tHOTlist 2024 #50-1

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50. Kandy Muse

The strong-willed and unfiltered hostess has gone from local drag star to Drag Race darling over the course of a few years, and is now following a new and interesting RuGirl trend by carving her way into general TV stardom. She shows just how much of a modern reality TV powerhouse she’s become with all her scene stealing moments on House of Villains, while also terrorizing the girls on the bunny slopes via another reality production from WoW Presents Plus, SlayCation. None of this is to say that Kandy has abandoned New York nightlife–it’s pretty easy to spot her turning out the party in or out of drag all over the city on any given night, and is set to co-host the 26th Annual Glam Awards at Sony Hall with sis Janelle No. 5 in late January ’25.

49. MissMa’amShe

When she won the Best Comedy Performer Glam Award over several prestigious Manhattan veterans in early 2024, the folks who weren’t paying attention to changing trends in the scene (or for that matter, weren’t really aware of who was doing what in Brooklyn in general), gagged a bit. But Ma’amShe’s fans knew what was up: she’s got irony for days, a quick wit, a stellar social media game, and is very plugged into the most current pop cultural moments. And she’s got fashions for days! MissMa’amShe can most easily be found hosting Monday night bingo and Friday night shows at Good Judy, and has recently begun headlining a new hit monthly show “Mall Drag” at that venue’s sister bar C’mon Everybody.

48. Albatross, Icon and Kween

A lot of bars wanna call themselves Gay Cheers, but maybe Albatross is actually that. A friendly dive in the middle of residential Astoria, Albatross (originally known as a lesbian bar) is perhaps the oldest queer watering hole in Queens County while celebrating ten years of its current management team in 2024. Sister bar Icon opened in 2017, and Pedro Alvarado of shuttered HK hotspot Barrage was brought in to co-own a third sibling with a full food menu, Kween, in 2022. The three venues have become major hubs for Queens queer living, offering community and entertainment via a very undefinable but still oddly cohesive squad of performers and hosts including Avant Garbage, Sherry Poppins, Harriet Tugsmen, Lacy Stoner, Angela Mansberry and Misty Mountains to name just a few. So we dunno, maybe Three Gay Cheerses? All spots have different layouts and programming, but the vibe is the same: “be part of our weird, strong, happy family.”

47. P_A_T

Paul A. Tomasiello is is the ideal DJ most partymakers want for their events: versatile and stylish, who can read the room and draw a crowd. Other cities are catching on too, and P_A_T is quite busy these days. His signature party “Fake Nudes” remains one of The Rosemont’s biggest draws, and you can also find him in the booth for major events at 3 Dollar Bill, Metropolitan, C’mon Everybody, Hush and more.

46. Castrata

Once you overcome the gag that this multi-Glam nominated live singing queen can basically hit those Mariah notes, you will be fully enchanted by her delightful stage presence. Castrata’s a performer who’s rise in the industry is a daily phenomenon, so catch her while you can! She has weeklies at Pieces (“Two Stupid Queens” Tuesdays with Kiki Ball-Change) and Hush (“H2HOE” Saturdays with Hibiscus and Bianca Star), and has a regular presence at Red Eye (Drag Race viewing parties; co-hosting the “Red Idol” singing competition with Michelle Dowdy; a series of live music shows), She’s also likely to pop up just about anywhere else where flashy, superhuman vocals are required.

45. Stonewall

The world’s most historical queer bar and original epicenter for gay rights, Stonewall on Christopher Street remains the Mecca for gay travelers from across the globe and the place where politicians and activists need to be seen at in order to legitimize their advocacy for the queer community. Besides the tourists, local regulars keep coming back for the famously friendly bar staff, DJ dance parties, drag shows, circus shows, burlesque, live music, standup comedy, cabaret, karaoke, community socials, and one of the city’s busiest pool tables. And now there’s a National Monument Visitors Center next door as well.

44. Nymphia Wind

The Taiwanese beauty was just starting to make windfall in NYC drag in 2023 as the recent winner of Maddelynn Hatter’s “Mother” competition at Hush Bar, when Worlds of Wonder caught wind of her talent and swept her up into Drag Race stardom. Thanks to a seemingly loopy personality that may have just been a strategically well-hidden cunning, unpredictable stage antics, and one of the most creatively designed and expertly crafted look galleries in the show’s history, Nymphia not only won the hearts and minds of the home viewership but the whole damn competition as well. It’s been interesting to watch such a young performer achieve so much success early in their career; we can’t wait to see where the winds of creativity blow next for Nymphia. (Editors note: that was a lot more wind puns and a lot fewer banana puns then we expected when we anticipated this entry).

43. Beaujangless

Few people can indicate “the party has arrived” with a simple entrance quite like “Puerto Rican Princess” Beaujangless, NYC’s premier ass-shaker. Whether she’s turning it out for one of her show residencies (“Queen 4 Queen” Mondays at Pieces, “CXNT” Thursdays at Hush and “Senanigans” Saturdays at Playhouse) or for one of the many shows and parties and fashion events and festivals and red carpet premieres she’s booked for regularly, Beau resonates queer joy and wild antics and pure freedom unlike any other.

42. Selma Nilla

With a style that lovingly embraces the “bigness” and camp of her drag foremothers and an eye for production value that brings Broadway-sized glam to bar shows, Selma has truly found her place as a queen to be reckoned with even in this drag-heavy town these past few years. In 2024 she paid tribute onstage to Chappell Roan and Agatha All Along, hosted brunches at Rise Bar, had a residency at The Spot (R.I.P.) and later at Balcon (Saturday’s “The Selma Show,” later renamed “Problematique” with the addition of co-host Vicki Vee), “Show Bitches” at VERS (Sundays with Kiki Ball-Change) and recently “Messy Mondays” at Rise (with Pissi Myles).

41. Sherry Poppins

With a whopping four Glam nominations in 2024, Sherry’s hilariously offbeat take on comedy drag has reached a fever pitch. It doesn’t hurt that there are so many different ways to experience Sherry these days: she’s co-host and co-creator of the Glam-winning drag monthly “STR8 to DVD” at C’mon Everybody, where she also hosts “Cocaine Milkshake” monthly with Lindsay Blowhan. In Astoria, she’s Albatross’ Sunday night party queen and sister bar Icon’s Saturday night hostess. And not to let Manhattan feel left out, Sherry and Jacklynn Hyde can also be found at VERS bar twice monthly with their topical “Tonight Tonight” showcase.

40. Freeda Kulo

Girl, this queen is all about winning! Already starting 2024 as the newly crowned Miss’d America, this Lips Restaurant diva went on to claim the Miss Paradise crown as well (Drag Race stars Honey Davenport, Olivia Lux, Sapphira Cristal and Crystal Envy were all former Miss Paradises, by the way), and 2024 saw her busy with multiple weekly gigs at Paradise as a result. The gorgeous and creative Ms. Kulo is also representing Queens as Kween Bar’s resident brunch queen and a regular hostess at Viva La Heights in Jackson Heights. Freeda’s already starting 2025 with an additional brunch show at Balcon; we can’t wait to see what’s next for her after a new Miss Paradise is crowned in February.

39. Inita D

The fabulously athletic drag hostess is one of what must be a very small number of queens who won Miss Stonewall and Miss Fire Island Entertainer of the Year in the same year… but if anyone could do it, it’s Inita! While she’s been graciously honest about surviving dark times, it’s a true pleasure to bask in her light. Get on this D for her weekend brunches at either Rise Bar or the Red Stache, her rotating gigs as part of Industry Bar’s majestic “QUEEN” cast and as the Spunk party show hostess at Monster, her frequent spots at Stonewall and her annual hosting of the “Mx. Cantina” pageant in Astoria.

38. Red Eye NY

A unique edition to Hell’s Kitchen’s nightlife scene, the two floor venue with state-of-the-art sound and lighting had its first anniversary this past September. Founded by longtime and legendary nightlife impresario Daniel Nardicio, Berlin bar master Adam Klesh, veteran Bar Babes Sam Benedict and Taylor Shubert and the late, great real estate broker Gil Neary, Red Eye offers programming that’s not commonly found in HK, and events with more production pizazz then the average bar show. There’s “The Devil Wears Prada” nude cruising kiki, “Cover Girls” featuring NYC’s only live drag band The Bad Judies, Marti Cummings’ Broadway star interview show “Stage Fright,” Yuva’s Bollywood fest, the “Goldiloxx” stylish bear party, the competition shows “Polish” (for drag performers) and “Red Idol” (for live singers), just to name a few. They also run a full coffee bar during the day, and host major headlining acts that also play Red Eye’s sister venue, The Ice Palace on Fire Island. Perhaps more importantly, they’re the live taping home of Red Eye’s universally loved podcast Thotlight, which is set to return any day now! Red Eye is thriving with brave programming choices while many nearby venues are struggling to keep less fresh formulas relevant; we’re excited to see what they’re offering in 2025.

37. Ty Sunderland

One of the current queer pop culture’s best known DJs, Ty dutifully returned to 3 Dollar Bill in 2024 for his two seasonal, fan favorite residencies: “Ty Tea” and “Love Prism.” But really, Sunderland is the world’s DJ now: producing major festivals, supporting high profile live acts like Natasha Bedingfield, and producing / remixing artists ranging from Kelly Clarkson to Queen of Melrose. We’ll take all the Ty that we can get!

36. Izzy Uncut

New York drag’s Cheerleader on Acid has become an absolute favorite performer both for the genre’s fans and amongst her piers as well, balancing very of-the-moment comedy, fierce movement, a Mean Girls aesthetic and pure chaos energy for every show she does (Mondays at Barracuda, Wednesdays at Pieces and Saturdays at Playhouse, plus rotating brunches at Rise).

35. Eli Escobar

One of New York’s most respected DJs who’s booked for the biggest events both queer and mixed for decades, Eli is well known for sonically educating the children from the booths at Le Bain, House of Yes, “Battle Hymn” at RUMI, Good Room, the Knockdown Center and many others. It’s no surprise that the new Brooklyn venue he opened, Gabriela, has quickly become a hotspot for folks passionate about dance music, featuring some of the best and smartest DJs in the biz… including Eli himself on Thursday nights, of course.

34. Rockbar

Located at the deep end of Christopher Street, Rockbar is still the West Village destination a for the sexiest bear parties, hairiest drag shows, spookiest horror trivia and a hodgepodge of other arousing oddities. They’re also becoming a hub for fetish and kink with nights dedicated to pup play, diapers, and chastity cages. If that’s all too much for you, no worries: they also have cheap, laid back happy hours with a long running early game night on Saturdays, good music, and friendly regulars.

33. Brita Filter

What were you doing in the weeks and days leading up to the Presidential election? Sharing clever memes, arguing with Aunt Lois about the price of eggs, doom scrolling, nothing? Well Mother Brita, who is a liaison for Drag Out the Vote and Out for Biden/Harris, was out there speaking at rallies and later canvasing the streets trying to get people to do the right thing and block Trump from the White House. We had one job, and Brita was doing it for all of us. Brita’s proven herself to be a fighter since surviving one Drag Race’s most plagued seasons ever (Season 12 in 2020, where lockdown grossly affected viewer feedback and a problematic contestant’s antics soured the soup), soon re-establishing herself as one of New York’s most beloved queens. Going into ’25, you can catch Brita weekly at Hardware and monthly at Stonewall, with no doubt a lot of other exciting gigs and projects TBA.

32. Industry & Barracuda

Bob Pontarelli and company opened Barracuda in what was then the NYC hub of gay coolness, Chelsea, in 1995. All these years later, it has stood the test of time as a quirky drag bar featuring the longest-running drag competition anywhere, “Star Search,” and a number of other hit shows. In 2010, sister bar Industry opened in the now arguably oversaturated queer bar scene of Hell’s Kitchen, but holds strong with major drag shows of it’s own like “The Help” and the famously big time revue “QUEEN.” It will be interesting to see what new things these stalwarts of nightlife have for us in 2025.

31. Jasmine Rice LaBeija

A major drag star for the past several years here in NYC, Jasmine is equal parts classy / glamorous opera diva and raunchy comedy clown. She’s also an outspoken Boss Bitch who portrayed none other than the Bossiest Bitch ever, the should-have-been President Hillary Clinton, in a fun cameo in the musical stage parody Five. In 2024 the queen graced the stage weekly at Pieces and Rise, and twice monthly at VERS.

30. The Rosemont

When the Bushwick jazz club flipped into a queer space about a decade ago, it proved a big hit with a younger generation and super relevant in what nightlife could look and sound like. In 2024, the venue continues to be an important and popular Brooklyn destination for drag and dancing, with parties like “ZOO,” “BiLatinQueers” and “Fake Nudes” ranking among the City’s best attended kikis.

29. Lexington Banks

A true multi-threat drag superstar in the making, Lexington can do it all: dance, glamour, comedy, and supreme tallness. She’s got gigs upon gigs too, throughout Manhattan: Balcon, Hardware, Rise and Pieces… and we suspect that Ms. Banks will be banking even more opportunities for 2025.

28. Kiki Ball-Change

The weekly co-hostess of “Show Bitches” (with Selma Nilla, Sundays at VERS) and “Two Stupid Queens” (with Castrata, Tuesdays at Pieces), Kiki Ball-Change (or “Bawl-Chains” according to Wendy Williams) is becoming one of the city’s best known musical comedy queens. Some of her original scripted comedy cabarets toured gayborhoods across the country, such as her acclaimed “Hoe-Down” which had local runs at Joe’s Pub, Red Eye and the Cherry Grove Community House. Kiki has also hosted and participated in large cast Brooklyn productions care of C’mon Everybody and 3 Dollar Bill.

27. Nicky O & Jo Disco

The longtime club kid turned high art-fashioned queen and Glam winning show producer Nicky joins her ride-or-die DJ and co-host Jo in spearheading some of Brooklyn’s most anticipated events–mainly “Night of 1000’s” which features large cast tributes to a different pop diva each month. They also preside over the Metropolitan Bar monthly “Pop-Off,” a weekly show “Rendezvous” at Cassette in Ridgewood, and Drag Race viewing parties at 3 Dollar Bill.

26. Kimmi Moore

One of the two founders of the murderous drag coven The Assassins, Kimmi made a killing in 2024 both at Cherry’s on Fire Island and in her various Manhattan gigs at Playhouse and Balcon. One interesting addition to her weekly repertoire is Sunday’s “Late Night Show With Kimmi Moore” at Playhouse, which features talk show desk and chair set pieces; it not only highlights her fantastic choreography and dancing skills, but also her ability to host not only a fun interview with guest performers but a topical show for the audience as well.

25. Nick Laughlin

Whether he’s producing pop up Divatronic themed drag shows / parties at 3 Dollar Bill or the monthly glamour bearfest “Goldiloxx” at Red Eye, writing and producing original music for his talented friends or starring in the off-Broadway hit Drag: The Musical (co-created by good sis and frequent collaborator Alaska), Nick has so much going on at once it’s a challenge for even this writer to keep track of. But we know that whatever he dabbles in next, it’s gonna be fun and well-produced and an overall big deal.

24. Ladyfag

For many partygoers, the monthly “Battle Hymn” in Chelsea produced by this actual New York nightlife legend is the be-all and end-all of what an epic party is. It certainly brings through many different queer sects under one roof: circuit, T4T ravers, ballroom, and of course the fashion forward look queens who’s photos on social media and in magazines draw new partygoers into the city. Also Ladyfag’s Pride concert / festival ‘Ladyland” was another big draw in 2024, featuring big name headliners like Tinashe, Slayyyter and Countess Luann.

23. Rise, The Spot & The Red Stache

Ted Arenas and his business partners opened the flagship Rise Bar in Hell’s Kitchen back in 2015, and it quickly became a favorite spot in the not-yet-oversaturated gayborhood thanks to it’s sleek layout, sexy bar staff, strong sound and light systems, popular drag shows and brunches and karaoke, and a legion of famous admirers ranging from Real Housewife Dorinda Medley to the Prime Minister of Luxemburg. It remains a popular party and happy hour destination–the best place to show off your new cunty croptop or hot arm candy. A sister venue, The Spot, opened in 2022, also to some success… but by that time the gay bar oversaturation in HK was quite evident, and sadly it closed in August of ’24. 2023 saw the opening of another Arenas-owned (with Shaun Dunn) HK venue, the smaller and more targeted wine bar The Red Stache that also features drag brunches. Rise and The Red Stache appear to be holding their own and serving happy spirits to many… they are definite Manhattan destination material.

22. Lagoona Bloo

Dropping the smooth, sensual and saturating album Underwater Bubble Pop this past spring, this mermaid coded indie recording artist showed us a broader glimpse of her creative versatility: English and Spanish lyrics, banging originals and a fun cover of Vengaboys’ “Boom Boom Boom Boom.” As a drag queen she’s been quite a busy performer as well, currently hosting a solo Hardware show and appearing six nights a week at New World Stages as a hilarious cast member of Alaska’s hit comedy Drag: The Musical (she’s on the original cast recording too, and was part of the show’s first run in L.A.). Lagoona is a top notch queen and artist with an ocean of promise for years to come.

21. Boudoir LeFleur

The mother of a coven of ferociously fishnetted, fierce moving, vamptastic drag sorceresses called The Assassins who have greatly leveled up the New York drag game, Boudoir is a gal who knows how to have a good time while also taking her shows and brand very seriously. Clearly one of Fire Island’s most cherished performers, Boudoir is also keeping Manhattan enchanted via her Hardware, Pieces, Playhouse and Balcon shows featuring rock numbers, explosive choreo and perhaps some actual dark magic to boot.

20. Jan Sport

There have been so many Drag Race alums at this point that even the most ardent fans can’t really be blamed for letting some slip through the cracks of their memory. But there was always something about 2020’s chaotic twelfth season contestant Jan that fully glued her to the hearts and minds of the fandom–raw talent, creative looks, authentic emotion and boundless energy, to name four things–even while her strong efforts were landing her in the competition’s safe zone week after week. Her All-Stars run the very next year did see her with some wins, but still a similar trajectory. And yet was there any doubt that she was gonna move on to even bigger and better things after her RuTime? If you caught her stealing scene after musical comedy scene of the Alaska Thunderfuck-led off-Broadway comedy Drag: The Musical, you’d know the answer to that. Jan’s also returned to a popular bar show at Pieces she helped originate, “Snatched,” and occasionally reunites with frequent collaborator Andrew Barret Cox for “Apocalyse Noir” at Balcon. Might we ever see her reunite with drag singing group Stephanie’s Child sisters Rosé and Lagoona Bloo? Perhaps 2025 will let us know!

19. Brenda Dharling

The epitome of drag excellence, frequent pageant winner Brenda has fostered a massive local fanbase over the years thanks to dynamic dance moves, lush beauty and an actual kind disposition that lets casual bargoers feel like her personal friends and part of a community. Ms. Dharling is a longtime cast member of the epic drag revue “QUEEN” at Industry Bar, where she also hosts the weekly Friday night party. Brenda’s also part of “Legend Wednesdays’ at Rise, and turns it out at Monster Bar on Sundays with FiFi DuBois and select Thursdays with the boys of Spunk.

18. Julie J

We were both excited and a little anxious about this entry, because there is just so much to report and we’re bound to be missing some big 2024 milestone moments for Julie. Let’s begin at the beginning! The fiercely intelligent and fascinating drag performer / actor / event producer started the year with an armful of the biggest Glam Awards of the night: Best Host, Best Event Producer and Entertainer of the Year. Her show calendar included her weekly open stage “Buzzcut” at Macri Park, other weeklies at Playhouse (with Hanukah Lewinsky) and Metro (with Mariyea), the monthly tribute to Black queerness “Sylvester” at Purgatory and several installments of the “Stand Up NYC” massive drag cast benefit revues at 3 Dollar Bill she produced where proceeds went to important charities. Julie got the attention of millions in her role as harried personal assistant Hazel opposite her harridan fashion executive boss (played by Patricia Black) in a complex, serialized comedy web series that brilliantly functions as an ad campaign for jewelry and accessory brand Alexis Bittar. We’d love to speculate what’s next for Julie, but at this trajectory such a guessing game would be folly… we just know that it’s going to thrill and surprise us.

17. Marti Cummings

Now equal parts drag entertainer and political activist, Marti is a person we’re going to be looking towards for both guidance and light in the likely turbulent arena of our imminent future. Leading rallies, canvasing efforts and awareness campaigns throughout the past vital few years, Marti and her peers did not work so hard in vain; they helped lay the foundation for what we can access to protect us in the civil rights battles to come. But aside from all that, Marti is still making us laugh and occasionally forget our troubles, which is ultimately the goal of any good nightlife entertainer.: her long-running “Stage Fright,” an interview and performance showcase for local musical theater stars, has been rebooted at Red Eye to great acclaim, her weekly “Playground Sundays” with Chicky Gorgina at Rise continues to be fun destination, and she’s recently begun a brunch series at 54 Below as well as a bingo night at Hardware.

16. 2Face

The longtime resident DJ of the Tito Rocks family of Bars–Pieces, Hardware, and Playhouse–is now in charge of much of the programming at that company’s newest acquisition, Hell’s Kitchen’s Balcon Salon. A trendy fashionista in his own right, 2Face is well known to drag fans as a frequent collaborator of RuGirls like Bob the Drag Queen, Monet X Change and Salina EsTitties.

15. Susanne Bartsch

The entire New York icon helped innovate the concept of what we call nightlife today–fusing fashion with music and ambiance. Her remarkable events over the decades along with a 2017 Netflix doc have made Susanne conventionally famous enough to be impersonated by Jean Smart in an SNL skit just recently, while still being the Queen of Bohemia. Bartsch’s signature event these days continues to be the forever hotspot “On Top” seasonal Tuesdays at Le Bain, and this year saw the publication of a photo-dense companion book to her history and career, Bartschland.

14. VERS

Opening in 2022, VERS quickly ascended to be an essential HK destination boasting a fancy cocktail menu, a diverse and delightful bar staff and a sexy atmosphere. Popular drag show hostesses include a number of queens who aren’t necessarily doing shows in all the neighboring bars the rest of the week, which helps make their shows destination viewing; there are also popular piano bar, trivia, underwear party and live music nights as well.

13. The Eagle NYC

The Chelsea institution is where the boys have gone to play since 1970–in leather, in gear, in jockstraps or less. Every second spent in the Eagle harkens back to a much sexier time in New York gay bar life, but also feels like something of-the-moment thanks to a recently expanded and elevated dance floor situation that courts top DJs from around the country.

12. Kizha Carr

One of Manhattan drag’s most esteemed hostess, fruitful mothers of drag daughters and skilled makeup artists, Kizha spoke up for herself and many of her colleagues when she aired out the long-lasting trend of venues underpaying drag performers, and walked away from some gigs that weren’t meeting her quote. She even led a “town hall” at Red Eye were local drag folks voiced their grievances about pay and a number of issues. While these issues continue to be hot button discussion points in the industry, Kizha remains a source of entertainment to fans needing a break from their own problems: solo Sundays at Industry, Wednesdays with Pixie Aventura for “The Help” also at Industry, and Thursdays hosting the world’s longest running drag competition “Star Search” at Industry’s older sister bar Barracuda.

11. Shequida

Truly THEE drag queen’s drag queen, if you are a drag performer with a career and a following who’s passing through NYC and you don’t guest perform at “The Shequida Show” at Hardware, you’ve done it wrong. She is the standard of drag beauty, character and performance! That is why Brandon Voss himself keeps bringing Shequida into the Voss Events big moments like Vegas show premieres and local holiday installations. Shequida’s epic “Drag Wars” weekly competition at Pieces is also one of the major places to discover the stars of tomorrow, and “Balcon Rouge” is a sexy revue she hosts that fully utilizes Balcon’s ambiance to great effect.

10. Boxers & HUSH

2010’s opening of the first Boxers in Chelsea led to a venue very much of it’s time and neighborhood: hot, fit bartenders in red shorts pouring drinks, plus cheap happy hours during the day. When Boxers HK opened three years later with the same formula plus a sweet rooftop, it was also of the moment due to Hell’s Kitchen rise as the gay hub of Manhattan. Since then, both Boxers have evolved in their offerings with drag shows, karaoke, game nights and DJ dance parties. HUSH, a HK property the owners opened in 2020 at the site of defunct Therapy, is similar to the Boxers franchise but with it’s own flavor: an emphasis on sexiness thanks to the “Commando” weekly free-baller and the “Leche” Latin party, larger drag cast shows like “Reinas” and “CXNT,” and just a vibrantly lit factor that has kept the kids filling its two floors since day one.

9. Holly Dae

We remember this raucous comedy queen when she was just getting started; now she’s running some of the City’s biggest events. These include “QUEEN” at Industry, the large scale drag revue that Holly’s been show running for several years, and the “Open Call” drag competition which moved from The Ritz to Balcon in 2024. She’s also the in-house hostess who presides over the Spunk gogo boy parties at Monster Bar (Thursdays) and Pieces (Sundays). And now the rest of the world is starting to realize every day should be a Holly Dae–she’s at Feathers in Jersey once a month, and has been regularly performing at Key West and Europe lately. There will no doubt be even better Daes ahead with this boss lady!

8. Bootsie LeFaris

One of New York drag’s most booked women, Bootsie is several queens in one: glamorous live singer, comedy country bumpkin, slutty hoodrat, bohemian beauty. etc. And she’s got a lot of places to be all those queens: Playhouse, Hardware, Monster, Rise Bar, Red Eye and the Fire Island Pines, not to mention her “Sinful Saturday” at Pieces is one of the city’s longest running weekend drag shows.

7. Janelle No. 5

Being a well-rounded, successful drag performer and a producer of multifaceted nightlife events seem like mutually exclusive roles, but Glam winner Janelle proves that a single (exceptional) person can be both at once. Learning some tricks of the trade from drag mom Kandy Muse and likely figuring out much of the rest on her own, Janelle has pretty much dominated the nightlife scene with key events like the high stakes “Are You the Ultimate Diva” pageant at 3 Dollar Bill, “Hustlers” at Boxers HK and “Sexx Dreams” at Metropolitan. She also frequently hosts parties throughout Brooklyn, and joins Beaujangless and Mo’riah (and occasionally other Haus of Muse family members) for Pieces Bar’s “Queen 4 Queen.” Will she get on Drag Race soon? Maybe, but the local scene’s gonna be sorely lacking without her influence upon it.

6. Jake Resnicow

The man behind “M.E.A.T.”, New York’s most popular monthly circuit party, has a long history with event production and media within the queerverse and beyond. In 2024, “M.E.A.T.’s” reach expanded from 3 Dollar Bill to Manhattan’s Circo as well, while Jake continued to run massive Pride-centric annual events worldwide like Planet Pride, Dreamland and Mexico’s Utopia Festival.

5. Horse Meat Disco

The London-based DJ collective of Luke Howard, Severino Panzetta, James Hillard and Jim Stanton originated this music-centric party brand and audio production label on their side of the pond in 2004, and then Horse Meat Disco made its New York debut in the Meatpacking District’s Cielo in 2012. It expanded far beyond that late, great venue to become an institution, courting huge crowds each installment (now at Knockdown Center) and even huger stars (Kylie Minogue performed for HMD’s 10th anniversary New Years Eve party in 2022). With the New York chapter currently led by Josh Wood, Horse Meat continues to be a favorite feast several times a year for New York’s queer dance lovers.

4. Luis Fernando

An immigration lawyer by day, Luis broke through as a small party DJ in New York’s post-lockdown months. The upward trajectory has been so constant ever since, and now he’s clearly one of this city’s most essential movers / shakers. And Mexico’s, too–have you been to Club Bonito, the venue he co-opened there, recently? These days, not only is Luis curating the sound of the room from the DJ booth–he’s booking the best hosts and local performers, linking up with featured Drag Race stars and widely-followed recording artists to perform at his events, posting compelling promotional material, choosing the cutest looks, and fostering an entire generation of nightlifers. The party he created at The Rosemont, “ZOO,” continues to be a Brooklyn favorite, his frequent pop-up events at 3 Dollar Bill are always as fun as they important, and his “Werk Room” Drag Race viewing parties at the posh Arlo Williamsburg are some of the rare New York events to feature stars of the present season dishing on the week’s episode–think the Brooklyn Roscoe’s. Nightlife’s future in the city is uncertain (was it ever otherwise?), but having people like Luis at the helm give us hope.

3. 3 Dollar Bill

Everyone always has a lot to say about 3 Dollar Bill and it’s conjoined twin venue 9 Bob Note, the sites of most of the cities largest and most high profile queer parties. Remember EurovisionGate? That was such a poorly handled series of PR snafus that involved the very public cancelation and abrupt un-cancelation of a Eurovision party (because of Palestine… you had to be there) using very similar wording in both statements, pissing literally everyone off in a fashion that was covered by no less than the New York Post. Then there was the Kamala Harris fundraiser with an all-star lineup that the event producer wound up canceling after pushback from Brooklyn’s mighty TikTok Palestine sect (hope you’re enjoying these first days of Trump 2, you fierce little darlings). Hell, the Trump legal team even tried to serve a subpoena to Stormy Daniels here during her well-publicized documentary release party (she ignored it–werk). This is all to say that, everyone knows that 3 Dollar Bill matters. A lot. Several other Brooklyn venues hosted Eurovision viewing parties that night, and queer bars across the city were publicly supporting Biden and Harris… but to no serious pushback from anyone elsewhere.

There’s no perfect way to run a venue that so many people are so invested in, but the folks at 3DB offer what they can for its nightly parties and events: excellent sound and dynamic lighting, a sexually enticing vintage warehouse feel, affordable drinks and delicious bar bites, one of the most delightful backyard setups in the whole borough, and a very diverse programming calendar. The monthly “M.E.A.T.” circuit party made it’s home here for years, as did Janelle No. 5’s epic “Are You the Ultimate Diva” pageant, the OTA weekly ballroom extravaganza, Baby Love’s expertly produced “Fagtasia” series, the Queer Art holiday fests, New York Burlesque Festival annual events, Ty Sunderland’s seasonal “Ty Teas” and “Love Prisms,” the “Selena Festival,” and Alaska’s “Divatronic” high octave tributes to divadom. JADE, Ross Mathews and a number of top RuGirls have performed there, Madonna and Janet Jackson have casually checked in… kids, it’s an institution. Appreciate it for what it is!

2. C’mon Everybody & Good Judy

Opened by Eric Sosa, Michael Zuco, Sam Gilliland, and Anthony Zuco in late 2014, C’mon Everybody rests on the border of Bed-Stuy and Clinton Hill. With queer ownership and a smattering of LGBTQ+ programming in the beginning–Horrorchata’s “Yas Mama” was an early offering–C’mon eventually rose to a required an essential destination post-lockdown. With a setup that includes a small but well-lit stage and a fine sound system, a cheerful seating area surrounding a pinball machine and a gallery nook showcasing the works of indie artists including excellent in-house photographers Rude Polaroids, AJ Jordan and Anthony Leo, C’mon covers a lot of bases and has changed the face of Brooklyn nightlife. It’s also a great spot for live music and comedy and performance art. Recurring events like La Zavaleta’s “Bitch Fest” competition, MissMa’amShe’s “Mall Drag,” DJ Chaotic’s “Poppers” and the Glam winning “STR8 to DVD” party / show are all fan favorites. But the stage has also birthed a version of drag shows that doesn’t exist in any many other venues in New York: large cast, ticketed, themed one-off shows that often prove popular, artistically relevant and everybody makes money. Perhaps this will become a City-wide standard for nightlife shows. In the meantime there’s also C’mon’s little sister venue Good Judy, opened mid-lockdown 2020 in South Park Slope, which also offers a popular variety programming including a number of live music / cabaret / piano bar moments. Here are two venues representing the present and future of queer Brooklyn; keep your eyes on their calendars and fingers on their pulses.

1. Pieces, Hardware, Playhouse and Balcon

Once upon a time (1993 to be exact), a little gay bar called Pieces opened on Christopher Street, showcasing the time and place’s required offerings of gay hospitality: raunch, hook-up opportunities and surrogate family dynamics. Over the years under the later managerial partnership of Eric Einstein and Justin Buchanan, it evolved into a destination drag bar that draws both the old school gay crowd and the younger, mixed collegiates as well. In 2012 they moved to bring their brand to a second location, Hardware, in the then-rapidly expanding gayborhood of Hell’s Kitchen, to great success–the drag shows quickly got the attention of Drag Race scouts, and an inordinate percentage of show hostesses wound up on seasons to come. A third acquisition came in the form of Playhouse in the West Village, an expensive remodeling of the abruptly closed Boots & Saddle Drag Lounge, right before lockdown in 2020; after that cursed beginning, the site become known as having one of the largest and best dance floors in the whole Village and drew crowds from all walks of life. Finally in 2023, baby sister venue Balcon Salon with its two floors of crimson opulence opened its HK doors to some of the most lavishly produced shows and parties in town. And thus we have Tito Rocks LLC!

There’s a lot that can be said about the efficiency of how these spaces are run, from the day-to-day stuff to long term plans. Speaking as someone who had and lost a slot in one of their dozens upon dozens of weekly events across the four bars, performers and producers are often given chances to create and cultivate and grow their slots; what works works, and what doesn’t is ultimately replaced by something that does–but loyalty and professionalism are rewarded. This largely applies to the vast bar staff as well, many of whom are the best-known and most beloved (ogled, thirst trapped and followed) pourmasters in the biz; Tito Rocks’ social media guru ensures that the bartenders and cocktail waiters are regularly featured as the most fun folks to know in frequent posts (a practice that shockingly few other bars do in their own marketing). Much care is also given to their excellent DJ roster, gently directed towards Top 40 pop pleasure for the basic bitches while also given allowance for creative and innovative curation to work their way in to the sets.

There’s something for everyone in these venues, and there’s reasons to keep your expectations high for all of them. They’ve all weathered the challenges of their times, and they’re all likely to be the standards of how to hold fast against the challenges to come.

That’s it!