A true NYC nightlife fashionista, multimedia performance artist, dancer and partymaker, Gage Spex is taking us to church this Fashion Week. [Cover photo: Santiago Felipe]
Thotyssey: Thanks for talking to us, Gage! Summer is basically in our rear view… how did the season treat you this year?
Gage Spex: It’s been a beautiful, but different, type of summer for me–balancing work and play. I’m currently in Fire Island Pines on the beach, staying here for a few days.
Gorge! You actually had something to do with the BOFFO art and performance series out there this summer, right?
I performed two summers ago; this time I was just one of the guest hosts “ambassadors.” This year was the first year there was a nightlife party until 6am, and Morenex performed at sunrise; it was incredible.
Did you happen to cross to the other side of FI to see any of Miss Fire Island?
No, but I hung out and ran around with Thee Suburbia who won Miss Ice Palace. I was here for the Doll Invasion.
You’re generally known as an event producer and host, but you’ve also done some on stage performances yourself over the years. What have those performances been like… are you a lip syncher?
I have done a handful of lip sync numbers, but my performance background is in dance… so usually they are more visual and movement based performances. I also do a yearly performance with Larussa Dance that is at New York Live Arts in October.
Can you tell us a bit about where you’re from, and if you always had a background in dance, art, fashion, fabulosity, etc.?
I was adopted from Colombia and grew up in western Massachusetts. Since childhood I was dressing up, doing drag and dancing and drawing. Originally I wanted to be a fashion designer, and went to school in San Francisco for that… but ended up having a multidisciplinary major.
What brought you to New York?
Since I was a child, I always wanted to live in NYC. I took a detour in SF and Europe, but have lived in NYC since 2010.
You originally became known in NYC nightlife as a mysterious and fashion forward figure named Gage of the Boone, and you were running a recurring party / nightlife brand called The Spectrum! How and when did that all come about, and how might you describe that time and scene?
I was asked to host for Ladyfag and Susanne Bartsch when I first moved here due to the looks that I was doing as a creature of the night. The Spectrum started as a performance art space in 2011, and we started throwing parties to financially sustain the project. There was not as much electronic music happening at that time, so we got known for the underground parties. The Spectrum was from 2011-2016, and then expanded to our bigger Dreamhouse space from 2016-2019.
Now we call you “Gage Spex,” which I’m guessing is a nod to “Spectrum,” but you’re no longer at either of those spaces as far as your nightlife events go.
My [original] club name was actually my family name, and I wanted to have a name that was a mix of my family and chosen family, thus Spex. We had been doing events at other spaces even when we had venues, so now we are just continuing in new ventures and spaces. Its freeing to not have a venue, but also a lot of work.
You’re going to do an event at the Judson Memorial Church in the West Village on Saturday! What can you tell us about this church?
Judson has an incredible legacy of activist work with the LGBTQIA community, and still does a lot of work that is aligned with our values. It’s a space I have always been interested in working with. I was surprised at how accessible it was, and this is a first in a while for this type of party. It hopefully will be a monthly event!
Tell us what to expect from “Doll Club,” which will feature fantastic DJs Lauren Flax, Junior M & Fashion LaBeija!
I have always wanted to do a dance party in a church. People always talk about clubs being the churches of our community, so I want to actualize this and remind us of our focus on dance, care, and music as a space to heal, build and communicate. It’s an earlier event for the first one (7pm-1am), to test the waters. It also has a harm reduction aspect, for those in our world working with sobriety / moderation.
And it will maybe give a moment to the folks who miss or never experienced the Limelight, which was a former church!
Yes, it is a nod to a few different NYC legacies, but doing it in our own new way. The name “Doll Club” is also inspired by Greer Lankton’s creation of dolls, and the doll store that she had in the city.
What else is coming up for you?
I have a panel discussion at The Park Ave Armory on September 8th as a part of “Day to Night.” I am a host for a Climate Ring event at Performance Space NY on September 27th. We are also looking for a publisher for a “Spectrum” photo book.
Amazing! Okay, to close: do you have an all time favorite designer, or collection?
Alexander McQueen will always be a favorite. La Poupée (1997) was the one that really changed my life, and [made me] look at what was possible when I saw it when I was 13 years old. I honestly did not know it was called La Poupée, which translates to: The Doll.
Full circle splendor! Thanks, Gage!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Gage Spex’s upcoming appearances, and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
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