THAT TIME OF YEAR

GOOD TIMES: A WHOLE LOTTA LINA

It is no secret that my favorite Good Times of the year just happens to celebrate the birthday of my favorite person in the world, DJ Lina Bradford. So, as always, we at our Wednesday Eastern Bloc party threw our annual Led Zeppelin birthday Lina fiesta two weeks ago, which happened to be the night before Lina and I flew off to London for more DJ hijinx.



Erickatoure arrived on the earlier side of things in order to procure the best seat in the house, aka a view from the side of the DJ booth.

Lina even arrived early (so professional!) ready to rock out in her daisy dukes and her I-just-had-sex hairdo.

Looks like Jared has traded in his winter Henley's for some spring and summer time tank tops. And we're not complaining.

Mauricio (right) was actually waiting in line behind Lina the day before and since he had yet to make her acquaintance, texted me to say how fetching she appeared. (It's as if I have spies everywhere!) 

Already planning a way to bring Armando (left) back out to Los Angeles with me for my upcoming gigs May 14th till the 22nd. Oh, and speaking of Los Angeles, we have LA's finest, DJ Victor Rodriguez, joining us at the next Good Times on April 25. LA ALL THE WAY!

Gugu (left), giving major eyebrows. Gugu is also a young'un who was super enthused to be hearing rock 'n' roll (Led Zeppelin!) out at a New York party for the first time in ages and even asked me to write down the title to Fool in the Rain because she was feeeeeeeling it, as was I.

The Benetton crew! They come in all shapes and colors and I love them all.

It's been two weeks since this party so naturally, I have no recollection of seeing or speaking with these people (or taking their photo for that matter) but I'd like to pretend these two are Spanish tourists visiting from Madrid and ready to snort some poppers on the dancefloor.

I think these dudes called one another right before going out and they were all like, "yeah, let's go with blue for tonight!"

Lina has a vast array of handsome friends and followers, including Peruvian hotcake Roberto (center) and the Palestinian princess known as Tawfik (right. Call him Ta-Ta's if he's nasty).

Michael (left) has stopped showing face in these parts of town due to his crazy commute to and from New Jersey but we are always overjoyed with memories of Black Party 2011 when we do get to see him. And we love keeping tabs on Peter's Chia beard as well.

I really hope Rob and Duan both have vanity plates on their cars back home that say 2 CUTE 2 B STR8, mostly because it's really really true.

WIGSTOCK REUNION! I pretty much died when the king of rock 'n' roll nightlife, Formika (right), reunited with the queen of Zeppelish, Ms. Lina Bradford. And from the point forward, the levee broke.

This was only the second or third time I've ever seen Scott on the island of Manhattan (rather than the Island of Fire) but we got all giddy gabbing about our upcoming summer adventures in and around Lina's Kiki Lounge.

Two sharp dressed men and some schlub in a Lisa Lisa Cult Jam shirt.

Lina, bringing it on home in true Lina fashion.

The Ocean (of Good Times goers. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINISH!)

Greg, Tim and Jared (from right) took center stage so everyone was sure to see them as they rocked out. Did I mention that we played all Zeppelin, all night? Cuz we did. And it was once again, awesome.

There is no way to describe the energy that was unleashed when these two reunited...

...but this photo sort of sums up that unearthly energy. WORK LINISH!

Cuties in hoodies and a dude nibbling on his ear, or as I like to call it, pulling a Mike Tyson.

CIAO ITALIA! Only an Italian beau like Enrico (left) could pull off a red leather jacket a la Michael Jackson or Peaches.

I swore when I first looked at this photo that the dude on the left was Dangerously Asian Tai Chi. Then I looked closer and realized that this fellow is not in fact dangerously asian at all (but still bears a striking resemblance to Tai Chi anyways).

Wagging tongues like these could only mean one of two things: K holes or our nutty photographer Kelvin has overtaken the camera.

All kinds of yes to the guy on the left that Frank (right) somehow discovered hiding in one of the dark corners of our bar.

Shirt buttoned! Chest tattoo! Game, set, match.

Taylor and Thomas, I see you throwing major side eye from high up on your perches!

And perched high above the crowd sat Thomas (left), Taylor (right) and our trusty bar back, Rob, giving some spread eagle for the delight of your imagination.

Things actually got so hot and heated that this one dude needed mouth to mouth resuscitation...and the dude to his left was happy to offer him some.

Can we just finally make this a monthly party? I mean, really.

So much love for everything about this picture. And wait till you see the photos from our trip to London (minus Formika. She needs to join us next time). You will plotz!

Chesticles! Ab-rageous.

Shaved heads are the new Bieber bowl cut.

The thing I love most about Falconish (aka Tony) and friends is that I can always count on seeing 'em out and about at Good Times for our annual Led Zeppelin Lina party. APRIL 10th, 2013! Mark your calendars.

Jonathan (right) and friends, looking slightly dazed and confused but enjoying themselves nonetheless.

Holding on for dear life (or holding on for one more day, if you'd prefer the Wilson Philips version).

Now That's What I Call a Handsome Ginger, Vol. 1.

This actually continued on until late into the night but unfortunately the camera battery started indicating that it was about to die, meaning that the later parts of the evening went completely unphotographed, which was probably for the best.

Indoctrinating the youth into the school of hard rock, Kashmir style.

And yes, even Xander made an appearance (in the background, wearing neon!) but alas the camera died and Lina and I jetted off to Europe for adventures in London and Berlin. But now I'm back and looking forward to the next Good Times with LA's Victor Rodriguez. See you there! xo

MUST READS

I wish I could gift The Velvet Rage to each and every one of my friends. It should be essential reading for every gay out. And if the psychological underpinnings of gay men's behavior is too heavy for you, Tina Fey's Bossypants is pretty damn funny.

STRAIGHT OFF THE PLANE FROM LA

Tonight at Good Times, Los Angeles DJ pioneer and legend Victor Rodriguez joins us. And you will too.

EBAY AUCTION OF THE DAY

It's Vision Street Wear. It's a beret. It's psychedelic. What's not to love? Go bid here. My birthday is just around the corner.

NEW YORK CITY AWESOMENESS: MISS GUY

One thing I like about traveling is returning to New York with a new appreciation for my city and the friends and faces that make me want to live here. This includes the always awesome Miss Guy, who I don't personally know all that well but he DJed Good Times with me not too long ago and just put out a video for my favorite song off of his new EP entitled Sometimes.



Even a little reminiscent of my wifee Stephanie Stone's Vanity video if sock puppet Steph turned into a heroin addict and was feeling a little more Karen Carpenter Superstar, the documentary.

IN HEAVY ROTATION: CHROMATICS' KILL FOR LOVE

This new Chromatics' album has been letting me have it all month. Seriously. I had it on repeat (literally) last week and now I'm winding down in London after a wild weekend of DJing and friends and listening to it once again. Highly highly highly recommended. Buy it on iTunes here.

HURDY GURDY MAN

Lots of folks were excited by Guns 'n' Roses induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame this year (or lots of folks who blog about music on the interweb, to be exact. Axl Rose always gives good gossip column juice!) but I was more excited for Donovan's induction, not because I don't love GNR but because I have always felt a strange connection and derived immense pleasure from listening to my Donovan albums, especially when I am feeling a bit mellow yellow.

LONDON GAGGED FOR THIS

Photos to come.

GOOD TIMES: LOTSA MATZAH

Of all the big gay Jew holidays to celebrate at our weekly Wednesday Good Times party at Eastern Bloc, we usually pass over Passover because a) it involves fasting, b) it involves carbs and c) it brings back memories of long-ass family meals. This year, however, we made an exception and celebrated Pesach with guest DJ W. Jeremy and lotsa matzah.


At the outset of the evening, barback Rob was pensively contemplating how he could best contain the matzah mess that was soon to soil the floors of Eastern Bloc.


MAMA MORTON! Jen used to be a Good Times devotee back when good times were to be had on a Saturday night in the back of a straight bar called Kabin where I used to DJ weekly.


I proudly introduced these two Ackils/Akels not too long ago and the rest has been a gay Lebanese wet dream.


Denise (aka the biological female in this pic) celebrated her birthday at the stroke of midnight in typical Good Times fashion--hammered and with lots of gays surrounding her.


Andre opted for his own, private came of pin the tail on the upside cat hanging above the bar. Or perhaps it was simply pin the tail on birthday gurl Denise.


Gugu was giving me a look straight out of the Twiggy and Brigdet Bardot era and I wasn't mad at it in the least.


LDR ALERT! Martyn (right) and Eric have committed to that fearful phrase known as an LDR (long distance relationship) between LDN (aka London) and NYC. It's pricey and inconvenient but the frequent flyer mile perks are through the roof.


This photo almost didn't make the cut this week but Eric's constipated / flash-phobic face was too cute to pass up.


Apparently Santi (left, with Jack) is now going by the more professional sounding moniker of Santiago, mostly because when he introduces himself as a photographer named Santi, everyone and their mother thinks he's saying Santa.


The icon and muse that is the one and only Armando Flores. We look forward to spending many upcoming summer nights with the King of Greej (aka Pinot Grigio).


LT, giving himself a well-deserved pat on the back since he just wrapped a new music video for his performance project, The Kiki Twins. He promises it will be premiering any day now and we can't wait.


Jorge (left) and his man Jason Money, who kind of has the best last name of all time ever. We usually don't post last names anymore due to some google problems that have arisen over the years but I'm pretty sure Jason Money doesn't have any such problems.


Celso cheerfully modeled the Matzah box for us, which came straight from Streits Matzah on the Lower East Side because we're locavore Jews.


YUMMY CARBS, as modeled by Jamil. Jamil says, "mmmmmmmmm. This matzah is my jammmmmmmmmmmm!"


When I told W. Jeremy he'd be guesting at Passover party, he was all for it, not only because he loves matzah and Manischewitz but because he was one of many jew lovers in the house that night.


My neighbor Orlando (center) is currently the person I run into most on the street and that's mostly because he lives on my block and we always see one another between 5 and 7pm, aka the time I leave my house for the day and the time he returns to his.


RUMOR ALERT: Jamil (left) and Celso might be abandoning the former House they had formed in order to join and resurrect the long lost HOUSE OF LABEIJA! (Apparently, Labeija's house members still exist and have welcomed these queens with open arms. And now we can all gag.)


Josh (left) and Hanser met many moons ago right next door to Eastern Bloc at 7A when Hanser was on his way to my former backyard across the street. And now they're getting married, to which we raise our glasses of Manischewitz and say in unison, MAZEL TOV.


Keisha (center) gifted me the ONLY tank top I'll ever need for a gay jew holiday and bought herself an equally fierce tank to boot. Love you Keisha.


JR, Joey and Jack (from left). If these three had an awesome Australian radio station together, they'd probably name it Triple J.


Mustachioed men and polly pockets always camouflage real real well at our weekly Wednesday Good Times party.


I don't really know what the Rapture look like (the band, not the end of time. That is pretty much Nicki Minaj from head to toe) but imagine them all to look pretty much like this dude here.


The gun show dude, showing off the guns yet again. I'm really gonna have to step up my gym game this summer if this one keeps up with the tank tops and sleevelessness.


I failed to play as much Klezmer music as I usually do this past Wednesday but W. Jeremy more than made up for it with an incredible house set that got guys like this dancin' and singin' and movin' to the groovin'.


OUT: trucker caps, fitted caps and pretty much anything I wear. IN: Leather biker caps and anything Newsies-inspired like Krys' cap.


S.W.A.K.


Paul kept the Good Times Sexting and Technology corner alive and active all night.


In fact, if it weren't for this enthusiastic gamer, we were actually considering replacing the arcade games with arcade style Grindr screens to help you make that special Wednesday connection.


His grin got even wider when I told him that next week's Good Times is our third annual Led Zeppelin party for Lina's birthday, where we play all Zeppelin, all night. And then Lina and I fly to London followed Berlin.


Marc was absent once again from coat check, which meant Royale filled in with this major coat check look. And yes, he wore this all night which might make him my second favorite coat checker ever (after Marc, of course).


I hope Paul was sexting this dude to his right (Raul? Ralph?) just to send him my way because I ain't mad at it in the least.


I'm hoping Martyn is back in London by the time I land on Friday to attend the Miss Fire Island party Lina and I are DJing at Vogue Fabrics on Friday. Or the Dick and Fanny party I'm DJing on Saturday. Or the pass the eff out party I'll be experiencing on Sunday.


Hoping these two were identical twins before she decided she'd prefer to live as a woman.


Excited about the free Manischewitz AND the gross chocolate covered marshmallow treats I brought in for Passover. (Yummy but like, the worst chocolate ever.)


In the mix.


Didn't I promise lotsa matzah?


And lots and lots of Manischewitz.


Nobody enjoys Manischewitz as much as our trusty door man, Big Scot. True story.


Apparently this was the cozy corner of the evening because these four looked all comfy and into it and I got a little jealous for a hot second.


Speaking of jealous, Celso (left) introduced me to this gorgeous creature that really needs to come into my life on a more regular basis.


Sealed with a Giss.


Two of my favorites, giving you complimenting maroon-niness..


SPONTANEOUS DANCE BREAK!


A glimpse at the tatted up sexiness that lies beneath Chad's shirt.


Sometimes when Rob gets overwhelmed by empty glasses or sexy tattoos, he hides behind the bar and behind his hands like so.


Royal pretty much continued to hold court by the coat check for the rest of the evening like this, since I remember snapping this as a candid even though he was giving you poses for days.


Could it be that John the Vampire has abandoned his trademark nickname of John the Vampire (or JTV if you're nasty)? Or is Facebook playing games with me yet again (and not of the Draw Something and Scramble variety).


Although these three missed it when Rich King played Quad City DJ's Come On Ride the Train last week (!), they had no reluctance in actually giving a train show on stage...


...and it was EV-RY-TING!


You know its just about that time (aka 330am) when bartender Darren pops out from behind the bar to rub elbows with the customers. And Thomas.


I was a little worried the week before when Scandelle didn't show for my 3 - 4am close out set (which, if you've never heard it, is the ONLY set) but luckily she showed to celebrate the wee hours of our Passover party with us.


Happy Passover! Love the friendly folks who make Streits, Manischewitz and those chocolate covered marshmallow things. And thank you to W. Jeremy and everybody who turned up. See you next week in New York for Led Zeppelin Linish Good Times. And then London. And Berlin! xo, Sparber