NEW YORK’S GAY GUIDE 21.32 JAN 31, 2014
INSIDE:
Boxers HK: Phase Two PLUS: HOW TO WIN MISS BARRACUDA, AND MORE!
CONTENTS
JANUARY 31, 2014 | VOL 21.32
ThE NEXUS 4 4 6 7 8 8 42
The Week in Photos Commentary: Looking could still get better—right? Getting Personal with new GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis What’s Next Now: Men’s Wellness Center Commentary: Will there ever be another true diva? Gay DD Shot in the Dark
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NEXTWEEK 12 16
COLUMNS
Calendar of Events Spotlight: Boxers HK’s now has an arcade in the basement and brunch upstairs. Quoted with Daphne Rubin-Vega D.I.Y.: Tips for winning Miss Barracuda from hostess Tina Burner. When I Knew: Jesse Luttrell was really into Bob Fosse as a kid. Bars + Clubs Map Nightlife: Hosts Dallas Dubois and Eli Lewis tell us about the contestants of this year’s Mr. NewYork Escort contest. Spotlight: The queens behind PrEP-olicious aim to school you on the new form of HIV-prevention.
The Right Track Travel: Who knew San Diego was so gay? Reel Love Curtain Up Eats Double Take
LISTINGS 25
Business Directory
ON THE COVER AND ON THIS PAGE: Paul Montoya shot exclusively for Next Magazine by Rick Stockwell (StockwellPhotography.com). CORRECTION: On the cover of Issue 21.31, January 17, we mistakenly called Prohibition Thursdays "Prohibition Sundays." We regret the error. PUBLISHER DAVID MOYAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ALEX ERIKSON ART DIRECTOR CHARLIE PIAZZA ASSOCIATE EDITORS WILL PULOS, JOHN RUSSELL
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS FRANK CONWAY, MARC CUENCO, WIL FISHER, DUSTIN FITZHARRIS, JAMESON FITZPATRICK, DAVID HURST, JUSTIN LOCKWOOD, PAUL MATSUMOTO, JORDAN RUBENSTEIN, BRIAN SLOAN, BENJAMIN SOLOMON, KAREEM MCJAGGER
COPY EDITOR JENNIFER CHAFE DINING EDITOR PETER SHERWOOD MUSIC EDITOR KEO NOZARI STAFF WRITER LAWRENCE FERBER
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS SANTIAGO FELIPE, KEVIN THOMAS GARCIA, GUSTAVO MONROY CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS CHRIS BISHOP, BRUCE GLIKAS, ERIC JAMES, ROBERT H. MCGEE
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR DON ROBINDER
CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS JAMES L. BARRY, A.E. KIEREN, ANDY SWIST, WILL VARNER
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE ROBERTO BUCKLEY DISTRIBUTION MANAGER EZEQUIEL PEREZ
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NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE RIVENDELL MEDIA: 212-242-6863, RIVENDELLMEDIA.COM
Next Magazine (henceforth “Next”) reserves the right to publish images without providing credit. Next does not guarantee that credit will be provided for any materials. The appearance of subjects and contributors in photographs or editorial matter in Next is not to be construed as indicative of the sexual orientation or personal practices of any individual. No implication with respect thereto is intended, and none should be inferred.
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Week in Getting What’s Gay 4 Photos P. 6 Personal P. 7 Next Now P. 8 D.D.
Broadway Bares Winter Burlesque melts the snow • After Dark launches at The Delancey • The Iced Tea Dance raises funds
US 1.31.14
THE
Visit The Nexus on NextMagazine.com for your daily dose of gay gossip and party photos. BY GREG SCARNICI
LOOKING IS NO “NOAH’S FART” HBO’S NEW GAY SHOW IS GOING TO GET BETTER THAN YOUR NEWSFEED WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE—WE HOPE.
ike a lot of gay men across the country, I had been anticipating the premiere of HBO’s Looking for a long time. Billed as a groundbreaking representation of gay life today, the show follows the lives of three friends living in San Francisco. But since the show premiered on the Sunday of a holiday weekend, I DVR’d it because I was not missing the Disclosure concert or Horse Meat Disco for some TV show, hellio! By the time I sauntered off the dance floor and into a cab to check in with my social networks at the end of the night, the Internet was already ablaze with negative reactions to the premiere. “Boring.” “Looking...for something else to watch.” “Noah’s Fart.” The scathing comments and reviews kept coming for the second episode as well. From what I read—and I read a lot—most gay men were disappointed that the show was not an accurate depiction of “the modern gay experience,” whatever that means. Why these people expect to find real representations of themselves on TV is beyond me. I sincerely doubt straight
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TOWN HALL PHOTO: SANTIAGO FELIPE
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AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH CAROL CHANNING AND JUSTIN VIVIAN BOND @ TOWN HALL 92-year-old Broadway legend Carol Channing took the stage at Town Hall for a night of conversation and performance alongside downtown cabaret star Justin Vivian Bond. The event was a repeat engagement from the duo’s sold-out Fire Island show this summer.
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Overheard:
“You know, gay doesn’t mean you just like to fuck in the ass! It means you are fierce, fearless and ready to take on the world!” —Michael Formika Jones at the launch of his new party, After Dark at The DL
LOOKING IS NO “NOAH’S FART” CONT.
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Sarah Kate Ellis
“Sure, I agree some modern archetypes and storylines are missing from the show right now.’” if they wanted to be groundbreaking to this jaded writer, they’d have to air a step-by-step tutorial on fisting. I understand the stakes are high because there aren’t a lot of LGBT shows on television. Right now, all eyes are on Looking and RuPaul’s Drag Race—which, oddly, is a better representation of my life. In fact, if Looking were closer to my experience, the characters would consist of three alcoholics, a 70-year-old coke addict and five drag queens. And I wouldn’t watch because it would be exhausting. Sure, I agree some modern archetypes and storylines are missing from the show right now. Where’s the sex addict checking Grindr at the dinner table? Or the twink who runs that Tumblr featuring weaves found on the subway? If they were to rip some storylines from my life in 2014, there would be one about a former meth addict getting dentures and another following a weirdo thruple. But since I did not have a creative hand in the development of this show, I am not going to judge the first few episodes too harshly. For now, I’m grateful Looking exists, because if it succeeds, it will pave the way for more gay-themed shows. If, by the third or fourth episode, I’m still underwhelmed, I’ll still watch— just to keep the ratings up until Hollywood decides more series like Looking should exist. N
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ING PERSONAL T T E
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people watch The Big Bang Theory and hope it will validate their lives. As everyone knows, television is a medium that isn’t made in a vacuum. Network executives, writers and producers all chime in to try and make a show “successful.” Along the way, many things get watered down, so the fact that the characters and storylines in Looking might have been a little pedestrian didn’t bother me in the least. But then again,
THE MEDIA ENVIRONMENT may be a far more welcoming place to gays than it was even a short while ago, but GLAAD’s new president and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis, thinks there’s still a long way to go to reach true equality. “There’s so much work left to do. We can’t stop working until our families and our kids can live the life they love,”says Ellis, who started the high-profile position this month. “GLAAD is also working hard to tell the personal stories of LGBT people and families that build support for equality around the world.” Along with her wife, Kristen Ellis-Henderson, Ellis was recently featured on Time Magazine’s “Gay Marriage AlreadyWon”cover, and she was also the subject of The Huffington Post’s docuseries “Here Come The Brides.” However, her biggest accomplishment over the last few years happened closer to home. “I have two actually: Kate andThomas, my two beautiful kids.”
CHOOSE ONE: MOST USED DEVICE
Laptop
iPhone
X
iPad
Desktop
How did I ever survive without it?
What do you think would be the best way to get more accurate portrayals of gays in the media? Incorporating real LGBT people, families and their own experiences into news, entertainment and social media.
CHOOSE ONE: MORNING DRINK
Coffee
X
Tea
Juice
What’s your go-to drink? Vodka martini, extra dirty.
Other
Coffee, with just a touch of skim milk. Do you have a favorite LGBT television or movie character? Santana on Glee. She’s strong, smart and provides a great role model for young women—gay or straight. What’s your favorite neighborhood in New York? The West Village. The cobblestone streets, brownstones and sense of history are magical.
What’s a great pro-LGBT work of entertainment you’ve seen recently that you’d recommend? ABC Family’s The Fosters, because it shows how loving and diverse LGBT families are. Also, Jennifer Lopez—enough said. Are there any media or entertainment trends that worry you? Willingness to settle and declare victory when there’s still so much left to accomplish for equality.
Set List:
Cabaret fixture Justin Vivian Bond shared the stage with 92-year-old Broadway legend Carol Channing at Town Hall last week, reprising their hit engagement from Fire Island.
“Some of These Days” “The Look of Love” “Hello Dolly!” “Happy Birthday”
>>> WHAT’S NEXT NOW MEN’S WELLNESS CENTER connect those who test positive to a proper medical provider, and all services are completely free. “There are several reasons we decided to partner with GMAD in Brooklyn,” explains AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s Regional Director, Michael Camacho. “GMAD has a long history of service provision for gay men of color in the New York area. Although Brooklyn’s gay community continues to grow at an exponential rate, HIV/STI services for gay men do not. And the location is convenient to individuals living in Brooklyn or lower Manhattan too.” Currently, the Wellness Center is open on Wednesdays from 5pm to 8pm with additional hours possible in the future.They take walk-ins, and if Brooklyn Heights isn’t your‘hood, one-minute HIV testing is also available at the Out of the Closet Thrift Store.
PHOTO: SANTIAGO FELIPE
GETTING TESTED FOR sexually transmitted diseases should be a regular part of any sexually active person’s routine, but the process can often be time-consuming or expensive. That was especially the case if you lived in an outer borough like Brooklyn, where you may have had to travel farther—or pay more—to receive necessary medical services. But recently things have improved. The non-profit AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which recently opened the Out of the Closet Thrift Shop on Atlantic Avenue, is hoping to fix that situation with a brandnew sexual health clinic in downtown Brooklyn. The Men’s Wellness Center (44 Court St, FreeSTDCheck.org) is a partnership with local nonprofit Gay Men of African Descent (GMAD) and offers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia screening. The clinic is also able to
Men’s Wellness Center
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Overheard:
“Trust that since I’m hosting this week for my birthday, folks are gonna get violated. Shots usually follow.” —Host Ari Kiki at last week’s Ice Palace invasion of the Stonewall Inn
US BY LAWRENCE FERBER
has “diva” gone the way of the dodo? DOES THE WORD—OR CONCEPT— HAVE A PLACE IN THE AGE OF MILLENNIAL QUEERS?
ast week, legendary singer Patti LaBelle popped up in entertainment news headlines again, thanks to an interview she did with Chris Azzopardi for Michigan’s LGBT publication Between the Lines. A bona fide diva, she said she didn’t want to be called a diva anymore. “‘Diva’ is a word that I wouldn’t wanna call myself,” she said, “because it’s so loosely
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“Patti LaBelle isn’t the first to disdain “diva”—or heifers who can’t sing— but today, the term itself seems to be disappearing.” used. It’s not cute anymore…because all these little heifers who can’t sing are called divas! It doesn’t mean anything to me and probably to some of the other ladies who have been doing it for as long as I have.” Hear, hear, LaBelle! A decade ago, it seemed like every female singer was being labeled “diva,” from the big-voiced likes of Mariah Carey and Celine Dion to gay-pride circuit names like Amber and Ultra Naté to, increasingly often, onenamed untalented wannabe disco singers who couldn’t sing a note. As an LGBT publication, we’ve gotten more press releases and lame CDs touting a “diva” than we can count. Slap the label “dance diva” on her and gays will bite,
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BY JOHN RUSSELL
JANUARY 31, 2014
Got Gay-tention Deficit Disorder? Did Barbra Streisand insist that Queen Latifah, Taylor Swift and Madonna wear shirts at her appearance at Downton Abbey? Read on...
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We have a new (imaginary) boyfriend: newly signed Red Sox outfielder GRADY SIZEMORE. Oh, you’ve heard of him?
pearance at West Hollywood gay clubThe Abbey, refusing to perform her new single until all shirtless men—including go-go boys— were removed from the room.
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Oh, man. We cannot get enough of that TaylorSwift-losing-Album-ofthe-Year-to-Daft-Punk Vine.
Waytogo,bearsandvarious other bearded gays! Your non-shaving ways are actually eating into the profits of PROCTER & GAMBLE’S line of razors!
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Forget aspirin and a 32 oz. bottle of Evian—a new Upper West Side urgent care facility opening this spring will offer IVs to help cure your hangovers.
If anyone asks, we totally didn’t cry on Sunday when Madonna and Mary LambertandMacklemoreandQueenLatifah married all those couples at the GRAMMYS. Nope. Never happened. According to producer Walter Afanasieff, BARBRA STREISAND has tapped LadyGaga,BetteMidler,Beyoncéand othersforherupcomingduetsalbum. Thanks to a new law, California bartenders are now required to wear gloves— but not, unfortunately, little white ones like they’re footmen on Downton Abbey, which would have been awesome!
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So, two weeks in and we’re all still pretty bored by Looking, right?
Loras Tyrell on GAME 10 OFplaysTHRONES : the show We’re with Finn Jones, who
Disco diva Gloria Gaynor enforced her own personal dress code during an ap-
was the thinking. This served to drain the term of its meaning. After all, the definition of a diva is “a distinguished female singer,” reads one dictionary definition. These girls were autotuned wrecks. Who wants to be a“diva”if someone named Emmy-O, who comes out of nowhere (or Miami) with a droning song, is claiming the term right out of the gate? LaBelle isn’t the first to disdain “diva”—or heifers who can’t sing—but today, the term itself seems to be fading.
needs a lot more gay“sexposition!”
Google “diva singer” and you’ll come up with a largely pre-2010 arsenal of names. Dubbing Miley Cyrus a “diva” seems downright ludicrous. That VMA “Blurred Lines?” Uh…not diva. Yes, she performed “Rebel Yell” on 2012’s edition of “VH1 Divas,” and frankly, it’s a shock that show still exists without a rebranding. Today’s millennial gay boys are far more likely to tune into something called “VH1 Cray,” or “VH1 Twerks” anyway. Let the “diva” rebranding begin. Suggestions, Patti? N
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Comment of the Week:
“It was important to set it in a realistic gay cruising location, and I think it is quite faithful in my mind.” —French director Alain Guiraudie on his new film Stranger By The Lake exclusively to The Nexus
BROADWAY BARES: WINTER BURLESQUE @ XL NIGHTCLUB Christopher Sieber (center) performs the opening number at this year’s kickoff to the 24th season of Broadway Bares. The Calendar Girl-themed burlesque show raised $32,781 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
ICED TEA DANCE @ THE PARK DJ Luis Perez, Abzyme Research Foundation Executive Director Zachary Barnett and Michael Atwood mingle at the second annual non-profit fundraiser also featuring DJ Lina Bradford. See p.43 for more photos.
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BALLS TO THE WALL BINGO @ PIECES Host Vodka Stinger pulls the balls at the West Village bar’s weekly bingo game night.
ALL PHOTOS: GUSTAVO MONROY
AFTER DARK @ THE DL Michael“Formika”Jones and Amanda Lepore serve up some leopard-print fierceness at the debut of Jones’new weekly party on the Lower East Side. See p.42 for more photos.
Super Bowl XLVIII takes over the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey this weekend and we know all you gridiron gays are psyched—even if Beyoncé and Madonna aren’t playing the halftime show. But if you’re feeling a little déjà vu as the Seahawks take on the Broncos, that may be because February 2 is also Groundhog Day.
JLBARRY.COM
ILLUSTRATION BY JAMES L. BARRY
WEEK
BERLIN Providence, 311 W 57th St (btwn Eighth/Ninth Aves), vossnyc.com. From dirty dark rooms to Weimar-esque cabaret, Brandon Voss and BoiParty.com deliver a Berlin-inspired club experience every week. Johnny Dynell spins on the main floor, the CockyBoys get dirty in the back room, and Epiphany hosts sexy cabaret acts downstairs in the KitKatClub. 11pm; free before midnight/$10 general admission.
FRIDAY
JANUARY 31
WHAT TO SEE & WHERE TO BE JANUARY 31 THROUGH FEBRUARY 9
CONTACT JOHN RUSSELL AT LISTINGS@NEXTMAGAZINE.NET IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE LISTED. LISTINGS ARE FREE AND SUBJECT TO EDITORIAL DISCRETION.
BASURA Atlas Social Club, 753 Ninth Ave (btwn 50th/51st Sts), atlassocialclub.com. DJ Jonjon Battles joins the Basura team tonight sharing residency with Scissor Sisters tour DJ Sammy Jo. Expect the best and worst of every decade of pop music, from the cheesiest tracks to the songs you can’t get out of your head. 10pm; free.
PEE-SHY GMHC, 446 W 33rd St (btwn Ninth/Tenth Aves), frankspinellimd.com. Thirty
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years after being sexually abused by his scoutmaster, Dr. Frank Spinelli confronts the residual trauma of that event in his new memoir, PeeShy. Join the author and Gay Men’s Health Crisis board member tonight for a discussion of the book, tonight’s sales of which will benefit GMHC. 6pm–7:30pm; free. BEAR YOURSELF Rockbar, 185 Christopher St (@ Weehawken St), rockbarnyc.com. Who says you have to hibernate? For gay New York’s furry set, this time of year means dancing in your long undies! Don’t miss this special union suit edition of George Hains’ underwear party for big, burly boys. 10pm; $3. BAR-TINI FRIDAYS Bar-tini Ultra Lounge, 642 Tenth Ave (btwn 45th/46th Sts), bar-tiniultralounge.com. Chris Ryan, Kennedy and Lady Jackson host this Hell’s Kitchen bar’s all-
new Friday night. DJ Steven Paul spins the hits that keep the gay boys on the dance floor. 11pm; free. CHINESE NEW YEAR Boots & Saddle, 76 Christopher St (btwn Seventh Ave S/Bleecker St), bootsandsaddlenyc.com. It’s the Year of the Horse, and we all love a certain horse-like quality in a man, don’t we? Miss Fire Island 2012 Yuhua Hamasaki celebrates Chinese New Year with a stable of stallions who need to be saddled! Midnight; free. RAVEN O: MODERN STANDARDS The Duplex, 61 Christopher St (@ Seventh Ave), theduplex.com. Raven O’s got standards! Catch the New York nightlife legend as he brings his unique musical stylings to Sheridan Square, joined by musical director Ben Allison. 9:30pm– 11pm; $20 in advance (plus two drink minimum).
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 1 VIVA! SATURDAYS Stage 48, 605 W 48th St (btwn 11th/12th Aves), vivasaturdays.com. Viva la gay nightlife! The city’s gays are living for John Blair, Betto Sutter, Ric Sena and BoiParty.com’s weekly party. Guest sets by major DJs ensure that the dance floor is always packed with Hell’s Kitchen hotties at this circuit-infused event. 11pm; $20–$25. THE JUNKET Dixon Place, 161A Chrystie St (btwn Delancey/Rivington Sts), dixonplace.org. Tonight’s your last chance to catch writer and performer Mike Albo’s one man show about the
perils of freelancing for swag. 7:30pm; $15 for students and seniors/$17 in advance/$20 general admission. BE CUTE One Last Shag, 348 Franklin Ave (btwn Lexington/Greene Aves), Clinton Hill, onelastshag.com. Matty Beats and Merkin Muffley are gonna let the beats drop all over the joint! Trust, this party is cute, way cute! 10pm; free. FOREVER FIERCE Rockbar, 185 Christopher St (@ Weehawken St), rockbarnyc.com. Hosts Joe Mannetts and Jed Ryan bring you a fierce
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 2
Super Bowl XLVIII on February 2
WEEK party to benefit Fierce, New York’s LGBT youth of color empowerment organization. Chris Reed emcees performances by Justice LaBoy, Candy Samples and Arsenio Amadis, with guest appearances by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the men of Onyx Northeast ad Mr. Eagle 2014 Cee Jay. 9pm–12:30am; $5. BOOM SATURDAYS This N’ That, 108 N Sixth St (btwn Berry St/Wythe Ave), Williamsburg, thisnthatbrooklyn.com. DJ Mikey Pop spins as Elizabeth James hosts and performs for her adoring fans. 10pm; free.
SUPER BOWL SUNDAY Gym Sportsbar, 167 Eighth Ave (btwn 18th/19th Sts), gymsportsbar.com. Game day starts early with Gym’s $3 beer blast and $6 Smirnoff drinks. Catch the Super Bowl on both floors with free food at halftime and $3 well drinks starting at 9pm. 1pm; free. EAGLE SUPER BOWL PARTY The Eagle, 554 W 28th St (btwn 10th/11th Aves), eaglenyc.com. DJ Nikko spins to get the beer blast crowd pumped for kickoff at 6:30pm when the game goes live on the big screens. Satisfy your Super Bowl cravings with giant sub sandwiches during the game. 4pm; free. THE ULTIMATE VIEWING PARTY: SUPER BOWL SUNDAY XL Nightclub, 512 W 42nd St (btwn 10th/11th Aves), xlnightclub.com. The Bachelors of New York’s Gay Football League host this gridiron viewing party benefiting LGBT athletic leagues. Enjoy drink specials and snacks all night as you cheer on your team. 6pm–1am; $5. SUPER BOWL VIEWING PARTY Boxers, 37 W 20th St (btwn Fifth/Sixth Aves), boxersnyc.com. It’ll be hard to keep your eyes on the game with Boxers’ sexy shirtless bartenders serving up drinks and bar snacks at both the original Chelsea location and the revamped HK outpost (see p.16). 6pm–midnight; free. SUPER BOWL 2014 PARTY Posh, 405 W 51st St (@ Ninth Ave), poshbarnyc.com. Normally “pigskin” means something completely different in gay New York, but today it’s all about Super Bowl XLVIII. Enjoy free sliders from 123 Burger Shot Beer at halftime! 6pm; free.
PHOTO: AARON COBBETT
ACTION TRIBAL AFTERHOURS Studio XXI, 59 W 21st St (btwn Fifth/Sixth Aves), action-party.com. Join the rest of the tribe for some after hours action at this Jake Resnicow and Patrick Crough produced party. DJs Nando and Billy Lace will keep the beats pumping till Sunday afternoon. 4am–1pm; $20–$30 in advance.
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SUNDAY FEBRUARY 2
SpOTLighT
SPORTY SPICE A NEW BRUNCH MENU AND GAME ROOM MARK THE BEGINNING OF PHASE TWO FOR BOXERS HK.
wo weeks ago, Boxers HK, the Hell’s Kitchen location of the popular gay sports bar chain, launched its new brunch menu. “We’re in a neighborhood which has a huge demand for brunch,” says general manager Ardina Cerra, “And there aren’t that many American, like, comfort brunches up and down the block.”The familiar eggs and carbs dishes now available at Boxers HK—pancakes, omelettes, Eggs Benedict—should fill that niche nicely amid all the Thai and Latin-fusion spots on Ninth Avenue. But the new brunch menu, served Saturdays and Sundays from 10am–5pm, is only one of the recent changes at Boxers HK. New items have been added to their existing menu of bar snacks, and most notably, the space downstairs where Cazwell and Peppermint once held their Saturday night Hi-Tops party has been transformed into a new game room with a pool table, air hockey and skeeball and Dance Dance Revolution machines. According to Cerra, who came on board after the decision was made to try something different downstairs, the previous “Dog Pound”concept wasn’t really working for the bar’s lower level. But now, she says,“We’re utilizing the space much better and it’s working.” All of this is what Cerra likes to think of as phase two for Boxers HK.“We’re building on what we have, which is the nightlife,”she says.“We have the space, we have the equipment, so why not?”Here, we break down what’s up at the HK spors bar. —JR
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GET HAPPY “OUR HAPPY HOUR is phenomenal,” says Cerra, and that hasn’t changed. The bar still serves up 2-for-1 cocktails 4pm–9pm Monday through Friday, with Overtime Happy Hour still going strong from 11pm till closing time on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
SNACK ATTACK BOXERS’ BAR MENU has gotten a bit of an update, according to Cerra. In addition to the bar’s brick-oven pizzas and bar-snack staples like tacos, nachos and sliders, they’ve added new items like soups, salads and sandwiches to help soak up the booze from 4pm–11pm.
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R O O L F N I MA
WEEK BOXERS HK PHOTOS: GUSTAVO MONROY
UP ON THE ROOF
E C A TERR
WHEN THE WEATHER warms up, brunch will be served on Boxers HK’s lovely roof deck. And Cerra says the venue has some additional rooftop events in the planning stages for weekends this spring and summer.
CRUNCH TIME OF ALL THE ITEMS on the new brunch menu, Cerra says Sean’s Cap’n Crunch French Toast has been the biggest hit so far. “It’s a big slab of our cinnamon-swirled raisin bread coated with Cap’n Crunch. Everyone went crazy over it.” But there are other faves as well. “[Owner Bob Fluet’s] daughter had our buttermilk pancakes. She said they were the best pancakes she’s ever eaten in her life!”
S R I A ST N W DO
GAME ON “IT’S FUN,” says Cerra of the new game room setup downstairs. “It’s basically private, so birthday parties are a huge draw, different groups are having meetings and parties downstairs, and on any given night there’ll be 20 or 30 people down there playing games.”
Brunch at Boxers HK, 742 Ninth Ave (@ 50th St), Sats and Suns from 10am–5pm; free (plus cost of food). Visit boxersnyc.com for more info
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MONDAY
FEBRUARY 3
WEEK
“QUOTED” “I like to think of it as Hedwig meets Elaine Stritch,” DAphNE RUBiN-VEgA says of her upcoming show at The Cutting Room. It’s a hell of an image, but it actually does perfectly describe the collision of rock show and confessional cabaret that the two-time Tony nominee has planned. Rubin-Vega calls Frequently Unanswered Questions, which reunites her with her long-time band, a musical memoir. “People are always asking me questions about my life, because my life seems fascinating to people—how did I get here?” she says. “And what I’ve realized after being a mom and being older than I ever though I’d get, actually, is that I never stop coming of age.” Of course, that means that the show is constantly evolving along with Rubin-Vega. “I mean it really is a fucking work in progress, continuously!” But the show’s open-ended nature is something she finds both liberating and daunting. “It’s like the rollercoaster rides here,” she says over the phone from Disney World where she’s vacationing with family. “The metaphor applies, because sometimes I get off and I’m a little queasy! It’s not safe. It’s as safe as I make it.” She’s not getting up onstage entirely without a safety net, though. The style in which she’s written her monologues leaves some of the answers to her frequently unanswered questions purposefully veiled. “I like clarity, but I’m not a linear person,” she admits. “Structure for me is not structure for other people. I think [the show is] very poetic.” Leaving certain questions unanswered is the point, according to Rubin-Vega, the essence of being human. “There’s some questions that just can’t be answered.” —Daphne Rubin-Vega: F.U.Q.s at The Cutting Room, 44 E 32nd St (Park/Madison Ave), Feb 3 at 8pm; $20 in advance/$25 general admission (plus $20 drink minimum). Visit thecuttingroomnyc.com for more info.
A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF BROAD- night of Broadway numbers. Enjoy classic and WAY The Pierre Hotel, 2 E 61st St (@ Fifth Ave), contemporary musical clips from stage and dramaleague.org. The Drama League honors screen along with 2-for-1 cocktails until 9pm. Hedwig star and most valuable gay Neil Patrick 6pm; free. Harris at this musical revue benefitting the organization’s DirecLA SOIRÉE Union Square Thetors Project. Whoopi Goldberg atre, 100 E 17th St (Irving hosts the show with appearPl/Union Sq E), la-soiree.com. ances by Harvey Fierstein, Audra This decadently sexy cirque-duVisit nextmagazine.com McDonald, Anthony Rapp and cabaret experience recently for more event listings others. 7pm; $995–$1,595. added Monday nights to its weekly schedule. Don’t miss MONDAY MUSICALS Rosebud Lounge, 512 highly homoerotic stunts by The English Gents W 42nd St (btwn 10th/11th Aves), and “Bath Boy” as well as performance spectaxlnightclub.com. Dougie Meyer and co. take over cles by Scotty the Blue Bunny, Marawa and oththe Out NYC’s intimate Rosebud Lounge for a ers. 8pm; $38–$178.
We’re going out!
18 JANUARY 31, 2014
CO-DEPENDENT Therapy, 348 W 52nd St (btwn Eighth/Ninth Aves), therapy-nyc.com. Kinky Boots star Natalie Joy Johnson’s long-running weekly show is still on fire on its new night. The Broadway diva and her pianist Brian Nash perform cabaret reinterpretations of pop hits for the boys at Therapy. 11pm; free. HOT FRUIT Metropolitan, 559 Lorimer St (btwn Metropolitan Ave/Devoe St), Williamsburg, metropolitanbarny.com. Get ready for another night of outrageous drag and performance art curated by Brooklyn mover-and-shaker David John Sokolowski. The drinks are cheap and the performances are always provocative at this weekly showcase. 10pm; free.
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 4
Epiphany & Sherry Vine
WEEK THE BLONDE LEADING THE BLONDE Therapy, 348 W 52nd St (btwn Eighth/Ninth Aves), therapy-nyc.com. Longtime partners in crime Sherry Vine and Epiphany put their blonde ambition to good use at their weekly Tuesday night show. Don’t miss this drag sister act as they sing live and crack wise for the Hell’s Kitchen boys. 11pm; free. WESTGAY Westway, 75 Clarkson St (btwn Washington St/West Side Hwy), westwaynyc.com. Believe the hype: Frankie Sharp’s weekly nightlife throwdown is everything the party boys and clubland gossips say it is and more: slutty go-gos on the runway, club kids kiki-ing, bro’d out gay boys posing, celebrity guests causing a scene. 10pm; $10. DISCO INFERNO The Monster, 80 Grove St (@ Seventh Ave), manhattan-monster.com. Boogie to the beats that DJ Michael Wilson serves up. Classic disco tracks heat up the place and $5 Bacardi cocktails and Budweiser will give you Saturday night fever. 10pm; free.
PHOTO: SANTIAGO FELIPE
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 5 REAL DEAL The Ritz, 369 W 46th St (btwn Eighth/Ninth Aves), ritzbarandlounge.com. Things are about to get real at The Ritz. Pusse Couture, Maddelynn Hatter, Jada Valenciaga, Chaka Khanvict and their band of sexy dancers take over every Wednesday night for some drag realness. The $3 cocktails should help you deal. 10:30pm; free. AFTER DARK The DL, 95 Delancey St (@ Ludlow St), facebook.com/michaelformikajone-
THURSDAY
PROHIBITION The Hudson Bond, 215 W 40th St (btwn Seventh/Eighth Aves), boiparty.com. Despite what the name implies, very little is prohibited at this party. Join BoiParty.com and Michael Cohen along with hosts Paige Turner and Joe Roszak for a Thursday night party you won’t soon forget. The city’s top gay DJs take turns spinning each week at this fabulous two-story space. 11pm; $5 before midnight/$10 general admission. CATWALK Marquee, 289 10th Ave (btwn 26th/27th Sts), vossnyc.com. Frankie Sharp is
sevents. Michael Formika Jones has got two major league special guests on tap for tonight’s After Dark. DJ Michael Magnan is on the decks while Bianca Del Rio holds court. 10pm; free. THE WILL CLARK SHOW Uncle Charlie’s, 139 E 45th St (btwn Lexington/Third Aves), willclarkworld.com. The end is nigh! Will Clark has announced the finale of his long-running Porno Bingo game show at the end of February. Special guest Gusty Winds will be on-hand along
GAY VINYL Home Sweet Home, 131 Chrystie St (btwn Broome/Delancey Sts), homesweethomebar.com. Ssion frontman Cody Critcheloe promises to play Lady Gaga’s Artpop in its entirety at this week’s Gay Vinyl. Maybe he’s joking, but, like, don’t you want to be there to find out? 11pm; free.
with triple-X star Drew Sumrok to raise funds for Gay Geeks of New York—and to continue the countdown to the finale. 9pm–11pm; free. HOMO COMICUS: LAST RESORT Gotham Comedy Club, 208 W 23rd St (btwn Seventh/Eighth Aves), gothamcomedyclub.com. Michael Brill, Michelle Buteau, Christian Cintron, Chris Doucette and Jami Smith take the stage for this month’s LGBT comedy showcase, with guest host Marion Grodin. 8:30pm; $20.
FEBRUARY 6 now onboard for the latest incarnation of this fabulous party. Susanne Bartsch and Brandon Voss continue their Thursday night reign with resident DJ W. Jeremy and special guests giving the crowd of nightlife glitterati something to dance about. 11pm; free before midnight/$10 general admission. MISS VODKA STINGER: LOWER YOUR EXPECTATIONS 54 Below, 254 W 54th St (btwn Broadway/Eighth Ave), 54below.com. Who let Vodka Stinger all the way uptown? Who ever it was, you’ll be glad they did when you see
the drag diva and her back-up singers, The Martha Rayes, in this hilarious Broadway-themed multimedia cabaret mash-up. 11:30pm; $10 in advance/$13 general admission (plus two drink minimum). GENET PORNO Here Arts Center, 145 Sixth Ave (@ Dominick St), here.org. Based on Jean Genet’s Our Lady of the Flowers, director Yvan Greenberg sets the story of cross-dressing gay prostitute Divine on the set of a contemporary porn shoot. 6:30pm; $15.
JANUARY 31, 2014 19
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 6
MISS BARRACUDA’S DOS AND DON’TS D.i.Y.
WEEK Tina Burner
TINA BURNER GIVES THE QUEENS COMPETING IN HER NEW PAGEANT SOME ADVICE BEFORE IT KICKS OFF AT BARRACUDA.
or her upcoming month-long competition, Miss Barracuda, Tina Burner wanted the contestants to focus on two things: being creative and having fun. “I think that people have forgotten that drag is about creativity in performance,”she explains.“Miss Barracuda is not a typical pageant where you stand up and put a dress on, and try to look your prettiest. I think that it’s interesting to do a competition that involves more thinking outside the box. It puts the fun back into it.” EveryThursday in February,Burner is bringing 10 eagerqueensto Barracuda’s stage toperforminfrontofarotatingrosterofguestjudges—includingNext’s ownassociateeditor John Russell and editor-in-chief Alex Erikson. Each week will feature a new challenge for the queens, from a fishy swimsuit competition to more traditional drag numbers. Burner wanted to put a new spin on the tried-and-true pageant formula. “The creativity, I think, brings a thought process back to drag that is missing a bit,” she says.“I don’t think you should tell anyone what they should do or who they should be. It’s about being who you are. It doesn’t always have to be pretty; it’s whatever you want to make it!” Whatever you want to make it, for sure, but there are still some choices that are probably bad ideas—and some that are good—no matter what. So before the competition kicks off, Burner filled us in on some dos and don’ts for the dragtastic days ahead. —Will Pulos
F
WEEK ONE: FISH-INSPIRED SWIMSUIT DON’T: “Buy a sky blue swimsuit off the rack at Lane Bryant.” DO: “Come dressed as Flounder from The Little Mermaid, or wear tuna cans as a swimsuit. Be creative!”
WEEK TWO: TRASH COUTURE DON’T: “Wear anything too smelly.” DO: “Wear a garbage bag! All these materials are readily available! You could buy a roll of duct tape and create the fiercest gown for under $20 dollars.”
WEEK THREE: P.S.A. AND Q&As DON’T: “Be boring. Make if funny and comical!” DO: “Let it out! I bet a lot of the queens will probably talk about why guys don’t date drag queens—they’re not man enough, that’s the problem.”
WEEK FOUR: PERFORMANCE DON’T: “Forget your words. If you’re gonna lip-synch, have it down.” DO: “Come on the stage and shit glitter! Take your strength and wow people. Remind people why drag is necessary and fun.”
Miss Barracuda at Barracuda, 275 W 22nd St (btwn Seventh/Eighth Aves) Feb 6, 13, 20, 27; Free. Visit facebook.com/barracudalounge for more information.
20 JANUARY 31, 2014
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 7 ELEVENELEVEN Open House, 244 E Houston (btwn Aves A/B), openhouse-nyc.com. Amanda Lepore, Stephanie Stone and co. host Ladyfag’s weekly bash with DJs like Michael Magnan and Will Automagic bringing the beats. 11pm; free before midnight/$5 general admission.
HUNG FRIDAYS G Lounge, 225 W 19th St (btwn Seventh/Eighth Aves), glounge.com. Host Yusef X has a hell of a party in store for you on Friday nights. Guest DJs pump out the jams as sexy go-go boys dance on the bar. You’ll want to bring some singles to tip these guys. 10pm; free.
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 8
NEW
WEEK
SUPERWOMAN The Underground Lounge, 955 W End Ave (@ 107th St), theundergroundnyc.com. Schwa de Vivre launches her first weekly show at this Upper West Side cabaret. It’ll be a night of live singing with Eddie Schnecker on piano and special guests. 10:30pm; $10.
WhEN i KNEW
JESSELUTTRELL FOR VARIETY SHOW emcee Jesse Luttrell, whose Bawdy vaudeville showcase returns to Stage 72 (formerly The Triad) this month, it was some old Fosse razzle-dazzle that helped him realize that he liked boys. —Bawdy at Stage 72, 158 W 72nd St (btwn Columbus/Amsterdam Aves) Feb 8 at 10pm; $19–29 and a two-drink minimum. Visit bawdyshow.com for more info.
“FOSSE! FOSSE! FOSSE! Imagine, if you will, a tall, gawky 14-year-old in the living room teaching his friends the choreography to‘Take Off With Us.’ These weren’t Manhattan sophisticates, mind you; we were in the middle of a GOP-flagging, fag-flogging, Bible-thumping cow-patch in bumfuck Pennsyltucky! What better backdrop for me and my friend Emily to practice our Fosse poses than silos, horse-and-buggies and covered bridges. I remember watching my All That Jazz VHS over and over until the tracking was so worn you could barely make out Jessica Lange’s gorgeous, soft-focused face through her white veil. Bob Fosse’s absurdly sexual, but sophisticated choreography was exactly what I needed to escape from the doldrums of those awkward years in rural Pennsylvania. I still carry it with me everywhere I go.“
SATURDAY ROX Hardware, 697 10th Ave (btwn 47th/48th Sts), hardware-bar.com. Pusse Couture hosts this weekly party with a fabulous pop and dance soundtrack by DJ Scotty Rox. House cocktails are just $6 all night long, so you know the boys who show up at this 10th Avenue hotspot will be more than ready for a good time. 10pm; free.
STROBE Xes, 157 W 24th St (btwn Sixth/Seventh Aves), xesnyc.com. This Chelsea favorite pops off every Saturday night with DJ Calvin’s crowd-pleasing mix of top 40 hits and remixes. Get your pulse up to the beat as the strobe lights flash brighter than a cute boy’s smile. Drinks are 2-for-1 starting at midnight, so feel free to let loose. 10pm; free.
PLAYBOI Phoenix, 447 E 13th St (btwn First/Second Ave), phoenixbarnyc.com. Holly Dae and Chris Ryan are your hosts for all kinds of shenanigans. Strip down for nearly-naked Twister and you could win a free drink—although getting tangled up with all these cute boys is reward enough! DJ Nicky Boom Box spins. 10pm; free.
Next Week continued on p.26
>>>
JANUARY 31, 2014 21
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JANUARY 31, 2014 25
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 8
HOOKIE OF THE YEAR
WEEK
NighTLiFE
HOSTS ELI LEWIS AND DALLAS DUBOIS RATE THE CONTESTANTS IN THE 2014 MR. NEW YORK ESCORT CONTEST.
t’s hard to believe The Hookies are less than two months away! Rentboy.com’s International Escort Awards take place here in New York on Friday, March 21, as part of the Saint at Large’s Black Party Expo, but before then you’ve got to choose the workin’ boy who will represent The Big Apple in the eighth annual contest. The six New York hopefuls take the stage at Therapy on February 8 to compete for the title of Mr. New York 2014. You can even vote for your favorite at TheHookies.com. To help with that decision, we got hosts Eli Lewis of Rentboy.com and Dallas DuBois to size up the talent and guestimate their odds of winning. —JR
I
Eli Lewis
Boomer Banks
Dallas Dubois
Jaris Nomad
Austin Wolf
ELI: “The Wolf-man has a lot going for him and is most likely to win the title, I think . Oh, sweet, too.” Odds of winning: and he’s genuinely 2 to 1 DALLAS: “Austin Wolf is one gigantic hunk of muscly beanstalk I wouldn’t mind climbing. He’s not the world’s tallest building, but he’s tallest top!” Odds of winning: sure the world’s 3 to 1
Nick Sterling
bench press crown, he’ll have to ELI: “If Nick wants the k that’s what everyone really thin me live onstage. I ning: 4 to 1 wants.” Odds of win pinch those cheeks—and I’m nt to DALLAS: “I just wa ones on his face. They say big not talking about the kages. I can’t wait to open it.” pac things come in small to 1 5 Odds of winning:
sonality on ll-known nightlife per ELI: “Boomer is a we r and rent boy, so he may just sta n top of being a por and steal the bacon.” re twerk his way in the to 1 3 Odds of winning: beautiful face, body and ink, it’s the code and airDALLAS:“Between k deserves it’s own zip all great. But that coc winning: 4 to 1 of ds Od ” . port. It’s so big
Alex Graham
ELI: “A gorgeous man with chise led melting smile and two adorable features, a heartpuppies? Sign me up! But Alex needs to bring his A-ga me if he wants to go for gold.” Odds of winning: 6 to DALLAS: “I’m not so much into 1 younger guys, but there are so many men that would love this is him at 25, he’ll be an escor to eat this guy up. If t 30.” Odds of winning: 6 to 1 god by the time he’s
ELI: “Jaris has a good nine-inch chance of winning. I mean it’s up there! He just need s to win the crowd over with his amazing, um, talent.” Odds of winning: 5 to 1 DALLAS: “Jaris Nomad is one daddy I’d like to get to know better. Have a harness on ‘hello.’ Call me!” Odds of winn and you have me at ing: 6 to 1
Marcus Isaacs
would be jealbeard that any man ELI: “Marcus has a to win the audience over with a ds nee He e. hav ous to deal.” of to really seal the little bit of extra wo to 1 5 Odds of winning: looks like he’d be a good sweaty cs DALLAS: “Marcus Isaa resenting for the otters at the rep time in bed. He’s also a beach-ball-on-the-nose type of do awards so he’s got to ges.” Odds of winning: 5 to 1 jud trick to win over the
DALLAS DUBOIS PHOTO: KEVIN THOMAS GARCIA
Mr. New York 2014 Regional Escort of the Year Contest at Therapy, 348 W 52nd St (btwn Eighth/Ninth Aves), Feb 8 at 8pm; free. Visit thehookies.com for more info.
26 JANUARY 31, 2014
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 9
BE PrEP-PARED
WEEK
SpOTLighT
GOT QUESTIONS ABOUT PREP? HONEY LABRONX AND DAMON L. JACOBS HOPE TO ANSWER THEM AT PrEP-O-LICIOUS. Damon L. Jacobs
A
HONEY LABRONX Q: How does PrEP work to prevent HIV infection? A: PrEP surrounds your T-cells with a kind of protective shield. So if HIV enters into your system, it cannot attack your Tcells. If it can’t attack your T-cells, it can’t make more copies of itself. If HIV can’t replicate, you don’t become positive.
BRENDA DHARLING Q: What are the side effects? A: Most people on Truvada [the first medication approved by the FDA to be used for PrEP] have no side effects at all. A rare few have changes in kidney functioning and bone density reduction.
BOB THE DRAG QUEEN Q: Will my insurance cover it? A: Yes! All insurances currently cover Truvada for PrEP in the U.S., including state Medicaid. A couple of major companies have started requiring doctors to fill out pre-authorization forms verifying that you are HIV-negative and “high risk,” but most companies are covering it with no fuss.
TERRA GRENADE Q: Do you have to take it every day for the rest of your life? A: Not necessarily. Some people take PrEP while they’re sexually active. Some people take PrEP while they are in-
volved with an HIV-positive partner. But some people opt to not take it when they are not sexually active or at less risk for HIV infection.
SABEL SCITIES Q: How do I talk to my doctor about this? A: If you can’t talk to your doctor about anal, then you have the wrong doctor. Some questions to ask your doctor to consider: “If I was a woman asking you for birth control pills, would you prescribe them?” “If there was a vaccine for HIV, would you allow me to have it?”
BLACKIE ONASTY Q: Do you still have to use condoms
with PrEP? A: Some people choose to use condoms while taking PrEP. But even if they don’t, PrEP by itself offers [up to] 99 percent protection from HIV if taken daily. So it’s up to you to choose which strategy, or combination of strategies makes the most sense for you.
SIR-HONEY DAVENPORT Q: Isn’t PrEP just a way for pharms to make more money? A: No, the pharms actually stand to lose money by people taking PrEP. If and when new HIV infection rates drop, the pharms will lose money on all those new cases.
PrEP-O-licious at Verlaine Bar and Lounge, 110 Rivington St (btwn Essex/Ludlow Sts), Feb 9 from 7pm–midnight; free. Visit tinyurl.com/prepfacts for more info. BROOKLYN NIGHTLIFE AWARDS Radio Bushwick, 22 Wyckoff Ave (btwn Starr/Troutman Sts), Bushwick, radiobushwick.com. Brooklyn’s glitterati gather to salute the best of borough nightlife at this second annual awards ceremony. Performers like Thorgy Thor, Darlinda Just Darlinda, Mocha Lite, Jonathan & BPro and Haus of Sweat perform as Deryck Todd, Earl Dax, Acid Betty, Gage of the Boone, Murray Hill, Mikey Pop and many others dole out the honors. 9pm– midnight; $10.
SUNDAY SERVICE Sankeys NYC, 29 W 36th St (btwn Fifth/Sixth Aves), sankeysnyc.com. It’s time to worship at the altar of New York nightlife! DJ superstars take on the decks each week and the city’s A-list club kids keep it cute on the dance floor. 8pm; free before midnight/general admission varies. MARINATE Eastern Bloc, 505 E Sixth St (btwn Aves A/B), easternblocnyc.com. Resident DJ Dandylion’s monthly party returns to the East Vil-
lage. Special guest DJ Allies For Everyone drops by for a night of underground electro and dance with a funky twist. 9pm–2am; free. GAY GEEK TRIVIA GATHERING LGBT Center, 208 W 13th St (btwn Seventh/Greenwich Aves), gaygeeksny.com. Gay Geeks of New York gather at The Center for their monthly trivia competition. With prizes like video games and geeky DVDs up for grabs, you’d better know your stuff! 5:30pm–8:30pm; $5.
JANUARY 31, 2014 27
BRENDA DHARLING PHOTO: GUSTAVO MONROY; BOB THE DRAG QUEEN PHOTO: OLIVER PAVICK; TERRA GRENADE PHOTO: RICK STOCKWELL
ctivists Honey LaBronx and Damon L. Jacobs want to get the word out about pre-exposure prophylaxis—or PrEP—medication that when taken regularly can significantly reduce an HIV-negative person’s likelihood of contracting the virus. The way they see it, gay men probably have a lot of questions about PrEP that aren’t being answered. So they’re throwing PrEP-O-Licious, a night of drag performances and information about this important development in HIV-prevention. Before the event on February 9, Honey and her band of drag divas brought us their most pressing questions about PrEP, and we got Jacobs to answer them. These are great ways to start a conversation with your doctor, and there will be even more information available at the event. —JR
Kylie Minogue
The Right Track Does Your Disco Need You?
MUSIC
NEXTMAGAZINE.COM
By Keo Nozari KYLIE MINOGUE IS BACK! AND SO IS DISCO. WE’RE ONLY HAPPY ABOUT ONE OF THOSE TWO FACTS. e are diving head first into Kylie Minogue‘s beautiful new single, “Into the Blue.” It is simply a divine slice of dance-pop heaven—classic Minogue with production that keeps the track fresh. Though it relies on electronic sounds, “Into the Blue” doesn’t ever morph into an EDM track. Instead, the banging beat and pulsing synth underscore strong pop songwriting with a big, sing-along chorus, Minogue’s angelic vocals and a lush string arrangement. When she took up new management with Jay Z’s RocNation, we were worried that her sound would go in a more urban direction, which hasn’t worked well for Minogue in the past. Instead, “Into the Blue” is an updated version of her classic sound that manages to keep the elements that make her so unique. What’s remarkable about Minogue is her ability to understand what her fans want from her—and to deliver just that. Few pop divas are able to do it as well as she does, and with “Into the Blue” she even manages to cover some new territory: an empowerment song. She’s not singing about love here per se, but instead she sings about the will to tackle new challenges and step bravely into the unknown. Saying hello again after a five-year hiatus is Making the Band’s Danity Kane with their comeback track “Bye Baby.” It’s a catchy romp in the spirit of the current disco revival popularized by Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” and Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky.” All the ladies get in on the singing action, except of course original member D. Woods, who P. Diddy released from the band
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28 JANUARY 31, 2014
in 2009. It’s unclear at press time if this is just a buzz single or an official one as they ready their third album, but it’s definitely a keeper! Having said that, we do need to comment on this whole disco revival thing in general. It’s cute and all, but we’re admittedly growing wary of disco coming back every few years. It already came back in the early 2000s with the filtered disco revival, and again in the mid-to-late 2000s with remixes and tracks by Moto Blanco and others. And now it’s back again on the heels of Daft Punk, Thicke and Pharrell’s disco success, often distilled down to the super bare essentials (see Beyoncé’s “Blow”). We think what people are craving is dance music that incorporates real instruments and musical skills that go beyond computer programming. Rather than recycling music from the past, it’s time for dance producers to create something new. Avicii has come close recently with songs like country-infused “Wake Me Up,” and we’re ready for something that goes beyond EDM and doesn’t fall back on the laurels of things that came out of the 1970s. There are elements of disco in almost every pop song these days, but every time a couple of acts find success with tracks that are a little more heavy on the disco influences we don’t need 15 others following in their platformheeled footsteps. In 2000, Kylie Minogue released the tongue-in-cheek, Village People-inspired “Your Disco Needs You.” But disco doesn’t need us anymore. It’s time for dance producers to boldly go someplace else. N
YOU STAY CLASSY (above) the San Diego skyline; (inset) San Diego Zoo
By Kareem McJagger
Heating Things Up In San Diego
TRAVEL
NEXTMAGAZINE.COM
THE ENJOYABLE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DESTINATION IS SURPRISINGLY GAY, AND NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GO. ’d never thought of San Diego as much of a gay destination, but recently the BF and I found ourselves with a bit more time in Southern California than we’d originally planned. We saw that it’s not a long drive to LAX, so we decided to check it out. We got a really great deal on a killer suite in one of the few hotels in the Hillcrest area, the Inn at the Park (525 Spruce St). On Friday afternoons, they host a gay happy hour on their roof deck, which, even at only seven stories, has a good view of the surrounding neighborhood and the bay. The earlier crowd skews much older (a bartender at another venue joked that he used to call it Jurassic Park rather than Inn at the Park), but a younger crowd filters in as it gets later. We dropped by Numbers (3811 Park Blvd) for Thursday night’s college-targeted Varsity party. Promoter Nathan Callahan, explained that Numbers is one of the few gay dance clubs in the city open on a Thursday night. The draw for Varsity Thursdays? “Cheap drinks, hot go-go boys and no cover.” He also clued us in to the fact that much of gay San Diego runs on a
I
nightlife circuit with much of the Thursday crowd starting at Bourbon Street (4612 Park Blvd) and ending up at Varsity. Saturday night’s adventure started at Urban Mo’s (308 University Ave), where the pop party drew an early crowd. The next stop was Rich’s (1051 University Ave), a sizable dance club with two rooms playing familiar remixes with awesome light shows. When the SD girls wake up from their clubbing nights, they do brunch, and they do it right. You’d be hard pressed to find brunch on a weekday in New York, but it’s the perfect time to dine at Hillcrest’s most renowned brunch spot without the weekend crowds. Hash House a Go Go (3628 Fifth Ave) is known for their mammoth portions and their tasty hashes. They also serve a variety of specialty white-wine-based drinks. Our first dinner was back at Urban Mo’s, which struck me as a gay Applebee’s
(apparently, it used to be a Hamburger Mary’s). Towards the end of their busy, scene-y happy hour, they hold weekly country line-dancing lessons on the dance floor in the back. We also had a nice outdoor dining experience at Busalacchi’s Ristorante (3707 Fifth Ave). The live funk band cemented the patio’s grownand-sexy atmosphere. Before our red-eye out of LAX, we had time to enjoy the animals at the San Diego Zoo (with frozen margaritas!) on our way back. I have to admit, I didn’t expect to like San Diego as much as I did. The people I met were friendly, and there’s a plethora of gay venues either within walking distance of each other or a cheap Über ride away. And with Miss Polar Vortex making an encore appearance in New York, now is the perfect time to go! N
JANUARY 31, 2014 29
Reel Love
SUP, BRO? Zac Efron in That Awkward Moment
That Awkward Moment
Charlie Victor Romeo Time Investment: 80 min. Return on Investment: 75 min.
Time Investment: 94 min. Return on Investment: 60 min. aybe it’s been too long since I’ve hung out with a group of straight dudes, because the three bros at the heart of writer/director Tom Gormican’s new film That Awkward Moment (Focus Features) don’t act like the straight guys I used to know. What kind of single, twenty-something bro in New York uses Viagra, self tanner and buys (joke?) dildos. Hey, I’m not complaining: if straight guys have given up their homophobic tendencies, that is a wonderful thing. But something tells me that the three dudes in That Awkward Moment aren’t really a reflection of the contemporary straight man. And this is a major problem for a film that positions itself as a rom-com for guys, about guys. Sure, these dudes drink their Bulleit Rye, hit the clubs and say “dude” a lot—but they also go to cute, Sex and the City-style brunches and talk openly about whether or not they’d have sex with one another. Don’t let the John Hughes-esque soundtrack fool you—we aren’t peering into the dude-bro psyche here. Which is a shame, given how much better Moment would have fared had it been a more honest portrayal. I’m certain the film’s on-the-verge talent—including The Spectacular Now’s Miles Teller and Fruitvale Station’s Michael B. Jordan— could have handled it. But instead, we get Zac Efron’s hot, naked bod displayed onscreen like it’s going out of style. It makes you realize Moment is more of a girl’s fantasy of what straight guys are like than the reality. Or maybe that’s a gay man’s fantasy? —Benjamin Solomon
FILM
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n 1999, a downtown theater company called Collective:Unconscious mounted a harrowing piece of live docu-theater called Charlie Victor Romeo. Using real-life dialogue recovered from cockpit voice recorders, the cast reenacted the final minutes of a half-dozen doomed aircraft. It was a chilling exercise in raising the dead, a look at the dangers of modern day aviation and a tribute to the men and women trying to save the day. It was also a critical success. Time named it one of the best plays of the year. A decade and a half later the play returns in cenematic 3D courtesy of the tech-focused 3-Legged Dog.
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AIRPLANE! A scene from Charlie Victor Romeo
The film edition of Charlie is actually a filmed version of the play (shot in front of a live audience even) using the show’s original cast and sets. Because of this staging, the 3D is a bit of a gimmick—though I suppose it helps recreate the live theatrical experience in some small way. Still, Charlie is captivating. Each crash begins on the most mundane of days and immediately climbs to a level of unimaginable terror. The actors do their best to embody the actions and emotions that existed somewhere between panic and protocol, and you quickly realize that to take the story off the stage would just be too gruesome. Charlie Victor Romeo reminds you how quickly run-of-the-mill days can turn terrifying—in the air or out—even if plane crashes are statistically very rare. —BS
Sheldon Best in The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner; (inset) Frank Langella in King Lear
LONG DISTANCE RUNNER PHOTO: AHRON FOSTER; KING LEAR PHOTO: RICHARD TERMINE
Curtain Up Diane Schuur She Is King
THEATER
NEXTMAGAZINE.COM
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner King Lear By David Hurst iane Schuur, one of the greatest pianists and jazz singers of our time, dropped into Birdland Jan 13–18. Performing a handful of songs from I Remember You: With Love to Stan and Frank, Schuur proved that even at 60 years of age she’s still got it. Backed by Ben Wolfe (bass), Willie Jones (drums), Ron Blake (saxophone) and Roni Ben-Hur (guitar) all playing Alan Broadbent’s arrangements, Schuur was dazzling, especially on the showstopper “Here’s That Rainy Day” by the great Jimmy van Heusen and Johnny Burke, and the heartbreaking ballad “Didn’t We?” by Jimmy Webb. Tennis legend and gay advocate Billie Jean King is everywhere these days. Conjured by actor/writer/performance artist Laryssa Husiak in her new performance piece She Is King, which played Jan 10–26 at the Incubator Arts Project as part of their Other Forces 2014 festival. Husiak had the inspired idea of recreating three television interviews in which she plays King—the first from 1973 with Jim Day (a strong Joshua William Gelb) on CUNY TV, at the height of King’s fame; the second with Toni Tennille (a hilarious Louisa Bradshaw), from 1980, just before King’s relationship with another woman was exposed; and the third from 1981, with King and her husband, Larry (Gelb), as she’s grilled by Barbara Walters (Bradshaw) after the press conference at which she acknowledged having a relationship with another woman. What is readily apparent is King’s calm demeanor, her careful selection of words and her refusal to be bullied or misinter-
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preted. Husiak’s instinct to pull together those moments in King’s life is illuminating. What works less well is a section in which King gives a tennis lesson to a bunch of kids and an ending in which King recites Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released.” A better ending would have included the rededication of the USTA National Tennis Center as the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 28, 2006. First published in 1959 by Alan Sillitoe and made into a film by Tony Richardson starring Tom Courtenay in 1962, the story and the characters in The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner continue to haunt and inform writers and directors today. Proof of this is Roy Williams’ blistering adaptation of the short story that’s seen two productions in the past several months—the first produced in the U.K. last fall by the Pilot Theater, and the second a superb production that’s currently on stage at Atlantic Theater Company’s Stage 2. Directed by Leah C. Gardiner, this Runner stars Sheldon Best in a grueling and star-making performance playing Colin, a black youth doing time in a reform school for theft, who realizes he’s being used by “the establishment” to win a race. Best ends up running for almost the entirety of the 80-minute play, despite not having the 25-foot treadmill the British production employed. Williams has reset Sillitoe’s story just after the 2011 Tottenham riots in London, and, in making Colin a black man, galvanizes the piece into a modern-day tragedy as fresh and as vibrant as anything you’re likely to see onstage this season. The great actor Frank Langella is serving up a poignant and forceful King Lear at BAM, directed by Angus Jackson and courtesy of the Chichester Festival Theater, where it originated. It’s a traditional Lear with atmospheric sets and costumes and a superb supporting cast, particularly Sebastian Armesto (Edgar), Max Bennett (Edmund), Denis Conway (Gloucester), Catherine McCormack (Goneril), Harry Melling (Fool), Lauren O’Neil (Regan) and Steven Pacey (Kent). After so many recent Lears that misfired (Kevin Kline, Sam Waterston, Derek Jacobi), what a pleasure it is to see Shakespeare’s great masterpiece restored to glory. N The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner plays through February 9 at Atlantic 2 (330 W 16th St, AtlanticTheater.org). King Lear plays through February 9 at BAM (651 Fulton St, Brooklyn, BAM.org).
JANUARY 31, 2014 31
Eats
Virgola 28 greenwich Ave (btwn W 10th/Charles Sts) VirgolaNYC.com
DINING
NEXTMAGAZINE.COM
By Peter Sherwood nce you squeeze your way into self-proclaimed Italian wine bar Virgola (it was once an alley), you may find this cloistered corner of Greenwich Village to have an atmosphere that’s at once secretive and darkly sensual. Although the space is quite tiny, there is nothing claustrophobic about it; rather, the scenario is merely intimate and thus inviting and cozy. After all, Virgola translates to “a break” or “a pause.” My fella and I began our investigation with a few clinking glasses of fizzy Prosecco that were both dry and clarifying. A white Falanghina was sprightly palatable and duly suited for all the food. My dining companion dove into a red Pinot Nero that was light with soft tannins, redolent of a subtly fragrant clean linen closet. A carefully curated trio of freshly delivered oysters was up next. Wellfleet Puffer Petites
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were clear sailing and slightly metallic Hama Hamas from Washington State were like an invigorating dip into a pure ocean. Montauk Pearls were the saltiest of the bunch and we gleefully slurped them down as well. Caviar seemed an absolute necessity and we chose both varieties available, which arrived with gently charred pieces of toast that smelled warm and comforting. A smattering of pink caviar was posed on a small plate of crushed ice and the perky devils were full of flavor, leading to the American caviar that was roe of a different color (black to be exact), with a stronger taste that lingered on the palate. Comprehensive platters comprising such things as ceviche, shrimp cocktail and tuna tartare range from modest ($75) to extravagantly expensive ($150) depending on your appetite and wallet, but we continued on à la carte with little dishes. Shrimp cocktail was decent with wonder-
ful jalapeño-laced cocktail sauce, but we preferred the textured swordfish crudo dressed with delicate olive oil, coarse sea salt and red pepper flakes. Considerable cubes of tuna filled out the dish of tartare and avocado with plenty of rock salt and zesty lemon as well as an acidic mignonette. Bay scallop sashimi featured cracked black pepper, flutters of micro basil and Mandarin orange segments. Having had our fill of fish, we continued our meal with a platter of meats, cheeses and unassuming salads. While the porchetta was fairly negligible, we did enjoy the felino—an herbal, peppery, musky meat—and reveled in the soft, creamy wedge of taleggio cheese. Hard Caprino Romano goat cheese was an entirely different experience, floral and milky, reminiscent of a farm or a friendly petting zoo. While a bowl of sautéed mushrooms tossed with truffle oil and sea salt was fair, we found our-
selves marveling at the Insalate Caprese composed of sweet slices of the extraordinary, deeply purple Kumato tomatoes drizzled with olive oil. Despite our glut, we simply had to close with Nutella toast for dessert—after all, it’s Nutella! N
pRiCES: Appetizers: $3–$32; Entrées: $8–$150; Alcohol: wine, beer.
SHORT ORDER: A groovy Village venture summons a beatnik vibe with a side of oysters and fresh fish.
PETER’S PICKS: freshly delivered oysters; caviar; taleggio cheese; swordfish crudo
PETER’S PANS: The charming joint’s so small we couldn’t even cross our legs!
PHOTO: GUSTAVO MONROY
Happy Hour M-F 4-6 pm
Brunch Sat/Sun: 10:30am-4pm
212-247-8018 667 9th Ave. (46/47th St.)
Hungry for customers? Advertise your restaurant here! Call 212-627-0165 and ask about our special dining promotions.
Hells Kitchen’s Italian-American Fare
Brunch Sat & Sun 10:30am - 4pm Dinner & Late Night Menu 765 Ninth Ave. (51/52 Sts.) 212-397-2377 www.stecchinonyc.com
CHELSEA GRILL Of Hell’s Kitchen
90 min. of unlimited Brunch Cocktails!
CG
Sat & Sun:11:30am-4pm EST. 1991
675 9th Ave. (46/47th) CALL FOR DETAILS:
(212) 974-9002 JANUARY 31, 2014 33
What’s Cookin’ ALL THE FOODIE NEWS YOU CAN SWALLOW. By Peter Sherwood
MARGAUX PHOTO: MANCY J. FRIEDMAN PUBLIC RELATIONS
MARGAUX
razilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão (40 W 53rd St, 212-969-9980, FogoDeChao.com) has launched lunch in their soaring midtown Manhattan location. Arrive with an appetite as you meet your match with all-you-can-eat beef, chicken, lamb and pork—and match your meat with South American-flavored sides and the unlimited salad bar. There is also a midday option to sample small plates and sneak in a few cocktails.
DINING
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In recent what-on-earth closings news, Naked Lunch in Soho shuttered after a long 20 years; look for the South Beach-based Regent Cocktail Club as the redo. Sushi spot Sapporo East shut down too after 30 years in business! Silver Spurs also closed—now where do we get a burger? Indian-spiced Tamarind in the Flatiron is gone as well.
SINGL
Meanwhile, Margaux (5 W Eighth St, 212-3210111, MarltonHotel.com) at The Marlton hotel in Greenwich Village recently opened. The cafe offers a revolving menu with touches of cuisines that reflect Californian, French and Mediterranean influences. Join Beverage Director and Master Sommelier Roger Dagorn at SingL (132 Fourth Ave, 212-4321324, OneFiveHospitality.com), the lounge off of Union Square. He’s taking on a Tuesday Tastings series with wee drams from various distilleries every week as well as a discussion concerning the hooch in question, from 6pm to 8pm. We’ll drink to that! N
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FOGO DE CháO
DOUBLE TAKE REHYDRATE NOW
NO MAN LEFT BEHIND
THE SPLAT EFFECT SHOOTING BLANKS
BETTER OFF BLUE-BALLED
By Manuel Hung & Rod Steely
BOYFRIEND FANTASY Lance Luciano in Plays Together
plays Together Falcon, 1-877-227-3717, FalconStudios.com
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hey say the couple that plays together stays together—which must explain why all those porn-star relationships last as long as they do.
ADULT
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ROD: Who wouldn’t love waking up every morning next to Ryan Rose? Lance Luciano sure looks like he does. The only thing better than rolling over and seeing Rose sleeping in the same bed would be getting inside that ass of his. There’s something so all-American about Rose that I love to see him bent over and taking it in the ass. MANUEL: By “all-American” you mean Caucasian with Ken-doll good looks and overly whitened teeth, right? But don’t let Rose’s Procter & Gamble image fool you. This bad boy was arrested last year for beating the shit out of his then-boyfriend, porn actor Bobby Hart, and again on New Year’s Eve for possession of marijuana while driving without a license. Sweetfaced Rose lets Luciano give his ass a good pounding before returning the favor. I can’t get enough of Luciano. This handsome, hung, smooth-skinned, tattoo-less Latino is perfection in my book. ROD: Liam Magnuson is a masseur who puts everything into massaging Darius Ferdynand—his hands, his tongue and his cock. Talk about your happy ending! Halfway through, Luciano enters in a towel and plays voyeur, lurking in the background, just watching. MANUEL: This scene features two of the most uncomfortable fellatio positions ever. First, while lying face-down on the massage table, Ferdynand tries to orally circumnavigate Magnuson’s penis as Magnuson stands over him. Then later, Ferdynand sits on Magnuson’s chest and facefucks Magnuson’s mouth—a blowjob that usually just feels like teeth and hard palate. But the excellent first-penetration shot gets top scores on my “illusion of raw” meter. ROD: When Connor Maguire was fucking Ray Diaz, I was happy that Rose didn’t just stand there jerking off. Rose “plays well with others,” so he does what any red-blooded
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ROD:
BEN:
man would do: he shoves his cock in Diaz’ mouth. The surprised gulping sound that Diaz makes as it’s happening is hilarious. As if Diaz didn’t have enough to concentrate on while getting fucked by Maguire. MANUEL: This scene deserves an award. Unfortunately that award is “Worst Fake Rimming.” Directors, if your actor isn’t eager to tongue-bathe another guy’s rectum, at least use a camera angle that hides the fact that the squeamish analinguist’s tongue is several inches away from the bottom’s hole and lapping at nothing. “Air rimming” is one of my porn peeves! ROD: Jeez, what’s eating you, Manuel? Or maybe I should ask, what’s not eating you?
Sometimes what seems awkward for real life makes for great visuals in porn, as we saw in the final fourway. I loved how Rose, Luciano, Ferdynand and Maguire all had sex in such a presentational style, so that their best assets were clear for the camera. And I loved watching everyone shoot on Rose’s pretty face—twice! MANUEL: When I saw the publicity stills from this scene with all these beautiful guys in super-hot scenarios (including doublepenetration), I couldn’t wait to see them in action. If this gorgeous orgy has one shortcoming, it’s that the action, which is more about mechanics than chemistry, isn’t quite as hot as the stills. N
JANUARY 31, 2014 37
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ShOT
AFTERDARK@THEDL 1. Tyler, Joey & Jeff 2. Eli Lewis & Johnny Boy 3. Jonathan Saldaña & Vinny Vega 4. Matty & Weston
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PROHIBITION@THEhUDSONBOND 1. Alan Picus & Florin Helf 2. Joshua & Daniel 3. James, Christopher & Joshua 4. Michael Cohen & Justin Luke 5. Mat, Adam, Mark & Greg
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5 THE DL & THE HUDSON BOND PHOTOGRAPHY BY GUSTAVO MONROY
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ICEDTEADANCE@THEpARK 1. Helio & Marcus 2. Brian & Scott 3. Lina & The Crew 4. Keith & Elle 5. Samuel, Alex & Kennedy Carter 6. Robert & Dante
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LOVESPORTS@THEEAgLE 1. Gordon John & Bo Wayne 2. Phil & Matt 3. Dimitri & Ben 4. Orlando & Zach 5. Dean, Michael, Jeff & Ken
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5 THE PARK & THE EAGLE PHOTOGRAPHY BY GUSTAVO MONROY
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ShOT
1. Moshiel, Courtney & Marcel 2. Jaime & Michael 3. Roger & Joao 4. Conrad, Daryl & Joe
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VIVA@STAGE48 1. Eric & Scotty 2. Matheus & Mike 3. Andres & Ray 4. Andrew, Kevin, Mac & Timmy 5. Tracy Young 6. Kentay & Kenyon
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6 INDUSTRY & STAGE 48 PHOTOGRAPHY BY GUSTAVO MONROY
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