"Studio 54 meets cruising." That's how Lovegun, Williamsburg's newest gay club, has been described—by one of the co-owners, no less. Aiming to be the hottest new hangout in the gayborhood, Lovegun is the latest venture from a bunch of guys who have proven their chops with various other New York City successes—in this case, Eastern Bloc, Bedlam and Atlas Social Club.
The club recently celebrated its star-studded opening with guests like Kelly Ripa and Anderson Cooper (his boyfriend Chris Canon is one of the owners). But last Friday's party was the debut of a party called "Girls," conjured up by promoter Frankie Sharp. Sharp, a 32-year-old Southern Californian, made his name saving Westway (a former strip club in Manhattan's West Village) from the hordes of finance bros swarming the doors—turning it into a shortly-lived epicenter for the city's coolest gay party, lovingly titled WestGay.
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This time around, "Girls" is headlined by DJ, artist and nightlife princess Juliana Huxtable. This girl is in demand—you can find her DJing at least a couple times a week all over Manhattan and Brooklyn. Her agility gliding between sounds and eras, from remixes of Jennifer Lopez or Marilyn Manson to Throbbing Gristle to Le1f, exemplifies a post-Internet sound that's very much of our moment. The bill also included Chapman, DJ Dese, and rising underground rapper Princess Nokia, who performed a short live set near the end of the night.
Lovegun is a big space—even for Brooklyn. The two-story club owes its high ceilings to a former life as a fish market. One large main room with a bar occupies the first floor, while a more intimate second floor mezzanine with a DJ booth, VIP area, and a second bar can be found on the second. The decor is simple and black with neon signage. "It's like a sex-filled back room turned into a nightclub," says Sharp, adding, "It's dance-y, vogue-y, cruise-y, clubby, and still has the feel of a dive bar somehow."
It's true that there's something relaxed to the atmosphere at Lovegun. I spent the night lounging upstairs on a couch near the DJ booth with my feet up on the table and my heels in the puddles of condensation dripping down from the bottle-service bottles. Whether you were leaning back and vaping or dancing on the tables, the air was filled with a messy energy characteristic of the most charmingly effervescent kinds of nights.
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Despite the a casual vibe, all the "It" girls in the building were turning looks. Domonique Echeverria was a shaman priestess in an otherworldly headdress. Sadaf was glam in a silver evening gown. Neon Christina was sporting a boxing short and vest combo while Bailey Stiles was styling a tropical print pant and pink mesh top. Sharp was rocking a studded leather jacket. Even the the party photographer had on assless demin cutoffs.
Lovegun and its weekly party "Girls" are the latest cues of the cultural shift that has turned longtime Manhattanittes—both gay and straight—into Brooklynites. The club is the first foray into the Brooklyn scene for the well-established owners, and Sharp's "WestGay" party at Westway was in Manhattan's West Village.This new club, this neighborhood, and this party are such an obvious fit that it's shocking that no one's done it before. "So many people have left Manhattan to live in Brooklyn. So many people say Lovegun is right by my house," notes Sharp. And I have to say, it sure was nice to be able to stumble home at the end of the night instead of having to cough up money for a cab.Send Whitney some cab money or just clog up her mentions on Twitter - @WhitneyMallet
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The club recently celebrated its star-studded opening with guests like Kelly Ripa and Anderson Cooper (his boyfriend Chris Canon is one of the owners). But last Friday's party was the debut of a party called "Girls," conjured up by promoter Frankie Sharp. Sharp, a 32-year-old Southern Californian, made his name saving Westway (a former strip club in Manhattan's West Village) from the hordes of finance bros swarming the doors—turning it into a shortly-lived epicenter for the city's coolest gay party, lovingly titled WestGay.
This time around, "Girls" is headlined by DJ, artist and nightlife princess Juliana Huxtable. This girl is in demand—you can find her DJing at least a couple times a week all over Manhattan and Brooklyn. Her agility gliding between sounds and eras, from remixes of Jennifer Lopez or Marilyn Manson to Throbbing Gristle to Le1f, exemplifies a post-Internet sound that's very much of our moment. The bill also included Chapman, DJ Dese, and rising underground rapper Princess Nokia, who performed a short live set near the end of the night.
Lovegun is a big space—even for Brooklyn. The two-story club owes its high ceilings to a former life as a fish market. One large main room with a bar occupies the first floor, while a more intimate second floor mezzanine with a DJ booth, VIP area, and a second bar can be found on the second. The decor is simple and black with neon signage. "It's like a sex-filled back room turned into a nightclub," says Sharp, adding, "It's dance-y, vogue-y, cruise-y, clubby, and still has the feel of a dive bar somehow."
It's true that there's something relaxed to the atmosphere at Lovegun. I spent the night lounging upstairs on a couch near the DJ booth with my feet up on the table and my heels in the puddles of condensation dripping down from the bottle-service bottles. Whether you were leaning back and vaping or dancing on the tables, the air was filled with a messy energy characteristic of the most charmingly effervescent kinds of nights.
