or dance moves, depending on which crown they were grappling for. “This is one of the toughest years I’ve seen,” the elegant Victoria Michael told us, having traveled all the way from Florida to compete for her seventh year. (She nabbed Entertainer of the Year in 2006). “You have a girl who sang live and another who brought backup dancers,” she remarked, referring to Epiphany, who did a live rendition of Frank Sinatra’s "New York, New York," and Dallas Dubois, who wowed the abundantly hetero audience with her acrobatics and two scantily dressed go-go boys.  

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