BY TOMMY ZANE GAYDAR EDITOR Brit superstar soul singer Amy Winehouse tops my BEST OF with her prophetic, “Rehab.” Miss Winehouse also brought the noise in 2007 with other hot tracks including album title cut, “Back To Black,”“Tears Dry On Their Own,” and “You Know I’m No Good.” Topped off with a slew of Grammy Award nominations, it was truly an outstanding year for Miss Winehouse. Let’s hope Miss Beehive 1965 gets her health issues together for an even better 2008.   #1-Amy Winehouse, “Rehab” #2-Mason/Princess Superstar, “Perfect (Exceeder)” #3-Verka Serduchka, “Dancing Lasha Tumbai” #4-Plain White T’s, “Hey There Delilah” […]

BY TOMMY ZANE GAYDAR EDITOR Platinum blonde was the color of the weekend, as Ramon and I attended concerts by two of rock’s living legends. On Saturday night, Annie Lennox, formerly one half of 80’s new wave band Eurythmics, gave an arousing, vibrant performance to a sold-out house at The Merriam Theatre, often bringing the audience to their feet. Presenting a career-spanning set ranging from “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” to the sobering, somber “Dark Road”, off her latest release, Songs of Mass Destruction. A frequently detached live performer, Lennox was playful and endearing, often joking with the packed […]

By the Rumble Strips, who play the Fillmore November 29th. [Hat tip to TOMMY ZANE]

BY TOMMY ZANE GAYDAR EDITOR OK, I’m not sure if my Ramon rollercoaster has finally reached its zenith, or if turning 39 last week triggered some sort of desperate mid-life crisis, but I totally earned my Oscar nomination this week, complete with hyperventilating, a crying jag, and other assorted acts of anxiety. It all started at my family’s birthday party, replete with yelling and arguing between my sister and her husband. My niece dropped her cell phone in a booth at an Appleby’s and World War III erupted. Of course, the LAST place I want to eat on my birthday […]

BY TOMMY ZANE GAYDAR EDITOR Fall is always my favorite time of year. There’s a huge influx of students moving into the city and summer gasps its last breaths, as we have seen these last few days. This year, The Gayborhood has some new spots on the menu to offer. Bill Wood, former owner of the ubiquitous Woody’s, has opened his lavish and upwardly mobile Knock. Entrees include pan-seared scallops, fire-roasted game hen and a grilled pork chop with chocolate sauce. Located at 225 South 12th St. (corner of Locust), Knock caters to a sophisticated crowd, so don’t be a […]

TOMMY ZANE GAYDAR EDITOR I just don’t know how they do it — 70 Fringe and Live Arts Festival performances packed into three weekends. This year was a better year at Fringe all around, with better organization and quality shows. I love theatre as much as anyone, but September is typically outside activity time, and tramp-it-up at the bars time, too. Still, I managed to see some performances. * “Java Drama,” three world premiere plays presented by Dragon Stage and Screen at site-specific performance space Doubleshots Espresso, led the pack of comedies. My fave of the three was “Next Year […]

BY TOMMY ZANE GAYDAR EDITOR OK, I admit it. I’m a bit of a Sci-Fi geek. I’m not sure whether it was news of Johnny Depp’s rumored involvement in a Tim Burton full-length feature film or what, but I decided to descend upon the 40th anniversary convention of ’60s cult classic gothic TV soap opera “Dark Shadows.” Jonathan Frid, who played campy sympathetic vampire Barnabas Collins, scared a generation of pre-teens and housewives out of their wits every afternoon at 3:30 on ABC for 5 years over the course of 1225 episodes. And alas what was once groundbreaking daytime television […]

BY TOMMY ZANE GAYDAR EDITOR Nothing screams hetero entitlement and excess like a walk on the Boardwalk in “America’s Favorite Family Resort,” Ocean City, NJ. Never one to deny myself some good laughs at the expense of others, off I ran to the Shore with my Girlfriend, Raven. As we meandered past the miasma of over-priced Curly Fries Stands and petrified pizza outlets, I noticed a sign proclaiming “the crust is full of MEAT!” “And the meat is full of maggots,” I snarkily replied in my own mind. Suddenly, my attention was sideswiped by the shrill shrieks of a young […]

BY TOMMY ZANE GAYDAR EDITOR Okay, fine, I admit it — I haven’t mentioned my former partner and lover Ramon much this summer, and there’s a good reason why. Ever since he cheated on me in a drunken stupor last April, I haven’t forgiven him. My running off to Helsinki in May to cover the Eurovision Song Contest did complicate reconciliation, although it was certainly a great thrill and release to make that trip (especially the local distractions!!). Ramon and I hooked up after gay pride in June and agreed we could be friends with benefits. Shortly thereafter, he stopped […]

BY TOMMY ZANE GAYDAR EDITOR The Broadway musical Hairspray slammed theatres last weekend with an all-star cast including Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Queen Latifah and a fat-suited, dragged-up John Travolta in the Divine role of Edna Turnblad. I managed to catch the film with two girlfriends — both born and raised in Baltimore — last Tuesday night. Now, these babes are huge fans of the original John Waters 1988 cult fav, so I listened to their review with bated breath. I’m happy to report that we absolutely loved it! Newcomer Nikki Blonsky, as fat girl-turned-TV dance show star Tracy Turnblad, […]