"Razor wire and cinder blocks -- it was a look, and it is perhaps irreplaceable."
They're razing the remaining DC nightclubs on Half Street, and the story of how the "jocks finally won" surprised me at how touching it was. That strip of clubs were the first places I ever went out to go dance. A drag queen taught me how to put on eyeliner in the bathroom of Tracks, I walked into Wet to see Soul Slinger and walked out with a whole new understanding of the male persona, and the DJ booth at Capitol Ballroom was propped up on cinder blocks, but still banged out the best music I had ever heard.
To add insult to injury, 5 more NYC clubs, 3 of which were gay clubs, have been closed by the cops in where else but Chelsea, including Avalon (which once upon a time was the Limelight) and The View Bar.
Lady Bunny quips "the real shocker is that there was ever anyone actually present in The View."
SF has been loft-ifying SoMA for 10 years now.
To summarize completely mangle Andrew Sullivan's post on the topic - the excess and ridiclousness of the club scene are only part of what makes up gay culture and a slice of American culture. And yet, it'simportant, it was a pioneering way to declare that You Are Just Who You Are. I learned that sassy self-confidence from the dancefloor. Can't be all bad, can it?
It's kind've like how I felt when Times Square changed up. I'm not saying we need more strip clubs and crackheads. Change is welcome, necessary and good. On the other hand, do we really need to Disney-fy and sanitize everything that makes a city A CITY? Really?