From the unbridled energy unleashed in the wake of the disco explosion and sexual liberation movement in the 70′s, to the fiercely hedonistic and extravagant lifestyle of the club kids in the 80′s, and the die-hard 24-hour party culture of the 90′s, New York has always been one the most exciting places to live in for the chronically under-stimulated, thrill-seeking gay men. For decades, throngs of bright-eyed men thirsting for life have flocked to the city of light like moths to flame. While many of them burnt their wings, we couldn’t help but be drawn by the sublime and grotesque spectacle of these legions of revelers submitting themselves in jubilant abandon to the relentless grind of New York’s frenzied night life.
Alas… This seemingly never-ending escalation of over the top parties and larger than life nightclubs did eventually fizzle out, somewhere around the mid 2000′s.
These days, what remains of the generation of clubbers that used to congregate in the cavernous clubs of yesteryear is left recounting the glory days of such hallowed establishments as Twilo, the Tunnel, Vynil and the likes while lamenting the sorry state of today’s gay scene.
Maybe the scene collapsed under the weight of its own excess… Rampant drug use eventually spiraled out of control, and the indictment against Sound Factory owner Richard Grant provides vivid description of the apocalyptic state of the scene at the beginning of the new millennium, complete with passed out club goers scattered across the floor of the cub’s mezzanine, overdosing patrons removed from the premises and dumped in a back alley by a complacent security, and private ambulances standing by to carry the most serious cases straight to the nearest emergency room. Clearly, the club scene has sobered up since those days. One of the most iconic figure of the era, DJ Junior Vasquez himself confessed in 2005 to having been hooked on Crystal Meth for the past decade, he checked himself into rehab… and soon after, Kevin Aviance followed his example. The once revered institutions of the New York club world then started closing their doors one after the other, supplanted by the new crop of “bottle service” night spots which were taking over the city and stifle New York’s nightlife for the years to come.
Meanwhile, the gays – for the most part – mellowed out, and retreated to a reinvigorated bar and lounge scene.
Unfortunately, this is also the time we chose to move to New York city. Looking forward to embark on the ride of our life in the most exhilarating playground, the thrill was quickly cut short, as the last remaining big clubs were dying out, until eventually the most iconic of all, the Roxy, shut his doors in March of 2007.
This site chronicles our quest to rekindle the spirit of our once trend-setting gay club scene and recapture the New York party ethos.
Not discouraged by the current onslaught of mainstream establishments with questionable tastes, we’re determined to swift through the ambient mediocrity in search of the few places and rare moments which remind you that, after all, we’re not in Kansas anymore.
Originally from France, I am a New Yorker by adoption and have enjoyed living here since 2004. Shortly after moving from Paris, I started doing this website as a way to share with my friends some insights about my life in New York. This project was also my sandbox, allowing me try and learn a few things about web development. 6 years later, I’m still maintaining this website, mostly for fun, as a hobby, and as an outlet for the various sentiments that New York inspires in me.
I am not affiliated with any club, bar or other establishment. All the content is solely the reflection of my opinion. If you are interested in promoting an event, please drop me a note using the form below. All feedback is also greatly appreciated. Thank you for stopping by.