Photos by Erez AvissarHow do you measure the success of a rave? The winning formula is an imprecise science, although I guess anything from ticket sales to number of empty vials left on the ground could gesture towards some level of triumph. In the case of Shade—a roving New York rave helmed by nightlife czars Ladyfag and Seva Granik—success looked like a gang of leather gays sternly eating out each others asses smack in the middle of the dancefloor. Freedom tastes like a fizzing marinade of sweat, adrenaline, and bum juice at dawn.
Joggers and baby strollers were already crowding the sidewalk by the time Honey Dijon ended her thunderous techno set at 9 AM, but none of that mattered to the few dozen ravers left standing under two giant, laser-shooting penises flanking the DJ booth. (Nothing says Pride Week more than decorative laser dicks.)
As expected from Ladyfag's pansexual crowd, the looks on parade at this 90s rave-themed party were fierce enough to make Michael Alig blush. Here's a sampling of the nightwalkers at the shadiest rave in recent history:
Julia Sinelnikova and LadyfagBrian Whatever, Saba Gray, and friends
The Culture Whore (Mark Dommu and Paul Leopold, AKA Boywolf)
Clay Adakazaam and Volvox (Ariana Paoletti)@LILGOVERNMENT and @LILINTERNET
SussyLadyfag
Pushpops (AKA Elisa Garcia de la Huerta) and friend
Michelle Lhooq is the Features Editor of THUMP and is shady as hell. Follow her on Twitter.Erez Avissar is a music photographer in Brooklyn. He is also on Twitter.
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