The F*Word moves to Splash. Krash returns at club Rebel.
The F*Word party – the weekly Friday night romp that had enjoyed a sustained success since its move to club Rebel – abruptly announced it is taking a 2 week hiatus before relocating to its new home at club Splash on June 4. Frankly, we don’t think it bodes well for this party. We have a hard time picturing the colorful cast of queer denizens and avant garde creatures that patronize the F*Word feel at ease in the sanitized setting of Splash Bar. It is nonetheless an honorable attempts at revitalizing Splash’ Friday nights, which have been slow in the past months.
But club Rebel won’t remain vacant for long, because Krash, the legendary gay Latino party of which we have many fond memories, is re-launching after more than a year of hibernation at club Rebel. We hope things will turn out better for Krash, because they folded only a few weeks after settling in at club Rebel at the end of 2008. Meanwhile, the Uncut party which started in the fall of 2009 at the neighboring club Elevate is still going strong, catering to a similar demographics as Krash. Admittedly, Krash’s new venue club Rebel is slightly more appealing than the shack known as club Elevate, but Rebel, with its 3 floors and many rooms could also turn out to be too large to fill on a weekly basis for Krash. Let’s see what happens. While we’d love to make our big return to Krash next weekend, we can’t miss the visit of the legendary trance U.K. disc jockey Eddie Halliwell at Pacha.
Someone told me not so long ago that “Krash” use to be much better back in the day.I heard before they started the attempt of appealing to the underage hiphop,thuggish,Escuelita type crowd,they use to be a club that attracted a more Mature crowd (21 and over) and was more driven by HOUSE MUSIC and your traditional latin music such as salsa.But I heard that,that particular crowd started turning away because of the younger less mature crowd and things of that nature.I remember going to Krash at club deep one Friday night in 05′,I really didnt like the crowd at all.The music was good in the main room,it was House Music,and sounded similar to that of which I enjoyed every Saturday night at the ROXY.I wish Krash well,but unless it caters to House Heads,I probably will avoid it like the plague.
As far as Splash is concerned,its not just Friday Nights that need improvement.Saturdays need it too.I think the first step in improving Splash is to get rid of John Blair.He has been booking the same tired circuit DJs since he started Avalon Saturdays at what use to be Avalon and is now a mall for the snobby yuppies.Some gays hold John Blair responsible for ROXY’s demise.We House Heads dont wanna hear the same tired bubble gum tribal pop from the likes of Brett Henrichsen,David Knapp and so on.That is why for a good year Peter Rauhofer and his WORK!@Stereo took the Saturday night spotlight and became the hottest gay mens’ party in all of New York City for a good year,until the usual anti-nighlife fascism robbed us of one of the city’s last best dance clubs.So approaching summer 2010 we still have no actual club.And we were never able to resurrect ROXY.Which in my honest opinion,would be our only shot at retrieving a club for gay House Music lovers.You dont see Pacha jumping on the opportunity of embracing the gay market do you? Or M2 for that matter (when it was open).Its a pretty sad message to gays that the only actual club the city has to offer us is a Straight club in which attracts mostly straight and bridge & tunnel patrons.Club 57@Providence has no value and in reality is not a place for House lovers.The crowd is rather pretentious and the music is very commercial and amateur at best.Our nightlife is the stalest it has ever been and we need some real improvement here.But as long as the city continues its anti-night fascism,that will be a long time coming.While this is news,it is not BIG! news.And frankly its nothing new and exciting.
Yes, Krash used to be one of my favorites party back when it was at Club Deep in Chelsea, although I have never experienced the original Krash in Queens. The great thing back then was that the club was very large and sleek, and the main room was dedicated to house music. The DJ’s were great (Merritt, Glenn Friscia) and played a fierce blend of pumping, tribal house.
I’m not holding my breath for the return of Krash at Rebel. Apparently, they will only occupy the lower level, and it looks like they won’t have a house room, focusing instead on hiphop, merengue, bachata etc… Not my cup of tea.
I also agree with most of your points regarding the sad state of our saturday nights in the city. Sundays, on the other hand, are pretty interesting, with Hiro and Greenhouse going on in full force every week. But obviously that’s a meager consolation for most of us who have to be up bright and early on Monday morning to go to work.
Queenofnewyork: I know what you mean.I hate to criticize “gay clubland” but they really need to get their act together.Ive tried the new parties that have come and gone (for obvious reasons) but the music and the crowds at those places are not up to par.I have been to “Club 57″ countless times and after awhile,Ive noticed the crowds there getting smaller and smaller.I still make my quick run over there to here DJ Escape and Eddie Elias on whatever night one of those 2 are playing the main room.However,Ive stopped going after awhile myself.Its the same old tired commercialized top 40 music and lame circuit remixes and sometimes the barely tolerable hiphop every other time.I just cant imagine “Club 57″ being the new haven for the House Heads.I also cant see how “Club 57″ can be the “Hottest gay party in the city” when technically,its the ONLY weekly gay night in New York City to date.Mind you,its not even at a real club with a real sound system.For a $15-$20 cover,I overlook it as if it doesnt even exist,most of the time.
I bet that,if there were a real club hosting weekly gay House club nights for the same cover if not more or less,”Club 57″ would get blown out of the water.Something tells me there are more gay men in the New York area looking for a place with good House Music with a crowd that can bring a good vibe than some of us think.I havent experienced those elements on a night out since the last WORK! club night at Stereo/Octagon.It cant be a crazy coincidence that whenever Peter Rauhofer does his almost non-existent WORK! parties in New York,Alegria comes to town,or Saint@Large does one of their big events,the gays come flocking out in large hordes and pack the selected venue WALL2WALL.
I think that these promoters have become lazy,money-mooching,cheapskates,who arent looking at the big picture and only looking at the few glittery dizzy queens who go out just to hear Ke$ha,Lady Gaga,Beyonce and all the other tired pop divas who’s songs get played at pretty much every gay bar in the city.Like back when they tried that “Tight” party at Amnesia.The music was very inconsistent and was barely actual House Music.I went for Junior on Feb 14th (Presidents Day weekend) and I heard that was the only night it got packed.I recall going for their “sneak peak” on MLK weekend and it was dead empty the whole night.Amnesia’s not a bad space but the promoters behind that horrid “Tight” Sundays thing were not thinking about New York.As usual they were thinking about themselves.Most people I know either left and went to Green House or Hiro that night and in the end the “Tight Sundays” was a complete failure.Both Hiro and Green House have the better music so its not a surprise that people were diverting to one of those 2 options.House Music still does play a big role in New York nightlife (Why do you think places like Pacha,Cielo,and Santos Party House are so popular) but it seems gay nightlife promoters forget that and just do whatever draws a few queens.This is why I (and probably many other gay men) wind up diverting to the straight clubs.
I cant focus all the blame on promoters though.The city has been working overtime to destroy all nightlife in New York.The Gay community was hit the hardest,since we were already under served from the start.They’ve made it hard for new clubs to open and for the already established clubs to stay open.So there are alot of things that factor into the lack of good clubs with good music in New York.Its just pretty sad and quite embarrassing might I add.Rant over!
It’ll be hard for Krash to back up what they originally catered back in the days. Especially now when elelvate is coming strong with a different type of crowd. It’s more of a diverse crowd. And of course leading the crowd with the legendary Jessica Foxx, cant get better. It’s sad not to see all the original legends of Krash, although lets not forget Krash in Queens where was first originated. Then moved to chelsea at Club Deep. I was a huge Krash go’er and a huge fan and to me the original Krash staff will always remain with the legendaries Jessica Foxx, DJ Dave, DJ Mike Cruz, JR the man who gave birth to Krash and last but not least the original Krash legendary bartender Soto. Soto was fierce, not only a bartender but a genius in mixology, he knew exactly what the crowd wanted. These people are the original Krash and without them Krash will never be the same.