CINCY GAY SCENE: Coco Bliss comes to Cincy

One of Oxford's BEST performers, Coco Bliss, arrived at On Broadway this evening, which coincided with a fierce birthday celebration we had for Vivica LaCroix (another Oxford performer).

Quick rundown:

1) On Broadway was a little slow, though Brooklyn Steele-Tate maintains her rightful place as one of the best hostesses in town. Yves St. Michael from Lexington has some fierce outfits and a great southern drawl, but I think the little tiny stage at OB's scared her. Coco, of course, was fierce. Saw Santana Storm, who informed me she works weekends now so we won't see as much of her. Miss you baby.














Brooklyn spanking a birthday boy. Mama had to lose her hair and earrings.

2) Ended up at the Dock, the dirty dirty Dock :-) that we all love. Jessica Dimon and Bella Dolce finishing one of their famously long shows -- ended at 1:30? cut it short, girls we want to DANCE -- and I don't think a group number to Seasons of Love is the best way to end a show. But Jessica is always amazing, and everyone should vote for her on RuPaul's drag show, Drag Race, so that she can be seen by millions. Caught Bella after the show; we swapped phone losing stories, but it was nice to see her. Best part: seeing Mykey back behind the bar. Oh, and I saw Cassandra Mills-Best, my local fav performer, out of drag and she gave me the run down on her FIERCE schedule all over the midwest, which makes me very happy for her.














End of the Dock show. Does it seem like even Friday nights at the Dock are slow these days?

3) No alcohol -- lots of Red Bull, so I'm awake. But there is a boy sleeping in my bed upstairs. This is my version of whispering in the phone in the closet.














Queer Cincinnati, the Vinyl Polis, and Vivica LaCroix, out of drag. Don't kill me, darling!














The fierce Coco Bliss.

PS Catch Viv's first performance in Cincinnati this Friday with Truly Scrumptious at Shooter's at 11pm-ish.

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.