New York’s gay nightlife industry is undergoing a metamorphosis of sorts, if you will. My generation, now the 30-somethings, partied under the lights at Manhattan’s biggest mega clubs like the Tunnel, Limelight, Sound Factory, Roxy, Twilo… the list goes on-and-on. Today’s 20Somethings will never get the chance to experience the same type of things that I did a decade ago when I was their age. And though their experience may be much different, I hope their memories are just as fabulous.
To ensure that each generation gets their day on the dance floor, gay club owners and promoters are tasked with an ever changing profession. They’re always on a feat to make the next function stand out as the social soiree of the season. All while hoping they aren’t suddenly “out” like Heidi Klum watching Tim Gunn hosted more shows than she has little Seals.
In this “GaySocialites.com presents…” I’m sitting down with DJ Steve Sidewalk who made a ballsy move last Thursday in an attempt to liven things up a little in New York’s gay nightlife scene. He stepped away from his residency at one of New York City’s longest running gay nightclubs where he works with a promoter who clearly has his finger on the pulse of his target demo and vacated a party that has shown him at least a half decade of success. Uncertain what the future might hold, Steve was (needless to stay) excited to see that over one thousand New York gays had come out to support their 20something opening.
As Steve and promoter Justin Luke prepare for their second night, GaySocialites.com has learned that there may not be a third. Evidently the 20something crowd isn’t made up of as many heavy drinkers as one might think. Lower than normal liquor sales combined with the cheaper weekday cover charge just doesn’t seem to reach the numbers needed to keep a club the size of XL open whether you have 12 or 1200 people attend.
Later, we’ll ask Steve if his event will be back next week or not, but the question will be even harder. I don’t plan on tossing Sidewalk a few fluffy questions like “will you be playing old school J-Lo” or “have you picked out which black t-shirt and cargo pants combo you’ll wear”. I want to dive in a bit deeper.
