Rify Royalty performing at Bosco's documentary premiere afterparty, June 2023

Wednesday (5.22.2024)

WEDNESDAY (5.22.2024) Your daily guide to New York nightlife. UPTOWN / BRONX ININE BISTRO: “What Up Wednesdays” hosted by Chavis (6pm) JOANNE’S: Jupiter Genesis with Rify Royalty (7pm) NOT A SPEAKEASY: Bingo feat. Saline Dijon (8pm) SUITE: Karaoke hosted by Victoria Chase  (9pm) TOOLBOX: Trivia feat. Holly Wood (10pm) LAMBDA LOUNGE: DJ dance party (10pm) HELL’S KITCHEN / MIDTOWN / TIMES…

View On WordPress

Fresh Pressed: Neverland Digital's Medusa's Ball This is Fresh Pressed, in which photographer Matt Weinberger takes us inside some of the rawest moments happening in NYC and beyond. Fresh Pressed is all about encountering the juicy ideas, aesthetics and people shaping culture through the lens of the city's many creative scenes.Neverland Digital’s Medusa’s Ball (3/25)NYC art/music house and creative agency Neverland Digital (Nora Luciano, Elsie Drew and Ester Shmulyian) hosted Medusa’s Ball at BAF Art Gallery, where guests and collaborators all came together to party like the gods. The event was thrown in honor of Medusa, with ten visual artists tasked with creating and presenting work inspired by Medusa’s famous story. The group show featured a 30-foot glowing snake in the middle of the room, projection work, interactive pieces, photography and paintings, all created by local artists. They also presented live music, opening up with refreshing jazz by Wayne Tucker and Addison Frei, followed by Stew Jefe who rapped and hyped everyone up for Max Volante (producer, songwriter and instrumentalist) and his band. Max had some seriously great vibes and got the whole crowd feeling his soul as they swayed and danced around to the electric energy of his genre-bending performance.We Take Manhattan Party @ Old Flings (3/22)Organized by Allyson Camitta (aka Shallowhalo) and Charlie Baker, the We Take Manhattan party at Old Flings brought together some of the city’s most influential downtown scenesters for a night of shoulder-to -shoulder dancing and cramped but quality conversation. The event was the fourth party in the ongoing party series organized by Allyson and Charlie. The name of the party series is a reference to the Leonard Cohen song "First We Take Manhattan," which explores the idea that once one takes over Manhattan, one can take over the world. In addition to Shallowhalo and Charlie Baker DJing, Curtis Everett Pawley, aka The Life, took to the DJ booth and played a set to the delight of the audience. Shallowhalo is on tour at the moment — they just put out a new single, "Renaissance Affair," and have a single release show on April 5 at Elsewhere Zone One where Thoom and Birthday Girl will be performing and Angel Emoji will be DJing. I wouldn’t be surprised if the lyrics ring true: first they’ll take over Manhattan, then Berlin and, in no time, the world. The next We Take Manhattan party will be at The Cock on April 26.Stand Up NYC Drag Benefit @ 3 Dollar Bill (3/21)Aiding the fight against the anti-trans bills that have just been passed in Tennessee, NYC drag performer Julie J sold out the Brooklyn venue 3 Dollar Bill (in one day) for a night of community and drag. The cast included RuPaul's Drag Race current contestants and alums Marcia Marcia Marcia, Olivia Lux, Luxx Noir London and Jax as well as NYC staples Marti Gould Cummings, Rify Royalty, Janelle NO.5 and so many more fabulous talents. Elaborate costumes, riveting performances, mesmerizing hair and makeup and heart-pounding dance moves filled the night as the crowd came out to support Julie J and the wonderful cast of performers that came out to "drag out the vote." A key element of the event was to encourage everyone to register to vote so that they could have their voice heard via casting a ballot. The event felt like both a protest against anti-trans, anti-queer and homophobic legislation and a celebration of democracy. Political and community organizer Samy Nemir Olivares took the stage in between drag performances to give a speech explaining the importance of the event and why the community needs to get together and fight against harmful legislation. Proceeds from the event benefitted the ACLU of Tennessee, The Trans Formations Project and Black Trans LiberationBlack Trans Liberation. Baby's Presents SXSW NYC Beat (3/18)The NYC (and LA) music scene took over this little corner of Austin at the SXSW NYC Beat concert — presented by Baby's All Right — at popular downtown venue "The Cave and The Creek." The showcase featured two stages, both sporting incredible lineups of musicians. The indoor stage was curated by Sunflower Bean and featured sets by The Life, Strange Ranger, Thus Love, Malice K, Hello Mary, Model/Actriz and Sunflower Bean themselves. The energy inside was booming, with a mix of music industry professionals and seasoned concertgoers vibing out.Things got pretty wild in the later sets, and, by the end of the night, as Sunflower Bean took the stage, the crowd was stirring up into a bountiful mosh pit of bodies smashing into one another. The outdoor stage, curated by Perfectly Imperfect, featured sets by Eera, Mgna Crrrta, Club Eat, Damon Rush, Blaketheman1000, Snow Strippers, The Helpp and Isabella Lovestory. This side of the venue was more electronic-heavy and brought out a younger demographic of fans than those inside, with bubbly fans ripping cigarettes and jumping up and down as they popped to their favorite bops. Isabella Lovestory gave a particularly compelling performance to end the night, wrapping things up with a cherry bomb bang. The Helpp is no easy act to follow but Isabella managed to go beyond holding her own, delivering what felt like the perfect storybook ending to a night filled with great performers.Austin Rave by 1222 BY-PRODUCT With Snow Strippers, Club Eat, Eera (3/17)The Snow Strippers may be the next big thing. The band is a duo made up of members Tatiana Schwaninger and Graham Perez. They met in Florida back in 2018 and began making music together around the end of 2021. The duo produces an electronic, icy eargasm sound, making music that makes you want to dance. This is the kind of stuff that will make you bang your head with no shame as you ride a crowded L train to work. Graham had been producing music for a number of years, while Tati had no previous experience making music before they teamed up. Despite her lack of prior experience, she has the voice of a thousand snow angels. Their live set was a fun departure from the more refined sound you might hear when streaming their music online. In concert, Tati jumped around the stage, glitching into multiple dimensions of hype and glory, pulling the whole audience into dark recesses of happiness and fun. Alongside the Snow Strippers, Club Eat and Eera also took the stage and gave solid performances, providing the concertgoers with additional icy cold, refreshing beats to enjoy.You Missed It's Backyard Bash (3/17)The Kerwin Brothers have struck again, succeeding in throwing an absolutely epic party, co-organized with the Mauri sisters, Cristina and Andrea. With backyard tattoos, unlimited booze, oil wresting, free cigarettes, and a lineup that included High, The Dallas Cowboys, May Rio, Blaketheman1000, Nite Fire, Tagabow, Hotline TNT and The Frost Children, everything was in place for an incredible night to ensue. And ensue it did. Smashing beers and taking flash pics, the crowd of mostly local college students and NY/LA weekend visitors partied harder than a school of fish during summer vacation. In NYC, it's very rare to ever get to party in a backyard, so all of the NY locals had the time of their lives. Green grass turned to mud as the crowd jumped around to the electric sets by the many talented musical acts. The Dallas Cowboys stood out for their ability to get the crowd moving, and once the crowd was going, the energy didn’t stop for the rest of the night. They say everything is bigger in Texas and that rang true for the crowd's energy. Legendary nightlife photographer Mark Hunter, aka The Cobrasnake, claimed that it was potentially in the top 10 parties he had ever been to. Yeehaw and God bless Texas!Simone Films Oscars Watch Party @ Nine Orchard (3/12)Simone Films, founded by filmmakers Rebekah Sherman-Myntti and KJ Rothweiler, is a New York-based independent entertainment company doing things unlike any other production company in NYC right now. It's known within the downtown scene as a pillar in shaping a certain subset of the creative community. The company has achieved some degree of a cult following via its exciting events and through curating other scene-centered activities such as hosting a popular actors' studio for up-and-coming talent with teachers such as Michael Imperioli, Alex Ross Perry, Dolly Wells and Peter Vack. On this particular occasion, Simone Films threw a banger of a party, with drinks flowing, an abundance of popcorn and a bumping vinyl DJ set by Billy Jones, the owner of the popular music venue Baby’s All Right. The Oscars watch party was attended by actors, directors, musicians, podcasters, art shmos, indie sleaze queens, cinephiles and a slew of other creatures of the downtown scene. Some notable attendees included Bart Cortright, Makunda Angulo, Eugene Kotlyarenko, Lotfy Nathan and Marcelo Gaia. The owner of Nine Orchard, Andy Rifkin, also pulled up to the event. One thing is clear: Simone Films knows how to bring together a large group of exciting people. It wouldn’t be a surprise if a number of the attendees are at the Oscars in a few years, rather than watching it on TV.The Twink Next Door's Party Backstage @ Dallas BBQ (3/11)Texas-sized piña coladas, glitter and faux fur were all the rage behind the scenes at The Twink Next Door’s debut NYC runway show, unveiling his new collection as a tease of what’s to come as he plans on dropping his new clothing line, TWINK, this Friday. Inspired by icons like Julia Fox, Lady Gaga and Cruella DeVille, The Twink Next Door is bringing maximalist experimental fashion to the downtown NYC scene in stride. Throwing a fun, quirky, DIY aesthetic into the Wild West that is Dallas BBQ made for an undoubtedly memorable (albeit mildly chaotic), ultimately fabulous experience. The collection ate, and so did lots of the attendees. As far as I can tell, this BBQ stood for big, bold and queenly. Those fits were royally delicious. You Missed It Party @ Baby's All Right (3/4) https://www.papermag.com/fresh-pressed-neverland-digital-medusa-2659589146.html

Amber came out of retirement for her good sis Rify Royalty’s show at 3DB and gave birth live on stage!!!!!

Maxxx Pleasure performs Foxy Shazam’s Bombs Away at Rify Royalty’s Straight Acting in June 2019

Sasha Velour's One Dollar Drags | "Pirate Jenny"

Bushwig at Maria Hernandez Park

On Saturday, October 3, 2020, Bushwig took place in Maria Hernandez Park in Bushwick, Brooklyn. The event was free to attend but donations were solicited in person and electronically via Cashapp & Venmo (to $bushwig and @bushwig, respectively) to be shared equally among the performers.

There were DJ sets before and after the show by Babes Trust (one of the cofounders of Bushwig), and Hannah Lou and Lady Quesa’Dilla and Merrie Cherry served as emcees. Newly elected Leader of the 53rd Assembly District (covering Williamsburg, East Williamsburg, and Bushwick) Samy Nemir Olivares gave a short speech encouraging people to register to vote and to fill out the census, since it determines funding for the next ten years, and will close at the end of the month. Attendees were asked to wear masks and the event had a fairly large turnout.

Bushwig featured performances by the aforementioned Merrie Cherry plus Rify Royalty, Chiquitita, The Dragon Sisters, Horrorchata (the other cofounder of Bushwig), Magenta, Miz Jade (who performed a remix of “WAP” over the music of Britney Spears’ “Toxic”), MysterE Mel, Neon Calypso, and Zavaleta

Photos from the 2020 edition of Bushwig appear on my website here. Mark your calendars for next year’s Bushwig that will take place at Knockdown Center in Maspeth Queens on September 11-12, 2021.

Rify Royalty by Anthony Amadeo

I’m not one to say “squad goals” but, I mean... really.

Alt-pop artist Caroline Romano shares the official music video for her new single, 'PDA of the Mainstream.' 'PDA of the Mainstream' is an anthemic, punk-influenced pop number that gives the middle finger to the internet and all its toxicity. For the video, Caroline worked with director Justin Key to develop a visual concept that captures the familiar feelings of chaos, anger, joy, entertainment and excess that the internet invokes in all of us. “The music video for ‘PDA of the Mainstream’ was my chance to yell directly at the internet,” Caroline says. “I wanted to visually create my own little version of the internet and how I see it, and I think I did that. There’s kittens and confetti and destruction, along with a whole lot of screaming. If that’s not representative of applications and the digital age, I don’t know what is. If I can’t beat it, I figured I might as well smash it with a hammer.”

Following the release of her recent single 'Do This To Me', Manchester-via-Italy singer, songwriter and guitarist Julia Bardo has shared new single and video 'No Feeling', taken from her eagerly awaited debut album Bauhaus, L’Appartamento released on September 10 via Wichita Recordings. 'No Feeling' is a dreamy alt pop song, which builds with a teasing guitar riff to a soaring melodic chorus of earnest and relatable lyrics about the everyday need to do things you don’t want to do and having ‘no feeling’ for them. The video, directed by Georgie Brown, features Julia role-playing different life tasks interspersed with a neon-tinged glam live performance. Julia says; “‘No Feeling’ is about doing things just because you exist, not because you want to actually do them. Because we are trapped in a cycle of rules in society; you must have a job, go out, drink, talk to people, be sociable, believe in something, and do what other people do in order to survive in the world. Sometimes even the most mundane tasks seem too much to handle. For the video, I wanted to portray this idea and set the scene in a white, sterile space, showing how these actions can make us feel stuck in an endless loop of time - going through the same motions every day without feelings or emotions, and how that can build and eventually become out of control."

Nightlife is finally beginning to shine again — especially in New York City where the industry is life blood — and Ariana and the Rose wants to spotlight all the colorful personalities that are bringing everything back, post-lockdown. The synth-pop artist's new single, 'Every Body,' is an electric invitation to the dance floor, recruiting a host of iconic faces for its official music video: Amanda Lepore, Kandy Muse, Cakes Da Killa, CT Hedden, Ryan Burke, Merlot, Rify Royalty and way more. Because "this dance floor is for every body," as she sings, almost like a call to action. "Feel your body on my body." "I wanted to highlight the incredible people and the spirit of the NYC nightlife and LGBTQ+ communities," Ariana says. "Clubs and nightlife have been a home for people who otherwise felt displaced for decades. It is about a chosen family and a sense of community rather than an individual. These are the places that have been a home for me, personally and professionally." In early spring 2020, Ariana had an entire album with tracks she'd planned to release throughout the summer, but COVID forced her to start from scratch and create a body of work that felt more reflective of that bizarre moment in time. The artist then wrote music she dreamt of hearing once the world eventually reopened, capturing "the bigger picture of what the collective feeling was," she says. 'Every Body' is the first official taste of that period, with a relentless hook and powerhouse production that sounds like it could've been conceived while On Top! at The Standard, Meatpacking. Euphoric and aggressive, her single embodies the energy of a year spent bottled up inside, fantasizing about sweating next to strangers and freeing your mind until sunrise. "I want to be the kind of artist who creates space for other people," Ariana says. "Space to connect, either with other people or with themselves, space to feel seen, space to feel uninhibited and to feel safe to do all of those things. 'Every Body' is a mission statement for my project and for the audience to get lost in. No matter who you are, how you identify or where you're from, my musical world and my shows are for everyone to lose or find themselves in." Watch the 'Every Body' music video for some serious "dance music catharsis," filmed at Brooklyn's House of Yes and directed by the Emmy-winning Jason Sherwood. [via Paper]

After introducing her new solo project Flossing with last month’s debut single ‘Switch’, Bodega’s Heather Elle is now sharing her latest Flossing single ‘Trap’. Inspired by the “double binds of both technology and gender”, she notes, “Humanity’s fear of anti-mattering mixed with surveillance capitalism’s psychological warfare is quite the dirty martini to sip on every day.” Accompanied by a video directed by Brooklyn video artist Ali Yildiz of Analog Nation who, during the lockdown, began experimenting with circuit-bent AV gear, video synthesizers, CCTV and VHS cameras, and televisions. [via DIY]

BXB LOVE — the nom de plume of Canadian-born, Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and artist Natasha Pheko — shares the official music video for her second single, 'IGNORANCE SONG'. 'IGNORANCE SONG' is a bold, gritty alt-rock number that celebrates the shedding of one’s prescribed labels in a world that encourages us to define ourselves before fully understand who we are or all that we can be. Landing somewhere between telling a story and visually expressing a vibe, the 'IGNORANCE SONG' music video represents LOVE’s experience of bursting out of the constructs she had created for herself. Finding herself wandering the streets of LA, wanted by the constructs she had escaped, LOVE throws a big F*CK YOU to the powers that be as she refuses to succumb to the fear that would encourage her to hide, blend in, or run. Instead, we see LOVE displaying an uninhibited expression of play, rebellion, and freedom. “One thing that I’ve loved about creating and sharing this project thus far is that it's allowed me to tap into dreams, ideas, and modes of creative play that I hadn’t really connected with since I was a kid. Making this music video was literally an opportunity for me to live out part of my childhood rockstar fantasies” LOVE says. “Smashing shit, shouting into the camera, riding in the back of a sick car with beautiful people, jumping around in the sunset, guitar solos, clothes that made me feel like a bad ass… I mean…. come on! It was a blast!”

Indigo De Souza shares a joyous video for 'Hold U', the new single and a stand-out moment from her much-anticipated upcoming album Any Shape You Take. Of the song and video, De Souza says: "I wanted to write about a really simple kind of love that isn’t necessarily romantic, but that is just about holding space for other people to fully express themselves and to feel celebrated. Just simply seeing someone in their humanity and loving them. We are constantly evolving and we only truly have space to process our lives openly if we feel safe and are encouraged to love ourselves and celebrate our bodies. I am really blessed with the sense of community that I have in my life, and I wanted to highlight that in this video. Community is the purest kind of magic and can heal so much trauma and pain. We all just want to feel truly held by the people around us!"

A lush, swirling guitar tune that gently encourages listeners to face their unconscious bias, Canadian duo Softcult have shared their latest single ‘Spit It Out’. “The song is about rejecting harmful ideologies that we’ve come to accept as normal, even though they perpetuate our own oppression," the band say. "Most people understand that misogyny, sexism, racism, etc are wrong, but don’t often notice when it occurs in our every day lives, in the media, or how we’ve been conditioned to perceive the world. We can even unknowingly become part of the problem because we’ve internalized these ways of thinking. We wrote the song about resisting societal standards which only serve to benefit those that hold power over others. By simply refusing to accept these ideologies, we can weaken the pillars in our society that allow oppression and injustice. It all starts with questioning them in the first place, and then deciding that we aren’t going to continue to contribute to them.” [via Get In Her Ears]

Lazy days in the park, sun-soaked vacays and bike rides around the city: summer is in full effect and we’re living for it. The only thing missing is that perfect soundtrack and singer Devon Again is putting in a strong bid. Dropping her new single 'SUBURBIA', the singer serves up a warming single that captures the essence of summer. Fusing R&B sensibilities with ethereal vocals, the singer creates a kaleidoscopic soundscape filled with bright piano chords and glittering synths. “I wish there was some spicy back story to this song,” the singer candidly said, “But the chorus was really just a shower thought I had upon some brief reflection of a crush I had on a girl a couple years back who was very much not available. The song loosely follows me and my hypothetical suburban lover through our affair. The main theme throughout the song is being upset that she doesn’t love me the way she loves her husband. I want to be the person she comes home to, but instead I go directly to her home and leave when she’s done with me.” [via Wonderland]

Alternative agitator DeathbyRomy returns with the explosive 'Day I Die,' her first new single of 2021. The Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter combines undeniable hooks, brash production, metal riffs, and double-kick pummel on the track, which comes with a mind-melting music video courtesy of director Pix3lface. An anthem for the terminally lovesick, 'Day I Die' finds DeathbyRomy (born Romy Flores) deep in the grips of obsession. “Take all of me, make me feel again,” she laments. “You got something sick and I know I’ll always want it to the day I die.” That’s when the gnarled guitars come crashing in and the song takes a crushing turn. Jarring, catchy, and raw, 'Day I Die' captures an artist already known for pushing boundaries breaking even more new ground. “This song is about my relationship with life, death, and love. ‘Day I Die’ at its core is a love song. Love isn’t soft and mushy to me, it’s hard as fuck. Love is god. It’s vibrant and addicting. Love is what fuels me to do all I do,” says DeathbyRomy.

Viktoria Modesta makes a comeback after five years away from music, perhaps after some well-deserved time in this planet's outer orbit. The icy-blonde bionic superstar’s new single, 'One With The Ray of Light' debuted July 9, and now is joined by the release of an accompanying art film. OWTROL will launch Modesta’s venture into a new chapter that puts art at the core and compromises nothing. From avatars to techno influences, the artist is looking to create a world of her own. The upcoming record, Moksha, was written alongside Grammy winner Janet Sewell and Madeaux, compared to past works, details a more personal narrative into Modesta’s unique life. Coming at this hybrid project with a more hands-on approach, Viktoria has edited, location scouted and styled the film accompanying her single. [via Flaunt]

Alicia Walter has unveiled another track from their forthcoming album I Am Alicia. The Prince-inspired 'Suit Yourself' comes with a music video directed by Falyn Huang. The artist said this about the new song/visual: “'Suit Yourself' is a motivational anthem empowering myself to follow my dreams and do what I want to do in life, “cause babe, this ain’t that long of a ride.” I'm asking myself to stop worrying about what everybody else thinks or about what’s “right,” and to show up for myself and chase my wildest dreams — because the universe might just deliver! In the video, we see me at home, getting up out of bed and becoming who I want to be. We watch as “pretend” — playing dress-up with different personas and careers, dreaming up what I could be —becomes reality, me stepping into my fullest potential (and, *suitably,* a glam power jumpsuit!).” [via mp3 and npcs]

Comprising Dolorès and Freddy Van Ballast, LETTEN 94 is a Swiss coldwave duo that takes this mental image of Letten, and more widely of Europe in the aftermath of the fall of the Berlin Wall, as a starting point to try to create electronic music which is sometimes aggressive and syncopated, sometimes dark and mysterious. The band has dropped new single, 'Empty Landscapes' alongside a captivating music video, directed by Normotone. Subliminally immersive and dangerously alluring, 'Empty Landscapes' is driven by bleak bouncing and throbbing bassline along with stark, lashing beats relentlessly penetrating the droning dank, dream-like mist stabbed by piercing, heart-wrenching guitar gleams, ominous resonant baritone strains and icy sweeps of evocative winding, glaring synths, to painfully reverberate with poignant intensity around powerful and bewitching female vocals, that ebb and flow betwixt cold, detached exhalations and passionate, aching longings of agony and ecstasy, whilst descending breathlessly into the soft distant echo of male whisperings, to reveal an abandon train stop where fantasies are fulfilled. Cinematic visuals build tension and intrigue around an inter-dimensional romantic interlude. A fragmented storyline dissects a mysterious couples physical connection with split-screen segments drawing isolation from both a barren, panoramic countryside and a dim-lit noir-ish lounge setting. Raindrops blur alternate dream states merging, fantasy and reality behind smoky rooms, hypnotic imagery, unfocused lens frames, and suggestive reflections to form a magnetic perception of disassociation. Shadows ebb and flow under swaying light angles to capture hints of doubt from the intense solo eye contact leading into a strange metaphysical reunion, left wandering in the hidden sands of lost time. [via WL//WH]

London-based artist Alewya has released her new track 'Spirit_X', a mesmerising track indebted to the sounds and communal embrace of the rave. Drawing from the restless rhythms of drum and bass, 'Spirit_X' moves at high speed, with Alewya’s vocals echoing the emotions of a heady night. Alewya says on 'Spirit_X': “I know that the rave can be utilized as ritual and ceremony to transform, uplift and energize a person. I love giving visceral experiences. I love drum and bass for that specific reason. ‘Spirit_X’ encompasses all of the above in my way.” [via FEMMusic]

Sneaker Pimps have shared the video for 'Fighter,' the lead single from Squaring the Circle, their first album in nearly 20 years. The video was directed by the band's own Chris Corner and shot near his studio in Pioneertown, CA and features Janine from IAMX wrapped in a gimp suit and subjected to a downpour of colorful rubber balls. It's a striking video.“We live in a world of mental illness where we are surrounded by profound idiocy and overload," says Corner "'Fighter' is an ode to a struggle to tune out, gain strength and breakthrough. In the video, the character’s fight is ridiculous, there is no other. In the grip of the darkest depression and anxiety the opponent is her own mind. She locks herself in her ring, painting a circle and shrinking her world even further. Freeze, flight, or fight. Self fulfilling prophecies. She's wrapped in a gimp suit because she’s a slave to her own negative narratives. Trapped by vices and triggered by the most innocuous objects. In this world, bouncing balls and balloons become existential threats. But there’s also a faint light of hope. She’s dancing in the face of the full catastrophe of life. She will prevail, she always has. Round 2.” Corner goes on to say, "I shot the video in anamorphic to give it a filmic stretched and otherworldly feel. Soft flares and subtle distortions to add distance, keeping us as the viewer outside of the fighter’s world. My crew spent weeks painting and repainting the set to find just the right queasy color. Repeatedly repacking hundreds of bouncing balls and balloons for shot after shot. Everything you see is on camera. Simple but time consuming. Janine from IAMX was willing to jump into the gimp suit and suffer in extreme desert heat. If you look close you’ll see real sweat dripping down the arms. Everybody worked like dogs for the love of it, this was the ultimate no ego video. Those people are my heroes.” [via Brooklyn Vegan]

Remi Wolf returns with bright, vibrant new single 'Liquor Store'. Laying out her stall with ultra-catchy introductory statement 'Liz' earlier this year, the California native is aiming to release her debut album this Autumn. New single 'Liquor Store' is an explosion of colour, a truly larger-than-life release that actually taps into an extremely personal topic. Dealing with sobriety, 'Liquor Store' is about "shedding a skin", as she puts it. Remi explains: "It's about my journey with sobriety, which has been a major life shift for me over the last year. At the end of 2020, after six months away from the studio, I had a crazy explosive week where all these feelings came pouring out of me — 'Liquor Store' captures a lot of them. It’s my first baby of the bunch and I hope you love it." The video is truly exceptional, a furry world of day-glo tones that has a cartoonish feel. [via Clash]

Cape Town’s HONEYMOAN have just shared the second single from their upcoming Palace EP. ‘False Idols’ combines the best elements from their multi-genre influences and comes with an equally fun music video. Palace arrives August 18. ‘False Idols’ is another infectious offering from HONEYMOAN, beginning with vocals and drums taking centre stage for maximum impact. Later, the song bursts into full colour with electronic pop elements and triumphant guitars. The music video has an 80s sitcom vibe that matches the energy of ‘False Idols’ perfectly. Vocalist Alison spoke about the new single: "'False Idols' is a triumphant story of success, a message to anyone to ever said you couldn’t do it, you were too young, too old, too scared, too whatever but you did it anyway and look at you now" [via Gigwise]

Alt-pop duo Marian Hill is gearing up for something exciting with the release of their newest single 'omg.' 'omg' arrives after June’s 'oOo that’s my type,' their cool girl anthem in collaboration with Yung Baby Tate. The new single is a throwback to the duo’s jazz-injected sound featuring bubbly saxophones with their own trap flair. The chorus bursts into whistles and hi-hats as Gongol sings “Sashay, I’m wearing nothing but my lingerie / It’s all I’ve got til I do laundry,” as a tongue-in-cheek reflection of their raunchy hits. The song arrives alongside a visual which features Gongol writhing around in bed with lingerie on and exploring her home before settling in with an extensive cardboard cutout collection of famous pop stars, including one of Lloyd himself. The video hints at a forthcoming album, although details have not been released yet. ”’omg’ is the first song we’ve ever written that makes us laugh,” share the duo in a statement. “We discovered such a fun zany stir-crazy energy with it, and had so much fun taking the usual sexy Marian Hill vibe to its comedic extreme. As soon as we wrote the song we saw the whole video – the lyrics are basically a script for it.” [via Paste Magazine]

Alessia Cara acts out a silly noir melodrama in the new music video for her recent single, 'Shapeshifter.' The video was directed by Tusk, and in it, Cara plays all the main roles: The jilted wife with the bottomless martini glass, the cheating husband, the clumsy private eye, the gardener and the maid. The clip mainly follows the private eye as he tries to figure out who the husband’s secret lover is, and the mystery ends with a very unexpected and surreal twist, when the investigator catches the husband smooching a figure with a sheep’s head. After stumbling into the pool, however, the PI appears to wake up, as if from a dream, in an ocean far away. [via Rolling Stone]

Anne-Marie thinks Little Mix made 'Kiss My (Uh-Oh)' sound "10 times better" than it did as a solo track. The 30-year-old star has teamed up with the 'Shout Out To My Ex' hitmakers on her latest song, and she was delighted to finally get round to collaborating. She told the Daily Star newspaper's Wired column: "I feel like so many people have been wanting that collaboration. We have actually been talking about it for so long, we sent each other a few songs every now and again, but they never felt quite right. Then I was doing the tracklisting for my album, 'Kiss My (Uh-Oh)' was originally a solo song but I thought they would sound so good on this so I sent it to Leigh-Anne and she said, 'We love it, we are going to vocal it', and made it sounds 10 times better. So now it's a single thanks to them." Anne-Marie also heaped praise on the trio for their work on the music video, not least because Leigh-Anne and Perrie are both pregnant. She added: "Everyone shines and their ad-libs at the end are insane, they kill it. They are very powerful people. In the video they were pregnant, it was quite inspiring to see. I would just be at home eating pizza, so good for them going through it." [via Music News]

Amsterdam-based indie-pop singer-songwriter Sophie van Hasselt has released her single 'EaT mY bRaiN'. This is the first single of her upcoming debut-EP called Eat My Brain which will be released in February next year. This EP is an introduction to different themes that are typical for a girl in her twenties. From layered vocals sounding like inner conversations to bouncing baselines, pulsating pads and quirky guitars playing in the background. Sophie is an interdisciplinary artist who not only creates music, but also works in fashion photography and videography. The combination of these three expertises make her a unique creative mind. Sophie uses her DIY ethic and the 'reality shifting' aspect to remind us that life is as how you imagine it. Her music sounds like the 'Swinging Sixties' and a combination of artists such as Brigitte Bardot, Lily Allen and Beach Boy's 'Smiley Smile'. In 'EaT mY bRaiN' Sophie van Hasselt, a modern flower-child, opens the doors to her highly imaginative world - filled with songs to play, where she lives in day-dreams and quite figuratively 'eats her own brain'. [via Front View]

Rify Royalty performing at Bosco's documentary premiere afterparty, June 2023

Podcast: The Evolution of Rify Royalty

Thotyssey’s Jim Silvestri and co-host Freddie Cosmo present “Thotlight,” a weekly podcast taped live at Red Eye NY discussing NYC queer nightlife news and gossip, featuring a new interview with a dynamic insider each week. STREAM ON ALL PLATFORMS HERE Jim and Freddie remind us that our “hot takes” about current events are all wrong! Jim recounts behaving foolishly at Michelle Dowdy’s special…

View On WordPress

Fresh Pressed: Stand Up NYC Drag Benefit This is Fresh Pressed, in which photographer Matt Weinberger takes us inside some of the rawest moments happening in NYC and beyond. Fresh Pressed is all about encountering the juicy ideas, aesthetics and people shaping culture through the lens of the city's many creative scenes.Stand Up NYC Drag Benefit @ 3 Dollar Bill (3/21)Aiding the fight against the anti-trans bills that have just been passed in Tennessee, NYC drag performer Julie J sold out the Brooklyn venue 3 Dollar Bill (in one day) for a night of community and drag. The cast included RuPaul's Drag Race current contestants and alums Marcia Marcia Marcia, Olivia Lux, Luxx Noir London and Jax as well as NYC staples Marti Gould Cummings, Rify Royalty, Janelle NO.5 and so many more fabulous talents. Elaborate costumes, riveting performances, mesmerizing hair and makeup and heart-pounding dance moves filled the night as the crowd came out to support Julie J and the wonderful cast of performers that came out to "drag out the vote." A key element of the event was to encourage everyone to register to vote so that they could have their voice heard via casting a ballot. The event felt like both a protest against anti-trans, anti-queer and homophobic legislation and a celebration of democracy. Political and community organizer Samy Nemir Olivares took the stage in between drag performances to give a speech explaining the importance of the event and why the community needs to get together and fight against harmful legislation. Proceeds from the event benefitted the ACLU of Tennessee, The Trans Formations Project and Black Trans LiberationBlack Trans Liberation. Baby's Presents SXSW NYC Beat (3/18)The NYC (and LA) music scene took over this little corner of Austin at the SXSW NYC Beat concert — presented by Baby's All Right — at popular downtown venue "The Cave and The Creek." The showcase featured two stages, both sporting incredible lineups of musicians. The indoor stage was curated by Sunflower Bean and featured sets by The Life, Strange Ranger, Thus Love, Malice K, Hello Mary, Model/Actriz and Sunflower Bean themselves. The energy inside was booming, with a mix of music industry professionals and seasoned concertgoers vibing out.Things got pretty wild in the later sets, and, by the end of the night, as Sunflower Bean took the stage, the crowd was stirring up into a bountiful mosh pit of bodies smashing into one another. The outdoor stage, curated by Perfectly Imperfect, featured sets by Eera, Mgna Crrrta, Club Eat, Damon Rush, Blaketheman1000, Snow Strippers, The Helpp and Isabella Lovestory. This side of the venue was more electronic-heavy and brought out a younger demographic of fans than those inside, with bubbly fans ripping cigarettes and jumping up and down as they popped to their favorite bops. Isabella Lovestory gave a particularly compelling performance to end the night, wrapping things up with a cherry bomb bang. The Helpp is no easy act to follow but Isabella managed to go beyond holding her own, delivering what felt like the perfect storybook ending to a night filled with great performers.Austin Rave by 1222 BY-PRODUCT With Snow Strippers, Club Eat, Eera (3/17)The Snow Strippers may be the next big thing. The band is a duo made up of members Tatiana Schwaninger and Graham Perez. They met in Florida back in 2018 and began making music together around the end of 2021. The duo produces an electronic, icy eargasm sound, making music that makes you want to dance. This is the kind of stuff that will make you bang your head with no shame as you ride a crowded L train to work. Graham had been producing music for a number of years, while Tati had no previous experience making music before they teamed up. Despite her lack of prior experience, she has the voice of a thousand snow angels. Their live set was a fun departure from the more refined sound you might hear when streaming their music online. In concert, Tati jumped around the stage, glitching into multiple dimensions of hype and glory, pulling the whole audience into dark recesses of happiness and fun. Alongside the Snow Strippers, Club Eat and Eera also took the stage and gave solid performances, providing the concertgoers with additional icy cold, refreshing beats to enjoy.You Missed It's Backyard Bash (3/17)The Kerwin Brothers have struck again, succeeding in throwing an absolutely epic party, co-organized with the Mauri sisters, Cristina and Andrea. With backyard tattoos, unlimited booze, oil wresting, free cigarettes, and a lineup that included High, The Dallas Cowboys, May Rio, Blaketheman1000, Nite Fire, Tagabow, Hotline TNT and The Frost Children, everything was in place for an incredible night to ensue. And ensue it did. Smashing beers and taking flash pics, the crowd of mostly local college students and NY/LA weekend visitors partied harder than a school of fish during summer vacation. In NYC, it's very rare to ever get to party in a backyard, so all of the NY locals had the time of their lives. Green grass turned to mud as the crowd jumped around to the electric sets by the many talented musical acts. The Dallas Cowboys stood out for their ability to get the crowd moving, and once the crowd was going, the energy didn’t stop for the rest of the night. They say everything is bigger in Texas and that rang true for the crowd's energy. Legendary nightlife photographer Mark Hunter, aka The Cobrasnake, claimed that it was potentially in the top 10 parties he had ever been to. Yeehaw and God bless Texas!Simone Films Oscars Watch Party @ Nine Orchard (3/12)Simone Films, founded by filmmakers Rebekah Sherman-Myntti and KJ Rothweiler, is a New York-based independent entertainment company doing things unlike any other production company in NYC right now. It's known within the downtown scene as a pillar in shaping a certain subset of the creative community. The company has achieved some degree of a cult following via its exciting events and through curating other scene-centered activities such as hosting a popular actors' studio for up-and-coming talent with teachers such as Michael Imperioli, Alex Ross Perry, Dolly Wells and Peter Vack. On this particular occasion, Simone Films threw a banger of a party, with drinks flowing, an abundance of popcorn and a bumping vinyl DJ set by Billy Jones, the owner of the popular music venue Baby’s All Right. The Oscars watch party was attended by actors, directors, musicians, podcasters, art shmos, indie sleaze queens, cinephiles and a slew of other creatures of the downtown scene. Some notable attendees included Bart Cortright, Makunda Angulo, Eugene Kotlyarenko, Lotfy Nathan and Marcelo Gaia. The owner of Nine Orchard, Andy Rifkin, also pulled up to the event. One thing is clear: Simone Films knows how to bring together a large group of exciting people. It wouldn’t be a surprise if a number of the attendees are at the Oscars in a few years, rather than watching it on TV.The Twink Next Door's Party Backstage @ Dallas BBQ (3/11)Texas-sized piña coladas, glitter and faux fur were all the rage behind the scenes at The Twink Next Door’s debut NYC runway show, unveiling his new collection as a tease of what’s to come as he plans on dropping his new clothing line, TWINK, this Friday. Inspired by icons like Julia Fox, Lady Gaga and Cruella DeVille, The Twink Next Door is bringing maximalist experimental fashion to the downtown NYC scene in stride. Throwing a fun, quirky, DIY aesthetic into the Wild West that is Dallas BBQ made for an undoubtedly memorable (albeit mildly chaotic), ultimately fabulous experience. The collection ate, and so did lots of the attendees. As far as I can tell, this BBQ stood for big, bold and queenly. Those fits were royally delicious. You Missed It Party @ Baby's All Right (3/4)Back in July of 2022, brothers Jack and Joe Kerwin started the popular newsletter "You Missed It" to create a digital scrapbook of the moment, capturing the exciting things happening in the broader emerging culturing landscape. Their first event was New Year's Eve at Baby's All Right where Big Klit played a show while nine months pregnant. At the second show, Ernest Rareberrg performed with a cast of 15 people. For their third and most recent event, the Taxidermists played an unreleased album followed up by popular musical acts Hello Mary and Momma. They also got Channel Beads, Harry Teardrop and Julia Cumming to DJ. Next week, You Missed It will be hosting a concert series in Austin, Texas at SXSW with two stages, one curated by Perfectly Imperfect and the other by Sunflower Bean. Stay posted with Fresh Pressed as we follow the Kerwin bros down to SXSW to cover what they do next. https://www.papermag.com/fresh-pressed-stand-up-nyc-2659589146.html

Amber Alert is thrilled to part of Chiquitita’s ICONZ project with so many other gorgeous gorgeous Brooklyn girls!!!

Maxxx Pleasure performs My Dreams Are Televisions by Kissed Her Little Sister

          biqtch puddin & abhora for rify royalty’s #straightacting.