There’s a full-blown queer bar renaissance in San Francisco, and I, for one, am here for it. Supercute ZHUZH is bringing sparkle (and major local DJs) to the decimated Polk scene. Mother, in the Mission, brings our Sapphic watering hole total to an astounding three, along with Jolene’s and Wild Side West. Ginger’s has reopened downtown, at least Wednesday-Friday, and the Stud (the bar I co-own with 16 friends) is popping at its new SoMa location.
And now QBar in the Castro has thrown open its silver door after a devastating fire, freshly remodeled and bringing back one if its classic parties for a special pre-Thanksgiving reunion hoedown. Booty Call, Juanita More’s Wednesday night mainstay which launched in 2007 and ended in 2015, was a midweek Facebook-era riot of dancing, looks, and painful Thursday mornings. (I was infamously fired from a longtime gig after rolling in from DJing the party, for totally unrelated reasons but still annoying to have to sit through!)
Besides being hosted by one of San Francisco’s top drag hostesses and focusing on bringing high quality dance music to a pop-drenched stretch of gay meh, Booty Call’s main innovation was its backroom, which each week was tricked out in striking decor. Some of the city’s top queer photographers would snap patrons in various states of goofery among, say, giant rainbow jellyfish, or scenes from classic horror films, or living Cocteau-like statues, or camp wonderlands of vintage furniture. A tradition every year on Thanksgiving was to pose with “Granny,” aka drag legend Glamamore, at a table laden with all the trimmings—a family photo to treasure during the holidays and beyond.
The party also drew its fair share of queer family bold-faced names as well, including Horse Meat Disco, Jake Shears, Lady Miss Kier, Dita Von Tesse, Raven Symone, Jonathan Groff, Lady Bunny, Kim Ann Foxman, Honey Sound System, Kesha, House of Stank, Megan Mullally, and Russell Tovey. I mean.
Granny is back, along with photographer Shot in the City and Polyglamorous party cutie BEYA behind the decks, for a one night only Booty Call Thanksgiving installment Wed/27, 9pm-2am. I asked Juanita a few poignant questions about it all.
48 HILLS So very excited about the return of both Booty Call and QBar. Was the reopening of the bar what prompted the re-Booty Call? How is the new space? And what can we expect at the party?
JUANITA MORE I am very excited to bring back Booty Call Wednesdays. It was an extraordinary time for San Francisco’s LGBTQIA+ community. I’ve had people tell me they met the friends they still have at BCW. Some even got married after meeting their significant other on a Wednesday night.
The new space is very welcoming. The walls are adorned with new artwork representing the bar’s past, present, and future.
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One of the most treasured BCW nights was always Thanksgiving Eve, when Granny would sit for photos with the guests. So, without hesitation, we decided to do this reunion nine years later that night.
48 HILLS I went to Booty Call a zillion times (there are photos!) but don’t remember a lick of it, due to blackouts. What are three of your favorite memories of the party?
JUANITA MORE One of the memories I am most fondest of is the sense of community the party created. It gave a generation of queers and their allies a place to express and be themselves. I also loved working weekly with the artists who designed the photo backdrops. Throughout its run, over 400 were created, and each week, I worked with my couturier, Mr. David, to fabricate an outfit to match. The staff was always a joy to be around, and we all looked forward to and loved the party. We had DJs come and play from around the world and an impressive guest list of celebrities.
48 HILLS Speaking of photos, a high point indeed will be Granny in the back for a Turkey Lurkey photoshoot. What are some of the most outrageous or gorgeous photo backdrops that you recall?
JUANITA MORE The backdrops ranged from simple to extravagant—some of the most fun were interactive. The artists designed not only the backdrop but also props. The photographers created lighting that highlighted the artwork and added to the beauty of our guests. My favorites were sometimes the dumbest ones, like the night artist Matt Picon (R.I.P.) drew on 150 paper plates and sprinkled them with gold leaf.
48 HILLS Finally, does this augur a return of the party on a regular basis? I had so many wonderfully disastrous Thursday mornings after Booty Call, I need to prep.
JUANITA MORE As of this exact moment, it is going to be a one-off. But that doesn’t mean I might not get a wild hair up my ass and decide to bring it back full-time!
BOOTY CALL WEDNESDAYS THANKSGIVING REUNION Wed/27, 9pm-2am, QBar, SF. More info here.
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