Get it while the gettin's good!

Elbow Deep was fantastic this weekend!  Much love to everyone who came out for a packed night at the Elbow Room in Ypsi.  I will post a recap of the evening after I get some more work done today.

Speaking of nights out, mark your calendars, we're down to the last two weeks for Doggy Style!  Tomorrow night, March 30, will be the last new compilation.  Next week will the grand finale and the greatest hits of three years of Doggy Style!  Come join the fun down at the Park Bar these last couple nights!

Westward Ho

There is an extra fun gay event this weekend and it's not Macho City!  Macho City has been scuffling with the R&R over sound system details, so they have canceled this month's event and will be celebrating their big One Year Anniversary in April with something undoubtedly amazing. 

Your Saturday night has another great option though, the One Year Anniversary extravaganza of Elbow Deep in Ypsi, which has the Macho City endorsement as the place to be this Saturday!  Read on for details...

Every once in a while I like to get out of Detroit and head west to Washtenaw County for a break from the routine.  Having lived in Ann Arbor for so many years, it sometimes feels like being home even more than Detroit does, although with the changes downtown has seen since I left (those awful LED street lamps!) and the fact that most of my friends have moved away too, it's really more a case of going to back to visit some of my favorite haunts.

This past December I was flying solo one Saturday evening, so I zipped out to Ann Arbor for a brilliant dinner at Eve.  Eve is, hands-down, my favorite restaurant in the world (which is not to slight some of my other favorite places including Atlas in Detroit or Cafe Zola in A2), and when I am feeling like I deserve a break today, Eve is where I go.

This particular visit was notable in part because Ari, the bartender who bought the greatest thing I ever sold at a yard sale back in the day (a large crushed red velvet bordello-chic hanging light fixture), was so attentive with the wine tastings, and also because I saw another celebrity there. 

This guy was walking toward the door as I was getting situated and he was literally so good-looking I was craning my neck to get a better look at him, and Ari goes, "Stare much?"  And I was like, "Who is that guy?" And he said "Clive Owen."  And suffice to say he is even better-looking in person.  Possibly because he was smiling and laughing instead of brooding, and is pretty tall.  Holy crap.

Anyway, following that brilliant portion of the evening I headed over to Ypsilanti's Elbow Room for a special Saturday night edition of Elbow Deep! 

I am kind of obsessed with Ypsilanti, and Elbow Deep is an Ypsi queer monthly put on by my pals Dave & Kurt, or as they are professionally known Push/Pull Productions and DJ Humanfly.  Elbow Deep is usually a Tuesday night affair, and my Doggy Style obligations had prevented me from attending before this.

Elbow Deep (or in this holiday instance, Noel-bow Deep) is a super fun dance party, but it's also got fantastic visual displays created for each event and drag performances by the House of Chanel!  It makes for a full-featured gay night out on the town with the kind of eclectic crowd you'd expect:  some college kids, some Ypsters, some older guys, some straight folks, some grrrrrls, some twinks.  But you know Ypsi has its own brand of cool, so maybe a few style touchstones will help define it for you:  think sideburns and coonskin caps and leopard print and pink hair and flannel.  All on the same person.  OK not really.  But super cool, and boy I love a gay crowd switch-up!

Anyway, I had a great time AND I got turned onto a great fun song that I subsequently played at Doggy Style:

This month Elbow Deep is once again on a Saturday night, and they are getting a little Detroit Love in the form of Special Guest DJ Super G (that's me) and the comedy stylings of Robert M. Nelson!  Robert and I are taking our show on the road to Ypsi!

Robert, you may recall, had the crowd in stitches at the Astro Coffee Talent Show (another recap is up here), and I did what was hailed as a "passable" and "innocuous" DJ set at Macho City last fall!  The Elbow Room is a great bar (Concentrate media gave it some love here).  And there seems to be a growing contingent of Detroit gays set to descend on the Elbow Room (map) this Saturday for a groovy time.

Me, Robert, Mike from Macho City, Dave and Kurt all hope you can make it out for the big celebration!  That's like 90% of the people defining the alternative gay scene in SE Michigan currently save Adriel and Darren at Atlas, and they're talking about coming too, I just didn't ask if I could have an endorsement!  See you Saturday!

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Three

Three years ago pretty much today I started this blog, and a lot has changed in that time.  I started this as an attempt to find and document the gay scene downtown, so that other gay people having a hard time pinning things down here would have something show up in a google search.  And I was surprised that there was no gay voice online coming from the city and I thought I could help plug that hole.

Three years on, I sometimes feel like I don't have much gay to say anymore.  I've got my bearings, I have become part of the community - gay and straight - in the city.  I feel that gay visibility is more important than ever in Detroit, but I no longer feel the drive to build it myself.

No doubt I've had some awesome experiences because of the Supergay Detroit thing:  I've met people I'm sure I'd not have met otherwise, I've created a gay(er) night with amazing videos and a small but fun following, I've been a guest dj at Macho City, and I've been able to make a lot of jokes and hone my writing skills.

My writing on this blog has slacked off, however, as I have expanded other creative endeavors, so I think it is time to start to integrating.  Writing anonymously certainly has had its advantages, among them being able to grouse about things and not be held personally accountable, but anyone who knows the civilian me, or knows of me, probably already knows I write this blog.  My identity has been called "the worst kept secret in Detroit" and in fact, most people don't even know they are supposed to keep their yaps shut about my secret identity. So it's time to just come out.

My name is Joe Posch and I am pleased to make your acquaintance.  I run a small retail operation in downtown Detroit called Mezzanine, a relatively high-end modern design store that until last fall operated in the Harmonie Park area.  With the local economy in the shitter I moved out of my super amazing but gigantic loft showroom and took things online, and instead opened a lower-priced short-term bachelor pad "retail happening" called Hugh on Park Avenue.  Just for fun, believe it or not.  Well, and also a little bit for profit.  I also do a little freelance writing on the side and a bit of design/styling work.

Writer (remember the 'stache?).  Man about town.  Idiot.
(top & bottom photo: Marvin Shaouni for Model D)

I've been a bit of a joiner in my time in Detroit, even before I moved here from Ann Arbor in 2005.  Most significantly, I was on the board of directors for the Founders Junior Council at the DIA for about 9 years.  That's the young professionals auxiliary.  I co-chaired a couple Cirque parties and was the chair of Fash Bash back in 2006.  I got booted because I termed out and was too old to re-join the board, but I met some of my best friends in the area through that group and it really forced me to acknowledge that not everyone who lives in the suburbs is hopeless.  I say that with a wink, of course (not that I'd live there).

I've lived in Boston, Washington DC and Ann Arbor, but Detroit is my fave and that's no lie.  Without being blind to the shortcomings, I have been captivated by the creative energy of the people who live here.  If you want something here, you create it.  I have been able to try anything I want and am supported by a diverse, wide range of friends.  And there is never a shortage of friends doing cool things to support.

So that's the official coming out.  I'll still be writing as Supergay for the time being because that's a very specific voice that lives in my head.  And, as it turns out, it is also the voice I use on Twitter, now that I have taken to Tweeting on specific occasions (such as the Detroit Story event last week, and maybe the State of the City tonight).  Follow Supergay Detroit on Twitter or Facebook if you want.  Do not friend me personally on Facebook though, that's only for my 700 closest friends.

In the meantime, and here's where the integration starts, you can read the blogging I've done for Hugh and for Mezzanine (the Semi Modern blog).  They are both a lot more attractive than this blog.  I guess now I have to figure out where the whole Joe Posch brand will be housed eventually (three blogs is a little much).

So there we go.  Smell ya later.

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Ring Them Bells

I know you've all been on the edge of your seats, waiting to hear how the Astro Coffee talent show turned out. Since I was gabbing about it so much.

Well it turned out to be crazy fun!  Like, actual crazy.  First of all, you have to see this hall to believe it.  It was super conveniently located just off I-94 at Central and if you blink you miss it, it's that tiny and nondescript.  The inside, however, was anything but nondescript.  I don't have many photos from the night, but this shot of the stage should give you a good idea:

OK, so could it be more perfect?  No way.

Anticipation was palpable as the crowd, an eclectic and electric jumble of Detroiters-about-town, got their beer buzz on and watched the karaoke warm-up.  Sometimes I am not sure if naming names veers into gossip blog territory, so I think it is easier to describe the crowd in general terms.  Folks from many factions showed up to give support, but if you have to break it down it pretty much was hipsters and gays.

As you might expect, there were karaoke highlights even before the talent show began. Event masterplanner and Remains of the D blogger Ryan Schirmang hit a high note while hitting the high notes in the Rolling Stones' "Miss You."  ACLU Power Puff Roland Leggett and man-about-town Stephan performed a dazzling "Proud Mary" to a rapt audience.  Also the guy who runs the karaoke sang a bunch of long songs (Don't you always laugh when they do that?  "OK we have time for two more songs, so I'll be doing Rapper's Delight."  God bless 'em.)

But the main event was of course the Talent Show.  And what an impressive display of talent!  Phil Cooley and Jeff Anderson (in ninja garb) kicked it off with a spooky rendition of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" accompanied on the Casio keyboard.  Dave Mancini's talent was supposed to be drinking a pitcher of beer in ten seconds, but it turned out to be the boot-and-rally.  Good job Dave!!

There was more playing and singing (who did that cool rendition of "Bang Bang"?), and I can't really remember too many other acts before it was my turn on account of the nerves.  Then I got to perform my little song and dance, just me and my tambourine and this Liza showstopper. 

In a gay one-two punch, I was followed by the comedy stylings of Robert M. Nelson, who had the crowd roaring (the gays had tears of laughter running down their faces by the end, although one straight fella told me it was the filthiest act he's ever heard.)  Good job Robert!!

I was super happy that blog reader Miss Cindy Elmwood decided to come to the event and perform too!  She straddled the queer/hipster divide by performing NOT ONLY a song by the Magnetic Fields but also Lady Gaga on the Casio!  Music really does make the people come together!  And all with that fabulous wig - good job Cindy!!

After the show a bunch of the guys who work at Supino's set up their instruments and their band was awesome, everyone was dancing!  Good job Pizzateers!!

When the winners were announced it should come as no surprise that the gays swept the awards.  Hipster irony may be entertaining at the bar, but the gays really know how to razzle-dazzle!  And we take our performing seriously.

Third place went to Robert M. Nelson for his comedy (I told him he didn't have enough jokes to ironically not laugh at).  Second place went to Roland for his karaoke Proud Mary (he didn't even officially enter the talent show and he still beat Robert, it was that great!).  And first place went to me, naturally, for my amazing talent of a complete lack of shame!  Good job Supergay!!

Realistically, I think my win was a thanks for the great job I did of reeling in the queers. So I really want to take a second to thank all the gays for turning out in such large numbers, and giving the event an unexpected element that really helped make the evening a gigantic and entertaining success!

And congrats to the whole event committee for creating the most fantastic benefit I've been to in forever.  I hope thousands of dollars were raised and Astro Coffee will be caffeinating even sooner because of it.  And to the tremendous crowd who paid good money to watch an admittedly crazy show.  And to all the people who pull together to make the city a better place.

Good job Detroit!!

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A Date with Hugh

I've given notice about benefits for the Ruth Ellis Center here in the past, specifically the very fun Detroit Massacre Halloween parties that have been held the past two years, and I'm about to do it again!

The Ruth Ellis Center, located in Highland Park, provides short- and long-term residential and support services for at-risk GLBT youth in the Detroit area.  This means all those kids who get kicked out of their homophobic homes have a place they can go and don't have to take to the streets.  The story of Ruth Ellis is inspirational for anyone interested in the history of the gay and lesbian community in Detroit, and the Ruth Ellis Center does an amazing job of carrying on the spirit of her work.

This Thursday there will be a super fun shopping event called "A Date with Hugh" that will benefit the center.  10% of all sales that night will be donated to the center, and as an added bonus champagne will be served and I am happy to report that Ruth Ellis Center supporters tend to be more attractive and interesting than your average gay bar riff-raff.  Everyone is probably familiar with the whole "shop for a cause" thing, so if you haven't done it lately now's a great time!

The event is this Thursday, from 5 to 10pm at Hugh, the bachelor pad boutique, located directly behind the Fox Theater on Park Avenue.  Read more about Hugh at www.lovehughlongtime.com!  And why not post this on your Facebook page and get your friends to come?

To get you in the mood, you may now listen to one of my favorite Pet Shop Boys songs!

The Final Countdown

Hey kids, only four more weeks to partake of the downtown excitement that is Tuesday Nights Doggy Style at the Park Bar!

Yes, you have to.

In other news, Fierce Hot Mess was a fierce hot frenzy on Friday night at Oslo!  You go girlfriend.

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