March 25, 2009
Alegria Xtreme 9: Nocturnal Homecoming
Mark Thompson READ TIME: 6 MIN.
There are some nights that make you feel so damn proud for being a New Yorker-and for being gay in New York. Some nights that make you so happy to be partying in New York-and some parties that make you know you're part of something historic and great. That's how it felt to be at Alegria Xtreme 9, the ninth incarnation of Ric Sena's annual Black Party weekend closer.
This year the party returned to 530 West 28th Street, to what was once known as Crobar, one of Alegria's more beloved homes-and the night was nothing short of an Alegria alumni reunion, as well as a rebirth and a re-invention.
For starters, the former Crobar has rarely looked better (and particularly after its dowdy incarnation as Studio Mezmor). Now called M2 Ultra Lounge (and apparently no longer affiliated with Mansion/Opium Group), the club has transformed itself back into a stellar combo of glam, glitz, and superior light and sound, an amalgam of the best nightspots of Vegas and South Beach, with Dale Chihuly-like glass sculptures, sea anemone chandeliers, flocked wallpaper, paisley banquettes, leopard carpets, and enough red velvet to Christo-cover the Empire State.
With the addition of Sena's stellar Terminator-style set design of hard-edged urban scrims and graffiti'ed subway doors, the club became an homage to Ridley Scott's Blade Runner-complete with a packed floor of replicants and mutants in every size, color, and shape. Or as circuit royalty Nurse declared, All the lovable lunatics from New York and beyond.
And indeed, it felt as if everyone had returned to one of Alegria's most popular annual events-not only to celebrate Black Party, but also circuit maestro Abel's b'day. Right from the start, the man was intoxicating, throwing down a thrilling combination of deep vocal groove and bang-up booty beats that had people all around the room exclaiming in joy.
One friend declared, "He got some last night-and how!-because he's never been better." Whatever the reason (and the man certainly has plenty good reason to be happy), Abel played this party with such devotion and passion, with such ferocity and precision, that to witness it, to be a part of it, was to feel he had a jumper cable to your heart and soul that kept you electrified all night and morning long.
An Alegria alumni reunion-as well as a rebirth and a re-invention
In short, this party was the divine distillation of celebratory: a celebration of our pagan rituals, and of the vernal equinox, and of the aforementioned birthday-and perhaps most of all, a celebration of the Alegria family. There was the gaggle of gorgeous Alegria bartenders, from Mr. January right through to Mr. December, and a radiant Ross Berger on lights, and DJ Escape with his lovely lady, and sinful DJ Sin Morera, and DJ Twisted Dee, and DJ Eddie Elias, fresh off his Black Party success from the night before, and DJ Paulo (anticipating his own turn at the Alegria helm for And also: Billy and Luis from South Beach" s="" Score,="" and="" that="" eternal="" boy="" Gorm,="" and="" Chris="" and="" Eddie,="" and="" Joe="" Caro,="" and="" Rich="" Campbell,="" and="" Michael="" Circuit="" Dancer="" 2.0="" with="" his="" light="" poi,="" and="" Alex="" B.="" and="" Lawrence="" Tiggerbear="" and="" Pei,="" and="" A&F="" boys="" Jake="" and="" Jesse,="" and="" even="" the="" HK="" Lounge="" mascot,="" Petey="" the="" Pink="" Pig.="" As="" well="" as:="" a="" black-winged="" angel="" on="" a="" leash,="" one="" more="" in="" a="" cast="" of="" thousands-and="" all="" of="" us="" there="" to="" celebrate.="" "Happy="" Black"="" as="" one="" woman="" jubilantly="" greeted="" us,="" a="" twist="" on="" "Happy="" Pride"-and="" when="" you="" think="" about="" it,="" the="" two="" weekends="" are="" our="" international="" holidays.="" For="" most="" of="" all,="" this="" was="" a="" party="" about="" being="" happy,="" about="" dancing="" for="" joy.="" Spring="" is="" here-so="" why="" not="" be="" merry="" and="" gay?="" And="" that's="" what="" you="" saw="" as="" you="" gazed="" in="" wonder="" around="" the="" Main="" Room'="" target="_blank"> a tribe of very merry gay boyz.
Alegria Xtreme indeed-a scene so delicious, it demanded a videocam-to capture even a smidge of that delirious energy. Ross had the lights swirling in sky searching mode, klieg style, as in Big Night style, as in Big Opening Night style, as Abel kicked it up, even higher-Tell A Story-at which point, the crowded floor literally cheered in unison. And then there was "I'll Be There 4 U," and "Bad Bad Boy," and "Praise U-I Love You So"-and even a fire alarm-the party got that hot.
Abel with a jumper cable to your heart and soul, keeping you electrified all night long
We stood on that stairway of entrances and entrances-and marveled: all the children working it out, all the chiseled torsos, all the bears and their cubs, all the yummy boyz in Chinatown, and the masseurs with their magic fingers-and on the boxes, those Brazilian booty go-go boys, Terpsichore incarnate, utilizing every muscle in their jaw-dropping physiques. Videocam it all-and send it to mother: Look, Ma, this is what we call a party.
Meanwhile, over in the Front Room, there was the Berlin beatmeister, the stunning Micky Friedmann, playing his own version of Black Party weekend: a mash-up of European circuit house. A former soloist with the Berlin Ballet Komische Opera, Friedmann is hypnotizing to witness-and the kids on his floor were completely enthralled. Welcome to the Alegria family, Meister Mickey!
Back in the Main Room, Abel was turning Mariah's "Touch My Body" into a fierce command, as in "Touch my body, motherfucker-and now-and how" and the house was adhering to his/her every demand. It was a night to remember, a night filled with Abel's versions of his own favorites-and those of Alegria aficionados, from "Intoxication" and "Let Me See You Shake" and "Living in Emotion"-and even the full-length Black Party classic, Tantra's "Hills of Katmandu."
And there was Nicki Richards, former back-up to Madonna, and long a voice to be reckoned with, and recognized, from numerous Alegria tracks such as "Universo Alegria" and Tony Moran's "Freedom" and "Bring The Love," all of which the lovely Richards gave up to the adoring crowd.
And birthday cake-and candles-which Abel blew out in one breath, thereby insuring that all of us get our wishes fulfilled: another year of Alegria parties that raise the roof off wherever the party's held.
You have to hand it to Ric Sena: the man is a visionary, and this party, Alegria Xtreme 9, was a testament to his vision of a party that exists as the benchmark against which all others are measured. Next stop on the Alegria galaxy: Alegria Fort Lauderdale, at the brand-new indoor-outdoor Fort Lauderdale Crobar on Sunday, April 12th, with both DJs Tracy Young and Paulo. Admit it-you'll be there.
A long-term New Yorker and a member of New York Travel Writers Association, Mark Thompson has also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The author of the novels WOLFCHILD and MY HAWAIIAN PENTHOUSE, he has a PhD in American Studies and is the recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center. His work has appeared in numerous publications.
