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Refreshing Congeniality Flourishes in Gay Bar Punk Pioneers Emerge From

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Refreshing Congeniality Flourishes in Gay Bar Punk Pioneers Emerge From The Retriever, February 26, 1980, '.e 9 Refreshing congeniality flourishes in gay bar dative, and those with the inclination to By Tom DiMartino make their approbation concrete held up On a recent Sunday evening, The Blade, dollar bills, which the honored performer Karen and I visited the Masquerade Inter­ collected in his travels about the floor, and national Disco, on Boston Street, near Fells for which the benefactor received a kiss. Point. This is a gay bar, and is aptly named Tish and Mhogany did a well-executed - drag shows are featured ~ularly. It was version of "Enough is Enough", imitating the drag show that brought us here, and by Barbara and Donna Summer, and Shirley's happy coincidence, owner Connie Hoffer captial "You're So Vain" was dedicated to was also hosting a public party that night Terry. Kelly Stevenson, a long foxy blonde, in honor of her partner Terry's birthday. electrified the crowd with her dynamic Our two dollar cover took care of the show impression of Bette Midler's "Rose", with and an open buffet. "When A Man Loves A Woman," for The Masquerade is a very pleasant, tidy which he was called for an encore. club, with a small dance floor, pool tables, During the break, while the drag queens pinball machine, and an excellent sound were in the back room planning their next system. It's not a large place, but there are set, I had a short interview with them. The two opera~ing bars (a third was guys were pretty well shellacked by that abandoned). Connie tends one and Terry time, and Mahogany explained that a drag usually minds the other, though the boss queen needs to be oiled up a bit before he gave Terry the night off for her party. can go on stage. I'll buy that. At first glance, there was nothing dis­ These fellows have been performing in tinctive looking about the crowd, except a drag variously from ten months to three few drag queens scattered about. But the years. They're Baltimore boys, but Tish crowd here is a big plus. While many a has performed in Florida and D.C., and straight bar draws a largely homogenous hopes to get into show-business. Shirley clientele (e.g., young white males, or and Tish said they expect.to be performing middle aged blue collar workers) and some at the Block Show Bar, on the Block, but gay bars cater to just men or just women, weren't sure of the date. the crowd here is a pleasant mix of age, Shirley expressed to me a resentment race, sex, and background. Sexual pre­ towards what she feels is the straight com­ ference seems to be the only common munity's attitude about drag. "Straights denominator. And they are a very affable think drag is nothing," she said, and she bunch. contended that it's valid entertainment. To ensure the party would be a true gala The girls wanted to impress upon me event, Connie had booked a troupe of drag that they had not expected to perform that queens from D.C., whom she told me were night and were grossly unprepared. They among the best on the East Coast. The didn't have the proper make-up, didn't show was slated to start at ten o'clock, but have their own records, and hadn't at eleven the D.C. performers hadn't yet rehearsed. shown. Connie, who was by this time In looking over my notes, I'm surprised highly agitated, appealed to the drag at the dearth of information I gathered in queens in the crowd, and on the spur of the this interview. But this wasn't a typical moment they put together a veryentertain­ question and answer session. It more ing impromtu revue. resembled a slightly toned-down riot, as we The four guys, who perform under the spent much of the time laughing at the names Kelly Stevenson, Tish Mercedes, bawdy, funny responses my questions Shirley McLain, and Mahogany, appeared drew, and at the queens' jocular arguing for two songs each in the first set, took a about such things as the enormity of their break, and then performed a second set. It personal dimensions. Besides all the was the first drag show I've seen, and it was guffaws, I was, in the course of the inter­ great fun. The Blade,_however, kept com­ view, offered a kiss, asked for a date, and plaining that, although the drag queens occasionally groped. bars in general, and the Masquerade in your ass in your own hands. "They don't looked good, they didn't have hips. The I spent the rest of the evening, at particular. A couple of the characteriza­ grab your ass in a straight bar - what girls performed on the dance floor, under Connie's suggestion, talking with tions I heard were, "A place to unwind makes you think they'll grab you here?" the disco lights, which were used to good birthday girl, Terry, and with some after hiding out all week," and "A place A straight lady I met told me she comes effect. They mouthed the words to recorded patrons. I was really impressed by the where I can be myself." {\nother said the here beca usc the patrons are open and music while strutting their stuff around congenial and level people I met, and they Masquerade is more down-to-earth than broad-minded. Her gist was, I think, that the floor, sometimes sensuously, some­ put a bit of a dent in my stereo-type of gays some other gay bars. One lady took excep­ people here are wiling to accepl others times elegantly, sometimes in a rawly sug­ as neurotics, unable to accept themselves. I tion to a notion she feels is held by many without requiring that a list of criteria and gestive manner. The audience was appre- asked people with. whom I spoke about gay straights that to enter a gay bar is to take. standards be met. It's a refreshing .(-hangt·. Punk pioneers emerge from the pink hair pack By Julie Thompson around their stentorian emphasis, played At a time when many bands are at least up with catchy lunes thaL save their music dabbling in punk rock as this musical from becoming a mere brawling racket. innovation gains a wider audience, it's "I'm Affecled," with strident rhythm and nice to hear the real thi ng from a band gravely vocals, is a prime example of the that's been doing nothing else since they Ramones' style. Heavy reliance on instru­ began six years ago. The Ramones' lastest mentals punctuates this and most of their album, End of the Century, rev~dls the other cuts, with the welcome exccption of work of four musicians who have polished "Danny Says." Gently-stlUrnmed guitar their style into a glossy work of art whose subtley gains force along with Ihe empha. enjoyment doesn't require a tasLe for safety tic beat in this rocking melody, ending in a pins through the nose and pink hair. nostalgic crooning fade-out. Those who fear that the words progres­ Aside from this one allowance that hints sive and intimidating are synonomous as toward a smoothness, the Ramones spare far as music is concerned need only listen nothing in order to set their audience in to the Ramones newest release. If any­ gyrating motion. Theexhilarating rhythm thing, their sound is reminiscent, in a and grating vocals of "I Can'l Mal.:«.' It On pungent way, of the most tuneful of the Time," render passive listt'ning absurd. sixties' music, though at times it's bris~led When closdy following with the fr.lIltical­ up beyond recognition. This sound is no Iy racing "This Ain't Havanna," and tht· surprise considering Phil Spector, the blistering tanginess of ·'AII the Way," the music maestro who engineered much of Ramones come dose to overdoing a good the sound of the sixties, produced End of thing. They an' s.l\·ed, him·cver, by tlwir the Century. Sporting a trooped-up unrnistakabl(' ability to manipulale tht, version of the Ronette's "Baby I Love You" pounding sIX'l'd of rhythm into lundllily and a raucous remake of "Rock 'n' Roll versatile ro(-kers. End of lite Ceil/lin' High School," the Ramones add a new righlfully tx)aSIS daim to til(' ('nd of INning dimension to the greatly watered-down rock and roll. quality of much nostalgic pop-rock. End of the Ce1ltury Til" Uamolll'.\ e Ramones Indeed, the ('ssence of the band centers Sire Rrcords - lI'amer Brotht'rs .
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