GAYLETTER

GAYLETTER

Tuesday 03.28.17

PWR BTTM – ‘Answer My Text’

PWR BTTM's got another millennial anthem under their belt

Much to the queer universe’s delight, PWR BTTM released a new music video this morning! ‘Answer My Text‘ sticks to the band’s declarative and unapologetic ethos with the chorus’ central lyric stating “answer my text, you dick!” (If that’s not a mood, I don’t know what is).

 

The single, which is off of their forthcoming sophomore album ‘Pageant’ follows the band’s D.I.Y. formula of simplistic chord progressions matched with lyrics that are not only relatable to the band’s variety of fans, but also do a bit more for listeners by revealing Liv Bruce and Ben Hopkin’s own autobiographical struggles. The twosome have approached music-making with a pedestrian skill set, but their willingness to be vulnerable and vocal about queer identity has propelled them into intersectional crusaders.

 

Just last week I was retelling a friend about the first time I saw PWR BTTM. They were playing at Legion Bar in Brooklyn with Diet Cig who were also newcomers on the scene. I don’t even remember when their set started, and I didn’t even know who they were really, but their now notorious banter blew my mind. I had never seen two people be so obviously queer on stage at a D.I.Y. show.

 

It’s been a pleasure to watch them grow into globally recognized musicians, and ‘Answer My Text‘ is another addition to PWR BTTM’s radical image making. Bruce is as darling as ever in a bubblegum pink bedroom, and they are even more intriguing with neon-blue lipstick paired with a pink gown. …

Mouthfeel Magazine Issue 3 Release Party

The party was hosted by Stumptown - with beers from Sixpoint and burgers and fries from Shake Shack!

Monday 03.27.17

Trumpy the Rat

Help make this inflatable Trump-esque “Scabby the Rat” a reality

There’s a long history of scabby rats being used to symbolize resistance and ridicule. However, there’s no historical instance of a president worth resisting and ridiculing with a 15 foot inflatable scabby rat. At least not until Donald Trump (ooof!). BravinLee programs (manned by Karin Bravin and John Post Lee) and artist Jeffrey Beebe have teamed up to design a huge rat — complete with Trump’s “too-long tie, ill-fitting suit and ludicrous comb-over.” Honestly, the only thing missing would be the fake tan — but rats can’t tan. That’d be silly!

 

The purpose of this project is three-fold. On the most basic level, BravinLee would like to have this inflatable rat manufactured (it’d take about 12 weeks from funding to completion) so that it could be used in New York and elsewhere in anti-Trump protests. A longer-term goal is to form the Public Display of Disaffection Political Action Committee (PDDPAC) which would use the power of art to influence and strengthen opposition to Trump and his administration. Beyond either of those tangible goals, however, is the less-tangible but just as significant intent to show that art and creativity are crucial in times of darkness.

 

The maiden inflation is slated for July, 2017, and you can help bring all this to fruition. According to the Kickstarter campaign, $10,000 in funding needs to be raised. Presently, $4, 524 has been pledged by 114 backers but there are still 23 days left!

 

You can help fund the project and learn more about the campaign here. …

Sunday 03.26.17

Film: Marie Antoinette with pastries & champagne

This event is sooooo up my alley! Sofia Coppola’s 2006 retelling of the life of young Marie Antoinette, played by Kirsten Dunst (in Converse Chuck Taylors) is, in the words of A.O. Scott “A thoroughly modern confection, blending insouciance and sophistication, heartfelt longing and self-conscious posing with the guileless self-assurance of a great pop song.” Each ticket to this event gets you “a champagne cocktail and decadent puff pastry from Ladurée, the same french bakery that provided the pastries featured in the film!” I mean, what else could you ask for? While $32 is a little pricier than your average movie ticket, I would say it’s well worth it for pastries and a cocktail. At time of writing all advance tickets have sold out, BUT they will be selling tix at the door 30 mins before. My advice: get there 40 mins before to make sure you can grab one. Get on it.  Je vais te voir là bas!

$32, 7:00PM-9:00PM, Videology Bar & Cinema, 308 Bedford Ave BK, NY.

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Saturday 03.25.17

Art: Raymond Pettibon’s A Pen of All Work

I was just saying the other day that the New Museum is on a streak holding exhibitions that have been real hits. The MoMA is probably a little jealous about the Raymond Pettibon exhibition titled ‘A Pen of All Work’ now on view at the New Museum. Whoever is calling the shots (I assume that’s chief curator Richard Flood) is calling them right. Our office is right near the museum and the lines for recent shows have been wrapping around the corner of the block. “For over thirty years, Raymond Pettibon (b. 1957, Tucson, AZ) has been chronicling the history, mythology, and culture of America with a prodigious and distinctive voice. Through his drawings’ signature interplay between image and text, he moves between historical reflection, emotional longing, poetic wit, and strident critique.” This is the first major museum survey exhibition in New York of Raymond’s work. It’s a show worth seeing, and one that we’re sure will continue the museum’s winning streak. It’s a great time for this exhibition giving it’s political nature, and that it’s graphic, engaging and very Instagram friendly. Just don’t go at 7:00PM on a Thursday night unless you get turned on by waiting in lines. Lol.

Varies, 11:00am-6:00pm, New Museum, 235 Bowery New York, NY.

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Friday 03.24.17

Event: GAYLETTER PRESENTS – RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE AT THE LIBERTY HALL AT ACE HOTEL NEW YORK

We are so excited to host the viewing of the premiere of Rupaul’s Drag Race at the Liberty Hall at ACE Hotel New York. During past seasons of Drag Race we gathered at Tom’s house to watch the show almost every week. It always felt like a big family gathering; drinks, laughs, snacks, gags, yasss, carrys, intis… It’s always a blast. So, we thought why don’t we share some of that fun with our readers by gathering at a venue with plenty of space so everyone can attend. This Friday, March 24th, we will be at The Liberty Hall, which is in the basement of Ace Hotel NY. It’s a cosy but spacious room with a projector, seats and a bar. It fits about 100 people, perfect right? We’ll have a drink special — which we’re calling The NamaSlay. To help us host the night we invited drag queen Candy Sterling. We recommend you arrive early unless you want to watch the show standing (which might not be so bad as long as you are drinking a NamaSlay.) I am so excited to see some of those new queens in action, I am really into Valentina, Peppermint, Nina Bo’nina Brown, Farrah Moan, Shea Coulee, Alexis Michelle and I am sure lots of you are excited to see Gaga. Who’s ready to gag?

FREE, 7:00PM, Liberty Hall at Ace Hotel, 20 W 29th. St. New York, NY.

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Coffee Grinder: Mouthfeel Issue 3 Release Party

The bi-annual print and online publication Mouthfeel Magazine is celebrating the release of their third issue — “its first ever Coffee Issue.” For those of you that are not familiar, the magazine “explores the complexities of food, the characters involved and is written from a gay point-of-view…Each magazine comes in a collectible package and showcases personality forward profiles, essays, articles and original artwork…” This issue features “the untold story and search for prolific 80’s adult film star Buck Hayes, an in-depth interview with coffee media maven Zachary Carlsen of sprudge.com, interviews with international DJ, Kim Ann Foxman (Hercules and Love Affair),” and much more.

 

The launch celebration is presented by Stumptown Coffee Roasters which clearly makes a lot of sense because it’s all about that good coffee. We love Stumptown, I remember I used to sleep with a guy that worked at the location at Ace Hotel just to get free coffee — you know how expensive it can get to buy a cup of coffee a day  — those of you that need coffee to get their days going can understand where I am coming from. Please don’t bottom right after you drink coffee, please don’t ask me why, you know. Music for the night will be provided by Sean McMahill (Fire In the Hole, Everyody Everybody). They’ll have snacks and a bar.

 

Below is a preview of what’s inside this issue:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 24th, FREE, 7:00PM, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, 30 W 8th St. …

Thursday 03.23.17

Event: THE 6th ANNUAL MR. NUDE YORK

I have to tell you about this event, it just feels appropriate because it’s getting warmer and Spring is about to finally Sprung — I am desperately waiting for the cum trees to bloom already, more on that later. Daniel Nardicio is bringing us The 6th Annual Mr. Nude York, yes you heard me right it’s a “nude beauty pageant” that’s going to take place at The Cock. Cute right? It’s one of the biggest carry, I went to a past Mr. Nude York event and I had a blast. I don’t know if you know this about me but if you want to make me laugh just show me, or tell me, something inappropriate. I guess naked men competing for $500 is funny to me. Expect music by DJ Scott Ewalk and DJ Nandi. They said clothing is optional, but I’d say, unless you are competing keep your clothes on, it’s not always about you, but then again if you think it is, go ahead and get naked you whore — you have nothing to lose.

$10 (advance) - $20, 11:00PM, THE COCK, 93 2nd Ave. New York, NY.

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Wednesday 03.22.17

Performance: NOT NORMAL: INTERSECTION, CORPORATE DOUBLE TEAM AND THE ORANGUTAN

Every morning CNN accompanies my coffee and at times it can feel like I am watching some kind of theatrical event. Broadcast news in the Trump age is like Weekend Update. Perhaps the strangest aspect of the 24-hour news cycle in 2017 is that the anchors laugh on television — and not at their personal whims — just about the bullshit they have to tell the world. I wonder, then, how profoundly gratifying Not Normal: Intersection, Corporate Double Team & the Orangutan will be. Each title represents a different play that will be performed by various casts at Brooklyn’s Irondale Ensemble Project. I’m sure you’re thinking “meh, I can just pass this off because it’s a bunch of quasi-avant-garde Leftys performing some form of public catharsis,” but we mustn’t forget to hear each other out as we sink further in this shit-pile of a presidency. Maybe theatre is not your cup of tea, but why not try out Irondale’s month-long programming of “Fuck Trump.” GAYLETTER’s friend Chris Tyler wrote Corporate DoubleTeam, where Trump’s at Mar-a-Lago (not untrue) “so Jared Kushner, Stephen Miller and Donald Trump, Jr. decide to jack off together in the Oval Office.” I mean, this might as well be true. It’s important to laugh a little. These kind of directives keep me inspired and sane!

$10 (sugg. for Planned Parenthood), 8:00PM, Irondale Ensemble Project, 85 S. Oxford St. BK, NY.

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Tuesday 03.21.17

Gerardo Vizmanos’ Hidden Figures

"Hidden Figures" takes Vizmanos' anonymous subjects into the gallery

You may have already seen Gerardo Vizmanos work before. Possibly on Instagram. Possibly on Tumblr. His knack for crafting particular views of the male form are myriad in their emotional experience, and the work remains endearing regardless of how often it may be shared across the internet. The anonymity of his subjects keeps his viewer in the grip of a desire to know more about the body’s story.

 

Some of Gerardo’s work seems foreboding, like the ones where a protruding spine is focalized, but some of it is wild with tenderness. When we asked Gerardo to shoot our Tea Party story in Issue 4, we ended up with a cover. Our limited-edition GAYLETTER (which sold out) featuring the United States-of-skin-tone are a result of our day in the studio with him. He played around with body shapes, we brought some pastries and the models got comfortable with each other as well as Gerardo. He is vocal behind the camera, knowing which parts of the body are meant to go where in his frame.

 

We couldn’t be more thrilled to hear his work will now take to exhibit at Prince Street Project Space (of Leslie Lohman), Hidden Subjects — “is about the subject and particularly this is an investigation of the substance of the subject through the form,” he said.

 

Over email, Gerardo let us know that “Hidden Subjects is the result of my own experience. There is something present and something hidden. …

Thursday 03.16.17

She’s Coming!

Katya Zamolodchikova photographed by Slava Mogutin for GAYLETTER Issue 6

Sunday 03.12.17

Party: Femme – a queer monthly homecoming

It’s kind of nice when you hear people creating a party that promotes boys being ‘fem’ or embracing their feminine side. Masc is just so boring. Masculinity is a prison – tell that to anyone that tries to tell you that it’s not ok to be feminine. Tell them that they suck! This is the second edition of Femme,’ which started back in November. It’s created by Matty Glitterati, Gabriel Mikal and Justin Harter. Matty told me that the last party was “incredible” and that he felt an amazing energy in the room. It’s a party that wants to include all of you, “Open to all genders, nationalities, races, religions and creeds…” Music will be provided by Johnny Dynell & Glitterati. Also involved in the party are Bean Elene, Killer Panda, Gogo Squad (these last two will be the gogo boys) and Stormy Leather will be performing. Matty added: “There are so many parties right now that are so drenched in masculinity it’s ridiculous...We wanted to really celebrate all things femme. Gay, straight, lesbian, trans, etc. and provide a safe place for people to be as queer as they damn well please without having to worry about not being ‘masc enough.’” Thank you!

FREE, 10:00PM-4:00AM, Drexler’s, 9 Avenue A New York, NY.

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