Dougie Meyer says — and it would be hard to argue with him — that D.C. gays have lost too many gathering places. That’s why he started Avalon Saturdays, a weekly dance party that won a Washington Blade Best of Gay D.C. readers’ poll award last year.
Held at Soundcheck (1420 K St., N.W.), this week’s event on Saturday, March 7 features a reunion of Town Danceboutique DJs Ed Bailey vs. WESS. Brooklyn Heights will also be on hand for a birthday blowout. For one night only, it’s 18-and-up.
Avalon returns Saturday, March 28 with Ultrapup opening for legendary DJ Hector Fonseca. Avalon, which turned one last October, has attracted top DJs such as Joe Gauthreaux, Tracy Young and more. Tickets are $15-25 via eventbrite.com. Find out more at dougiemeyerpresents.com.
Meyer went to college to become a history teacher and taught briefly before John Blair gave him an “in” to the LGBTQ party world in New York in 2002.
Meyer came to Washington five-and-a-half years ago to become the general manager at Town. His events are “overwhelmingly” LGBTQ but straight allies are always welcome.
He says D.C. gay nightlife is “always evolving.”
“I think we have a responsibility to have a nightlife that welcomes and includes all parts of the rainbow,” the Pleasant Hill, Ohio, native says. “Unfortunately we’ve lost too many places where our community can gather together and I feel we must re-double our efforts to find those spaces, which is why I started Avalon.”
He calls Avalon a “community-wide effort to bring (people) together that doesn’t involve an app.”
Meyer lives in NOMA. He enjoys going to the movies in his free time.
How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?
I came out halfway through college. I remember being terrified, mainly to tell my dad. He ended up being one of the easiest to tell and was 100 percent supportive. In fact, he has even attended many of my events over the years.
Who’s your LGBTQ hero?
I have two. Ed Bailey, who is my mentor and cares about the entire LGBTQ community, but also, Ruth Bader Ginsberg. And while she is not gay herself, she has fought for women’s rights, gay rights and trans rights even when it wasn’t popular.
What LGBTQ stereotype most annoys you?
That gay guys by default don’t enjoy playing or watching sports. So annoying and not true!
What’s your proudest professional achievement?
Successfully producing seven events on seven yachts in just three days for Sea Tea: New York City’s Gay Party Cruise during World Pride last summer.
What terrifies you?
I’ve often had a nightmare where I opened up the doors to a new party and nobody showed up. Not one person. That would be terrifying.
What’s something trashy or vapid you love?
Binge watching trash TV.
What’s your greatest domestic skill?
I am an absolute clean freak in my home. Everything must be in perfect order and spotless at all times.
What’s your favorite LGBTQ movie or show?
“The Birdcage”
What’s your social media pet peeve?
People who mix up “their” and “there,” “are” and “our,” “you’re” and “your” etc. My teachers back home reading this will get a kick out of this answer. (You know who you are.)
What would the end of the LGBTQ movement look like to you?
There should never be an end to the LGBTQ movement because there will always be people on the margins that our community should care for.
What’s the most overrated social custom?
When people are seen alone, they are thought to be single or lonely. I love my alone time. I go to the movies weekly by myself. I go to dinner by myself. I go to museums by myself. I am far from lonely. I am around people constantly. When I can get alone time, it makes me happy.
What was your religion, if any, as a child and what is it today?
As a child it was Madonna but as I grew older it shifted to Lady Gaga.
What’s D.C.’s best hidden gem?
Dito’s Bar at Floriana, duh.
What’s been the most memorable pop culture moment of your lifetime?
Not sure that it is the most memorable of my “lifetime,” but a moment I remember saying out loud “holy f*&king sh!t!,” was when Ellen broke the internet with her Oscars selfie that included Brad Pitt, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Angelina Jolie and the list goes on.
What celebrity death hit you hardest?
Princess Diana. I remember coming home from a night out, turning on the TV and seeing the breaking news, thinking that I was watching SNL. I thought to myself, “this is cruel. How could they make a sketch like this?” I must’ve watched an entire 30 seconds in disbelief before realizing it was real life.
If you could redo one moment from your past, what would it be?
I moved to D.C. way too late! I love this community.
What are your obsessions?
Watching movies.
Finish this sentence — It’s about damn time:
… a foreign film won best picture at the Oscars!
What do you wish you’d known at 18?
That it really would get better.
Why Washington?
It’s like a mini-NYC. I feel right at home here.
Published at Thu, 05 Mar 2020 05:43:45 +0000