Nightlife Suffers as Gay Men Move Online

[xchrom]

http://www.villagevoice.com/2012-06-20/news/Nightlife-Suffers-as-Gay-Men-Move-Online/



A recent poster in New York's gayborhoods tells the tale: "MORE GRINDR=FEWER GAY BARS." This brief cri de coeur—spread, appropriately enough, via social media and on blogs like Joe. My. God.—cited hookup sites and rapidly proliferating mobile apps like Grindr for killing New York's gay nightlife.

It's hard to believe that a mere 10 years ago, up to 2,000 men were dancing into Sunday morning at the Roxy; in the '80s, 3,000 members were packing the Saint for 18-hour marathons. Today, the city's only dedicated gay dance club, XL, has an official capacity of 750, which along with a few smaller dancefloors in bars like the Ritz and Splash, is the only game in town. Meanwhile, Manhunt, the granddaddy of hookup sites, boasts 200,000 active users in the city. With more than 400,000 local log-ins a week, New York makes up 10 percent of Manhunt's user base.

Even John Blair, the veteran promoter behind Hell's Kitchen's XL, admits, "Even if you could build a club like the Saint, you couldn't get that many people. Back then, that's all their social life was. People don't need to go to bars to hook up."

On those rare occasions where they actually meet someone face to face, guys wait until they're home to seal the deal. "It's not part of the culture where, if you meet someone, it's even socially acceptable," notes Stephen Pevner, who, as head of the Saint At Large, produces one of the city's few remaining major big-room dance events, the annual Black Party. "They say, 'I'll see you on Manhunt.'" Hey, why go out at all when you can order in?

[William769]

1. I have noticed this too.

I thought it was because I was getting older. Maybe not.

[RandySF]

2. I think it's also part of getting older.

As an older straight, I can't imagine hitting the bars the way it was done when we were, well, greener. I just don't have that kind of tome and energy anymore.

[GodlessBiker]

3. I think it's also about young guys feeling quite comfortable in "straight bars" and the ...

younger clientele of those bars feeling comfortable with them. I have no problem with this assimilation.

The bad news with the slow death of strictly gay bars is the problem of where gaggles of young women will go for their bachelorette parties.

[beyurslf]

5. I agree this is more of the reason.

My son is gay and almost never goes to the gay bar. he goes out to straight clubs though. When he does go to the gay bar, he brings a bunch of straight friends--and not just girls.

[Fearless]

6. Agreed...

I don't think that gay bars will ever die exactly. But I do see that as a result of the greater inclusion of LGBT people in mainstream society, that a lesser portion of the LGBT population will, as frequently, find it necessary to go specifically to gay bars.

I personally am in Western Massachusetts, in Amherst, a heavy college town and heavily LGBT friendly area. There are gay clubs here too. But I really couldn't care less. I mean, patrons tend to be a lot more... how should I put this... physical... than other bars. I'm spoken for and happy. If my boyfriend and I were to go clubbing, I'd much rather a club where I'm less likely to be hit on six times an hour. Gay clubs do tend to have an older clientele as well in my experience. 35+ or so in all but the most urban areas.

[closeupready]

4. Has been going on for a while.

not really Grindr's fault or the internet.