Patrick Cowley, the gay geni of Hi-NRG |

Contents:

• THE 50 BT GAY SONGS TO CELEBRATE PRI ALL YEAR LONG
• HOW GAY CLUBS CREATED POP AS WE KNOW ITTHE ATTACK ORLANDO WAS AN ASSLT ON ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT CULTURAL {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MICBY MTV NEWS STAFFJUNE 17, 2016/1:43 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}PYMCA/UIG VIA GETTY IMAGGAY CLUBS HAVE HAD AN OUTSIZE IMPACT ON POP CULTURE THE LAST FOUR S.BY MTV NEWS STAFFJUNE 17, 2016 / 1:43 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"HOW GAY CLUBS CREATED POP AS WE KNOW IT","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2016-06-17T17:43:56.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2016-06-17T17:43:56.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"MTV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"MTV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1280,"HEIGHT":720}},"CREATOR":"MTV NEWS STAFF","KEYWORDS":"ELECTRONIC, POP MIC, MASS SHOOTG IN ORLANDO","ARTICLESECTN":"MIC"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BY MIL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN 1970, SANCTUARY, A FOUNRG NIGHTCLUB MANHATTAN’S HELL’S KCHEN NEIGHBORHOOD, REBRAND SELF AS A GAY CLUB, HIRG A LOL DISK JOCKEY NAMED FRANCIS GRASSO TO PROVI THE MIC. GRASSO WAS UNLIKE ANY OTHER DJ WORKG AT THE TIME: HE PNEERED THE IA OF BLENDG SONGS TOGETHER SEAMLSLY TO KEEP PARTYGOERS DANCG. GRASSO FAVORED LAT MIC, AIN RHYTHMS, BIG BEATS, AND BODY MIC, AND FOUND DANCE-FLOOR VOTE SANCTUARY’S DIVERSE CLIENTELE. A NSECRATED CHURCH RATED WH A MURAL OF NU ANGELS ENGAGED KKY SEX ACTS, THE SANCTUARY WAS SIGNED FOR TRANSGRSN AND EXCS, AND THE CROWDS OF GAY MEN REACHG ECSTATIC STAT EN MASSE TO THE DM-CRAZED SOUNDS GRASSO WAS SPNG F THE BILL PERFECTLY. FEW OF THE REVELERS ULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THEY WERE WNSG THE DAWN OF A MIL REVOLUTN LLED DIS, OR THAT THEIR RADIL IA OF HOW TO SPEND A SATURDAY NIGHT WOULD EVENTUALLY EVOLVE TO MORN CLUBBG AND SPREAD TO EVERY RNER OF THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHEN MASS MURRER OMAR MATEEN OPENED FIRE LAST WEEKEND ON PULSE, A GAY NIGHTCLUB ORLANDO, HE TOOK AIM AT AN STUTN. GAY CLUBS HAVE HAD IMMEASURABLE WORLDWI HISTORIL AND CULTURAL VALUE TO POPULAR MIC, PARTICULARLY TO THE VELOPMENT OF ELECTRONIC AND DANCE MIC ALL THEIR FORMS. WHILE THE MASTREAM MIC PRS HAS WORKED OVERTIME TO NONIZE ROCK CLUBS LIKE CBGB AND THE STRG OF VENU ALONG L.A.’S SUNSET STRIP, THE GAY CLUBS OF THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURI HAVE PLAYED A CCIAL ROLE SHAPG THE SOUNDTRACKS OF OUR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DANCE MIC AS WE KNOW WAS BORN THE EARLY 1970S, WHEN THE FIRST WAVE OF CLUBS TO SPRG UP ACROSS THE U.S. AFTER THE STONEWALL RTS SPREAD OUTWARD OM THEIR ORIGS TY GREENWICH VILLAGE BARS AND DOWNTOWN LOFTS. DISC JOCKEYS LIKE GRASSO AND NICKY SIANO TOOK SOUL, FUNK, AND ROCK RERDS AND DISTILLED THEM TO PURE MOOD AND GROOVE, AND THE PROCS THEY NOT ONLY PIECED TOGETHER THE STYLISTIC FOUNDATNS OF DIS (AND THE OBSSIVE FOC ON RHYTHM THAT THE STYLE WOULD E TO NQUER THE GLOBE), BUT ALSO VENTED BEAT-MATCHG, THE TWO-TURNTABLE SETUP, AND MOST OF THE OTHER FUNDAMENTAL TOOLS AND TECHNIQU OF MORN DJG. IN THEIR SEMAL BOOK LAST NIGHT A DJ SAVED MY LIFE: THE HISTORY OF THE DISC JOCKEY, BILL BREWSTER AND FRANK BROUGHTON LL GRASSO “THE ANCTOR OF ALL MORN DJS, THE GODFATHER OF THE CRAFT, THE FIRST DJ THAT WE WOULD REGNIZE AS DOG THE SAME THG AS DJS DO TODAY.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MEANWHILE, DANCERS AT ALL-NIGHT PARTI ON THE GAY ENCLAVE OF FIRE ISLAND SPIRED RERD EXEC TOM MOULTON TO ALTER POPULAR SONGS TO ISOLATE AND EXTEND THEIR GROOVE — A PROCS WE NOW LL REMIXG — AND WEAVE THEM TOGETHER TO SEAMLS MIX THAT WOULDN’T LET THE BEAT DROP FOR HOURS AT A TIME. MOULTON WOULD SOON BE STMENTAL TO GRACE JON'S REER. AT THE SAME TIME AS PUNK’S MANIFTO WAS BEG WORKED OUT VENU LIKE CBGB AND MAX’S KANSAS CY — BY ACTS LIKE BLONDIE AND THE NEW YORK DOLLS, WHO LOOKED TO GAY CLUBS FOR SPIRATN — THE DANCE MIC REVOLUTN WAS EPTG PLAC LIKE THE SANCTUARY, THE GALLERY, AND THE SANDPIPER, WHOSE NAM HAVEN’T BEEN AS WILY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“AT A CERTA POT, DANCE MIC BEME SELF-AWARE,” SAYS CHIGO DJ THE BLACK MADONNA. WHEN THE SCENE SPRGG UP GAY CLUBS STARTED TO REGNIZE SELF AS A DISTCT CULTURE, SHE SAYS, “IMMEDIATELY WE HAVE SOME OF THE FIRST OPENLY GAY RERDS THAT ADDRS HOMOSEXUALY VERY EXPLIC TERMS,” CG CARL BEAN’S 1977 GAY PRI ANTHEM, “I WAS BORN THIS WAY.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:75%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BY THE TIME DIS BROKE TO THE MASTREAM, ON S WAY TO OVERSATURATN VIA STRAIGHT CLUBS THE MOLD OF STUD 54, THE RE OF DANCE MIC’S AVANT-GAR HAD RELOTED TO THE CONTENTAL BATHS ON MANHATTAN’S UPPER WT SI, WHERE DJS LARRY LEVAN AND FRANKIE KNUCKL SPUN A NIGHTCLUB LOTED SI A GAY SEX CLUB. LEVAN EVENTUALLY LEFT THE BATHS FOR PARADISE GARAGE, WHERE HE LIFTED DIS’S BEAT-CENTRIC APPROACH TO AN ECSTATIC, PSYCHELIC EXPERIENCE. KNUCKL RELOTED TO CHIGO, WHERE HIS RINCY AT A GAY CLUB LLED THE WAREHOE — OPENED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO A WHE GAY SCENE THAT EXCLUD BLACKS AND LATOS — BROUGHT DANCE MIC TO S NEXT ERA WHILE ALSO PROVIDG WH A NAME: {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE ELECTRONIC FOUR-ON-THE-FLOOR BEAT OF HOE MIC IALLY FILTERED TO THE POP MASTREAM THROUGH MADONNA, STARTG WHEN HER 1983 SGLE “HOLIDAY” TOOK HER OM THE CLUB CHARTS TO THE HOT 100. LIKE MOST EVERY POP DIVA THAT HAS FOLLOWED HER WAKE, MADONNA’S REER FLOURISHED WHILE WORKG WH DJS AND PRODUCERS WHO HAD REFED THEIR TALENTS GAY CLUBS. THE FIRST WAS “HOLIDAY” PRODUCER JOHN "JELLYBEAN" BENEZ, WHO SPUN AT THE PARADISE GARAGE AND SPIKED HER BUT ALBUM WH THE HI-NRG SOUND THAT PRODUCER PATRICK COWLEY VELOPED THE LATE '70S WHILE HE WAS RINT DJ AT SAN FRANCIS GAY CLUB THE ENDUP (AND -HOE POSER FOR A GAY PORN STUD). BUT WHILE UNDILUTED HOE MIC SWIFTLY NQUERED EUROPEAN POP OM TOP TO BOTTOM, THE STAT REMAED LARGELY NFED TO GAY CLUBS FOR MANY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEYOND THEIR ROLE AS ENCLAV FOR DANCE CULTURE WHEN THE RT OF AMERI WAS STILL RELUCTANT TO MOVE PAST ROCK AND ROLL, GAY CLUBS HAVE LONG PROVID SAFE SPAC FOR ALL STRIP OF EXPRSN. AWAY OM BIG CI, PUNK CLUBS AND ART SPAC N BE HARD TO E BY, BUT THERE ARE GAY CLUBS ALL OVER THE HTERLANDS, OM THE RT BELT DOWN TO THE DEEP SOUTH, AST TO AST, THAT OFFER PATRONS A LEVEL OF LIBERATN OM A SOCIETY THAT HAS LONG LOOKED AT HOMOSEXUALY AS A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“IN LIFE, GAY PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THAT PRIVILEGE TO EXPRS THEMSELV CERTA WAYS THAT STRAIGHT PEOPLE HAVE, LIKE FASHN OR MAKP OR EVEN SEX,” SAYS RAPPER CAK DA KILLA, WHO GOT HIS START PLAYG GAY VENU. “SO WHEN YOU GET THE PEOPLE ALL ONE PLACE, BE A SAFE SPACE FOR ALL THAT — DRAG QUEENS, GLTER — BEE WE FALLY HAVE THE SPACE TO EXPRS OURSELV, UNHIBED.” AS A RULT, GAY CLUBS HAVE LONG BEEN HOTHO FOR CREATIVE EXPERIMENTATN AND NOVATN, BIRTHG CULTURAL VENTN THROUGH OUTRAGEO AND TRANSGRSIVE IAS THAT ULDN’T BE REALIZED ANYWHERE ELSE. IN SAN FRANCIS THE 1970S, YOU ULD SEE A GROUP OF GLTER-DRENCHED QUEER BOHEMIANS PERFORM HILARLY PROFANE, LSD-SPIRED ACTS THAT BLURRED THE LE BETWEEN DRAG REVUE AND PERFORMANCE ART. IN CHIGO TODAY, YOU N H UP A CLUB LLED BERL FOR A MONTHLY RADIL BODY-POSIVY PIZZA PARTY HOSTED BY BEARD SCI-FI DRAG QUEEN LUCY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“IT'S A PLACE TO BE YOURSELF,” SAYS NEW JERSEY–BASED DJ/PRODUCER MIKEQ, A MAJOR NAME THE UNRGROUND GAY BALLROOM SCENE WHO ALSO REACH LARGER, MORE MASTREAM DIENC THROUGH NNECTNS TO EDM BRANDS LIKE MAD DECENT. “IN GAY CLUBS, 'S A FAY AND UNRGROUND MUNY. IT'S A WHOLE WAY OF LIFE — AND EEDOM.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SOME OF GAY CLUB CULTURE’S WILST VENTNS END UP SPREADG FAR AND WI. CLUB KIDS AND DRAG QUEENS REPEATEDLY TAKE FASHN TO PSYCHELIC NEW LEVELS BEFORE THEIR NOVATNS ARE PIED BY HIGH-FASHN HO AND TRICKLE DOWN THROUGH THE MASS MARKET. CLUBS NNECTED THE UNRGROUND BALLROOM SCENE TO ARTISTS LIKE MADONNA AND FKA TWIGS, WHO EXPOSED TWO GENERATNS OF POP LISTENERS A QUARTER-CENTURY APART TO DANCE STYL LIKE VOGUG. AND WHEN FADG TEEN POP STARS NEED TO REH THEIR IMAGE WH A LTLE MORE EDGE AND A LTLE MORE SEX, THEY EVABLY TURN TO GAY CLUBS FOR SPIRATN. WHETHER ’S BEATS OR CHOREOGRAPHY OR FASHN OR EVEN SLANG, POP MIC HAS BEEN GETTG REGULAR TOUCH-UPS OM THE GAY CLUB SCENE FOR S NOW. FROM ONE ANGLE, 'S SIMPLE CULTURAL APPROPRIATN; OTHERS SEE AS A SMALL BUT TENSELY CREATIVE MUNY FLEXG AN OUTSIZE FLUENCE ON THE WORLD AROUND . “IF YOU ASK ME,” MIKEQ SAYS, “GAYS PRETTY MUCH N THE WORLD MIC, FASHN, AND DANCE. ALL THE BIG CELEBRI, THEIR STYLISTS ARE GAY, THEIR CHOREOGRAPHERS ARE GAY, OR THEY'RE DOG VOGUG MOV OR DIFFERENT THGS LIKE THAT. OF URSE, ALL THE PEOPLE E THE GAY LANGUAGE NOW.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SHIFTG STANDARDS FOR EQUALY AND FLOURISHG NNECTNS BETWEEN SUBCULTUR AND THE MASTREAM HAVE BROUGHT A LOT OF GAY CLUB CULTURE OUT OF THE GAY CLUBS. POP 2016 SOMETIM SEEMS LIKE A MASSIVE GAY DANCE PARTY TURNED SI OUT AND SPILLED ONTO THE STREET. “THOSE THGS DON'T STAY UNRGROUND, BEE THOSE THGS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT,” SAYS CAK. “THEY'RE BENEFICIAL TO EVERYONE, WHETHER YOU'RE GAY OR STRAIGHT. PEOPLE NEED TO DO THEIR REARCH AND UNRSTAND WHERE THOSE THGS E OM, BEE SOMETIM THOSE THGS GET LOST THE SCE.” HOE MIC’S LIFE-GIVG THUMP IS ALL AROUND . SIWALKS AND MALLS ARE FULL OF YOUNG PEOPLE REMIXG SEVERAL S’ WORTH OF CLUB-KID FASHN, WH HELP OM SIGNERS LIKE JEREMY STT. PEOPLE OF ALL GENRS AND SEXUALI REGULARLY GATHER BY THE THOANDS TO STRIP DOWN TO A MIMUM OF CLOTHG, SLATHER THEMSELV GLTER, AND SPEND HOURS UPON HOURS DANCG TO A CEASELS GROOVE UNR THE FLUENCE OF MD-ALTERG CHEMILS — SENTIALLY REPEATG THE SAME RUAL THAT GAY MEN NEARLY 40 YEARS AGO WOULD ENACT EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN RECENT YEARS, THE MASTREAMG OF EDM AND THE BLENDG OF GAY AND STRAIGHT CLUBBERS SEEM TO HAVE ROBBED THE GAY CLUB OF SOME OF S CENTRAL ROLE AS THE RADIL LABORATORY OF DANCE MIC CULTURE. THE BLACK MADONNA FEELS THAT GAY CLUBS LOST TOUCH WH THE DANCE MIC UNRGROUND — BUT, SHE ADDS, “THAT IS CHANGG RIGHT NOW.” ACROSS THE UNTRY, THERE’S BEEN A RURGENCE TERT RENNECTG DANCE MIC TO S ROOTS. SAN FRANCIS–BASED DJ LLECTIVE HONEY SOUNDSYSTEM IS TOURG THE WORLD PLAYG THE TYPE OF DIS AND PROTO-HOE YOU’D HEAR AT PLAC LIKE THE ENDUP. (MEMBER JOSH CHEON NS THE LABEL DARK ENTRI, WHICH HAS BEEN REISSUG PATRICK COWLEY’S LOST WORK.) PARTI LIKE QUEEN! CHIGO AND HONCHO PTSBURGH ARE BRGG SOME OF THE GLAMMY, TRANSGRSIVE ENERGY OF CLUBBG’S EARLIT DAYS, WHILE NEW YORK’S GHE20G0TH1K WRAPS CYBERPUNKISH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THIS WEEKEND, CI AROUND THE WORLD, PARTI AND FUNDRAISER NIGHTS ARE BEG HOSTED AT GAY CLUBS — FIANCE, SOLIDARY, AND CELEBRATN OF THE CULTURE TARGETED BY THE ORLANDO KILLER. AT A NCERT ON SUNDAY NIGHT ANTWERP, ALE ACKNOWLEDGED THE TRAGEDY BY DITG A UPLE SONGS TO THE LGBTQ MUNY — NOT ANY OF HER MOURNFUL BALLADS, BUT SOME OF THE TORCHY DANCE SONGS SHE’S MA THAT WOULD HAVE BLOWN UP THE DANCE FLOOR AT ANY GAY DIS THE '{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“PEOPLE GRIEVE DIFFERENTLY,” CAK SAYS. “A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE #PRAYFORORLANDO AS A HASHTAG, BUT FOR ME, MY IEND MA A POST THAT WAS LIKE, ‘IT'S NOT ABOUT PRAYG FOR ORLANDO. IT'S ABOUT VOGUG FOR ORLANDO. IT'S ABOUT FUCKG FOR ORLANDO.' TO ME, JT FIR ME UP TO NTUE LIVG MY LIFE.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}ELECTRONICPOP MICMASS SHOOTG IN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• WHAT HAPPENED TO COLUMBIA’S GAY CLUBS?
• PATRICK COWLEY, THE GAY GENI OF HI-NRG
• ULTIMATE PRI PLAYLIST: THE 50 BT GAY SONGS

THE 50 BT GAY SONGS TO CELEBRATE PRI ALL YEAR LONG

" Growg up outsi of Detro, the birthplace of techno, Servo had plenty of peripheral exposure to unrground dance mic, but was at Club Heaven, an after-hours spot at Woodward and Seven Mile, where he first wnsed the full power of a gay club environment. You walk to a place like that, beg a kid om the suburbs, and 's predomantly black and gay and Ken Collier is pumpg credible rerds, " he remembers.

I rpected Madonna and the work she did, and I liked her earlier work, but I felt that if she put out a rerd, was somethg that I had to play orr to appeal to people, pecially to gay dienc, [regardls of] whether the rerd was good or bad. In 2015, Honey Soundsystem teamed up wh Red Bull Mic Amy for an event celebratg four s of queer nightlife at the long-nng San Francis gay club The Endup, and ed s DJ rincy at Chigo's Smart Bar as a platform to create a multi-faceted exploratn of gay culture lled Generators. Honey Soundystem -founr Jab Sperber c the trsic value of playg a song that's "wrten by a gay man, about a gay man, " while Cse pots to the artists that produced the rerds and the voic that populate them, even sample form: "A lot of them are black women or black gay men.

HOW GAY CLUBS CREATED POP AS WE KNOW ITTHE ATTACK ORLANDO WAS AN ASSLT ON ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT CULTURAL {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MICBY MTV NEWS STAFFJUNE 17, 2016/1:43 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}PYMCA/UIG VIA GETTY IMAGGAY CLUBS HAVE HAD AN OUTSIZE IMPACT ON POP CULTURE THE LAST FOUR S.BY MTV NEWS STAFFJUNE 17, 2016 / 1:43 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"HOW GAY CLUBS CREATED POP AS WE KNOW IT","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2016-06-17T17:43:56.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2016-06-17T17:43:56.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"MTV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"MTV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1280,"HEIGHT":720}},"CREATOR":"MTV NEWS STAFF","KEYWORDS":"ELECTRONIC, POP MIC, MASS SHOOTG IN ORLANDO","ARTICLESECTN":"MIC"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BY MIL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN 1970, SANCTUARY, A FOUNRG NIGHTCLUB MANHATTAN’S HELL’S KCHEN NEIGHBORHOOD, REBRAND SELF AS A GAY CLUB, HIRG A LOL DISK JOCKEY NAMED FRANCIS GRASSO TO PROVI THE MIC. GRASSO WAS UNLIKE ANY OTHER DJ WORKG AT THE TIME: HE PNEERED THE IA OF BLENDG SONGS TOGETHER SEAMLSLY TO KEEP PARTYGOERS DANCG. GRASSO FAVORED LAT MIC, AIN RHYTHMS, BIG BEATS, AND BODY MIC, AND FOUND DANCE-FLOOR VOTE SANCTUARY’S DIVERSE CLIENTELE. A NSECRATED CHURCH RATED WH A MURAL OF NU ANGELS ENGAGED KKY SEX ACTS, THE SANCTUARY WAS SIGNED FOR TRANSGRSN AND EXCS, AND THE CROWDS OF GAY MEN REACHG ECSTATIC STAT EN MASSE TO THE DM-CRAZED SOUNDS GRASSO WAS SPNG F THE BILL PERFECTLY. FEW OF THE REVELERS ULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THEY WERE WNSG THE DAWN OF A MIL REVOLUTN LLED DIS, OR THAT THEIR RADIL IA OF HOW TO SPEND A SATURDAY NIGHT WOULD EVENTUALLY EVOLVE TO MORN CLUBBG AND SPREAD TO EVERY RNER OF THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHEN MASS MURRER OMAR MATEEN OPENED FIRE LAST WEEKEND ON PULSE, A GAY NIGHTCLUB ORLANDO, HE TOOK AIM AT AN STUTN. GAY CLUBS HAVE HAD IMMEASURABLE WORLDWI HISTORIL AND CULTURAL VALUE TO POPULAR MIC, PARTICULARLY TO THE VELOPMENT OF ELECTRONIC AND DANCE MIC ALL THEIR FORMS. WHILE THE MASTREAM MIC PRS HAS WORKED OVERTIME TO NONIZE ROCK CLUBS LIKE CBGB AND THE STRG OF VENU ALONG L.A.’S SUNSET STRIP, THE GAY CLUBS OF THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURI HAVE PLAYED A CCIAL ROLE SHAPG THE SOUNDTRACKS OF OUR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DANCE MIC AS WE KNOW WAS BORN THE EARLY 1970S, WHEN THE FIRST WAVE OF CLUBS TO SPRG UP ACROSS THE U.S. AFTER THE STONEWALL RTS SPREAD OUTWARD OM THEIR ORIGS TY GREENWICH VILLAGE BARS AND DOWNTOWN LOFTS. DISC JOCKEYS LIKE GRASSO AND NICKY SIANO TOOK SOUL, FUNK, AND ROCK RERDS AND DISTILLED THEM TO PURE MOOD AND GROOVE, AND THE PROCS THEY NOT ONLY PIECED TOGETHER THE STYLISTIC FOUNDATNS OF DIS (AND THE OBSSIVE FOC ON RHYTHM THAT THE STYLE WOULD E TO NQUER THE GLOBE), BUT ALSO VENTED BEAT-MATCHG, THE TWO-TURNTABLE SETUP, AND MOST OF THE OTHER FUNDAMENTAL TOOLS AND TECHNIQU OF MORN DJG. IN THEIR SEMAL BOOK LAST NIGHT A DJ SAVED MY LIFE: THE HISTORY OF THE DISC JOCKEY, BILL BREWSTER AND FRANK BROUGHTON LL GRASSO “THE ANCTOR OF ALL MORN DJS, THE GODFATHER OF THE CRAFT, THE FIRST DJ THAT WE WOULD REGNIZE AS DOG THE SAME THG AS DJS DO TODAY.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MEANWHILE, DANCERS AT ALL-NIGHT PARTI ON THE GAY ENCLAVE OF FIRE ISLAND SPIRED RERD EXEC TOM MOULTON TO ALTER POPULAR SONGS TO ISOLATE AND EXTEND THEIR GROOVE — A PROCS WE NOW LL REMIXG — AND WEAVE THEM TOGETHER TO SEAMLS MIX THAT WOULDN’T LET THE BEAT DROP FOR HOURS AT A TIME. MOULTON WOULD SOON BE STMENTAL TO GRACE JON'S REER. AT THE SAME TIME AS PUNK’S MANIFTO WAS BEG WORKED OUT VENU LIKE CBGB AND MAX’S KANSAS CY — BY ACTS LIKE BLONDIE AND THE NEW YORK DOLLS, WHO LOOKED TO GAY CLUBS FOR SPIRATN — THE DANCE MIC REVOLUTN WAS EPTG PLAC LIKE THE SANCTUARY, THE GALLERY, AND THE SANDPIPER, WHOSE NAM HAVEN’T BEEN AS WILY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“AT A CERTA POT, DANCE MIC BEME SELF-AWARE,” SAYS CHIGO DJ THE BLACK MADONNA. WHEN THE SCENE SPRGG UP GAY CLUBS STARTED TO REGNIZE SELF AS A DISTCT CULTURE, SHE SAYS, “IMMEDIATELY WE HAVE SOME OF THE FIRST OPENLY GAY RERDS THAT ADDRS HOMOSEXUALY VERY EXPLIC TERMS,” CG CARL BEAN’S 1977 GAY PRI ANTHEM, “I WAS BORN THIS WAY.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:75%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BY THE TIME DIS BROKE TO THE MASTREAM, ON S WAY TO OVERSATURATN VIA STRAIGHT CLUBS THE MOLD OF STUD 54, THE RE OF DANCE MIC’S AVANT-GAR HAD RELOTED TO THE CONTENTAL BATHS ON MANHATTAN’S UPPER WT SI, WHERE DJS LARRY LEVAN AND FRANKIE KNUCKL SPUN A NIGHTCLUB LOTED SI A GAY SEX CLUB. LEVAN EVENTUALLY LEFT THE BATHS FOR PARADISE GARAGE, WHERE HE LIFTED DIS’S BEAT-CENTRIC APPROACH TO AN ECSTATIC, PSYCHELIC EXPERIENCE. KNUCKL RELOTED TO CHIGO, WHERE HIS RINCY AT A GAY CLUB LLED THE WAREHOE — OPENED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO A WHE GAY SCENE THAT EXCLUD BLACKS AND LATOS — BROUGHT DANCE MIC TO S NEXT ERA WHILE ALSO PROVIDG WH A NAME: {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE ELECTRONIC FOUR-ON-THE-FLOOR BEAT OF HOE MIC IALLY FILTERED TO THE POP MASTREAM THROUGH MADONNA, STARTG WHEN HER 1983 SGLE “HOLIDAY” TOOK HER OM THE CLUB CHARTS TO THE HOT 100. LIKE MOST EVERY POP DIVA THAT HAS FOLLOWED HER WAKE, MADONNA’S REER FLOURISHED WHILE WORKG WH DJS AND PRODUCERS WHO HAD REFED THEIR TALENTS GAY CLUBS. THE FIRST WAS “HOLIDAY” PRODUCER JOHN "JELLYBEAN" BENEZ, WHO SPUN AT THE PARADISE GARAGE AND SPIKED HER BUT ALBUM WH THE HI-NRG SOUND THAT PRODUCER PATRICK COWLEY VELOPED THE LATE '70S WHILE HE WAS RINT DJ AT SAN FRANCIS GAY CLUB THE ENDUP (AND -HOE POSER FOR A GAY PORN STUD). BUT WHILE UNDILUTED HOE MIC SWIFTLY NQUERED EUROPEAN POP OM TOP TO BOTTOM, THE STAT REMAED LARGELY NFED TO GAY CLUBS FOR MANY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEYOND THEIR ROLE AS ENCLAV FOR DANCE CULTURE WHEN THE RT OF AMERI WAS STILL RELUCTANT TO MOVE PAST ROCK AND ROLL, GAY CLUBS HAVE LONG PROVID SAFE SPAC FOR ALL STRIP OF EXPRSN. AWAY OM BIG CI, PUNK CLUBS AND ART SPAC N BE HARD TO E BY, BUT THERE ARE GAY CLUBS ALL OVER THE HTERLANDS, OM THE RT BELT DOWN TO THE DEEP SOUTH, AST TO AST, THAT OFFER PATRONS A LEVEL OF LIBERATN OM A SOCIETY THAT HAS LONG LOOKED AT HOMOSEXUALY AS A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“IN LIFE, GAY PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THAT PRIVILEGE TO EXPRS THEMSELV CERTA WAYS THAT STRAIGHT PEOPLE HAVE, LIKE FASHN OR MAKP OR EVEN SEX,” SAYS RAPPER CAK DA KILLA, WHO GOT HIS START PLAYG GAY VENU. “SO WHEN YOU GET THE PEOPLE ALL ONE PLACE, BE A SAFE SPACE FOR ALL THAT — DRAG QUEENS, GLTER — BEE WE FALLY HAVE THE SPACE TO EXPRS OURSELV, UNHIBED.” AS A RULT, GAY CLUBS HAVE LONG BEEN HOTHO FOR CREATIVE EXPERIMENTATN AND NOVATN, BIRTHG CULTURAL VENTN THROUGH OUTRAGEO AND TRANSGRSIVE IAS THAT ULDN’T BE REALIZED ANYWHERE ELSE. IN SAN FRANCIS THE 1970S, YOU ULD SEE A GROUP OF GLTER-DRENCHED QUEER BOHEMIANS PERFORM HILARLY PROFANE, LSD-SPIRED ACTS THAT BLURRED THE LE BETWEEN DRAG REVUE AND PERFORMANCE ART. IN CHIGO TODAY, YOU N H UP A CLUB LLED BERL FOR A MONTHLY RADIL BODY-POSIVY PIZZA PARTY HOSTED BY BEARD SCI-FI DRAG QUEEN LUCY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“IT'S A PLACE TO BE YOURSELF,” SAYS NEW JERSEY–BASED DJ/PRODUCER MIKEQ, A MAJOR NAME THE UNRGROUND GAY BALLROOM SCENE WHO ALSO REACH LARGER, MORE MASTREAM DIENC THROUGH NNECTNS TO EDM BRANDS LIKE MAD DECENT. “IN GAY CLUBS, 'S A FAY AND UNRGROUND MUNY. IT'S A WHOLE WAY OF LIFE — AND EEDOM.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SOME OF GAY CLUB CULTURE’S WILST VENTNS END UP SPREADG FAR AND WI. CLUB KIDS AND DRAG QUEENS REPEATEDLY TAKE FASHN TO PSYCHELIC NEW LEVELS BEFORE THEIR NOVATNS ARE PIED BY HIGH-FASHN HO AND TRICKLE DOWN THROUGH THE MASS MARKET. CLUBS NNECTED THE UNRGROUND BALLROOM SCENE TO ARTISTS LIKE MADONNA AND FKA TWIGS, WHO EXPOSED TWO GENERATNS OF POP LISTENERS A QUARTER-CENTURY APART TO DANCE STYL LIKE VOGUG. AND WHEN FADG TEEN POP STARS NEED TO REH THEIR IMAGE WH A LTLE MORE EDGE AND A LTLE MORE SEX, THEY EVABLY TURN TO GAY CLUBS FOR SPIRATN. WHETHER ’S BEATS OR CHOREOGRAPHY OR FASHN OR EVEN SLANG, POP MIC HAS BEEN GETTG REGULAR TOUCH-UPS OM THE GAY CLUB SCENE FOR S NOW. FROM ONE ANGLE, 'S SIMPLE CULTURAL APPROPRIATN; OTHERS SEE AS A SMALL BUT TENSELY CREATIVE MUNY FLEXG AN OUTSIZE FLUENCE ON THE WORLD AROUND . “IF YOU ASK ME,” MIKEQ SAYS, “GAYS PRETTY MUCH N THE WORLD MIC, FASHN, AND DANCE. ALL THE BIG CELEBRI, THEIR STYLISTS ARE GAY, THEIR CHOREOGRAPHERS ARE GAY, OR THEY'RE DOG VOGUG MOV OR DIFFERENT THGS LIKE THAT. OF URSE, ALL THE PEOPLE E THE GAY LANGUAGE NOW.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SHIFTG STANDARDS FOR EQUALY AND FLOURISHG NNECTNS BETWEEN SUBCULTUR AND THE MASTREAM HAVE BROUGHT A LOT OF GAY CLUB CULTURE OUT OF THE GAY CLUBS. POP 2016 SOMETIM SEEMS LIKE A MASSIVE GAY DANCE PARTY TURNED SI OUT AND SPILLED ONTO THE STREET. “THOSE THGS DON'T STAY UNRGROUND, BEE THOSE THGS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT,” SAYS CAK. “THEY'RE BENEFICIAL TO EVERYONE, WHETHER YOU'RE GAY OR STRAIGHT. PEOPLE NEED TO DO THEIR REARCH AND UNRSTAND WHERE THOSE THGS E OM, BEE SOMETIM THOSE THGS GET LOST THE SCE.” HOE MIC’S LIFE-GIVG THUMP IS ALL AROUND . SIWALKS AND MALLS ARE FULL OF YOUNG PEOPLE REMIXG SEVERAL S’ WORTH OF CLUB-KID FASHN, WH HELP OM SIGNERS LIKE JEREMY STT. PEOPLE OF ALL GENRS AND SEXUALI REGULARLY GATHER BY THE THOANDS TO STRIP DOWN TO A MIMUM OF CLOTHG, SLATHER THEMSELV GLTER, AND SPEND HOURS UPON HOURS DANCG TO A CEASELS GROOVE UNR THE FLUENCE OF MD-ALTERG CHEMILS — SENTIALLY REPEATG THE SAME RUAL THAT GAY MEN NEARLY 40 YEARS AGO WOULD ENACT EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN RECENT YEARS, THE MASTREAMG OF EDM AND THE BLENDG OF GAY AND STRAIGHT CLUBBERS SEEM TO HAVE ROBBED THE GAY CLUB OF SOME OF S CENTRAL ROLE AS THE RADIL LABORATORY OF DANCE MIC CULTURE. THE BLACK MADONNA FEELS THAT GAY CLUBS LOST TOUCH WH THE DANCE MIC UNRGROUND — BUT, SHE ADDS, “THAT IS CHANGG RIGHT NOW.” ACROSS THE UNTRY, THERE’S BEEN A RURGENCE TERT RENNECTG DANCE MIC TO S ROOTS. SAN FRANCIS–BASED DJ LLECTIVE HONEY SOUNDSYSTEM IS TOURG THE WORLD PLAYG THE TYPE OF DIS AND PROTO-HOE YOU’D HEAR AT PLAC LIKE THE ENDUP. (MEMBER JOSH CHEON NS THE LABEL DARK ENTRI, WHICH HAS BEEN REISSUG PATRICK COWLEY’S LOST WORK.) PARTI LIKE QUEEN! CHIGO AND HONCHO PTSBURGH ARE BRGG SOME OF THE GLAMMY, TRANSGRSIVE ENERGY OF CLUBBG’S EARLIT DAYS, WHILE NEW YORK’S GHE20G0TH1K WRAPS CYBERPUNKISH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THIS WEEKEND, CI AROUND THE WORLD, PARTI AND FUNDRAISER NIGHTS ARE BEG HOSTED AT GAY CLUBS — FIANCE, SOLIDARY, AND CELEBRATN OF THE CULTURE TARGETED BY THE ORLANDO KILLER. AT A NCERT ON SUNDAY NIGHT ANTWERP, ALE ACKNOWLEDGED THE TRAGEDY BY DITG A UPLE SONGS TO THE LGBTQ MUNY — NOT ANY OF HER MOURNFUL BALLADS, BUT SOME OF THE TORCHY DANCE SONGS SHE’S MA THAT WOULD HAVE BLOWN UP THE DANCE FLOOR AT ANY GAY DIS THE '{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“PEOPLE GRIEVE DIFFERENTLY,” CAK SAYS. “A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE #PRAYFORORLANDO AS A HASHTAG, BUT FOR ME, MY IEND MA A POST THAT WAS LIKE, ‘IT'S NOT ABOUT PRAYG FOR ORLANDO. IT'S ABOUT VOGUG FOR ORLANDO. IT'S ABOUT FUCKG FOR ORLANDO.' TO ME, JT FIR ME UP TO NTUE LIVG MY LIFE.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}ELECTRONICPOP MICMASS SHOOTG IN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

The 2015 legalizatn of gay marriage stands as this movement's crowng achievement and queer people are seemgly more visible and accepted than ever before wh the ntext of Amerin culture.

Currently held at a venue lled The Hole, the party prevly took place at the Bijou Theater, the untry's olst gay adult cema and sex club before closed 2015. " Sperber tak a siar approach at Honey Soundsystem, statg, "It's the last thg that certa promoters thk about, but for a gay man, 's jt kd of stctual to want to create a more pleasurable space.

WHAT HAPPENED TO COLUMBIA’S GAY CLUBS?

Artists have always been unhibed, whether they're homosexual or not, and queer culture go back to the days of classic, te, amazg entertament — the spectacle of people beg more than themselv, and unashamedly so. Fans may openly embrace a gay Elton John, Melissa Etheridge or Ricky Mart now, but over the past 50 years or more ’s been a stggle for most queer artists to live their liv openly and whout shame and persecutn.

His theatril scream-sgg, macho stage prence, and all-around badassery (bt showsed on inic rerds like 1980’s Brish Steel and 1982’s Screamg for Vengeance) prompted many fans to ll him “Metal God:” a tradnally mascule trope Halford boldly upend Febary 1998, when he me out as gay an MTV News terview. As the earlit show of queer solidary om a proment metal mician, Halford’s admissn proved val rhapg the public perceptn of heavy metal, repostg an earspltg, heteronormative boys’ club as a safe space where headbangers of all typ uld be themselv, sheltered the flailg arms of not jt a benevolent (and openly gay) God, but the scene wr large. ” The fact that he did all while beg pletely open about his sexualy – llg himself “rock’s tt fairy” – is astoundg and, for a brief, shg moment 1974, Jobriath beme the most visible gay man popular mic.

PATRICK COWLEY, THE GAY GENI OF HI-NRG

While the “Queen of Dis” is a tle most monly btowed upon Donna Summer, also appli to Sylvter, who was a fixture of the dis scene and an in of the gay liberatn movement that spawned out of San Francis. It wasn’t until after hostg var episos of the show for a uple years – which all centered on LGBT issu – that she spoke openly about her partner of over two s and the stggl of beg gay the mic dtry. “I thk the rerd dtry – by and large what’s left of – is still totally homophobic, ” she said, notg that she me out her twenti and never went to “lengths” to nceal .

Brish punk rocker Tom Robson achieved chart succs wh h songs “2-4-6-8 Motorway”, “Up Agast the Wall” and “Don’t Take No for an Answer, ” but he’ll always be immortalized for his sgalong prott anthem, “Glad to be Gay. ” Origally wrten for a 1976 London gay pri march, the song was nearly banned by the BBC 1978 – although DJ John Peel fied the stricture. The only gay bar Arlgton, Tex., has shuttered due to the 1851 Club, which for s operated as a Cheers-style waterg hole for the lol LGBTQ+ muny, announced the sad news to s patrons a January 2021 Facebook post.

Oil Can Harry's has had s last gay untry-wtern bar, which has provid le-dancg and a waterg hole for the LGBTQ+ muny Los Angel's Stud Cy neighborhood for 52 years, was sold December to a new owner who plans to nvert to a venue wh jazz mic, acrdg to owner John a Monday Facebook post, Fagan revealed that the landlord of the buildg, Monty Overstreet, had ma the sale. The Atlanta Eagle has end s more-than-30-year flight midtown Richard Ramey announced that the gay bar would be vatg s longterm lotn at Ponce De Leon Avenue November 2020. Although no reason was given the post, the popular dive bar was the fourth gay bar after Rage, Flamg Saddl, and Gym Bar to shutter Wt Hollywood durg the COVID-19 panmic, which has forced all Los Angel bars that nnot nvert to rtrants wh outdoor dg to cease Coast was also the third closed WeHo gay bar to have had Monte Overstreet as a landlord.

ULTIMATE PRI PLAYLIST: THE 50 BT GAY SONGS

Except for a brief wdow, bars Wt Hollywood had been closed to prevent the spread of the Robert Maghame and Saeed Sattari opened the gay bar on Santa Moni Boulevard 1983, reports Wehoville. Sadly, there will be no more socializg at the Albuquerque Social New Mexi gay club, known to lols as the "SOCH, " operated for nearly four s before shutterg Augt 2020 due to fancial issu tied to bar had first opened as The Heights the 70s before takg on the Albuquerque Social Club name 1983.

Flamg Saddl Wt Hollywood has hung up s Squatriglia and Chris Barngay, owners of the untry-wtern bar, announced Augt 2020 that COVID-19, bed wh a failure to renegotiate the lease wh the landlord durg the panmic, has led to s permanent tablishment, known for shirtls wboys and wgirls who danced on the bartop, opened January 2015 on Santa Moni Boulevard.

Ltle Jim's Tavern -- the olst gay bar Boystown, and the send olst Chigo -- closed s doors July 2020 orr to open a satelle lotn for Howard Brown Health, an LGBTQ+ clic. The Stud, San Francis's olst gay bar, shuttered s lotn of 33 years rponse to the health opened 1966 around the cy's burgeong leather muny by founrs Gee Mason and trans bs owner Alexis Muir, who was mored to be the spiratn of Anna Madrigal Tal of the Cy, the Stud grew to an LGBTQ+ stutn and safe hosted many drag and muny events over the s. BT2, a gay bar North At, had to permanently close s doors after beg impacted by the COVID-19 panmic, acrdg to an update on s Facebook page.