Sword Says

The Cock
29 2nd Avenue
New York

Wednesdays

Drag mess legend Linda Simpson hosts this weekly party with DJs Telfar and Michael Magnan and a revolving cast of downtown’s most fashionable fags and their friends. Wake up on Thursday with fresh regrets! $5 at the door.

Mad
Lausanne, Switzerland

December 31

It’s a big gay New Year’s Eve party in the heart of Europe, and this year’s theme is “Hollywood,” which probably means skinny blondes, cocaine and missing panties. 35 euros before midnight makes for a perfect apres ski event, even with a falling dollar.  More info here.

Lord & Taylor
424 5th Avenue
New York

December 6, 5 to 8 PM

If you’ve ever wanted a day to roam a New York department store at Christmas time and simultaneously cruise guys with abandon (wait, isn’t that called “Saturday”?), check out Lord & Taylor’s man-themed shopping event hosted by Details, 1050ESPN NY, Buffalo Jeans, Hawke & Company Outfitters and 7 Diamonds.  Your retail therapy this evening will be accompanied by DJ Marc, and comes with a 20% discount and a gift bag.  Don’t forget to wear the accessory of the season: a teacup Maltese under your arm!  Call 212-391-3604 for reservations.

Tokyo

December 8-9, 2007

Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, aka Daft Punk are human after all, but their relentless touring and torrential blowing of minds certainly doesn’t show it. Donning motorcycle helmets and leather biker gear specially designed by Hedi Slimane for the French house masters, Daft Punk is wrapping up their mythic tour with a string of shows in Tokyo followed by a brief and conclusive outing in Australia. This will be your last chance to check out the LED-crazy visual mega-trip that elicited rapturous praise from concert-goers worldwide and elicted apologies from music critics that had misjudged them in the past. ALIVE 2007 is THE concert of the year. Don’t be tragic, touch the magic. http://www.daftpunk.com

Discovery Nightclub, 89 Mitchell Street
Darwin, Australia

December 2

C-lister Tara Reid (billed on the flyer as “Hollywood A-lister”… umm, no), tired of taking shit on the Sunset Strip for her botched boob job and blackout drunkenness, now apparently makes appearances at random-ass international fêtes in order to pay the bills.  So, if you happen to be Darwin, Australia the first weekend in December, and you happen to be dressed like a hooker, it’s a mere $25 at the door ($35 if you’re not dressed “in theme”). Doors at 8PM. myspace/discovery_nightclub

São Paulo

November 13 – December 23, 2007

A celebration of sexual diversity in Latin America? That sounds good to us! The event begins in São Paulo, then goes on a tour of Brazil to spread sex and empowerment to the masses. An estimated 25,000 viewers watch over 200 films, shorts, and videos on offer from 19 different countries, and enjoy the accompanying cultural events like performances, parties, and art shows. The festival is divided into adult entertainment, a video competition, and analyses of popular television. Take sex out of the subtext and get down to MiX! http://www.mixbrasil.com.br

Copenhagen

December 1, 2007

World AIDS Day is December 1st every year, and no one shows their solidarity and fight for the cause like the great Danes. Peaceful demonstrations, free condoms, marches, benefit parties, and memorial ceremonies decorate the town as the city commemorates the international day of action against HIV and AIDS. http://www.aidsfondet.dk/

Rome

December 7-14, 2007

For five years and counting, the Leather Club Roma hosts the hottest leather-fetish event in Italy, grimly titled Catacombs. What happens when you take Folsom Street Fair and relocate it to one of Europe’s most beautiful cities (filled with some of the world’s most beautiful men)? Apparently you get seven days of bull whips, ball gags, and nonstop sex. “Perhaps the crown jewel of the theme parties, spread throughout the long weekend, is the Black Leather Uniform Fans party. Strict dress codes apply: black leather only.” Wearing a uniform never felt so freeing. http://www.lcroma.com/catacombs.htm

Rome

December 7-14, 2007

For five years and counting, the Leather Club Roma hosts the hottest leather-fetish event in Italy, grimly titled Catacombs. What happens when you take Folsom Street Fair and relocate it to one of Europe’s most beautiful cities (filled with some of the world’s most beautiful men)? Apparently you get seven days of bull whips, ball gags, and nonstop sex. “Perhaps the crown jewel of the theme parties, spread throughout the long weekend, is the Black Leather Uniform Fans party. Strict dress codes apply: black leather only.” Wearing a uniform never felt so freeing. http://www.lcroma.com/catacombs.htm

Rome

December 7-14, 2007

For five years and counting, the Leather Club Roma hosts the hottest leather-fetish event in Italy, grimly titled Catacombs. What happens when you take Folsom Street Fair and relocate it to one of Europe’s most beautiful cities (filled with some of the world’s most beautiful men)? Apparently you get seven days of bull whips, ball gags, and nonstop sex. “Perhaps the crown jewel of the theme parties, spread throughout the long weekend, is the Black Leather Uniform Fans party. Strict dress codes apply: black leather only.” Wearing a uniform never felt so freeing. http://www.lcroma.com/catacombs.htm

Berlin

December 7-9, 2007

Show off your ink with the world’s most well-drawn at this three-day world-renowned convention. The marathon of sensory-overload includes contests, tattoo showings, inking and piercing sessions, and a stage program with entertainment, magic, acrobats, and even snake charmers. Evidently, the freaks come out in December. When in Berlin, do as the Berliners do and you might just walk away branded. http://www.tattoo-convention.de

London

December 16, 2007

London’s most out-of-control tea dance party celebrates the birth of Christ through raunchy disco, classics and punk funk, all in the name of a horse’s erection. Every Sunday South London goes berserk at Horse Meat Disco. Ditch your office party for this sausage-fest and find something sizable to stuff in a stocking! With drink giveaways and free swag, trade in your usual horse for a reindeer, throw some bells on and jingle all the way to a stranger’s bed. http://www.horsemeatdisco.co.uk

Letterman Digital Arts Center Premiere Theater
San Francisco

December 8, 7PM

After closing out his “death trilogy” with Last Days, the critically polarizing Van Sant heads in a new direction with Paranoid Park. A dreamlike portrait of teen alienation and presented as a Super-8 diary by the central adolescent character, the film won the 60th Anniversary Award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. This is your chance to see it before its U.S. release, and the director himself is expected to appear at the screening.  $15.  Tickets available here.

The Stud
9th & Harrison
San Francisco

Saturdays 10PM – 4AM

The sloppiest kids in town are colonizing the Stud for this new Saturday party, featuring drink specials for exhibitionists, live whipped-cream wrestling and Frat House DJ Kidd Sysko.

Star Lounge

Chelsea Hotel Basement

222 W 23rd Street
New York

Fridays 10PM – 4AM

It’s a fun scene and it won an HX Award for Best Small Club Night. So come back to Chelsea for some red velvet-and- chandelier-style glamour, brought to you by Josh Wood (Garden of ONO), Matt Tratner and Nick Van Bremen, with DJ Lina.

440 Castro

San Francisco

Wednesdays 

Come get it on at the Bar Formerly Known as Daddy’s with a truckload of straight-acting twinks and the gayer gays who love them. 

Cologne (Koln)
Germany

November 20-25

In the States the bears have pride fests all over: in Provincetown, in Chicago, in San Francisco with the Hairrison Street Fair and they’ll always have Guerneville…

9th Avenue Bistro
693 9th Ave/48th
New York

Wednesdays 9PM – 11PM

NYC porn stars and others who happen to be passing through town between penetrations…

HK Lounge
523 9th Ave @ 39th
New York

Thursdays

HK Lounge is still coming into its own, but Hell’s Kitchen is where it’s at…

Aunt Charlie’s Lounge
133 Turk Street

Thursdays, 10PM – 2AM

Aunt Charlie’s is one of our favorite bars of all time.  The carpet probably hasn’t been replaced since the mid-70s…

The Bar on Castro
456 Castro Street
San Francisco

Every Wednesday, 9PM – 2AM

At a time when gay nightlife in SF has reached a particularly low ebb-tide, Juanita MORE! and the MOREboys can always be counted on to bring out the cuties and cool kids at this mid-week dance party.

Oscars, Rio Cuale
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

November 21-26

In case you’re closer to Puerto Vallarta than you are to Miami, and if you like your men with a little more Latin in their blood  then you may want to opt for this other White Party over the Thanksgiving weekend.  Gays don’t have families, right?  Who gives a fuck about Thanksgiving?  Tis the season for getting freaky with your bois and jumping up and down to some house music, dude.  DJs Cary Stringfellow (LA), Oscar Velazquez, and Ramses will be joined by drag diva Lady Bunny and international club diva Sofonda Fox. http://www.willgorges.com/

Bangkok, Thailand

November 3-11

Unlike the decadent and enormous fag fests we’re used to in our more cosmopolitan Blue States, places like Bangkok are still ringing in Pride for political reasons.  If you’re in the neighborhood, check out how proud the tranny hookers and dykes and ladyboys of Bangkok can be, complete with elaborate gold crowns and reluctant police protection.  http://www.pridefestival.org/

New Delhi, India
TBA

Tom Ford gets around, and so does the label that made him famous.  Gucci recently opened their first India boutique in Mumbai, and is slated to open their second in New Delhi by year’s end.  Expect the recently wealthy technocrats of New Delhi to embrace the expensive fashions, but we’re not sure how well the leather goods will go over with the Hindus.