A resident DJ of the The Eagle NYC since its post-lockdown reopening and expansion, Bare Naked is now bringing his dark sexy sounds (and mysterious chest tat!) to Hell’s Kitchen as well.
Thotyssey: Hi Bare! Wait… do people call you Bare for short, lol?
Bare Naked: Hey there! Bare, Bare Naked, Evan, Evs, Pup, Grasshopper… I answer to more names than ever these days.
She’s versatile!
Patently!
So we’re in March now, which means nice weather is coming back and the kids are going out in the city… until it’s time to summer abroad! How is the new month treating you so far?
As it tends to go, I started my month on the first Saturday with one of best buddies James Anthony, at the Eagle! It’s such a special night because there is nowhere else that you will hear musical journeys of Big Room Disco and Dark House and Techno in parallel quite like this. I also announced my very first monthly Bare Naked Production, Sanctum, coming to Red Eye on March 24th. I usually play two Saturdays a month at The Eagle, so I got in one more night upstairs to rinse a bunch of new music and say, “Au Revoir!” before heading to Antwerp for Darklands Festival.
What do your nights in the booth usually sound like these days?
My sound has grown to encompass such a wide range of dance music, for so many different situations, that it’s hard to say. I have a proclivity for heavy bass, and beats that you can really feel in your chest. So when the situation calls for it, techno is my true passion. I’m categorically a “journey” DJ, meaning I’m more concerned with creating cohesive pockets and vibes over the course of a whole night than adhering to any one particular genre. Generally speaking though, House and Techno (and all of their sub-genres) constitute the core of my sound. Billie Eilish is one of my favorite lyricists of all time, so you can generally count on hearing at least a touch of her in a Bare Naked set.
Where are you originally from, and was music always in your life growing up?
I grew up in rural Southeast Alaska, in a small fishing community of just 8000 people, on 14 miles of road. Sitka’s biggest claim to fame is serving as the reference point for the setting of The Proposal.
Despite graduating with a class of just 60-something peers, in a district with less than 1000 students, I had an incredible music education from the day I started school! I ran the gamut, from trombone in a nationally competitive jazz ensemble, to bassoon in concert and marching bands. In high school, I chose to join vocal jazz and chamber choir, leaving behind the instruments. I was never all that fantastic of a vocalist, but that was most definitely my happy place. The power of a group of voices coming together to create a greater force and deeper complexity has always touched me, and is reflected in my mixing style. I will forever be thankful to my teachers Sarah Martinson and Mike Kernin for fostering my love for music… even when I might have been their primary distraction!
How did you wind up becoming a New Yorker, and a DJ?
I moved to New York at 18, via DC, fresh out of high school, and having just finished an internship with Senator Lisa Murkowski. At that point, I was pursuing a degree in political science and philosophy with the hopes of going into some form of elected office. I was also a debate geek, so that seemed within my wheelhouse, and like something I “should” do.
Working in music was something that I have dreamed of since I can remember, but it was never presented to me in a way that made it seem like a feasible career. It was quite literally the first night I ever went out in the city–to hear Morabito at Cielo–that the gears started turning in my head. It took a couple of years to gain the courage and confidence to say that I even wanted to try DJing. The pandemic struck, and, like many others, I fell into a pretty deep depression. I realized I needed to be doing something that made me happy every day, and political science surely wasn’t it.
So, I got my first controller, started building my library, and doing shows on twitch for my friends. After a series of unforgettable house parties on Fire Island in 2021, Raf Kuhn, the man behind Someone From Berlin and “Ultramaroon,” gave me the opportunity to open his party in February 2022. Things picked up relatively quickly, and I landed my Eagle residency in May of that year. I’ve been going almost two years strong with them, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to call the place home, and all of them my family!
The Eagle, which has always been known for being an OG cruising destination, doubled in size via a post-lockdown remodeling and is now also known as a dance destination! What’s it like to spin there?
I came in a little after the expansion, and as both a dancer and DJ, The Eagle is my favorite gay club in New York. It’s the only place of its size that is booking two DJs all night, one for each floor. This used to be the standard, but is hard to come by these days… So, having the opportunity to spread my wings for six hours each night is such a treat! My sound tends to stand out wherever I go, and The Eagle has really embraced that je ne sais quoi… not to mention the queer and kinky techno-heads that can’t seem to get enough!
What do you think of folk’s music education and DJ etiquette these days? Are people letting you taking them on a journey, or flashing “Taylor Swift” on their phones to you in the booth?
I’ve never been one to field requests, because 99 out of 100 times they’re simply bad and / or will not fit into my set. Unless you know for a fact that you have a relationship with the DJ that makes it acceptable to request a track, it’s honestly so rude. In my eyes, it’s like asking for substitutions in a omakase… it’s rude, embarrassing, and you just simply should not do it. I’ve been vocal enough about that in my career so far that anyone who knows me wouldn’t ever, and those that do generally learn why they should not. It’s a cross I’m willing to bare for all my fellow DJs.
In general, my dance floors have always been incredibly receptive to a wide array of music. I think that speaks to both their openness to new sounds, and taste level that encompasses more than only pop or circuit. That’s to say, I think they are apt to learn and hear and experience new things more than ever before.
Speaking earlier of Morabito, you’ll be with her again dropping the beats at the Eagle on March 9th! What do you think it is about her that makes her such a beloved DJ?
With a career spanning decades, she is both fresh and classic, appealing to the kids and the old-heads just the same. A lot of people also find inspiration in an extraordinary woman that continues to dominate the literal boy’s club that is the gay dance scene. But so much more than that, no one crafts a journey like a Morabito journey. She’s inimitably legendary. I could gush about my DJ mom for ages, so suffice to say… she entices you expect the unexpected, in the best possible way!
And tell us more about “Sanctum,” your March 24 dance party with DJ Mascari at Red Eye!
About a year ago, a good friend gave me some truly sage advice: just because you don’t see something happening in nightlife doesn’t mean people don’t want it. It might just mean that no one has tried it yet! So, in a sea of pop, disco, and happy house, the idea for a celebration of dark house and techno was born in the form of “Sanctum.”
[Owner] Daniel Nardicio jumped at the idea with enthusiasm, and Red Eye has been fantastic to work with! Mascari is not only one of my best friends, but an incredible talent and obvious first choice of guest. I can’t wait to have him along with a couple of New York’s hottest gogos, and carefully curated, all-star hosts! It’s a music-centric party–so expect an incredibly thoughtful dance floor experience, and likeminded folks that are there for the beats and the vibes above all else.
And stay tuned for a new twist each month, as I plan to keep the surprises rolling!
And looking ahead to March 30, we have “Body Shop” at a venue called The Chocolate Factory in Brooklyn! DJs Rimarkable, Dawson, Someone From Berlin, Grant Tyler and yourself will be spinning!
The Free Radical Design Group team, comprised of Guy Smith and Rob Montenegro, and Raf aka Someone from Berlin of Ultramaroon, have been huge supporters of mine since day one! So of course I was thrilled at the prospect of joining them for a brand new party on my home turf of Brooklyn. I’m always honored to share the bill with such exceptional artists as Rimarkable, so that feels like a win in itself! The whole crew involved are some of my favorite people in NYC nightlife. I’m honored to be closing out the night and carrying the dancers into the morning, with a whirlwind of techno and a couple of bespoke productions. Sometimes you can feel the impending vibes well before a party opens the doors, and this one is feeling pretty stellar!
What else is coming up for you? Fire Island, perhaps?
Well, certainly Fire Island! The details are still TBA, and I’m chomping at the bit to share… but you can count on seeing me quite a bit out there in various different forms. I also have a slough of travel dates, unexpected local collabs, and my debut EP release on the horizon. And I love being ominous! So, follow me on Insta, and you’ll be the first to know when all of these announcements drop.
Much to look forward to! Okay, lastly: that unique chest tattoo! Is there a story or meaning behind it?
Oh, there’s definitely a story… of teenage delinquency and objectively questionable judgment! The tattoo itself is a geometric representation of the mountains behind my hometown, known as the 3 Sisters. I got it at 15, with a newly pressed fake ID, staying in Seattle’s Capitol Hill, in an AirBnB that I booked myself during the middle of the school year…. The things we did to feel alive as small town kids.
And now she’s slaying the big city! Thanks, Bare Naked!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for DJ Bare Naked’s upcoming appearances, and follow him on Facebook, Instagram and SoundCloud.
Thotyssey 