Every Queer Deserves a Forest Rave
The Return of Honcho + The Queer Fam Fund
Hello queer ravers,
It’s Mo aka DJ Gay Panic, and this(!) is The Deviant Dispatch. I’m blogging from my corner of the NYC “underground” to bring you subcultural musings, scene updates, and queer shit. There will be typos.
I’ve just arrived back from a big gay party in the woods.1 I had a great time, but i’m already looking ahead to perhaps the biggest gay party in the woods: Honcho Campout. Currently the only music festival I would recommend2 Honcho is certainly one of the most visible. IG stories / posts of people claiming they had a “magical” experience after a festival is nothing new. Still, the density of the Honcho recaps is second only to Coachella on my feed. No influencers required.
Honcho has the sauce to back up the hype, more than any other ticketed festival I’ve attended. This is a party so auspicious that Doll Invasion changed dates so the Honcho-loving dolls could participate. The people I’ve met at Honcho have become some of my fave dancefloor citizens. I left Honcho with a score of friendly faces that pop up at most every rave I attend.
The lazy river full of pool floaties? Sublime. The dancefloors? Gorgeous even without the hotties present. The food? I still dream about the snow cones, loaded hotdogs, congee, and chicken caesar salad. Roughing it in the gay woods is so much easier with a 12 dollar bloody mary for breakfast, compete with a giant pickle spear.
And the DJs are faaaaaab. The festival focuses on local DJs making waves in their regional scenes, serving as a crash course in the American queer dancefloor underground. It’s a portrait of a scene, not a sound, with something for everyone.
Honcho 2024 is where I first heard the NOLA legend Father Figure. He played one of his famed sunrise sets that had ravers popping out of their cuddle puddles like meerkats as soon as it started. I also caught an exhilarating b2b from Chicago divas Miss Twink USA and Mister Hootchiemama that included such gags like the unreleased Charli XCX song “TKO.” It was a set full of modern club classics delivered with aplomb.
I tragically slept thru Leonce but arrived to the dancefloor in time for Sobolik to make my head spin by playing warped and wonky techno. San Francisco’s CarrieOnDisco lived up to her name with a classic daytime swirl and closed with this sublime Fleetwood Mac edit. Last but not least was the supernova of Eris Drew going b2b with Octo Octa. Their wiggly, all-vinyl set cemented the T4T Luv NRG label founders as one of my top 3 must see DJs live. They’re def the best part of New Hampshire.3
Plus it doesn’t stop with DJ sets. Charlene Incarnate curates topnotch drag from around the country and offers her signature hilarious wit on the mic all weekend. There’s thought leadership all weekend as well, and the eternal pleasure of a moon over a meadow.
The dates for Honcho this year are August 14th - 17th, and ticket start going on sale today. For the under-resourced divas (of which there are many) who are interesting in coming but feeling antsy about the $400+ ticket price, there’s the Queer Fam Fund.
Honcho’s website describes the fund as “our dedicated fundraising and outreach initiative that helps push Campout to be as diverse and inclusive as the broader queer community it serves.” Unsurprisingly, this means focusing Black, Indigenous, and people of color, as well as people of trans and non-binary experience.
I’m a big fan of initiatives working against the circuit partyfication of queer nightlife. Multi-day parties free from straight people shouldn’t be limited to white guys with Equinox memberships and corporate jobs. I love you circuit dad, you’ve got a great ass. It’s just that monotony flies in the face of the rainbow, and the ability of white gays to make money means it’s easier for them to drop said money on a tent and a ticket. Factor in the fact that most (if not all) dance music was originated by working class people of color and the QFF makes lots of sense.
Cuz I love the queer fam fund so much, I’m comping paid subscriptions if you provide proof you donated $40 to the fund’s GoFundMe. Just reply to this email or DM me on Substack with a screenshot of your donation and your email. You’ll get access to the Deviant Dispatch back catalogue (including exposés on unfair festival payment structures, Pride weekend survival guides, and music reviews) Paying subs also get access to my monthly reading lists, and more!
For those NOT interested in parties in the woods, here’s a sampling of events happening this week. Honorable mentions include the former rapper Kreayshawn DJing Rash, the 4 year anniversary of Bar Jade, and Baltimore’s Jia Ling going b2b at Bossa Nova Civic Cub.
See you around,
xo
Mo
Pleasure Dome: Prima Donna
When: Wednesday, May 7th
Where: BK Art Haus
What: It’s the one year anniversary of the high concept drag-based variety show Pleasure Dome and this time we’re entering the diva matrix. “The Gamourous body is one that exists within the im-possible, the im-practical, and the im-probable” the artist/producer Amygdala shared in a instagram post announcing the show. There’s certainty nothing practical about building a uptopia. One of the glamorous guest stars is the Deviant Dispatch’s own Mx. Ology Get there early for special (non-techno) set from Soo IntoIt for the hour before the show.
How much: $23.98 online, $30 at the door
Sheila
When: Friday, May 9th
Where: H0L0
What: This house music party is a staple of every cool gay guy’s calendar. This month’s lineup features heavyweights Dee Diggs with Kilopatrah Jones, two Brooklyn DJs who could convince the most jaded techno goblin to unlock their hips. The host roster is a perfectly curated collection of hot guys, the dolls, and quirky queers. Plus what other party offers you a plush bed to rest on when you’re not dancing?
How much: $40
Narciss (and Me)
When: Saturday, May 10th
Where: Elsewhere
What: I can’t lie and say that me playing this party isn’t a major reason why I’m including this event. Still, the headliner Narciss has been tearing up Berlin dancefloors for years and has worked with some of that scene’s brightest stars like DJ Heartstring and Malulgi. I’ll be in the loft with my friend SPRFRK who you may know from places like Animal and parties like Carry Nation.
How much: Free if you RSVP here
Nowadays Nonstop
When: Sat May 10th - Sun May 11th
Where: Nowadays
What: The iconic 24 hour party boasts such icons as DJ Fuckoff + Maara. The former popped onto my radar thanks to filthy ghettotech revival songs like “Boy U Nasty” and “LIKE IT FAST.” Her newer songs take her love of fast hard beats into a more psychedelic direction, perfect for the hours of 3-6 am. Then Maara takes over, someone who has long explored the dubbier and witchier sides of techno while balancing bratty fun on tracks like “Serving Cunt”.
How much: $26.90 - 32.30
Happy belated Beltane to a my gay witches.
Stay tuned for my review of Whole Festival in Berlin at the end of the summer
My top 3 DJs to see live are Juliana Huxtable, LSDXOXO, and Eris Drew B2B Octo Octa