“If You Don’t See Yourself Represented, Go Out and Represent Yourself”- 3rd Annual Brooklyn Nightlife Awards

Brooklyn’s eclectic nightlife community came together at

Lot 45

this past weekend in celebration of last year’s successes at the third annual

Brooklyn Nightlife Awards

, hosted by drag icon

Merrie Cherry

. The event aims to be representative of the entire queer nightlife community, from drag kings and queens and burlesque, to those individuals and groups behind the scenes, like photographers, fashion designers, and bartenders.

While the evening got off to a somewhat slow start, with many early winners not in attendance, it soon picked up thanks to the delicious banter between additional hosts Misty Meaner aka Ryan Stilton and Rify Royalty, and the myriad of performers and presenters.

Winners received bricks representing strength, creative energy, and perpetual growth, present especially in North Brooklyn where the nightlife scene has exploded over the last few decades. Cherry was quick to point out, however, that it’s less about Bushwick and Williamsburg, and more about making the entirety of Brooklyn one’s own. Murray Hill, whose 20-something year influence earned him one of the two Hall of Fame awards, furthered that sentiment in his acceptance speech:

“I had one thing in mind when I started this [20 years ago], when you were all at home, living off your parents: If you don’t see yourself represented, go out and represent yourself.”

Highlights of the evening included Will Sheridan requesting audience participation in singing his song, “Boy (Swallowin’),” a haunting, single-bulb-lit performance by Chris of Hur, and an upbeat, dancey rendition of Miley Cyrus’ “We Can’t Stop” by Horrorchata and company.

Big time winner was Metropolitan Bar, on its own for Best Brooklyn Bar, and by association for Best Bartender, Best Performance Show, and one of two Hall of Fame winners. The Culture Whore also came out on top with two awards, for Best Event Producer and Best Event Publisher. This year’s prestigious title of Drag Queen of the Year was awarded to Untitled Queen, whose focus is on that ever-inspiring Brooklyn persistence: “We all want to work for bigger venues and bigger paychecks, which we all deserve- but I’ve seen queens performing in a back room, for 15 people, under a clamp light…and that’s real magic to believe in.”

That spirit was evident from the stage to the street out front, every party’s real runway. Heavily noted was the stark difference between the DIY, “art-above-all” attitude of our borough’s community, a far cry from the glam, expensive, almost pageant-oriented Manhattan feel.

While there are concerns of Brooklyn’s nightlife scene deteriorating, it only serves to make this event more necessary as commemoration of what we have now. Said Mary Jo Cameltoe of Mary Jo’s Camelshow, “Brooklyn got more basic.” Amid lighthearted boos from the crowd, she clarified:

“But [it] will always be a place for a pansexual to call home. We just have to be who we are, and no one can take that away from us. The only thing that has changed is the audience that we get to be ourselves in front of”.

Winners:

Best Scene Kid

Biblegirl 666

@biblegirl666

Best DJ

Juliana Huxtable

Her photographic series, Universal Crop Tops for All the Self Canonized Saints of Becoming, as well as Frank Benson’s piece entitled Juliana, can be found through May 24, 2015 at the New Museum’s 2015 Triennial exhibit. 235 Bowery, New York, New York 10002

Best Circus Performer

Madame Vivien V

Best Reason to Leave Brooklyn

Hot Rabbit

Friday night LGBTQ Dance Party at Manhattan’s Monster Bar (80 Grove Street, NY) 10pm-4am.

Best Vocal Artist/Group

Will Sheridan

Support his second album GIANT II: Journey via Kickstarter through May 8th.

Best Late Night Food Spot

Bagelsmith

Best Performance Show

Hot Fruit

Monday nights at Metropolitan Bar (559 Lorimer Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211) 10pm-4am

Best Social Media Presence

Hamm Samwich

@hamm_samwich

Best Burlesque/Boylesque Performer

Rify Royalty

@rifyroyalty

Best Event Photographer

Santiago Felipe

@santiagraphy

Best Mixed Party

MixFest

Call for submissions for Mixfest’s 28th New York Queer Experimental Film Festival in November 2015 has begun!

Best Fashionz

Cameron Cooper

Best Bar/Club in Brooklyn

Metropolitan Bar

559 Lorimer Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Best Event Publisher

The Culture Whore

Best Writer/Blogger

JamesMichael Nichols

Best Fashion Designer

Bcalla

Drag King/Queen of the Year

Untitled Queen

Best Visual Artist

Ethan Weinstock

Best Bartender

Pietro Scorsone, from Metropolitan Bar

Event Producer of the Year

The Culture Whore

Hall of Fame

GAG

“The longest running gay party in Brooklyn,” every other Saturday at Metropolitan Bar.

Hall of Fame

Murray Hill