In anticipation for next week’s annual Red Party, held at the recently opened club Amnesia (formerly Sol, formerly Ruby Falls), here is the recording of the set Junior Vasquez played at Pachita on Saturday January 16, 2010.
This is a classic, high energy Junior mix, blending seamlessly new stuff (his mix of Lady Gaga’s Bar Romance, Whitney Houston’s Million Dollar Bill), Twilo classics and fantastic old school throwbacks. The party, held in the intimate upstairs lounge of Pacha, drew a fabulous crowd of nightlife denizens, pumped-up party boys, and faithful junior heads.
It is with a heavy heart that I’m moving Mr Black to the cemetery that is my “places closed” section. After last week’s abrupt cancellation of the Tubway party, Stuart Black announced last Friday the club was returning to an indefinite period of hybernation.
It’s a tradition in New York on Thanksgiving night, that dessert is served by Junior Vasquez. This year, the maestro cooked us a scrumptious buffet of classic treats and we are honored to bring you some warmed-over pieces. The first serving is a fluffy, diva-licious soufflé of fruits of the forest including Suzanne Palmer, Vernessa Mitchell and Whitney Houston.
After a long period of drought, there’s a glimmer of hope that things are bout to be shaken up in New York’s clubland.
September in New York is always a peculiar time, when we come to term with the end of the summer season, tentatively grasping for a couple more days at the beach and possibly a last getaway weekend in Fire Island. But there’s no escaping the implacable march of time, and even the most die hard vacationers will soon have to give up, as the last beats of the final Tea Dance of the season fade into silence, and our summer paradise inexorably sink into a state of hibernation.
New York’s gay club scene has changed radically in the past 3 years or so. The era of mega clubs, marathon parties, and afterhours that last into Sunday afternoon is pretty much over. The demise of Crobar, followed by the closing of the Roxy in March 2007 were the nails in the coffin of a form of entertainment that has defined New York City since the mid 70’s. And we’ve recently learned that after sitting unused for 2 years, 
We’re sad to hear of the passing of drag performer and longtime member of the Escuelita family Gina Divine (aka Gina Gospel). We didn’t know her personally, but we have always been fascinated by her regular appearances at Harmonica Sunbeam’s long running Sunday evening tea dance. Behind her over the top personality and runway antics lied a big heart. She would often pop out of the woodwork just as Harmonica Sunbeam was closing the show, and challenge the diva on her own runway, inevitably leading to a fierce showdown. The dynamic between the two girls was nothing short of fascinating and their improvised confrontations were always precious demonstrations in the art of throwing shade and cuntiness.
At the break of dawn, on a foggy Sunday morning on the beach of Fire Island, a light summer rain began to fall, washing away the remnants of the Pines Party festivities. Dazed from a long night of partying, many day trippers converged to the harbor to wait for the providential ferry to haul them back to solid ground.
Since 2004, Mark Nelson and Gage Kristofer have been producing a very popular gay themed event at one of the largest amusement parks in the country: Six Flags Great adventure. “Fairground at night” has been widely embraced by the gay community of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvannia, drawing a very diverse crowd for an evening of fun and riding some of the most intense rollercoasters on earth.