This past weekend my friends Jovino and (DJ) Mermaid, the creative genuises behind Bunnywarez, fine purveyors of playa wear, celebrated their simultaneous birthdays with a party at their Oakland warehouse/factory, and I was reminded of how much fun it can be to just hang out and get goofy with a strange group of people and then crash on a makeshift bed, surrounded by bolts of fun fur, as the gloaming is showing through uncurtained windows.
I've know Jovino and Mermaid for about three years, and have watched with great pleasure as Bunnywarez has exploded from an occasional sale at various cons to a thriving Web business (their front page currently shows 729281 views). As Jovino put it, they are now battling the Boss that bars their entrance to the next stage of the game, as their orders have well exceeded the capacity of their home sewing operation. Bunnywarez has become a full-time business for the both of them, and it looks like the next move will be to delegate the needle and thread work to contractors as they manage the clothing design and administration of the business.
For me Jovino and Mermaid exemplify the promise of the Bay Area, the idea that you can be an eccentric, kooky, freaky, smart person and find a way to thrive without needing to buy into the typical corporate track. They live in a warehouse, they have friends who are in punk bands and spin fire, they're regular Burners, they DJ and participate in crazy events like Bunny Jam, while at the same time they are successful entrepeneurs with a thriving business. They should be an inspiration to us all.
The party itself was great fun, if somewhat on the small side. Lord Kook got to DJ for a bit, I met and talked with some interesting people, and even got to walk away with a fantastic furry shrug that everyone agreed was totally me. Sometimes parties don't have to be huge woo-woo affairs to satisfy the craving for social interaction, they just have to be populated with good friends who enjoy one another's company.
Showing posts with label DJ Mermaid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DJ Mermaid. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Event Review: Comfort and Joy's "Lucid Dreams" at The Cinch
On Saturday night Comfort and Joy took over the regular Spunk night at The Cinch on Polk Street for their "Lucid Dreams" party, an auction and raffle event to raise money for the queer Burning Man camp. With blacklight art from resident artist Chickpea, Spunk's regular go-go boys (including one very tasty young man with a green mohawk), big white projection screens on the wall, and classic tunes from DJ Mermaid, The Cinch was more festive than I ever thought possible, and I believe this may have been their largest crowd ever on a Saturday night.
For me Lucid Dreams was mostly about an opportunity to socialize with friends. Though they have an okay DJ set up that you think would mean more dance-oriented events at The Cinch, the actual sound system is, in their own words, "kinda janky," and in the back area, where you have the most room for a dancefloor, the sound comes out of what seem to be old car stereo speakers. Given these pretty severe limitations Mermaid was still able to impart a fun, easy-going mood to the party, and when Juanita Fajita and Winona Juggs toppled up onto the stage for the auction portions of the evening, the crowd was loosened up enough to part with a considerable wad of cash for "experiences" like hanging out with Adrien and Mysterious D of Bootie fame, getting a playa make-over from the Metamorphosis Salon, and a nude photo shoot, among others.
The Cinch is really starting to grow on me as a venue - it's very laid back, I like that there's a back patio area, and the drinks are easily the strongest on Polk Street. There's a punk rock vibe to all the events I've attended there, and I saw scads and scads of queer burners, artsy types, and Polk denizens. It would be nice to see them upgrade their soundsystem and get a little more dancing and less pool shooting in the back area, but in the meantime it remains high on my list of great queer hangouts.
Lucid Dreams Photos by The Boyfriend
The unsinkable Miss Juanita Fajita.
Somehow this photos says it all. Fancy footwear by Misses Juanita Fajita and Winona Juggs.
Ummmm, limber go-go boys. Can I be your back door man?
The devilish DJ Mermaid.
For me Lucid Dreams was mostly about an opportunity to socialize with friends. Though they have an okay DJ set up that you think would mean more dance-oriented events at The Cinch, the actual sound system is, in their own words, "kinda janky," and in the back area, where you have the most room for a dancefloor, the sound comes out of what seem to be old car stereo speakers. Given these pretty severe limitations Mermaid was still able to impart a fun, easy-going mood to the party, and when Juanita Fajita and Winona Juggs toppled up onto the stage for the auction portions of the evening, the crowd was loosened up enough to part with a considerable wad of cash for "experiences" like hanging out with Adrien and Mysterious D of Bootie fame, getting a playa make-over from the Metamorphosis Salon, and a nude photo shoot, among others.
The Cinch is really starting to grow on me as a venue - it's very laid back, I like that there's a back patio area, and the drinks are easily the strongest on Polk Street. There's a punk rock vibe to all the events I've attended there, and I saw scads and scads of queer burners, artsy types, and Polk denizens. It would be nice to see them upgrade their soundsystem and get a little more dancing and less pool shooting in the back area, but in the meantime it remains high on my list of great queer hangouts.
Lucid Dreams Photos by The Boyfriend
The unsinkable Miss Juanita Fajita.
Somehow this photos says it all. Fancy footwear by Misses Juanita Fajita and Winona Juggs.
Ummmm, limber go-go boys. Can I be your back door man?
The devilish DJ Mermaid.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Upcoming Event: Prepare for the Playa, Sunday June 10
Okay, so whether you want to prepare for the playa or just make sure you have some togs that will get you off the cover charge when it says "playafied," you should definitely check out this playa fashions sale at Mighty (especially gear from my friends Jovino and Mermaid at Bunnywarez). DJs, fire, fashion, essential playa gear, dancing, all at Mighty (119 Utah Street) from noon until 7PM. Hit the link for full details: Prepare for the Playa!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Event Review: Fools at C and S
Three hours north of the city there is a man-made paradise that has been planted on the side of mountain that, thirty-five years ago, was a clear-cut ecological disaster. Founded by a self-described “hippy draft dodger,” this off-the-grid, sustainable farm also includes a private campground that, from Memorial Day to Columbus Day, hosts events with names like Kamp Kink, Fortuna, Queen Acres, Friends and Family, and Sweet. This past weekend the boyfriend and I wrangled guest spots (and DJ slots) at an event called Fool’s. Though it was not the weekend we expected when we left the city, it was nonetheless an opportunity to clear the head of the constant city buzz, play some music, and take in some much needed chill time.
I’ve been to several events at this space over the past years, and any invitation is one that should certainly be accepted. This one came courtesy of our friends DJ Mermaid and Jovino, and arrived at a time when the boyfriend and I definitely needed time away from the city together. Traveling to this space, which I will refer to as C&S, is always an undertaking, and this particular trip was a veritable comedy of errors that included forgetting “something” I had been saving for an event like this for several months (as well as the usual Altoids tin that I take along for such occasions), getting onto 80 and going across the Bay Bridge instead of the Golden Gate, and neglecting to lay in any food for ourselves, since we were expecting more of a communal kitchen arrangement. That we had to scavange for a few basic necessities and accessories was not particularly onerous, however, since, like Burning Man, C&S usually provides. We arrived on Friday night in the kind of irritable mood that arises when you’ve had to endure single-lane highway traffic for a while, but C&S functions in many ways like a decompression chamber, so that after you’ve been there for a while, all those nasty bubbles begin to percolate out of your system.
Fool’s was different than other events that I’ve attended at C&S in that it was very family-oriented – I’m not used to seeing so many strollers, or breast-feedings, or naked children running around. Though we met other gay boys through the course of the weekend, the boyfriend and I felt a little odd in this environment, as though we were the couple exhibiting the most sexual novelty. In looking at the various photos that folks have posted of the event so far I’ve noticed a predominant number of “mother with child in nature” photos, and the veritable celebration of the fertile feminine is a bit challenging to those of us who think of children as things that should be neither seen nor heard. On Saturday afternoon a notebook was being passed in which you were asked to respond to questions like “What have you not done that you would like to try?” I responded, without much consideration, “Underage youth.” In retrospect perhaps this was not the best response for this group.
The boyfriend (in his guise as Lord Kook) and I each got prime DJ spots on Saturday night, though the timing worked out so that, at 8PM, I was playing techno to a line of people queued up for dinner. There was booty-shaking in the line, but I also knew there were people there who hate techno and would have preferred not to have been so much of a captive audience. It was a challenging situation, including having a woman with a crying child seated behind me at a table who then asked me to turn it down because my techno was what was making the child so unhappy. That’s right, kids, I play music that makes babies cry. Lord Kook’s set was much better, and better received, and then Jovino played out the night with a really great downtempo set. Lord Kook and I both came away wishing we had more of different kinds of music we could have played, and if we are able to swing the invites to Queen Acres in August (a queer event), I think we will have worked out some sets that are more attuned to playing an outdoor space than the clubs and warehouses (and their particular audiences) that we have grown used to.
This space has camping events all through the summer, and if you’re a regular reader of this blog, know a couple Burners, or have found yourself at an underground party or two over the years, you probably know someone who could swing an invite to this special place for you. Start asking, because you’ll be very happy when you get to experience it for yourself. As for the boyfriend and I, this weekend was enough to convince us to skip Burning Man this year, and instead focus our time and energy on some nice long weekends at C&S events.
I’ve been to several events at this space over the past years, and any invitation is one that should certainly be accepted. This one came courtesy of our friends DJ Mermaid and Jovino, and arrived at a time when the boyfriend and I definitely needed time away from the city together. Traveling to this space, which I will refer to as C&S, is always an undertaking, and this particular trip was a veritable comedy of errors that included forgetting “something” I had been saving for an event like this for several months (as well as the usual Altoids tin that I take along for such occasions), getting onto 80 and going across the Bay Bridge instead of the Golden Gate, and neglecting to lay in any food for ourselves, since we were expecting more of a communal kitchen arrangement. That we had to scavange for a few basic necessities and accessories was not particularly onerous, however, since, like Burning Man, C&S usually provides. We arrived on Friday night in the kind of irritable mood that arises when you’ve had to endure single-lane highway traffic for a while, but C&S functions in many ways like a decompression chamber, so that after you’ve been there for a while, all those nasty bubbles begin to percolate out of your system.
Fool’s was different than other events that I’ve attended at C&S in that it was very family-oriented – I’m not used to seeing so many strollers, or breast-feedings, or naked children running around. Though we met other gay boys through the course of the weekend, the boyfriend and I felt a little odd in this environment, as though we were the couple exhibiting the most sexual novelty. In looking at the various photos that folks have posted of the event so far I’ve noticed a predominant number of “mother with child in nature” photos, and the veritable celebration of the fertile feminine is a bit challenging to those of us who think of children as things that should be neither seen nor heard. On Saturday afternoon a notebook was being passed in which you were asked to respond to questions like “What have you not done that you would like to try?” I responded, without much consideration, “Underage youth.” In retrospect perhaps this was not the best response for this group.
The boyfriend (in his guise as Lord Kook) and I each got prime DJ spots on Saturday night, though the timing worked out so that, at 8PM, I was playing techno to a line of people queued up for dinner. There was booty-shaking in the line, but I also knew there were people there who hate techno and would have preferred not to have been so much of a captive audience. It was a challenging situation, including having a woman with a crying child seated behind me at a table who then asked me to turn it down because my techno was what was making the child so unhappy. That’s right, kids, I play music that makes babies cry. Lord Kook’s set was much better, and better received, and then Jovino played out the night with a really great downtempo set. Lord Kook and I both came away wishing we had more of different kinds of music we could have played, and if we are able to swing the invites to Queen Acres in August (a queer event), I think we will have worked out some sets that are more attuned to playing an outdoor space than the clubs and warehouses (and their particular audiences) that we have grown used to.
This space has camping events all through the summer, and if you’re a regular reader of this blog, know a couple Burners, or have found yourself at an underground party or two over the years, you probably know someone who could swing an invite to this special place for you. Start asking, because you’ll be very happy when you get to experience it for yourself. As for the boyfriend and I, this weekend was enough to convince us to skip Burning Man this year, and instead focus our time and energy on some nice long weekends at C&S events.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Comfort and Joy's Afterglow Afterparty
Queer Burning Man camp Comfort and Joy staged their third Afterglow afterparty at the spacious home of a generous benefactor in the USF neighborhood this past weekend, this time going all out and producing a mini-Trannyshack that featured peformances by both camp members and special guests such as the reigning Miss Trannyshack, Raya Light. The show started well over an hour late and ran about two acts too long, but Raya's performance to Charlene's "I've Never Been to Me" was one of the most amazing and disturbing things I've ever seen, taking full advantage of the "private party" to do some things you could never get away with at The Stud.
Resident DJs Neco D and Lord Kook (also of Drunk and Horny fame) provided the tunes along with guests DJ Mermaid and Xan-X (Ambi-sonic). Neco D laid down a fun, upbeat 80s set, hitting enough well-known tracks to spark nostalgic conversations in the kitchen but also injecting enough unique choices (though I see the t-shirts everywhere, I've not heard Joy Division at a party in a while) to avoid the banality of a This Was the 80s compilation. Faced with what was probably an unexpected "extended" set Neco D soldiered on admirably with support from Lord Kook while the girls got themeslves together, and by the time the show was ready they had such a dancefloor groove going I really wished they had just been able to do away with the show and let us dance. Mermaid took over after the show with a classic disco set that seemed to find general favor with the crowd, but I was too comatose on the couch in the kitchen after eating a brownie to notice much. I was really there to hear Lord Kook, anyway, and after a "command performance" by Erika Kandy Kane I finally got to hear him go on 3.15. Though going on well after the peak and limited to only an hour and fifteen minute set, Lord Kook managed to encompass everything from Modeselektor's "Silikon" to The Infidel's "Love Like Semtex," with enthusiastic and ecstatic (of course) responses from a smaller but hardcore dancefloor. Xan-X picked up from him with more tribal "downtempo" beats from the likes of Sphongle, but this was clearly in prepartion for lowering the flaps and coming down into chillier regions.
The crowd was a terrifically diverse mix of hipsters, Castro clones, bears, faeries, and gay glitterati including Jeff and Gary, John Wood, and Terrance Alan. For the alterna-gay crowd this was clearly the place to be, and after 1.30 the carry-over from Drunk and Horny pushed attendance up close to probably 200 people. As they packed in and the temperature climbed the shirts (and other things) came off. The basement playspace was too hot and too crowded for me to deal with, but clearly that wasn't the case for others. Breakfast champagne was being poured when I left, and a friend reported in at 1PM on Sunday that he, and quite a few other people, were still there.
This was Comfort and Joy's first fundraiser of the season, and word is that they have two more events in planning now, one at a club with two other groups in April, and another for Pink Saturday in June. If you want a party that will remind you of why we love San Francisco, you should check out an Afterglow.
Resident DJs Neco D and Lord Kook (also of Drunk and Horny fame) provided the tunes along with guests DJ Mermaid and Xan-X (Ambi-sonic). Neco D laid down a fun, upbeat 80s set, hitting enough well-known tracks to spark nostalgic conversations in the kitchen but also injecting enough unique choices (though I see the t-shirts everywhere, I've not heard Joy Division at a party in a while) to avoid the banality of a This Was the 80s compilation. Faced with what was probably an unexpected "extended" set Neco D soldiered on admirably with support from Lord Kook while the girls got themeslves together, and by the time the show was ready they had such a dancefloor groove going I really wished they had just been able to do away with the show and let us dance. Mermaid took over after the show with a classic disco set that seemed to find general favor with the crowd, but I was too comatose on the couch in the kitchen after eating a brownie to notice much. I was really there to hear Lord Kook, anyway, and after a "command performance" by Erika Kandy Kane I finally got to hear him go on 3.15. Though going on well after the peak and limited to only an hour and fifteen minute set, Lord Kook managed to encompass everything from Modeselektor's "Silikon" to The Infidel's "Love Like Semtex," with enthusiastic and ecstatic (of course) responses from a smaller but hardcore dancefloor. Xan-X picked up from him with more tribal "downtempo" beats from the likes of Sphongle, but this was clearly in prepartion for lowering the flaps and coming down into chillier regions.
The crowd was a terrifically diverse mix of hipsters, Castro clones, bears, faeries, and gay glitterati including Jeff and Gary, John Wood, and Terrance Alan. For the alterna-gay crowd this was clearly the place to be, and after 1.30 the carry-over from Drunk and Horny pushed attendance up close to probably 200 people. As they packed in and the temperature climbed the shirts (and other things) came off. The basement playspace was too hot and too crowded for me to deal with, but clearly that wasn't the case for others. Breakfast champagne was being poured when I left, and a friend reported in at 1PM on Sunday that he, and quite a few other people, were still there.
This was Comfort and Joy's first fundraiser of the season, and word is that they have two more events in planning now, one at a club with two other groups in April, and another for Pink Saturday in June. If you want a party that will remind you of why we love San Francisco, you should check out an Afterglow.
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