Bash Compactor: I’ll Take One of Each

  “No, we can’t let you in right now. Not until the firemen leave,” the security dude said.There were a bunch of fire trucks and some hunky firemen out in front of Cake Shop, so my friend Jennifer and I waited outside in the bracing cold chatting with some random revelers, awaiting our turn to have fun. It was the third year anniversary of Queers, Beers and Rears, the monthly homopunk party held in the basement of the funky Ludlow Street sweet shop and nightclub.  

Abbreviated as QxBxRx, the party is a creation of Stephen Crowe, Erik Karff and Andrew Martini, who started things off in Williamsburg in 2007 but that summer moved to the LES. Known as a night for boys who don’t like glittery gay nights, the party often features loud rock bands in addition to hot, half-naked go-go boys standing around in skimpy BVDS and drinks specials that lean toward cheap beer and whiskey.

For the anniversary, the guest DJ was Lily of the Valley (AKA Michael Cavadias), who always plays a vibrant mix of house music and kick-ass rock numbers. Even better, the former model and sometimes actor also looked oh-so-beautiful behind the DJ booth. On stage were New York rock acts Big Gold Belt, Holy Hail and New York Press favorites Love or Perish, all adding grit that your average night at a Liza Minnelli lip-syncing drag show can lack.

“What I love about this party is it’s not one of those typical, dreary, gay boy things. They play my kind of music,” said the long, lean and bespectacled Taylor Derwin, 23, who attends frequently.There’s a band of regulars at the party, attracting queers both male and female—and all are friendly. About 10 different people came up to start a conversation with me, lucky since I couldn’t see my friends in the crowd. I was looking for performance artist cum go-go boy Max Steele, but someone told me “He’s having some dental issues tonight.”Whatever that means.

“Hey, let’s go to T Poutine for some fries ’n’ gravy,” Jennifer said. She’d earlier sampled some cheesecake at Cake Shop but was still hungry and it was already 4 a.m. As much as I adore queers, beers and rears—in no particular order, I might add—it was time for some carbs, cheese and grease.