Living in New York at the turn of the century was definitely a turning point in my life and really set me on the journey that has brought me to where I am today. Before going to NYC, I hadn’t thrown a club or performance night or really done drag or cabaret, and NYC really showed me what was possible and inspired me to do things my way.
Here are 5 standout moments and memories which I still refer to today, more than twenty years on.
1 – My first night at The Cock on Avenue A
This was a wild night with all the elements of a night out I didn’t know I wanted or needed. I’d never experienced anything like the ‘downtown’ scene, which had its own style, music and way of doing things; I guess in a way like we have the East London scene now, which is different to Soho or South London. The Cock had hot go-go boys naked or in jock straps literally wanging their knobs in your face at the bar; amazing radical drag and performance art on this makeshift stage; rocky-techno-ish music and a backroom kind of space behind the stage and tons of hot rough and ready men. It was a dream. In a way, it’s like the blueprint for everything I do and seek out today.
2 – Last night of Jackie 60
Jackie 60 was an amazing alternative, rock and performance art night if you like, and I went once only, to the closing night party. There was a show of continuous performance throughout the whole night with an MC barking in between. Modern dance troupes, performance art, stripping, truly radical political and nonsense stuff. I saw Kiki and Herb for the first time there who are my biggest cabaret influence. Mind-blowing. This kind of chaotic fabulousness is what I’ve been trying to emulate ever since. I think we have had all the fun on the way in this big experiment.
3 – The Dazzle Dancers
This was, and I think still is, a group of hot-arty-sexy-intellectual downtown performers and general kids about town (I use the term kids loosely; I think they were all late 20s, similar to me at the time) doing crazy routines in the bars and clubs and at Pride and Wigstock. Almost like happenings; with daft choreography, totally serious in their utter stupidity. I loved them. Always getting naked. All gorgeous. I danced with them a couple of times. They danced at my 30th in a bar in the East Village. On returning to London, I started making dance troupes with my pals, which eventually morphed into the dance troupe appearing annually at The Downlow at Glastonbury. I still like getting troupes of pals together and doing routines, just for the hell of it.
4 – Amanda Lepore’s party in a shop.
Well, it was more the journey there. It was winter and snowing, so I wore a bikini, a fur hat, and gold glitter mules. I can remember thinking this is so fabulous and ridiculous. I don’t dress up and be silly like I used to just for the hell of it; I should do it more often. I think Amanda was just sitting in the shop window. We all thought it was fabulous.
5 – Kokies Bar in Brooklyn.
There was this bar in Brooklyn called Kokies (I think that was the spelling), a Latin bar. Open late; mainly locals from the Latin community, but some of us arty types went there and a few others after a late-night drink. It had live salsa music and dancing, and there was a hatch where people could buy cocaine. Then there was a curtain, and a man would let customers hide behind it and have a sniff and dance about to the music. Totally all in the open. How marvellous is that? I’m not sure we could do that at The Divine. Maybe poppers!
Jonny Woo: Suburbia runs from 14 – 25 January 2025 at Soho Theatre, 21 Dean St, London W1D 3NE, United Kingdom.
All images supplied.
