the band Be Your Own Pet. photo by Stefano Masselli
Hello ladies and everyone,
I’m Mo, your guide to the queer underground, and this(!) is The Deviant Dispatch. I keep a faggoty ear to the ground, delivering you the latest news on NYC’s greatest underground parties, rock shows, and ACTUAL raves- every fuckin’ week. Plus you’ll get it-girl gossip, cultural speculation, snark, typos, and lots of Charli XCX updates. To throw me some much-needed support, become a paying subscriber, share this with someone, or hit the heart button at the top of the post so I know someone is out there.
Here’s a brief update of things that happened last week and don’t worry there’s nothing about war. or grimes. or former reality TV stars eating raw organs.
Star Ah-Me-Rah-Su put out a cover of Frank Ocean’s “Thinking Bout You” and flipped it into a UK garage track. Marina Abramović reportedly told drag queen Mthr Trsa she had star power during a gig at The Slipper Room. SKSKSKS was as successful as ever, with Joey Labejia playing the iconic Korn remix of Rihanna’s “Bitch Better Have My Money.” At PUBIC ACCESS Live (where I DJ’d), Thesan Pollyanna brought the crowd to a standing ovation by performing “Mad World” and Alyssa Bennett told stories about Taylor Swift that were too scandalous to print. Nashville punks of the indie sleaze era Be Your Own Pet have reunited, and you can hear about their current plans via Pitchfork. Brooklyn band Water From Your Eyes is looking for places to say at these dates / cities on tour : Phoenix 3/22, Minneapolis 4/1 and 4/2, Columbus 4/4, Montreal 4/7. Last but certainly not least, Charli XCX releases her 5th album Crash this Friday, but true heads like this writer already heard a leak of it last week.
Charli XCX herself is currently prepping a tour, but lots of fellow music girlies are in Austin Texas for SXSW, which hasn’t happened since 2019. The music fest has historically been a great place to party for free and find out about new bands, but the cooperate ogres frequently overshadow the fledgling independent artists. Take this scene from a 2013 that Andrea Swensson recounted to NPR:
“In the middle of a wide open parking lot was a stage, and on that stage was a band, and I don't remember a single distinguishing thing about that band because towering up above their amps, microphones and guitars was a three-story-high fake vending machine stocked with human-sized bags of Doritos. Is this it? I thought to myself. Is this "The Man" I've heard so much about?
That was all the way back in 2013, so the brand-ification has un doubtably only gotten worse but hey, I’ve never been.
The list of Deviant Dispatch faves attending are as follows:
Claire Rousay
Girl Dick
BLACKSTARKIDS
Pom Pom Squad
Chase Icon (even though she’s underwhelming live)
May Rio
Pussy Gillete
Wet Leg
Macy Rodman (BK nightlife legend)
BABii
Girlpool
Bbymutha
Claud
Dolly Parton (!!!)
Gustaf
Malmalarky
Godcaster
Shonen Knife (throwback!)
Water From Your Eyes
Magdelana Bay
Japanese Breakfast (still!?!)
Shamir
Here’s hoping this artists find helpful managers/publicists/record labels and make it out of that (seemingly) cooperate-sponsored hellscape in one piece. Possibly even without going into debt from traveling there!
For the rest of us who aren’t in Austin Texas, here’s your party schedule for the next few days.
Cheers,
Mo
Club Wonderland
When: Thursday
Where: 3 Dollar Bill
What: loosely affiliated with the House of Quench, this ravey-party has a lineup of some of the most nimble and mind-numbingly good DJs around.
How much: $20
The Cake Boys at The Q
When: Thursday 8-10pm
Where: The Q
What: The drag king and thing collective The Cake Boys have been packing venues full of lesbians and non-binary babies for thier shows at 3 Dollar Bill and Purgatory. Now they’re seeing if their crowd will make the trek to Hell’s Kitchen for their weekly show at The Q. It’s probably the only time I’ll suggest you should go there. These boys put on a show that skews comedic and bizarre, a goofy send up of masiculity we all could use.
How much: no cover
Free them All
When: Friday
Where: Rash
What: This fundraiser for the trans commisary fund (aka when you get the essentials in jail) at the newest place for the kids to dance in Bushwick. In addition to always essential Ant Puke DJing, Lustsickpuppy will be performing live.
How much: $10-100
Bottle Service
When: Friday
Where: Black Flamingo
What: SPRKLBB has been throwing raves since like 2010s so who better to welcome a new club into existence.
How much: $10
Felix Da Houscat Live @ Elsewhere
When: Friday
Where: Elsewhere
What: Electroclash icon Felix Da Houscat DJs all night at Elsewhere. I wonder if he’ll play the original “Silver Screen” or the cheesy David Ghuetta Remix. Either was it’s a gonna be a great night to twirl.
How much: $25 plus online ticket fees
Fagtasia: Lord of The Rings
When: Saturday
Where: Cmon Everybody
What: What could be better than a gay lord or the rings party? Baby Love’s new monthly drag show is making it’s debut and she’s taking us to middle earth to do it. Our femme fat fab hostess will be emobdying both the icy blond elf queen galedrial and grizzled wizard gandalf. The rest of the major characters will be eombodied in a genderfucked casting, even Gollum. Oh, and costumes are encouraged for the audience, so come correct.
How much: Free
Bearcat, Bapari, Shyshaker
When: Saturday
Where: Nowadays
What: Last weekend at a party an aging faggot told me he loves going to Nowadays. When I asked him who he likes to see there, he replied “ it’s not really about who’s playing, there’s just a crew of people who show up every week who are incredible, it’s very queer without being sexual.” Those people are in for a musical treat with Philedelphia’s Bearcat taking the decks. Producer DJ Bapari is now slouch either: with both an epic remixes and original tracks up his sleeve. Expect the hardness of techno with the playful bounce of ballroom. Plus, Bearcat is going B2B with the DJ precolumbian under the name Seltzer.
How much: $22.50
Blind items:
The tinkerbell crew is panning on returning to neverland for the first time since the pandemic began.this long-running alternative drag mainstay is coming back for it’s 5th year this summer
That’s it for this dispatch. If you liked it please consider forwarding this email post to a pal! If you’re the pal please subscribe. You can send me tips about worthy events, news & gossip, and shit about anything I mentioned by emailing thedeviantdispatch@gmail.com or responding to this email. Even just hitting the like button does tons to help this project!