100)
The deep house DJ trio comprised of Tad Haes, Josh Appelbaum & RuBot were busy this year with their seasonal residency at LeBain, as well as frequent nights at 3 Dollar Bill and Good Room among other venues.
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Known for her nightmarish, swamp-witchy lewks, this high concept sorceress produces the city’s most unique and specific drag shows. At Bizarre Bushwick you can find her hosting monthly showcases dedicated to the phases of the moon and the discography of Grace Jones, at Metropolitan there’s a new monthly devotion to a different hairstyle each edition… and who would you rather see host Bedlam’s new 80s party than this crazy queen?
98)
The
DJ
pop nerd princess helms one of the city’s hippest guiltiest pleasures, the monthly “Heaven On Earth” at China Chalet which celebrates a new pop diva each installment. You can also find Ty spinning regularly at the Moxy and Dream Hotels, or wherever a dancefloor is begging for pure pop salvation.
97)
Henrietta Hudson’s wise and worldly house DJ (who also takes the booth for Hot Rabbit and some local Brooklyn haunts) was appointed to the Mayor’s Nightlife Advisory Board this year, and the children of the night can sleep a bit easier in the daylight because of it.
[Photo: Grace Chu]
96)
The Boots & Saddle favorite (who is, in fact, the current and final reigning Miss Boots & Saddle) has not slowed down since that bar’s sudden closing. The glamorous dancing clown placed in the Miss Gay America national pageant’s Top 10, took over the hosting duties of Stonewall’s pre-show to the Polish The Queen drag competition, and often performs at Pieces and other venues across town.
95) Preston Burford
A much in-demand photographer of the fabulous, Preston’s work got well-deserved GLAM love in 2018. His portraits of certain Drag Race Season 10 queens in their “What I Would’ve Worn If I Wasn’t Eliminated” looks were particularly popular with the show’s fans.
94) Egypt
Still very much a megastar on the rise, this tiny tornado of dance and fashion joined up with three big show casts this year: The Bad Bitch Review at REBAR, the Voss Events Drag Brunch at the Highline Ballroom, and TURNt at The Ritz.
93) Daddy Ersin
The Dungeon Master Daddy has conquered the fetish party scene thanks to RAM, a sexy hit romp that began at its homebase of REBAR and has spread throughout the Tri-State area and beyond with pop-up events.
92) Mini Horrorwitz
In Brooklyn, Mini serves as the Messiah of Ridiculousness. Doing anything for a laugh or a “Yaz” or at least a “Huh?”, Mini can be found with partner-in-crime Angelica Sundae hosting their Sunday game night at Pizza Party or with the host squad of CAKES at Metropolitan Bar. She’s also basically everywhere else in Brooklyn; like Pennywise, this evil clown can’t be stopped.
91) Cacophony Daniels
The brassy, belting belladonna who co-hosts Hardware’s Broadway Mondays (with Paige Turner and Sutton Lee Seymour) had an exciting year, returning sans drag to his Broadway role of Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys for an extended stint. And as Cacophony, she starred in a loving Bette Midler tribute cabaret at Don’t Tell Mama, where she and Sutton also co-starred in a hilarious sendup of current musicals, Bedragged Broadway.
90) The Nobodies
Drag queens
and
along with DJ
started calling themselves The Nobodies when basically no one knew they were, and it’s been fascinating to watch the niche they carved out for themselves–both in Brooklyn nightlife, and in the entertainment world in general. Through a YouTube show, a podcast and live appearances, they have become authorities on pro-wrestling from a queer perspective (and yes, drag and wrestling are that similar), which has led to a weird-but-legit crossover fanbase. The trio additionally have the smartest and most interactive Drag Race viewing party in the city (at their homebase Brooklyn Bazaar), Bearica and Ariel host a brunch at Bizarre Bushwick with Emi Grate, and Accident Report has helped produce a hit track on Aja’s new album and gotten his writing published in Rolling Stone. But their magnum opus as a group continues to be the annual Mx. Nobody pageant, an all-inclusive and Anything Goes month of prelims with a finale that increases in scope and gag-worthiness each year (GLAM-nominated for the first time in 2018, the pageant’s third year). Now everybody loves The Nobodies!
89)
Although New York’s favorite hot mess comedy queen was Boots & Saddle’s den mother, she kept in the game when that bar abruptly folded in February. These days you can find Ari twice a month hosting the Saturday party at Phoenix Bar with Alotta McGriddles, and second Saturdays leading the RIOT benefit show at Stonewall. She’s also showing up as a karaoke host at GYM Bar on occasion, dabbling in drag brunch, and co-hosting The Shade Parade podcast with sis Viki Villainess.
88) MoMo Shade & Kandy Muse
NYC’s most visible sect of the Haus of Aja are also each internet famous in their own right, this pair have grown into very capable hosts and well-rounded performers recently. With happy hour shows this year at Hardware and Pieces plus making several appearances in their native Brooklyn, the duo are now commonly joined onstage by the Haus’ newest member, Janelle No. 5.
87) Logan Hardcore
The hilariously evil diva (who’s really a sweatheart) has made Thursday nights at Stonewall an institution of funny, fashionable, ferocious drag for years now. She also remains one of Fire Island’s most popular acts via her Ice Palace summer residency, and has recently returned to drag brunch Saturdays at Gallo Nero in HK.
86) Xavier Mazara
This adorbs GLAM-nominated DJ supports everybody’s favorite drag shows in Hardware, Pieces, Vodka Soda Bottoms Up and 3 Dollar Bill, while spinning cute dance parties at POSH and other places around town.
85) Yuhua Hamasaki
It’s a good thing this Drag Race Season 10 queen has a “hot, flexible body,” because in the past few months she’s been everywhere doing everything as Drag Race queens are wont to do. Well, the Powers That Be may have deemed Yuhua couldn’t continue on past the third episode, but New Yorkers certainly know better. Her Friday night Pieces show – which she still makes a point to host as often as possible – is always packed, and there she takes her Drag Race “loss” with great humor while drowning us in all the backstage Untucked tea.
84) James Michael Avance
One of the country’s most in-demand talent photographers, so many of James’ portraits are the iconic images we see everywhere of RuPaul’s Drag Race queens and local queens alike. GLAM-nominated as Best Photographer for the second time this year (he was last year’s winner), James will also take the stage himself with a guitar every so often.
83)
We loved seeing her back at the Beechman with Paige Turner and Jackie Cox for a recent show, and also her sendup of modern musicals with Cacophony Daniels at Don’t Tell Mama, Bedragged Broadway. But one thing that sucks about having such a talented and beloved queen as Sutton in your city is that you ultimately have to share her with other cities. This bawdy dame of Hardware (Broadway Mondays) and Albatross (a Saturday night show) was on the road, in the air and over the ocean for much of the year, and who can blame her? It’ is inspiring to see a queen succeed globally without relying on the tropes of RuPaul, though. Recently, Sutton wound up taking a lead role in a
Kalamazoo production of Charles Busch’s The Lady in Question. We get it, world, but give us back our Seymour!
82) 3 Dollar Bill
Those of us who made it to the Brooklyn Nightlife Awards in 2017 got a sneak peak of this cavernous, complex, castle-like venue acquired by the owners of Phoenix Bar in the East Village and were immediately hypnotized by the possibilities of what could happen there. It took a whole year for the place to actually open to the public, but once Frankie Sharp took over as general manager things started to fall into place immediately. Now already featuring dance parties luring in the best DJs from in and out of town, a giant full-service stage that can accommodate entire bands, the borough’s best drag shows and even some inter-borough talent, 3 Dollar Bill is rapidly becoming Brooklyn’s most important new venue since The Rosemont.
81) Amber Valentine
This cool-ass lady with the chic downtown style won Best DJ at the Brooklyn Nightlife Awards, and remains a megapopular beatmistress for the city’s most exclusive events in both Manhattan and Brooklyn. She can regularly be found helming the booth at Union Pool’s PAT Party, and for the ladies’ MIsster at The Woods.
80)
Vinny’s evolved from gogo boy to full-on nightlife institution… which is maybe too clinical a word to describe a guy who’s so vibrant, sexy, kind, and professional. Really though, don’t you just wanna see Vinny in some capacity every time you’re out?
79) REBAR Chelsea
Chelsea’s newest bar (the site of the former G Lounge, with the same owners) already has a bunch of established party nights of the muscle queen variety on its calendar: RAM, Male Room, Big Banana, BOYS and Fuqboi. But the owners are also now bringing drag shows into the mix, adding to Sherry Pie’s incredible Marquee Mondays. Most importantly, there’s *ahem* Thotyssey’s own Thot Mess dance party / drag show hybrid event every first and third Thursday! Watching the sexy space evolve into its full potential will be a fascinating thing to do in 2019.
78) Aja
Having become one of the few Drag Race alums to use her fame and talent to level up into a fully-formed artist and celebrity outside the confines of the post-show template, Aja’s been a genuinely compelling person to watch these two years. So many RuGirls put out cute rap singles solely because they wanna cash in but can’t sing, yet Aja one-upped them by dropping a hardcore rap EP in tandem with truly provocative and queer culture-referential videos. Her social media messaging drives in a little deeper than the usual brags and call-outs, and while she keeps her drag unpredictably edgy she’s unafraid to show off her boy bod while still eschewing an attachment to gender. As far as gigs go, this queen tours the world over and makes the mad, mad coin, but still returns to NYC for local gigs as often as she can… cuz Mama knows where she comes from.
77)
The Brooklyn Star By Way of Myanmar has never strayed from her mission of being the scene’s social justice warrior princess, whether it’s calling out people she deemed problematic in the biz to removing her “A+“ all-Asian drag and burlesque revue from the Monster following allegations of the owner’s racism (she’s since relocated it to Bedlam in the EV). Oh, and she got butt-ass naked for her Bushwig performance! Our current reigning MR(S) BK, Emi also hosts a monthly Tuesday night talk show and performance vehicle at The Rosemont, as well as a weekly Sunday brunch with Ariel Italic and Lady Bearica Andrews at Bizarre Bushwick..
76) Jeff Eason
Nightlife’s favorite on-the-scene photographer is the guy you hope shows up at your event; his work often gets published in Get Out Magazine, and can be found all over social media.
75) Lady Bunny
Just when we thought the OG of Irreverence was gonna sojourn for the year in some gentle Shady Pines for the Multi-Wigged, the bitch shooock us to the core with a surprise announcement: Wigstock was returning! Sure enough, with a little help from Neil Patrick Harris, the classic drag festival returned on a massive scale this summer starring old school performers from the original run alongside Drag Race girls and current local goddesses. It was a crazy, messy hurricane of an event with somewhat absurd ticket prices; but it turned out to basically be the true Superbowl of drag, so it was more than worth it. How will Bunny beat this in 2019?
74) Tyler Ashley
Brooklyn’s most inviting and free-spirited artsy emcee brought the borough’s badassery to the Fire Island Pines this summer. They’re currently hosting a monthly Saturday brunch with galpal Charlene at Bizarre Bushwick, while running the show for Club Cumming’s GLAM-nominated monthly cabaret / rock revue MARY in the East Village.
73) Dusty Ray Bottoms
As a working New York queen, Dusty’s always been a bit of an enigma: too edgy for Hell’s Kitchen, too Broadway for Bushwick; likable yet aloof; expertly editorial yet unclassifiable. Her brief tenure on Season 10 of Drag Race didn’t really spell out what she was all about either, but it did drop some shocking facts about her life and certainly showcased her performing and makeup skills (fuck you, Visage). All in all, those four Dusty eps made for some compelling TV. Since the season ended, Dusty’s released the cast’s catchiest (and shadiest!) post-show single, and is currently doing what she was probably born to do: starring in an off-beat NY stage musical, Cleopatra. We find ourselves wanting to see more of what Dusty is bringing than ever before.
72) Alotta McGriddles
Old school, brutally honest and unapologetic, Bushwig’s annual merch queen remains a lady you don’t want to fuck with. But she’s also one of Brooklyn’s most benevolent, constantly performing for and producing charity events because she rightly believes that that is what a drag queen is supposed to do (that, and entertain… which she does in spades). Co-creator with Thorgy Thor of queer Brooklyn’s longest-running event, the Alotta Stuff auction featuring vintage merchandise from her own coveted collection, Alotta is still joined by Thorgy for its near-monthly installments at Metropolitan Bar (where Alotta also hosts weekly trivia on Wednesday nights). Ari Kiki joins Alotta for a Saturday party at Phoenix Bar twice a month, and the enormous MR(S) BK annual pageant is something Ms. McGriddles takes the reins of as well.
71) Albatross & Icon
The Astoria sister venues remain destinations for up-and-coming drag talent, while still functioning as gayborhood haunts. The oddly-situated and small Albatross looks nothing like a gay bar, but it’s mobs of queer locals make for a pretty unique nightlife experience. The newly-renovated acquirement Icon is looking more and more like a sophisticated Manhattan cabaret venue, and interesting things have come across its stage such as the Iconic drag competition and a large drag cast reading of the new production Mother: A Drag Musical.
70) Mocha Lite
At long last voted into the Brooklyn Nightlife Hall of Fame this year, on and off (and on, and off) stage pair Misty and Mocha keep their rabid Brooklyn and East Village fans happy with a formula that includes Misty’s unbridled emceeing, Mocha’s hypnotic space alien dance moves, and some secret ingredients only they know. Catch the pair hosting bingo at Phoenix on Thursdays, and full shows at Macri Park on Tuesdays and Fridays.
69) The West End
The home of events and stage personalities both queer and queer-esque, the Upper West Side cabaret lounge has come under recent fire from the local Community Board for certain licensing issues, slapping them with a forced midnight closing time. Owner
John Daniel Forslund is confident this will soon pass. In the meantime we can still enjoy the drag shows from queens new and seasoned, the Ultimate Drag Pageant, various cabaret revues and fledgling musicals, and a popular seasonal singing competition “So You Think You Can Belt.”
68) William Francis
Whether he’s spinning dance parties at The Cock, Acme, Club Cumming, LeBain, Metropolitan, the Pines Pavilion, the Deep End or basically any circuit party, this classic house and disco enthusiast was one of the year’s most desired DJs (in more ways than one).
67) Heidi Haux
When watching her seven minute, lip-synched and fully-choreographed take on the entirety of Kill Bill during last year’s “So You Think You Can Drag” All-Star final season – where she was joined onstage by dozens of queens and dancers with gore props flying everywhere – one saw a sign of the genius to come with Heidi. Just recently, the Lips queen utilized the restaurant to showcase an entire season of the comedy slasher cult hit TV show Scream Queens condensed into a two hour lip synch mix with choreo breaks and a cast of about 20 queens. It was a very new and exciting thing to see in drag, and it was so damn entertaining. Along with hit weekly shows at the Duplex and Pieces plus a hosting gig for the drag competition Iconic in Astoria’s Icon Bar, this is definitely a queen who is going to shape the new direction of NY drag in the years to come.
66) POSE
There are no cultural moments more influential on today’s drag culture than New York’s ball scene of the late 80s and early 90s, and the best record we’ve had of that scene is the 1990 documentary Paris is Burning. Until now. Although it’s a scripted show which undoubtedly takes liberties for dramatic purposes, the Ryan Murphy production airing on FX premium TV has gone to painstaking lengths to research how people in this very specific universe dressed, spoke, and lived. Many of the finest of New York’s ball culture are on-set advisers and extras; even much of the excellent core cast consisting largely black transgender women are tied to the scene (most recognizably Dominique Jackson and Indya Moore). Real locations around the city provided some settings, notably Julius’ Bar in a surprisingly damning scene that explores gay racism and transphobia. As the show returns for a second season, it should be watched by everyone in nightlife to see how it will reflect our present as well as our past.
65) Bizarre Bushwick
A small Brooklyn venue oozing with equal parts charm and sleaze, the straight-owned Bizarre (read the history of how the bar / restaurant came to be, it’s fascinating) has become an interesting hub for queer nightlife–be it drag, burlesque, cabaret or performance art. The birthplace of Sasha Velour’s high concept Nightgowns (and the perfect setting for her recent music video ode to the vampiric drag cabarets of hypothetical yesteryear), Bizarre has become an important destination for nightlife acts way outside of the existing template.
64) Hot Rabbit
Despite her recent move out of the city, Emily Hall Maresca’s party conglomerate (basically lesbian-centric but attended and enjoyed by all) is thriving with not one but three nights and locations. Follow the bunny to 3 Dollar Bill on monthly Thursdays (THEMBot), DROM on monthly Fridays (Hot Rabbit proper), and / or Lot 45 Bushwick on monthly Saturdays (Bad Habit). And in the summer they do cruises as well!
[Photo: Grace Chu]
63)
Whether she’s giving you Vixen in a Corset, Hot Mess Mamma in a Muumuu or Broadway Diva in a Ballgown, this queen is here to entertain you… and she’s better at it than most. After another successful summer at Fire Island’s Cherry’s on the Bay, Tammy’s back doing her thing Sunday nights at Barracuda, as well as hosting a new karaoke night at Bedlam.
62)
Stonewall’s house DJ is a busy man indeed: minding the booth for that venue’s biggest shows and events (including the Stonewall Invasions, Polish the Queen, Throwdown with Logan Hardcore and the annual Madonna Worship party he spearheads), curating his own monthly night of spoken word and performance art there called Freak-Out, uploading original mixes to his webcast, doing PR for the Dance Parade and The Urban Bear Weekend… and still finding time to post thotty pictures on Tumblr.
61) Jada Valenciaga
The dance teacher and musical stage actor remains one of New York drag’s favorite and fiercest performers (hope you saw her slaying in Heidi Haux’s Scream Queens sendup at Lips in October), who ruled the Fire Island Pines this summer with several gigs. Catch this sassy sister turning it with the Voss Events Sunday drag brunch crew at Highline Ballroom, with Tina Burner’s Gurlesque troupe at Barracuda, and with the rotating ladies of QUEEN at Industry.
60) Lee VaLone
Mr. Coney Island 2018 is Brooklyn’s best drag king, but also so much more than that. Lee creates characters and evokes emotion in even their silliest burlesque numbers, channeling wizards, highwaymen and your Dad. Best known for bringing the long-running monthly showcase BEEF to Bizarre Bushwick, Lee is an occasionally aloof but always compelling performer.
59) Boudoir LeFleur
Move over Hedwig and Adore… here is drag’s true rockstar. The gypsy witch exploded onto the scene in a flash of brimstone last year, and rapidly become one of the most entertaining performers in NY drag. Boudoir will put more into one number than many queens can fit into a whole show: hard rock, Broadway, slight of hand, pyrotechnics, costume reveals, gymnastics, stupidly risky stunts, and every other damn thing. She was Cherry’s must ubiquitous performer during this Fire Island Summer, and now she’s got gigs aplenty here in NYC: rolling bingo balls Tuesdays at Albatross, hosting a weekly live cabaret show at Don’t Tell Mama Thursday nights and an Icon Bar Saturday night dance party. And as one half of The Assassins along with deadly judy Kimmi Moore, Boudoir rocks a powerhouse new show Friday nights at Bedlam.
58) Monet X Change &
As happy as we are for their success on Season 10 of RuPaul’s Drag Race (and as annoyed we are with the obtuse RuTeam for not fully getting what the pair were giving), how much does it suck that there are no more New York shows to see them in? Like, that’s over, forever. Two of our city’s greatest queens were just plucked away by the RuBot Arm, leaving a gaping hole in our city’s delicate nightlife fabric. And of course, on the show they were grossly simplified through the Edit Shredder (Sassy Pussycat Wig and Neurotic Pickle Suit) and then afterwards dropped onto the RuVeyor Belt with their Voss-approved post-show appearances. Hopefully Monet and Cracker find a way to use their enormous talents and newfound fame to find the next level (and of course we wish Monet all the luck on All-Stars 4), cuz we really miss these bitches here in New York.
57) Pissi Myles
Her waistline may be shrinking, but her profile is on the rise. This hilarious queen has been a fixture of New Jersey, Philly and Astoria drag for years, but just last year Manhattan became her kingdom. She may be campy and brash like the queens of yesteryear, but she ain’t no throwback… Pissi’s array of monster / glamour looks make for great Insta browsing, and the annual Halloween videos she drops on YouTube are becoming a valuable trademark. These days you can drink up Pissi for Sunday bingo at The Ritz along with like-minded spoop queen Sherry Pie, at Rise Bar’s Messy Mondays with the wonderfully extra Jasmine Rice, or going solo on Thursdays with Playhouse at Pieces.
56) Hannah Lou
Horrorchata’s Right Hand Horror Ho is still an occasional performer. But she’s best known for being a prolific DJ for events like Be Cute at Littlefield, Yas Mama at C’Mon Everybody, CAKES at Metropolitan, and the weekly Friday night Bitch Nasty alongside DJ Ickarus at The Rosemont.
55) DJ P_A_T
When not guest performing somewhere as the snatched Chutney Spears, Brooklyn’s très chic DJ du jour is giving life to many of the borough’s parties–notably his Brooklyn Nightlife Award winning twice-a-month Saturday affair at The Rosemont, “Fake Nudes.” Also busy spinning several nights in Manhatttan, P_A_T is where it’s at in 2018.
54) Sherry Pie
This year’s reigning Miss Look Queen and (and last year’s Miss Barracuda) is the living definition of spoop, i.e. horror camp: dryly funny on stage, with drag looks that a slasher flick producer would pay top dollar for. She puts an aching amount of production work into her weekly Marquee Mondays at REBAR that pays homage to a different musical or film per week, keeps it sublimely simple for her Tuesday night show at The Duplex, is the campy-vampy relief in an otherwise high energy dance experience from the Wednesday TURNt troupe at The Ritz, and gives you life and death in full Nun From Holy Hell
regalia at the Ritz’s Sunday bingo show alongside sis Pissi Myles (and for a blessed October, Judy Darling joined the pair to form the Sanderson Sisters). Known for incorporating big production value into weekly drag, Sherry is without a doubt a queen to watch in 2019.
53) DJ Ickarus
A visual artist, event producer and DJ, Ickarus is a major mover-and-shaker of all things nightlife in Brooklyn. We were teased a bit when we called them Merrie Cherry’s heir apparent last year… where’s the lie? Currently Ickarus spins and produces parties at Metropolitan, Macri Park and 3 Dollar Bill, and is best known for a weekly Friday DJ partnering with Hannah Lou at The Rosemont, Bitch Nasty.
[Photo: Grace Chu]
52) Holly Box-Springs
It’s easy to get caught up in this queen’s multi-tiered wardrobe reveals that she’s become known for, because DUH it’s gagworthy as all hell. But one must also give props to what a funny, sunny, sharp show hostess she’s evolved into in recent years. Today Holly hosts Bad Drag Queen (referring to the plucked-from-the audience contestants, not the host) at Industry and a Sunday brunch at Gallo Nero, while also joining her mentor Tina Burner every Wednesday at Barracuda for Gurlesque and her gurl Jasmine Rice as a rotating Thursday co-host at Pieces.
51) Jackie Cox
One of the rare queens in NYC who dabbles in bar nightlife but is better known for starring in small scripted stage musicals, Jackie is a shining star of The Laurie Beechman Theatre. Whether she’s joining Paige Turner onstage for their lovingly silly seasonal shows, or rocking retro fashions as part of the Hell’s Kitchenettes trio, or bringing her own shows to the forefront–notably I Dream of Jackie and its two sequels–Miss Cox’s fanbase is rabid and so there for it. Congrats to Jackie in 2018 for her work from the director’s chair in Chelsea Piers’ Beechman romp R U There, Ru? It’s Me, Chelsea. And aw, did you see her play the crying queen rejected by her parents in that episode of What Would You Do?
Thotyssey 