CINCY GAY SCENE: Bullfishes' Returns -- Take 2

Yea! Not only did I break news with the Bullfishes announcement (and rise to one of the top read stories for the past few days on Cinplify). I was right, on most counts.

The party re-starts on May 30th at 4023 Hamilton Avenue at 8pm.

Myspace page has been re-upped (thank you, Juliet & Juliette), and there's a Facebook announcement.

And I spelled her name right. Syndy Peterson is the new owner.

Welcome to the life, Syndy.

CINCY GAY SCENE: Bullfishes returns!!!

Many apologies for the quality of the image, but it went from AM's phone (whose car I was in at the time) to my phone (via text) to CF's phone (in Macon, GA) to my email. . . all so that I could post this this evening as many of you got the text message about this FABULOUS EVENT.

BULLFISHES IS REOPENING

And here's the lowdown as I've heard (my usual sources of gossip did not know anything, and were actually quite surprised about the situation... so I know I'm "breaking" news here... and I had to rely on the infamous lesbian posse for most of my information):

The bar was bought by an Atlanta man for his local daughter, a woman possibly by the name of Syndy (it was text messaged, and my phone was running out of charge, so I could not confirm the spelling or information about her). However, the reported manager is Brandy, who was a former bartender at the old Bullfishes. This is good-ish. I never developed much of a rapport with Brandy... in fact, I know almost nothing about her. I have a vague distaste for her, for some reason, but that may be about the vague distate I have about Bullfishes post- the Grey's Anatomy golden days when Sarah (or Amanda) poured us drinks and watched terrible medical dramedies. I may not, in fact, have anything negative about Brandy except that connection there. .. on the flip side, I have nothing good either.

My sources inform me that the bar has expanded, having bought the building just north, and that the New Bullfishes will open, probably, May 30th. This is a highlight of my crack team of lesbians who were apparently given a mini-tour today:

• the new bar (the north building) will feature 8 pooltables -- which brought much glee to my pool-playing posse -- and there will be a wall cut out from the pool tables to easily access the bar itself; there is no word on whether they will be painting the felt this time or not
• the old bar (the south building) will keep most of the same locations of items, including the actual bar location, though they will expand the serving area to three registers, which gets rid of a lot of problems we had under old management
• the stage has been expanded and functions now as the dancefloor in toto
• word is the urinal in the men's bathroom works ... permanently, this time
• the north building will have a patio -- for smokers, yea! -- which will give neighber BronZ a bit of a run as being the only mainstream gay bar on the strip that has a smoking patio, but they are being smarter and it will probably not be accessible to the outside world
• the upstairs section of the south building -- once the world of drag queens, drugs, and hot lesbian makeout sessions -- has been opened up to the general public and will serve as a bit of an observing area, much like at the old Pipeline, and I expect the drag queens, drugs, and hot lesbian makeout sessions will remain
• the new owner has bought several big screen plasma TVs -- for sports, the poss informs me -- rather than rely on thay giant crazy, blurry TV that they used to have
• there will be nights with cover charge; however, they will give you a free drink coupon on those nights to offset the cost of the cover
• the name and logo will remain the same, as they were purchased by the new owner

QueerCincinnati will be there on opening night, will you?

CINCY GAY SCENE: Bar Closings

It's sad to say...

The Ohio Smoking Ban may have claimed its first victim. My dear, dear, favorite lesbian bar in the world, Bullfishes, is, indeed, closed. Donna was a dear friend and used to be my landlord. It is sad to see it go. What makes it even worse was the suddenness of it. No one knew it was happening, she let it go peacefully without a goodbye party.

I spent many Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights there. Rarely there on Fridays or Saturdays, but I will give it up for that fabulous Pink Dress Show back in February that raised $750 for Breast Cancer charities.

*sigh* It's sad to see you go, Bullfishes.

Also, per the QCityNews blog (http://qcitynews.blogspot.com/2007/11/northside-gay-and-lesbian-bars-for-sale.html), it appears another one of my favorite hangouts is for sale, the Serpent. Listing price at a million dollars. Now, I've had an AWFULLY good time at the Serpent, and I really hope it will be around at LEAST for their fabulous New Year's Eve clothing optional party, but I don't think (nor does QCity) that it is work $1m, even with the rentable space upstairs. The $200,000 price sounds reasonable, but Anthony and Ford have put years and years and years of their life into that business, I'm sure there is a huge personal attachment to it. I'm almost afraid that, should the business change hands, the cops will raid the place like crazy and close down what every one goes on at Serpent for good... which, btw, would ultimately destroy the business and destroy the Northside gay scene.

Where does that leave BronZ? Or, Club BronZ (I really do need to clean up my "labels")? Well, reported to my ear from one of the best bartenders in town -- a slight uptick in business. Of course, I'm sure much of that is due to the fabulously sociable attitude Brad and John have put out there, along with the fantastic work of DJ Waves in the production of the multiple karaoke nights. It doesn't hurt, also, that it's one of the few bars in town where you can sit at a bar and have a cigarette, there on the back patio. (The owner of Little Bit Bar was scathing in her attack of their patio, as it is really kind of enclosed, but open still. Please, let us just have one place to smoke and drink. You non-smokers have enough places in town.)

See, everyone is driving across the river. I have been in Rosie's and Yadda a few times, but they have been jumping since the smoking ban occurred over here. It really annoys me that the rest of the state, and the locals, can be so callous towards local business. After all, what Cincinnati really needs, is another reason not to hang out in it.

Has anyone wondered how long this Dock/Adonis thing can go one? Rumors are flying as to which one will go first. My money, actually, is on Adonis. I think they would have been long gone had it not been for Penny Tration and her amazing abilities as the most fabulous queen in town. Of course, I would not have put money on Bella Dolce, but she seems to be holding her own. I always liked her personally, I would have never thought she could handle that big of a venue, but she's proven herself quite well on a microphone.

And finally, Below Zero? Seriously. I don't understand the crowd. Do we need two uppity gay bars in town? Universal Grille is bad enough; I've not even been to Below Zero and I already hate it. :-) But I'll go soon, Nigel, and give you a fairer review, I promise.

CINCY GAY SCENE: Out in the City

Thanks Darren.

I am good friends with "Darren M.," well good bar-friends. He and I always seem to have the most bizarre conversations at the local bars that we frequent, whether it be BronZ or the Serpent or Bullfishes (RIP) or... have we seen each other at On Broadway? Whatever. He writes a great column for the local gay rag, QCityNews (http://www.qcitynews.com/), and I love him for it. Secretly, I'm friends with him so that he'll mention me in his column because I'm a publicity whore.

Of all things to finally write about me with...

http://www.qcitynews.com/1007darrenm.html

Thank you Darren, for making sure the whole city knows that I have "tales of [my] own sexual appetites and explorations." :-)

I'm not mad; I just think it's funny that of all the things I've talked to him about -- gay social reform, politics, interactions, bars, etc. This is the one thing he finally writes about. Hey, any press is good press.

Thanks Darren.

CINCY GAY SCENE: Lixgood

What is the state of drag in the city? Is it, possibly, truly, dead?

Last night, friend AA and I made it up to Bullfishes in Northside ("just a drink or two" turned into a 230am night -- sometimes I am glad for bar cut off times). Expecting the usual Friday night fair, including lesbian drama and some bad hip hop, we debated going in as we discovered there was a show from a group we had never heard of before -- the Lixgood Family. Bolstered by the fact that there was no cover, which always makes me feel like I'm drinking for free, we headed in expecting to be disappointed.

The Lixgood Family was good. ... real good. To start off, I think it is an interesting societal commentary that most drag king and female-based troupes are modeled after the family (complete with "mom" and "dad"), whereas drag queen and male-based troupes are more hierarchical ("show director" "hostess" or "emcee" followed by everyone else). I think the family approach lends itself to the show as if it were an invitation to the participants to experience "family time."

But the performances were awesome; the Lixgood Family was there having a good time. While choreographed, it was relaxed and easy and fun. It was clear that they were up there just having a good time.

That simple idea always gets me off.

And the SEXY voluptuous vixens -- Miss B. Haven, Silhouette, and Catalicious -- were amazing as they rocked the stage. I love lesbians for many reasons, but they always seem to appreciate curviness in a woman.

The show excited me, and it's rare that I am excited by drag anymore.

Entertainment should be entertaining, both to the entertained and the entertainers. (Four different forms of the same word in the same sentence, grammatically correct if repetitive... BOOYAH!)

On a side note, I think black sexuality and gender performance is developing along a fascinating trend. Black drag queens have long been a part of the movement, and fought at Stonewall. But I'm curious to know whether what I saw is "things to come" or simply a fluke.

I'm booking the Lixgood Family, btw, for September. I'll keep you updated.