One of nightlife’s favorite free spirits, the otter-ific DJ/Promoter Matty Glitterati has been destroying us with beats and kikis for more than half a decade now. This, plus his presence on Antitwink.com, make him an authority on all things night and life. You can find him living it in every borough, but in January he will be owning the East Village with a few gigs and a brand new party he’s heading that already looks to be an affair to remember. Give all your love to Matty!
Thotyssey: Hey Matty, how’s 2017 treating you so far?
Matty Glitterati: Well hello there! 2017 is starting off quite well! January is usually pretty slow, but this year it’s been full of new projects I’m super stoked about!
I’m glad to hear that! Yeah, this is usually the slow time: it’s cold, people are poor after the holidays, and there’s a drop in tourism. But there does seem to be a lot of stuff going on now! Is nightlife taking a stand?
Well, whenever there is political unrest or, ya know, the possibility of total economic collapse, people tend to drink and party a lot more. Since Election Night it hasn’t been difficult to find a reason to drink!
That’s for fuckin’ sure. So, okay, for the uninitiated: what is Matty Glitterati’s role in nightlife?
I’ve been working in NYC nightlife for over six years! I am the Assistant Editor for Antitwink.com and DJ all around the city. usually in the LES and Brooklyn! But mostly I see all the faggots every summer on Fire Island in various sorts of undress–seeing all the things they forgot they actually did.
Are you, like, completely sexually liberated and free of shame? I always associated you with that.
Hey, thanks! I try to be! I always I’ll try anything twice! Except meth. Never meth. She’s a life ruiner.There is a lot out there to be experienced, and you’ll never know what really gets you off until you know what doesn’t!
It’s so important to live that way now, I think. Okay, so let’s get the full story here. Where’s your hometown?
I’m from Longmont, Colorado! Right outside the Boulder area. I moved to NYC when I was 19, and will be celebrating 9 years this coming August.
Congratulations! What brought you here?
I moved out here originally for film acting school.
Are acting and filmmaking still a part of what you do, or did you lose interest?
I’ll always be in love with movies and film, and working in nightlife is definitely still an act! I’d say I’m currently working with a different medium. There are so many amazingly creative people here in the city, I think it would be foolish to say I’d be over something. You never know what project may fall in your lap!
Too true! So, what were your earliest nightlife experiences here? What were you seeing that lit the fuse?
When I was first living in Brooklyn, I lived near Epiphany and we hung out here and there. She actually got me my first gig as a gogo dancer at VIG27 (RIP. A gay bar oddly placed in the middle of Murray Hill… still doesn’t make sense to me). I saw a show there called Meaner Harder Leather with Misty Meaner, Go-Go Harder and Stormy Leather. When I saw all three of those iconic figures coming up with amazing art week after week, I immediately fell In love.
Misty Meaner pulled me off the gogo box one night and asked what I really wanted to be doing, and I said DJing… after that we worked together and shit started happening. I met Jess Marquis–who sadly is no longer with us–who had one of the longest running queer/wierdo parties in the city called Trash. I wound up scoring DJ residency with him for three years every Friday at Webster Hall.
What do you really love about DJing?
There is really no other feeling like taking a crowd on a journey with you. Really feeling a track and looking up and seeing the crowd right there with you. There is a moment when you feel them let go and give you full control of the reins… there is nothing like it, really!
That sounds godlike!
There can also be such an amazing comradery between DJ’s. I’ve been stupidly blessed being able to meet and work with some of the most amazing people in the industry.
Do you have a favorite floor you’ve DJ’ed?
The Pavilion on Fire Island is absolutely legendary. The Pines has so much history, and that place has been so crucial to our community over the decades. I feel so fortunate to be able to have that on my resume.
That being said, when I got to spin at Drai’s in Las Vegas… that was pretty fucking surreal!
How was Fire Island this summer for you? I’ve heard queens complaining that it was a slow season, maybe because there’s still no Grove Hotel.
Well, I work in The Pines when I’m there so I can’t really say how things were in the Grove. But this past summer was really special! Working with ShareGurl was a serious treat! Amazing group of ridiculously talented young people that know how to work hard and play hard! We did tons of house parties all over the Island and provide a different attitude than people are used to seeing in The Pines
Oh! And getting to work on the Cher event was pretty fucking spectacular.
OMG, did you see her?
Yeh,a I actually ran her sound with Raf, one of the ShareGurl founders, and was gagging for a solid 10 hours.
Amazing! So, here’s a possibly loaded question: what makes a party or event fun? Is there a formula?
Oh my! It’s really is different for every party, to be honest. What is most important is to know who you are throwing the party for. Knowing your crowd is crucial. Whether your party is geared toward circuit queens or burners, queers or the ladies of Hell’s Kitchen…there is a space for everybody. It just has to be fully realized.
And you just have to keep people on their toes! Give them what they aren’t expecting, or even ready, for. Nothing will kill a party faster than predictability. That, and too much exposition!
So, are you personally able to have a good time in any neighborhood or scene or borough?
I love all the facets of our community! Bar hopping in HK, cruising at The Eagle, dancing till your feet are numb at one of Brian Rafferty’s epic gatherings, the entire encompassing energy of Brooklyn that IS the queer community… there is a lot to experience! You just have to be open to new things, and be okay with throwing yourself out there. But in all honesty, some of my favorite nights in New York are spent drinking beers and gabbing in a dive bar.
Tell me about writing for Antitwink. How did that start for you?
I was just about to finish film school when I randomly came across the website, and said they were always looking for contributors… and sent them an email. I had a chat with [the site’s contributor] Ernie Cote, I think at Easternbloc, while he was DJing, and it just got Fit! That’s actually how I learned to spin: showing up to Easternbloc on Tuesdays and watching Ernie spin.
Do you have free rein over what you write about and cover, or are you given assignments?
We can pretty much write about anything until we get a cease and desist letter. But the first time I went to the Black Party, I was actually covering it for Antitwink.
That must’ve been a Moment, when you got to flash that press pass and just walk in.
Oh, it most definitely was! It was the second-to-last year at Roseland, and I went alone. It was overwhelming at first, but I somehow found it inside myself to press on and endure all the party had to offer!
Is Antitwink primarily based in NYC, by the way?
We work mostly out of NYC and San Fran, but we also have some bloggers from LA, and are working on a few more cities as well.
On to the gigs: when’s the next time we can catch you spinning at the Cock?
I’m actually there on the 16th [for Playpen Monday]! I love Kareem to death, it’s so great to work with him there. Always scandalous!
Where else?
I’ll be at Phoenix on Saturday with Misty and Mocha in the next couple weeks as well (I forget the actual date).
Speaking of Misty and Mocha, this new monthly party y’all are bringing to a venue called Drexler’s on Sunday, January 22nd looks to be the tits. Tell us about FEMME!
OMG, I’m so excited! My two partners, Gabriel Mikal and Justin Harter, and I are taking over this awesome speakeasy cocktail bar in Alphabet City!
Oh, that’s awesome! So it’s gonna be all, like, speakeasy-ish?
Oh, most definitely! We’ve all worked on Fire Island, and there are so many parties out there for the “Manly Macho Man.” We realized there aren’t that many options in Manhattan where you can really let your hair down and your inner [gurl] free. I’ve seen so many men in heels on the Island, but it seems to never translate to the city. We wanna bring that fun vibe to the Lower East Side!
We really want to provide a sexy fun experience that isn’t necessarily anywhere in the city right now. Once a month, we are providing a safe queer place where people can be who they are and do what they want! The venue is super-excited to work with us, and we are leaving no stone unturned trying make this nothing short of a night for the record books! Bigger than a bar. Smaller than a club. And, of course, plenty of dark corners.
What can we expect on the first night?
We’ve got tons of surprises in store. Circus acts for days, trashy gogo guys and gals, some lovely performances, and the legendary Johnny Dynell is shredding the decks with me all night!
I’m also super stoked to have Tori Scott on board for our first party. She is an amazing cabaret performer that regularly does shows at Joe’s Pub. I fell in love with her a few years ago, and even more so when she came out to the Island this past summer. She blends standup with amazing vocal performance that is honestly hilarious!
And Misty and Mocha certainly bring a unique energy to nightlife, don’t they?
Those girls definitely do! They were the first girls I worked with, and seriously my family here in the city! So many ridiculous nights and memories I’ve shared with them… even though I probably can’t remember half of them.
Well I’m sure you’ll all be remembering FEMME! It should all make for an amazing night.
How do you think NYC nightlife is gonna change in the next four years?
This entire situation is honesty terrifying, like those Choose Your Own Adventure books, and you took every possible wrong road.
New Yorkers are lucky. We are a city that won’t put up with any shit. Our country may be taking a deplorably humiliating turn for the worse, but nightlife will always be there. For many people in our community, these places are our churches, and our safe places. We won’t let go. Period.
What honestly make me more nervous than anything is what happened to two different DIY parties in Brooklyn on New Years’ Eve. Both Charlene and The Culture Whore had parties that were shut down practically right when they were just getting started. They were pretty much right across the street from each other. It looked very calculated, and that’s the most terrifying aspect of it all. How can nightlife organically grow, when it doesn’t even have a chance to spread its wings?
But that being said, I have so much faith that we won’t let nightlife suffer. If we come across opposition–which is practically guaranteed–I really believe we will band together and take a stand. Not only for the nightlife currently, but for the kids who have yet to be forced out of their hometowns by small minds that will find that same sanctuary like we all have.
Nightlife will the war! Thank you Matty, see you at FEMME!
Matty Glitterati will co-host the monthly party FEMME at Drexlers starting Sunday, January 22nd (9pm). Go here for a full list of upcoming appearances. Matty can be followed on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and on Antitwink.
Thotyssey 