Continuing with Part 3 of this year’s Will Clark Pride Guide.
It occurs to me that I don’t have a lot of club things on the list this year and that’s because I’ve been out of the dance club scene for awhile now and what is out there doesn’t much appeal to me. I’d rather not recommend something that I’m iffy about just to include it.
Susan Morabito’s intimate dance gigs this past year have
spoiled me for the big club things (although I did go to an Alegria this year
and while it wasn’t awful, it did feel soulless.
Sorry, guys, I know there are those who swear by this party but I didn’t ‘get’ the appeal at all. OK I get the appeal that there’s a tacit understanding that if you’re young and hot and drugged up you’re going to this dance party to hook up with other young and hot and drugged up people but I really went to dance and I felt the music lacked. And for those of you thinking “aw he’s bitter because he didn’t hook up", I’m happy to report that I was literally propositioned twice once by a couple and the other time by a super duper scary guy who was organizing a sex party… and both times they looked at me like I was from Mars when I said “I’d really rather stay here to dance” (even if the music was kinda blah). Of course I didn’t tell the couple that I was only attracted to one of them (this happens and I’ve found -when Ive been the invited third in the past – that it’s best not to go at all because no good can come of it) and I certainly didn’t tell the super scary guy with the twitch who was gathering guys to take back to his place to fuck his boyfriend who had spent the night getting fucked up that not only was the scenario not remotely sexy but I had visions of this being the apartment equivalent of getting into a white van and never being heard from again. Call me Cautious Clara but following someone I don’t know to an apartment I don’t know to have sex with someone I don’t know who’s super messed up is not adventurous, it's just ten shades of stupid.
Anyway, Susan IS playing this year but it’s at Pacha on Pride night (I’ll list it in a future part) along with other DJs. Pacha is OK but it’s a big hall of a place at the end of W. 46th Street and it’s the last place I want to be at 8am when the dance ends Monday morning. I think I’ll save my cash for a future Susan night – like the one a few months ago at the old China Club on the upper west side – possibly the most perfect dance party I’ve ever been to. It was a roomful of familiar dancing friends, Susan spun brilliantly, I had a great story to take away (I met a hot guy who sweated profusely from the top of his shaved head and although I didn’t really notice it, the guy was self conscious and intimated that he’d had botox in his armpits and that then the glands rerouted the perspiration – to his head. Oops) and of course getting felt up a couple times was pretty nice too .
So, anyway, onward to the Pride Guide.
I’m not going to mention anything going on Friday June 18th not because there aren’t always great things going on (there are of course) but I want to interject here in the narrative that especially during Pride you have to know when to take a night off to recharge your batteries, do laundry, eat something green (and not a green M&M) so you can go out into the world again and let ‘er rip!
Now, not that I’m going to be out there but if you are, then there’s a fancy little party happening in the Pines (that’s on Fire Island, darling) on Saturday June 19th from 5pm to 8pm. DJ Warren Gluck is spinning at the “Miracle House Party in the Pines” at 548 Beachcomber Walk. There’ll be an open bar and party food as well as a silent auction. A single ticket is $50 with two tickets available for $75. Naturally the proceeds go to a worthy cause, Miracle House which you should just plan on buying in advance to save yourself a lot of hassle. BTW Miracle House provides temporary housing, meals and advocacy to caregivers and patients coming to NYC for critical medical treatment.
Back here in New York, there’ll be a hootenanny going on in
Central Park. Usually the kick off to Pride has been in Bryant Park which has
always been a weird choice in my opinion.. and frankly in the times when I’ve
dropped by for one reason or another, it’s not been very well attended which is
a shame.
This year the Pride 41 people have put together a pretty awesome lineup and while I’m still not over HOP ditching their Bingo night 90 minutes before their pre Pride Bingo night (although AVP pitched in as a last minute beneficiary and went on to make $1000 for a couple hours work -- so you know HOP don’t complain about cash flow problems when you turn down fundraising opportunities) I still support Pride and the events because, well, it’s Pride.
Anyway, the Rally starts at 4pm and runs til 8pm and features Bruce Vilanch as one of two MCs and friends of mine like Ari Gold and my WHEN JOEY MARRIED BOBBY co-star Dan Gershaw who will perform. There’s a whole long list of speakers and performers which you can check out for yourself by clicking The Rally above. It’s at Central Park’s Summerstage (you know the place where Good Morning America does their Friday morning live band shows in the summer) at Rumsey Field which is located near the 72nd and 5th Ave. entrance.
It’s free although wow that space is super small so get there early to lay out a blanket or something (although I’ve found that people tend to stand for these things). Best of all though the Rally will be ASL interpreted for those individuals who are deaf/hard of hearing.
Now on Sunday June 20th (that's Father's Day) the Pride events really kick
into high gear with a big day starting out with Folsom Street East (all sorts
of leathermen roaming the street while porn stars sing and strip on stage –
although sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference I know) which is a ten dollar donation at the entrance which goes to a variety of New York LGBT non profits, followed by the
seasons first Sea Tea - boarding
starts at 6 and the boat leaves by 7:30 from Pier 41 just below Christopher
Street ($22 in advance and $25 at the door) followed by the annual Broadway Bares show at Roseland. I haven’t been
in a few years but I remember the midnight show is always a tad bit raunchier
than the 9:30 show. If you can, save up for the VIP seats so you can actually
sit rather than stand for an hour and change.(Standing room $55 at both the 9:30 and Midnight shows with VIP prices ranging from $100 - $650 depending on which show you want to go to and what you're willing to spend - the super VIP level is going for a mere $250 at the 9:30 show and a whopping $650 at the midnight show)
Part 4 of the annual Will Clark Pride Guide will be posted
later today!
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