Bring It! June 12, 2009

It’s so easy to take so much for granted in San Francisco, the land over the rainbow and the gay pride capital of the universe.

Here in Oz, we’re lucky enough to believe that all men, women, and everyone in between are created equal. We see living proof every minute of every day, but the truth is that the fight continues, and it’s worth remembering that the celebrations we live and love today grew out of strife, struggle, and salvation.

The divas who keep our dancefloors and Pride parades humping, thumping, and pumping are testifying to all those same themes today. With Prop 8 still the ruling law of the land, those themes are just as relevant now as they were when the drag queens of Stonewall took to the streets and took their lives in their hands, kicking off a civil rights movement back before queer was cute.

Generations have grown up since then, and the movement has aroused, involved, and evolved so successfully that we no longer feel compelled to riot in the streets. As much pride as we’ve gained, it’s a damn shame that the indignity of inequality is still our reality.

Rallying to the cause and rallying to the dancefloor strengthens our sense of community and purpose. Raising our collective consciousness while raising the roof is what the gays do better than anyone else!

No matter where you fit in on the LGBTQ spectrum, our city offers no shortage of ways to put a little protest in your party, and that’s something we can all take pride in.

Friday, June 19:

Snap-a-licious: Ginger Snap’s Monthly Drag Show
Featuring performances by Ginger Snap, Holy DeVille, Pinky Maraschino, Miss Nix, and as always, Melody Grooves
10pm show, followed by dancing with DJ Lambchop until 2am
9pm-2am at Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin Street at Turk

Saturday, June 20:

The Launch Party
With Kaskade, Chris Lake, Chris Willis, Jess, Bellatrax, Cataracts, Jamie J Sanchez, and Wayne G, plus Energy 92.7 DJs
8pm-3am at The Regency Center, 1290 Sutter Street, $35
Tickets available at www.ticketmaster.com and Gold’s Castro or SOMA
$1 from every ticket goes the San Francisco AIDS Foundation

Sunday, June 21:

Marlena’s Dragathon
Kings, Queens and Everything In Between
Over 50 different performers (The Original Fag Hag included) contribute to a 9-hour dragathon to raise funds for the charity designees of the Castro Lions Charities. Everyone is welcome to perform at this event, the perfect place to try drag for the first time if you’ve always wanted to. The audience couldn’t be more appreciative!
12pm-9pm at Marlena’s, 488 Hayes Street

Friday, June 26:

Underworld with DJs Lee Decker and Kevin Lee
1,000 boys in briefs, so drop your pants and dance!
10pm-late at Space 550, 550 Barneveld at Industrial, $20 advance/$30 door, clothes check included
www.guspresents.com/underworld

AND

Club Asia returns with DJs Luke Fry, Robbie Martin, and Zax
The largest and most ground-breaking Gay Asian club on the west coast for over 6 years returns, for one night only.
With sexy dancing by the Club Asia Body Boys and the world-famous transgender Ladies of AsiaSF
10pm – afterhours at DNA Lounge, 375 11th Street @ Folsom

AND

MR. with DJs Kidd Sysko and David Harness
Pride's annual mustached dance party
9pm-3am at Triple Crown (formerly Octavia Lounge), 1760 Market Street
AND
Bearracuda presents Underwear Night with DJs Airick, Boyshapedbox, 50 Pound Note, and Medic
A party for bears, cubs, and other wildlife, with free massages, great tunes, tasty snacks and friendly guys
9pm-3am at Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin Street, $7/$5 before 10pm
www.bearracuda.com

AND

SupperVision Pride: A Fusion of Film & Performance
Pre-show in the Pajama Lounge, Multimedia main stage and underwater fashion show at midnight
Featuring Ginger Snap, Artist Malcolm Drake, Ambrosia Salad, acrobatics by Condi Davis, and Violin Bliss by Paul Scribble Festa
With DJs Tekkk and Malakai in the main room, and DJ Pup in the lounge
$15 limited pre-sale, $20 in costume or PJs, $25 no costume before 1am
Partial proceeds to benefit the Comfort & Joy Scholarship Fund
10pm-5am at SupperClub, 657 Harrison Street at 3rd
www.visualsby3.com

AND

Marga and The Boys
Barely legal comedy starring Marga Gomez, Marty Grimes, David Hawkins, and Nate Blanchard; Marga’s third engagement at The National Queer Arts Festival in her dual role as uproarious dyke diva and procurer of sensational gay male comics.
8pm at the LGBT Center, Rainbow Room, 1800 Market Street, $15
Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com

Saturday, June 27:

Start your Pink Saturday right with…

The 11th Annual Pride Brunch for Positive Resource Center
Join Gary Virginia and Donna Sachet in honoring the Pride Parade’s Grand Marshals
11am-2pm it the Hotel Whitcomb Ballroom, 1231 Market Street @ 8th Street
VIP $100/General admission $75

And then check out the street party that goes from Dolores Park to the Castro all day and into the night. Then gear up for…

The Disco with DJs Paul Goodyear and Bud Chism
Gay fun done just right!
Featuring the Original Fag Hag as Snow White with the Seven Bears and Evil Cherry Queen Snatch, plus The Twister Boys, the It’s a Drag Lounge with Charisma Glitterati and Bebe Sweetbriar, and The Juice Box Flagger Stage
10pm at Mezzanine, 444 Jessie St., $40 retail and online, $30 through Disco hosts, $50 door
www.thediscosf.com

AND

Colossus with DJs Manny Lehman and Tony Moran
Colossus returns to its original home at 1015 Folsom for the club’s first all-gay Saturday night in 17 years
Plus DJs Jim Hopkins (in the Retro Room), Kidd Sysko (in the Crib Room), and Pornstar (in the Electro Room)
Live on stage: Flava channels Sylvester
10pm-6am at 1015 Folsom, $50 advance/$70 door
http://www.guspresents.com/colossuspride

Sunday June 28:

The Original Fag Hag’s Pride wouldn’t be complete without this delicious double-whammy:

Fresh with DJ Kimberly S
With a special performance by Jai Rodriguez, and benefiting San Francisco Pride
6pm-midnight at Ruby Skye, 420 Mason Street, $20 advance/$25 door
www.freshsf.com

AND

Sanctuary with DJs Phil B and Twisted Dee
Men, Music, Muscle, Pride!
10pm-late at 1015 Folsom Street
www.guspresents.com/sanctuary

and there’s also…

Juanita MORE’s Gay Pride Pool Party
Benefiting The Transgender Law Center
Featuring The Ones, James Glass, Robot Hustle (Honey Soundsystem), Victor Rodriguez (Shits & Giggles, LA), Glamamore, Derrick Love, Nicky B, Le Dinosaur & That Mold Science of Gemini Disco, and The Cougar Cadet Corps Drumline
3pm-2am outdoors and indoors at Bambudda Lounge, 601 Eddy Street @ Larkin, $25 advance/$35 door
www.juanitamore.com

AND

The Gayest Party of the Year: Trannyshack vs. Big Top!
Big Top front room hosted by Joshua J & Sister Roma, featuring DJ Victor Rodriguez
Midnight drag show in the Trannyshack back room, featuring Heklina, JJ Crackers, Falsetta Knockers, Kiddie, Putanesca, Fauxnique, Metal Patricia, Renttecca, and House of Salad; with DJs Kidd Sysko and Lisa Pittman
9pm-3am at The Cat Club, 1190 Folsom at 8th, $15 pre-sale/$20 door
www.trannyshack.com

AND

Unity Pride T-Dance with DJs David Knapp and Jamie J Sanchez
6pm-midnight at DNA Lounge, 375 Eleventh Street, $15 advance
www.guspresents.com/unity

AND

Cockblock
San Francisco's most homolicious dance party for lezzies, queers, lovers and friends
With DJs Nuxx, Zax, Ms. Jackson, and DJ C-L.A.
9pm-3am at Supperclub, 657 Harrison Street at 3rd, $15 presale
www.cockblocksf.com

Through June 26:

The Golden Girls: The Gay Episodes
Starring Heklina, Pollo Del Mar, Matthew Martin, Cookie Dough, Mike Finn, and Laurie Bushman
June 11 through the 26: Thursdays & Fridays 7pm & 9pm; Saturdays 5pm, 7pm, & 9pm; and Sundays 3pm & 5pm.
Special benefit shows on Wednesday June 17 at 7pm (Rocket Dog Rescue) & 9pm (Western Roundup)
Mama Calizo's Voice Factory, 1519 Mission St. @ 11th
For tickets, go to goldengirlssf@earthlink.net

And for alternatives to clubbing:

Bay Area Pride Events
A one one-stop-shop listing of activities for those who like to keep active with bike-riding, roller-skating, hiking, bowling, running, walking, game nights, and square dancing
www.bayareaprideevents.com

Hopefully your Pride also includes the freedom to call in sick to work on the Monday after (once we get marriage equality passed we can start rallying to make Pride a national holiday with a paid recovery day to follow), and then it’ll be an awfully short week before you come to the realization that the Pride never ends in San Francisco.

By Friday, July 3, it’ll be time once again to have a great time while helping our common cause and community, at:

Nasty
A filthy fun-raiser for the AIDS Emergency Fund
Hosted by Nasty Girl Suzan Revah on first Fridays at the Powerhouse, 1347 Folsom

Come by and we’ll toast the frisky, flagrant freedom we are so perversely privileged to enjoy every day here in Oz!

Bring It! May 16, 2009

It was hardly a cold, dark winter for our city’s nightlife, and spring came with new parties blossoming everywhere. There’s too much of a good thing happening already, and San Francisco summer is arriving with a serious lineup of happening good times. Are you ready?

Gay Day Great America on May 22 is a sweet kickoff to the season, with rollercoaster rides and great shows, including the Trannyshack stage (the Original Fag Hag performs twice, with Heklina and Charisma Glitterati), and shows by Erasure’s Andy Bell, drag Tupperware Lady Dixie Longate, and the always fierce Flava. Dance into the night with the adorable dancing DJ duo The Perry Twins.

Saturday May 23 brings dance parties for every persuasion, from furry grrry action at Bearracuda Basement with DJ Matt Consola at Wunderland, to drop-your-pants-and-dance grooves at Underworld at Space 550 with DJ Kevin Lee, to Asian-inspiration Shangri-La at the Endup with DJ Pegasus.

Sunday May 24 rounds out the holiday weekend celebration, with Trannyshack’s Madonna Tribute Night at Cat Club, bright and bubbly T-dance tunes from DJ Wayne G at Fresh, and extra-manly woofiness for Sanctuary afterhours with DJs David Knapp and Luke Johnstone at 1015 Folsom.

The best thing about our thriving city scene as summer gets underway is that you don’t have to wait until holiday weekends for big and hard entertainment anymore. Your short week back at work after the holiday will barely be enough time to rest before Unity takes over 1015 Folsom on May 30 for DJs Tracy Young and Luke Johnstone. By Sunday May 31 you’ll be ready for some chilled-out, down-home, old-fashioned fun (for a great cause!) at the AEF County Fair in Golden Gate Park. Please stop by my kissing booth for a smooch!

Squeezing it all in will surely take it all out of you, but it’ll be deeply satisfying, and ain’t that why they call it the summer of love in San Francisco, the town we love so much we’d rather vacation right here than anywhere?

DJ Abel Spins the Fun and Keeps the Flame

Miami-based DJ Abel is a circuit superstar. Period.

On gay dancefloors around the world, he is known by his first name. Like Madonna, or Cher.

He spins regularly in San Francisco, often with his longtime pal and fellow DJ superstar, Ralphi Rosario. Together they are known as Rosabel, and both are celebrating 30-year anniversaries behind the decks this year.

Abel has a special place in his heart for San Francisco, having spun at Universe back in the circuit heyday. “Doing Universe was like going to heaven!” he says. “The way the crowd received me every time I was there was so warm, it was beautiful.”

These days his universe centers around Alegria in New York City, a world-class party where he creates his very own “Universo Alegria” with marathon sessions that consistently bring down the house.

His remix and compilation hits are too numerous to mention, as are the circuit parties around the world where he has made his mark. He continues to make fans everywhere he goes, and he makes them completely rabid for his explosive blend of heavy tribal beats, diva anthems, retooled classics, and afterhours darkness.

Coming up, Abel will spend Memorial Day in Los Angeles spinning what’s likely to be a 12-hour set, before gearing up to play Gay Disney and New York Pride. Once summer is in full swing, he’ll be spinning Pride parties in Brazil, Amsterdam, and Barcelona. He’ll also be at sea on a couple of Atlantis cruises, including the Baltic and the Mediterranean.

This Saturday night he returns to San Francisco to spin at Industry at Mighty, where he’ll share billing with a friend from back in his Universe days, San Francisco’s own DJ Jamie J Sanchez. Abel speaks highly of San Francisco’s taste in music, crediting the city with a wealth of musical talent and leadership.

“I get homesick when I travel, but I feel great about going to San Francisco every time, because I know what I’m getting into when I play in San Francisco,” he says. “The crowd in San Francisco is more about the music than the venue or anything else, and I know I’m ready for that. They better be, too!”

What’s the biggest influence on the kind of set you end up spinning?

The mood of the crowd is one thing I focus on a lot. A lot of people say “We got West Coast Abel,” or “We got East Coast Abel,” but really it depends on the event more than the location. The venue has a lot to do with it as well, and the sound system has a lot to do with the impact I can make on the crowd.

How would you describe your evolution over 30 years as a DJ?

It’s been the most wonderful journey! Watching the music change throughout the years is totally incredible, and at the same time, I haven’t lost too much of what I learned along the way.

When I first started, mixing was very, very difficult, because everything was on vinyl. Mixing two records was a challenge, not like today, when everything’s computerized and you can beatmatch everything perfectly.

The skills that we learned back in that time, a lot of the old-timers can relate to. People like Ralphi Rosario, Frankie Knuckles, and then Warren Gluck and Susan Morabito. You had to have total control of your fingers and your ears to make it happen.

For me, the music itself is not as good as it used to be, and that’s been a challenge, but it’s been beautiful because I still have a little something from back then that I bring to what I’m spinning now. It’s fun to play with those elements today and teach a new generation with those things.

What would you like to teach the new generation of dance music lovers?

The new generation would never think that we were playing music before they were born, or since they were kids, but I’m not ashamed of my age or anything like that.

It’s very important that we teach the new generation what we’ve been through, and what it was like before circuit parties were so polished and pretty like they are now. They might say, “Oh, girl! You’re dating yourself!” but I say no, I should be an inspiration. I’m proud to still be part of this scene 30 years later.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever seen from the DJ booth?

It’s embarrassing sometimes, but I can remember a few moments I never expected.

I have a group of fans that follow me from New York to Miami, and on my last Atlantis cruise, they got together wearing these New York City subway t-shirts that spelled my name out on the dancefloor. Subway lines A-B-E-L. That was really cute.

But maybe the craziest thing happened back in 1996, when I was playing at one of the biggest clubs in Miami called Icon. It was a packed Friday night, probably 2,000 people in there, and all of a sudden I see these guys getting on top of the speakers and on top of the bars all over the club. They had ski masks and rifles, and I was thinking “I didn’t know about this show…”

I was laughing, wondering what kind of show was about to happen, and people were yelling at me to shut the music off immediately. Then the lights started coming on and I realized it wasn’t a show, it was a raid! At that time, Prince was the owner of the club, and it was a major raid. They were shutting him down, and it was a shocking moment.

You’ve played all over the world, at just about every major Pride event. Are there any gigs you’re still chasing?

I really have played in every city where a gay man lives. I am lucky enough to say I think I’ve done everything except Sydney Mardi Gras, but that’s coming next year.

Do you think you’re typecast as a DJ?

I’ve read reviews where people say things like “Alegria will always be Alegria, and you always know what you’re gonna get.” To some that may mean I’m tired, but most people like consistency, and consistency has always been successful.

Every legendary club that has been around for decades has had a single DJ or 2 DJs, and people get used to that sound. Where there’s consistency, there’s a consistent crowd. Some new promoters don’t get that, but I’m a firm believer in the idea of a resident DJ. Consistency is why people follow DJs.

I am typecast a little bit. Like when I played at The Pines on Fire Island, that was a big shock for a lot of people, and a lot of people said they had never heard that side of me before.

Fire Island is an extremely picky place to play music. They have a particular sound, which was developed with all the house parties and the beach parties, so when you do a party like Pines, the crowd expects to hear those particular classics, and they’re really serious about it. If you don’t know what classics to play and play them, you’re in trouble!

I had everyone in shock with my selection, and it’s a feeling that I will never forget. In my 30-year history, that was probably the hardest I’ve worked to put a party together. I’ve never done something so intense and so rewarding.

I always said I’d never be able to play Fire Island, but they kept inviting me, and I kept saying “I can’t.” Until the mayor called me himself to ask me to do that party! I ended up being the first DJ in Fire Island history to do the whole party by himself, and to come back a second year and do an encore.

I live for this one acapella track you play all the time, something about “so fuck you”?

(laughs) That’s my signature. I love it!

I love her rudeness, her, pardon the expression, her cuntiness. “You said you’d buy me a big black escalade… You said you’d take me on a trip around the world, but you didn’t, so fuck you!”

It’s an old track, and the actual song itself doesn’t sound that good, but that’s a classic for me. The Alegria classics are the ones that I bring out at special moments. Songs like “La Puta, which is my voice and Ralphi Rosario’s. It’s actually mine and Ralphi’s cat fight over the phone!

“Kiss My Ass!” is another one, as is “Free My Ass.” (laughs again) People sometimes forget to have fun in the clubs, and sometimes you need to remind them, and that’s why I do that. It’s a release, to make people laugh and giggle.

Only me and Ralphi and a few others do that, and to me that’s 30 years of experience.

Bring It! April 25, 2008

I've been back from the White Party Palm Springs for days now, and my ass STILL hurts! Not for the same reason as all the other boys, of course, but doesn't that sound fun?

Fun doesn't even begin to describe my first time at one of the hottest dance parties on the planet. It was so major on so many levels that I can only describe it by chanting the lyrics to the Kim English anthem "Unspeakable Joy," which has been a relentless earmworm in my brain ever since I returned from my epic pilgrimage to the disco desert.

The nearly 20-year-old White Party might sound like a tired circuit cliché, but it is still very much a rite of gay passage. And as with anything in this big gay world of ours, it's all about what you bring to it. I brought my 2 best girls, 8 of my best gays, and enough glitter to sink a bathhouse. The joy flowed from there, and it was highly contagious.

Bringing the Pussy Posse to the White Party transformed it from just a crazed blur of beautiful boys – not that there's anything wrong with THAT! – into a life-affirming celebration of freedom and friendship. Together we anticipated our arrival, stormed every party as a united front of fabulosity, widened our circle of friends as we went, and shamelessly infused our positive energy into everything.

We shared in the dancefloor’s climactic release every night, and we shared in the pain of post-circuit recovery upon returning to reality, but we brought the white-hot enthusiasm of the weekend back with us and, to quote Kim English "they did not give it, they cannot take it away."

The indelible memories made along the way remind me that even though the circuit is evolving and maturing and (sigh) mainstreaming, it’s still possible to create community on the spot under the disco ball, and to feel that strong sense of connection you just can’t get anywhere else.

The moments of unspeakable White Party joy were many. I loved performing circuit community service when I lined up boys at The Underwear Party to do handstands in their manties, convincing them how important it is to get blood circulating away from your feet when you’ve been dancing on them for days. A private, acapella performance from Frenchie Davis after we arrived late for her poolside show was another unforgettable highlight. Later that night, the White Party itself was fantastic in its scale, though the glitz and grandeur was most impressive because it really made us appreciate the intimacy of the smaller clubs that keep our circuit alive today.

Still, intimacy was never out of reach, with familiar San Francisco faces everywhere and regular reunions with boys from Atlantis cruises past. I even got to throw a leg over Blatino heartthrob Wilson Cruz. I’m still swooning!

At the X-treme T-Dance, by far the favorite party of the weekend, the pussies bonded over shared bruises when we threw ourselves down the bouncy slide every way we could think of until we collapsed into a pile of giggles. (My ass is still covered in rubber burns, and I'm loving letting people wonder just how, exactly, they got there.)

Celebrity sightings and impossibly perfect Southern California boys in bikinis aside, we never lost sight of our mission to fully represent for San Francisco, even as we took our fruity, flowery, friskiness on the road in search of new homo horizons. As the sun set on the White Party, there was never a doubt that there’s no place like home, where we need no excuse to be happy and gay every day, and in every way!

Bring It! March 7, 2008

San Francisco hosts at least one superstar DJ every single weekend, which is a beautiful thing to be able to take for granted, especially when you rely on regular dancefloor sweat sessions the way most people rely on regular psychotherapy.

The fact that any weekend can turn into a world-class circuit party is another thing to love about our supposedly sleeper city. We may get written off as a backwater Babylon, but our nightlife scene is over the top even for a non-sleeper like me.

Holiday weekends like the International Bear Rendezvous (I hear it was Presidents Day, too) do tend to be more happening, but I was damn impressed by the massive influx of massive men, and all the around-the-clock action between SOMA and the ‘stro.

Ghetto Disco with DJs Ted Eiel, Blaine Soleau, Hawthorne & Sean Greene, the first of three Sweat parties, delivered on its promise of “Big Men, Big Music, Big Night.” It was as gay as I’ve seen The Endup in years of fag Fridays, which warmed my heart, and warmed up the bear boys and the porn boys alike before the next night’s GAYVN Awards. I had the pleasure of sitting at the Titan table with some highly aroused hotties who were ready to keep the party going at the second Sweat. Thinking I was pacing myself, I instead did a drive-by at “a filthy underground house party” called Salon Nights, but didn’t even call it a night after that because all my boys ended up at Adonis with DJ Josh Peace and I couldn’t stand the thought of not joining them.

Sunday was crazier still, and the frisky, woofy energy carried through three more parties, any one of which would have made for a memorable weekend anywhere.
Fresh’s 6-year anniversary with DJ Manny Lehman was predictably packed with smiling, glistening muscle mans. I had to tear myself away to check out Play with DJ Susan Morabito, but the third Sweat was the charm for me, as Sanctuary with DJ Phil B blew the roof off of one of my favorite venues in the city, Club NV. The party went full-tilt all night long, and the back rooms were in full swing!

It took me nearly all week to recover from that debaucherous danceathon before I was back at Ghetto Disco for my favorite DJ, Jamie J Sanchez. We laughed about carefully strategizing our disco naps before the next night’s Industry with Rosabel, with Jamie and the second half of our hometown dynamic DJ duo, DJ Luke Johnstone, hosting circuit celebrities DJs Ralphi Rosario and Abel.

I need to keep weekends like these in mind the next time someone tells me San Francisco’s club scene is dead. If anything’s dead, it’s me every Monday morning, when I finally get to take a break from our “dead” club scene in my corporate cubicle!

Coming up on Friday, March 7, I’ll be bringing it at Ghetto Disco with DJ Chris Cox. Saturday, March 8, I’ll be backup dancing for larger-than-life drag queens at The Classic Divas Monster Show with Cookie Dough & DJ MC2 at Harvey’s, before heading back to Adonis, this time with DJ Matt Consola.

Bring It! February 22, 2008

One of the many things to love about San Francisco is how worlds collide in a big glittery pileup.

We’re all suffering from multiple personality syndrome in the best way possible, constantly proving that you can’t make assumptions about anyone in this freedom-loving town full of people who live up to the poetic words of one of my fag hag heroes, Deee-Lite’s Lady Miss Kier:

“Your groove I do deeply dig. No walls, only the bridge.”

Lately I’m deeply digging on my beloved gay boyfriend Steven Satyricon, who redefines the term crossover artist. A member of Boylesque and a resident gogo dancer at Bootie, he also gogo dances with me at Bebe Sweetbriar’s Castro T-dance, The Launch Party at JET. At the most recent Launch, he fiercely transformed from scary drag queen to jockstrap-sporting stud in a swoon-inducing solo performance to Madonna’s “Like it or Not.”

I love how Steven’s groove defies categorization. Circuit boy? Yes. Faux king? Sometimes. Punk-flavored Powerpuff girl? Yeah, he’s that too.

Recently, he joined me in playing the role of belly dancer (one of my many multiple personalities), when I crossed another bridge at an underground party called Bibi Love, a not-for-profit event for the queer South West Asian, North African, Middle Eastern (SWANA) community and their friends.

I always assumed that two of my worlds in particular, first-generation Turkish-American and hard-core club hag, would never crossover. I celebrated being proven wrong by dressing up the Pussy Posse in gypsy couture and shimmying all over the Bibi dancefloor. It was a special experience, shared by many others at the packed party, which was closed to the press to allow for maximum freedom of expression.

Another great thing about San Francisco is having the freedom to vote for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness on our own terms. While the rest of the country is talking about Hillary and Obama, we’ve got our own fabulous form of imperialism, and our very own election season with The Royal Court.

I was honored to support democracy by performing at a campaign kickoff event at Marlena’s for Mercedez Munro’s Empress run. Faux king Johnny Cocksville did a moody number about dancing away heartache and pain. As founder of the Mother of Invention Acting School, he knew that theme would highly motivate myself and my ever-faithful gay boyfriend Joanna Parks as his backup dancers/lip-synchers, and he dubbed us The Flaming Gardenias in honor of the flowers we always wear in our hair to show our San Francisco spirit. Special thanks to Urban Flowers for keeping us in fragrant gardenias year-round.

Just a few numbers later, Joanna and I were back at it, this time as Kit Kat Girls in Charisma Glitterati’s adorable number from Cabaret, “Don’t Tell Mama.” Ultra-glamorous Mercedez won me over when she invited us all to enjoy the buffet she provided for those “singing for their supper,” and Erykah Dayé Munro became the patron saint of fag hags everywhere when she (in boy) gave us girls a shout-out for playing supporting roles in what sometimes seems like every other number on the drag circuit. Loves her!

Lots of love in the house at Lucky Pierre, which hosted “Wet: A Birthday Bash for Miss Trannyshack Pollo Del Mar” at The Stud. The Glitterati gang arrived in silly swimwear and Super Soakers to drench the party in festivity despite winter weather. Afterwards we warmed up at Ghetto Disco, the Endup’s Friday night party hosted by DJ Hawthorne, who, along with Aaron Marxmiller providing choice beefcake on the gogo box, never disappoints the dancefloor.

The first party of the year at Temple was everything a T-dance should be, with DJs Wayne G and Luke Johnstone serving up the happy and then giving it away at the door on CDs. Membership has its privileges at Industry & Matinee, and I proudly purchased my 4th Boy Badge. I’ve got no problem paying my fag hag dues when they come with discounted entry all year long, plus discounts all over the Castro, including at circuit soundtrack headquarters, Medium Rare Records. London’s Wayne G wasn’t content to stay in headphones all night, and joined us on the dancefloor at the Matinee afterparty, Thick at Club Ei8ht, where DJ Frank Wild celebrated his birthday by giving us all the gift of deep dark house music.

Here’s where I’ll be bringing it coming up: On Friday, February 22 I’ll be waving my hands in the air for DJ Jamie J Sanchez at Ghetto Disco, and on February 23 I’ll be doing double-duty performing at Bootie then stomping the circuit with double-your-pleasure Rosabel, AKA DJs Ralphi Rosario and Abel, at Industry. Sunday February 24 I’ll be working the positive vibe at Revolution at Club Ei8ht with sugar-sweet DJ Robbie Martin.

I hope our multiple personality paths cross somewhere along the way….

Bring It! January 4, 2008

Life is SO much better now that I have a gay hairstylist again!

When you’re trying to get the right cut for your corporate-whore-by-day/circuit-whore-by-night lifestyle, a date at the salon shouldn’t be a chore, but an intimate, therapeutic sistah-session that puts a spring in your step.

As much as I love the rocker girls at the salon my former hairstylist (and fairy godfather) entrusted me to when he and his partner left the city to become homeowners, I was uninspired. A homo-free hair experience is simply unacceptable for the Original Fag Hag!

In San Francisco, I knew it was only a matter of time before serendipity did its thing. It happened on a double date in which the hag actually scored! (Well, a hairstylist, anyway.) I fell in hag-on-fag love with him at first sight, and swooned when he invited me to a party at his Castro apartment. He was a flawless host, and when I complimented him on his culinary artistry, someone said I should see the magic he works with hair.

Our next date was at Barber Lounge on Folsom between 4th and 5th. The salon is immaculate and tasteful, and highly fabulous. So was my cut from the sweet and multitalented Gib, who also happens to be HOT.

It was just what I’d been missing. We gabbed about everything, philosophical to frivolous. We reflected on how things never stay the same, whether it’s with hairstylists or our club scene in the city. (Gib also loves to dance. Swoon again!) I know I reduce everything to a dancefloor metaphor, but it works, so here goes: Change is inevitable, whether it’s about where to cut your hair or where to shake your ass, so there’s no choice but to embrace it.

Now that I’m in love with my gay hairstylist again, I’m reminded that change can be a good thing. Sometimes it’s just a matter of acknowledging that the time for change has come, and then working it.

Here’s where I’ll be working it coming up: I’ll be dancing between drag queens at The Industrial Strength Monster Show at Harvey's on the 12th, and on the 13th I’ll be dancing on the gogo box and supporting my girls Charisma Glitterati and Bebe Sweetbriar at the cutest Castro T-dance ever, The Launch Party at JET.

Next weekend will be huge on the dancefloor, with Industry at Club Mighty on the 19th featuring DJ Jamie J Sanchez and DJ Rob Kaftan, and the first Fresh of the year at Ruby Skye on the 20th with DJ Brett Henrichsen.

Please join me and my Pussy Posse and help us make the best of whatever changes this shiny new year will bring!

Photos:

From MASS at 1015 Folsom this past Sunday night, 12/30 (photo taken by Gus himself):
http://www.guspresents.com/photos/main.php?g2_itemId=6385

Gib Bolton, The Barber Lounge:
http://www.barberlounge.com/team08.html

And from my recent photo shoot with Michael Smith:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72286452@N00/2166907210/
(kind of fits the New Year’s flavor of the column?)