GAYLETTER

The Black Party is back again on April 6th, but this is not just any year of the Black Party — the international fetish party known the world over — it’s the 40th anniversary of the event. And it’s taking place at The New York Expo Center. People pack their leather and dildos and harnesses and gimp masks and travel to NYC from all over the world for a night, and morning of gay fetish and dance. The party usually draws a crowd of around 4000 people. This year the party is being called Rites XL: The Black Party CALIGULA. Caligula was a Roman emperor who ruled from AD 37 to AD 41. He was the son of a popular Roman general and regarded as an insane leader who “turned the palace into a brothel, and most famously, planned or promised to make his horse, Incitatus, a consul, and actually appointed him a priest.” I’m not drawing any parallels between The Black Party and the palace of Caligula, but let’s just say that things will most likely get a little wild this Saturday. I heard that the party really gets going past 3:00AM, so take your time getting there. Music for the night is by Byrell The Great, Roi Perez, B2B, Ryan Smith, Boris (Berlin), Mike Servito and DJ Harvey. Plus, they’re promising “strange musical acts.” We wouldn’t expect anything less from this legendary party. Play safe, have fun.  —Gayletter