HOT LEATHER IN JANUARY!

The much-anticipated Mr. Eagle Wilton Manors 2023 Contest was held at the classic Leather bar The Eagle in Wilton Manors. Kicking off on Friday, January 27th, it was a full weekend of activities which climaxed in the Contest on Saturday night. Mr. Eagle Wilton Manors 2022 Kevin Bubba passed the sash to the new Mr. Eagle, Gilbert Guardiola, AKA li’l Daddy Gilbert. With wall-to-wall Leathermen from all over the world, it was truly a universal family reunion for the Leather, Bear, and Kink communities.

MUCH NEEDED “BED REST”!

Saturday, February 4th saw the reading of Whitney Matheson’s new play, BED REST at NYC’s The Tank. BED REST follows a pregnant, award-winning journalist who is visited by three people — an intern, a rock star and a mattress inspector — on one tumultuous, life-changing Tuesday. The talented cast included Annie Choi, Sara Benincasa, Michele Carlo, Zuri Washington, Christine Verleny and Christopher Lee. The event was produced by comic book artist, writer, and playwright Dean Haspiel. It was smart, funny, and definitely ready for a full production. The cast and crew gathered for an after-party after the reading. You can read my full review here: “BED REST” by Whitney Matheson gets staged reading at NYC’s The Tank! – LAVENDER AFTER DARK (because life begins when the sun goes down…)

MAN ON MAN ACTION!

MAN ON MAN and Special Guest Macy Rodman turned it out for a sold-out crowd at Union Pool in Brooklyn on Tuesday, February 7th. MAN ON MAN (M.O.M.) are husbands Roddy Bottum (Faith No More) and Joey Holman.  The pair always get the crowd excited, as does their frequent creative collaborator Macy Rodman, who always knows how to get the party started.  This night, the crowd was full of hot-to-trot boys, Brooklynites, and Bears.  “My Oh My”, indeed… 

EVERYTHING YOU’VE HEARD ABOUT NOUVEAU RICHE IS TRUE!!!

Coby Koehl’s FANTASTIC musical showcase at Pangea spotlights legendary talents and new voices alike. Tuesday, March 14th saw the talents of Raven-O, Michael Musto, Bianca Leigh, Lady Clover Honey, Maria Konner, Megan Lomax, Alexis Shetley, Jackson Sturkey, Catherine Schuller, Aaron Setlow, and Janeley, who is from Finland and now calls New York City her home. In attendance that night were Wendy Stuart, Rose Trentman, Jack Phelan, Wilhelmenia Sparrow, Joseph Aiello, Laurie Towers, John Pietaro, and many other movers-and-shakers and full-time socialites. And let’s not forget the hard-working DJ JCLEF! If you have not yet been to NOUVEAU RICHE, make it a “priorité”!!!

A BLEEDING IN BLACK LEATHER!

More than just a book and album launch party, Tuesday February 28th at NYC hotspot Pangea was a transgenerational, mind-blowing. hard-hitting explosion of words, music, energy, and nostalgia. Writer-poet-musician-author John Pietaro celebrated the release of his book A Bleeding in Black Leather. The book can be bought at various online sites as well as here. The album was recorded and co-produced by Ivan Julian (Richard Hell & the Voidoids, the Clash). It can be purchased here.. Musicians for the night included the Red Microphone, with guest spoken word segments by Puma Perl, celebrated poet George Wallace, singer-songwriter Lindsey Wilson, postpunk wordsmith Didi Champagne, and from London, WFMU radio personality Georgy Ragazza. Red Microphone is: Ras Moshe Burnett (saxophones/flute), Mac Gollehon (trumpet), Rocco John (saxophones/composition), Javier Hernandez-Miyares (guitar), Dave Ross (guitar), Laurie Towers (bass), and John Pietaro himself (voice, percussion). In attendance at Pangea that night were Wendy Stuart, Alan Kaplan, Coby Koehl, Marlowe West, Che Che, Albert Crocus Pena, Joe Preston, Maria Konner, and Arnaldo Caballero Y Cespedes. Who says that Tuesday nights can’t be fun?