While many of the 1980s club kids have cleaned up or moved on, Lee Chappell, whose Locomotion party ran for 17 years at venues like the Roxy and Palladium, hasn’t quite had his fill. Beginning Monday night, the nightlife veteran, whose first job was toiling for the infamous Michael Alig, will return to the scene every Monday with two new weekly parties: Foreign Affairs, a live music show at the oddly funereal Night Hotel, and Drip, a pool party at the Room Mate Grace hotel.
And while Midtown might seem like a stretch for the nightcrawlers Chappell hopes to attract, the veteran entertainer has big plans for both of his new parties—30odd blocks north of 14th Street be damned! Chappell stumbled upon the Night Hotel after a Death Cab For Cutie concert at Radio City Music Hall and fell in love with the black marbled, modern gothic décor of the lobby.
As fans of Locomotion will remember, Chappell holds live spectacles in high regard and felt the Night Hotel would be the perfect spot for cabaret shows.The theme plays off the sensibilities of his co-hosts—comedian and chanteuse Lady Rizo and Isengart, a singer of 1920s and ’30s cabaret-style songs in French, German and English.
“We’re taking that [cabaret] style, and giving it an upbeat, modern version,” says Chappell. “In Isengart’s last performance for me, he did a rendition of ‘She Blinded Me With Science’ by Thomas Dolby and it’s updated in a weird, fun and quirky way.” Similarly, Lady Rizo did a version of Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” that had Chappell in stitches, and the two acts jumped to mind when he walked into the Night’s intimate lobby. “It’s not just someone singing Marlene Dietrich songs, like ‘Falling in Love Again,’” he explains, although we may see that too.The space will only hold about 70 people, so Chappell expects a tightly packed crowd, ready made for live performance. Aside from his hosts, other performers will include Amber Ray, as well as Joey Arias, Sherry Vine and, as Chappell calls them, “other people of that ilk.” The Room Mate Grace, a boutique hotel with an orange “mod” motif and the distinct smell of an indoor pool, will be host to Chappell’s other party, Drip. It sits just across the street from the Night, and Chappell was charmed by it—thanks to the bi-level pool area with stone banquets and chrome wallpaper. Hosted by Chappell’s longtime friend S(he)quida and with music by DJ Jonjon Battles (the resident DJ at popular W. 46th St. gay dance bar the Ritz), the party should be visually stunning—meaning that some of the attendees may lose track of their “required” bathing suits.The inspiration for having two events on the same night stems from Chappell’s experience of running Locomotion both at the Palladium in New York and in Philadelphia; he would run back and forth in the same night, moving costumes and equipment between the cities.
Working in nightlife was only one of Chappell’s many creative outlets. He lived in Buffalo while training as a professional figure skater and supported his career by working as a couturier, becoming well known for his talents during the club days. He still designs drag concepts for drag artists like S(he)quida and Sweetie like he did back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and keeps busy no matter what. Indeed, after retiring permanently from skating and temporarily from nightlife, he worked as a full time baker for several years, creating unique pastries for the Rapture Café and Osteria Del Sol, two dearly departed East Village haunts.
Part of his foray into more sedentary outlets was due to debilitating arthritis, a result of the vigorous training figure skaters receive— not to mention the toll of several lifetimes worth of clubbing. “Five hours a day, six days a week, 11 months a year for 16 years finally caught up to me,” Chappell admits, referring to his training. “I retired seven years ago after my body started falling apart and have had two full hip replacements.”
Still, he remained as involved in nightlife as possible and never stopped creating, whether in the kitchen or with a needle and thread.
“I’ve been more of an avid ‘couch’ nightclub professional for lack of a better term. If we didn’t have the modern capabilities and technologies, I would be in a wheelchair right now. That in itself is amazing, everything else is pure icing for me.”
Party promoter Lee Chappell in his finery.
> Foreign Affairs
Mondays, Night Hotel, 132 W. 45th St. (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), 212-835-9600; 8, FREE.
Drip
Mondays, Room Mate Grace Hotel, 125 W. 45th St. (betw. 6th Ave. & Broadway), 212-380-2700; 9:30, FREE
