Morning View - Christopher & Weehawken

The business on the corner is famed bear hangout Rockbar, nee Ramrod, nee Dugout.

REMINDER: Scissor Sisters Listening Party Tonight At Rockbar NYC

JMG, Towleroad, Josh Wood Productions, Fly-Life, and Downtown Records co-host a listening party tonight for Night Work, the upcoming third studio release from the Scissor Sisters. LOCATION: Rockbar NYC on Christopher Street in the West Village. TIME: 7pm-9pm. BOOZE: Open Absolut and Budweiser bar from 7:30-8:30.

TUESDAY IN NYC: JMG Co-Sponsored Listening Party For Scissor Sisters

Tomorrow night JMG, Towleroad, Fly-Life Inc., Josh Wood Productions and Downtown Records present a "first listen" playback party celebrating the launch of the third Scissor Sisters album, Night Work. The party runs for two hours beginning at 7pm at Rockbar in the West Village. Open vodka and beer bar courtesy of Absolut and Budweiser from 7:30-8:30. I have a feeling that at least certain members of the band might attend. (How about it Jake & Baby Daddy?) Join us, y'all!

Manhattan Gay Bar Death Roll

Twilo, Limelight, Roxy, Lure, Tunnel, Sound Factory. And a couple of dozen more. Embiggen Next Magazine's map of the gay bars that have closed in Manhattan in the new millenium. I miss the Dugout most of all. I enjoyed the Lure and Roxy, but hadn't been to either in quite some time when they closed. Somehow I visited almost every joint on the map at least once.

UPDATE: While some commenters aptly point out that a few new bars have opened up, sometimes in the same locations shown on the map, what is most striking about this map is that not one of the closed dance palaces/megaclubs have been replaced. Unless you count the mostly-straight places that throw the quarterly or so gay-ish party. Which I don't.

Daily Grumble

Two weeks ago my beloved Dugout inexplicably and officially became the Ramrod. Out went the jukebox so skillfully curated all these years by DJ Superdaddy. In came go-go boys, a leather shop, and a live DJ with a love for Britney and Madonna. Heavy, heavy sigh. A poster on the door gives the impression that "Ramrod has come back!" to its original location, but as Vanishing New York shows, the original Ramrod was actually on West Street. As you can see above, the crowds are holding up so far, although many of us have discussed moving our weekly family get-together elsewhere - even to Jersey City's Star Bar, a new place owned by our pal Sister Betty. As I've noted here before, the Dugout was the first place in NYC that I actually felt "home", after that fateful afternoon when I walked by and had my bee girl moment (start at 2:10) looking through the gates. Dammit. Dammit all to hell.

The Glamorous Life

Dugout, Sunday, 7pm

Bear 1: So I was at the Eagle the other night and there were these two FTMs licking each others armpits right in the middle of the bar. What has happened to this city? Where is the glamor??

Bear 2: Honey, that IS glamor.

O'Donnell & Banta

Yesterday at the Dugout I finally met New York Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell and his partner of 27 years, John Banta, who is Director of Special Events at the American Ballet Theatre. Sweet guys! Danny and I had a nice chat about the anti-bullying law he just successfully sponsored in the Assembly and the chances of getting the bill passed in the state Senate. And don't forget that it was O'Donnell who last year led the Assembly to approve gay marriage in New York by a vote of 85-61, although the Senate has yet to consider the issue.

And Nobody Got Punched

Better Burger, Chelsea, 8pm

Angertwink 1: Hurry up. The Biggest Loser is on.

Angertwink 2: Please. If I want to see sad fat people I'll go to the Dugout.

Bearded Beer Boys

With all that NYC has to offer, the centerpiece of my social life remains my Sunday afternoons at the Dugout. It's like a weekly house party with a hundred of your best friends. Corny, but true. Clockwise from top left: Bob, Dudley, Damian, Dane, Superdaddy, Chris, Dustin, Scott, Dr. Jeff, Jerry, Randy.

Skatebears And Weaves

LEFT: Alex and Eric outside the Dugout. I'm somewhat amused that I know people who ride their skateboards to the bear bar.

And speaking of other things I'm too old for, last night I mentioned to somebody that I was thinking about getting Wii. He gave me an odd look and said, "I don't think you really have enough hair for one."

But thinking about it later, I decided that if I could get a weave, I'd go all Patrice Rushen and shit.

Overheard At The Dugout

Man On Cellphone: Oh, Jesus! Well, if it is gunshots, don't sleep in the front bedroom!
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