Alternative queer venues in NYC?

December 14, 2009 6:27 AM

Off to NYC at the end of the month...looking for recommendations for alternative or quirky queer venues and performances to check out.

Think: non-mainstream drag, burlesque shows, bars, one-off club nights, shows, concerts, all-leather-queen-productions-of-Sound-of-Music and other uncategorisable performance art strangeness.

posted by dontjumplarry to Travel & Transportation around New York, NY (10 answers total)

You'll want a copy of The L to find downtown/Brooklyn events. The local gay rags are Gay City, Next, and the like. Cross-check them for more specific coverage.

The Phoenix , Nowhere, and The Metropolitan all hold events and are, IMHO Good Gay Bars. (I'd add The Boiler Room to this but they've changed so much recently I can't say if they'll be cool. If you want to pick up drunk boys however, it's more than able.) The Met is more community-oriented with their events and is in Williamsburg proper, close to comic book stores and bars that serve free pizza, that kinda thing.

Not my thing, but something to keep an eye on (I always forget The Center exists)

http://www.bestgaynewyork.com/


And, totally self-serving but Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School is very queer-friendly.
posted by The Whelk at 6:54 AM on December 14, 2009

nonsense nyc will be your best friend. (You can look at the archives to get a taste for it.)
posted by thejoshu at 6:58 AM on December 14, 2009

In the "other uncategorisable performance art strangeness" category you may want to google "Kevin Aviance" to see if he is doing a show then. He just may be. I will take a thousand Kevin Aviances to a Cher impersonator any day.
posted by Tchad at 6:59 AM on December 14, 2009

I'm a big fan of Pinchbottom Burlesque. Their shows feature male and female performers, and always have a plot.
posted by ocherdraco at 7:24 AM on December 14, 2009

If you want to go to a dance party, my sister's really big into That's My Jam; also seconding Metropolitan.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 7:27 AM on December 14, 2009

Old fashioned gay piano-bar - yes, it's mostly showtunes.
posted by The Whelk at 7:27 AM on December 14, 2009 [1 favorite]

Check out Bevin Brandlandingham's QueerFatFemme calendar. She has a couple things happening in December.
posted by LOLAttorney2009 at 7:46 AM on December 14, 2009

The Cubby Hole in the West Village is a great bar.
posted by i_cola at 9:30 AM on December 14, 2009

Cha Cha's in Conney Island has burlesque and rockabilly from time to time. And after a few minutes at the boardwalk you get plenty of quirky, weird, off meds mixed with Russian Jewish grandma and wise guys in track suits. It's quite a scene.
posted by Opal at 10:19 AM on December 14, 2009

New York magazine just came out with this list of (girl-centered) queer parties in Brooklyn.
posted by ocherdraco at 8:04 PM on December 15, 2009