Natty Boom Spins as Phase 1 Dupont Opens Its Doors
This Friday is the moment all queer girls and lesbians alike have been waiting for (or at least all those living within 50 miles of DC). The oldest lesbian bar in the country is throwing open the doors to their second venue: Phase 1 Dupont.
The new location is taking up residency in the former Apex building, promising to be bigger and filled with more women and more dancing than before. The opening party will feature multiple DJs including Natty Boom in the Back Room's SNATCH, in celebration of her birthday on the 13th.
Natty Boom, aka Ebony Dumas, a long-time staple of DC’s queer community was still performing with the DC Kings at Apex when they discontinued their ladies night nearly six years ago. “It happened really abruptly, so it was difficult to go back to Apex even when they asked the Kings (and ladies) to come back,” says Dumas.
Apex, which opened in 1983 as Badlands was a gay boy staple in the District until it unexpectedly closed its doors this past July, only several weeks after hosting its huge women’s Pride party. Only two months later Phase 1 owner, Allen Carroll, announced that the building would become a new offshoot of the Southeast bar.
“When I first learned that the old Apex building was becoming Phase 1 of Dupont, I was honestly a bit concerned that the original Phase was going to leave us. But there's so much excitement about the new location that I can't help but to get behind it!” says Dumas. “I'm loving that there will be a dance club catering to chicks, and I'm super excited that my buddy and original Phase manager, Angela Lombardi is involved with this club.”
In fact, it was Lombardi who asked Dumas to get involved with opening party. “She sent me a facebook chat saying that she wanted the “back room to have different music than the general Top 40s that’ll be played in the main room this weekend.” As for making it her special birthday celebration, well “I was already excited about the opening, and I was already born during that time, so it was quite the easy sell,” sums up Dumas.
The Aquarian—who’s not incredibly invested in astrology—will be shaking things up in the back room with a general mix of music from women artists, “underground bangers, and queer bands that make you dance, all spliced with International Pop artists,” promises Dumas. “I'm not an all Pop all the time kinda artist. But, I do appreciate some Pop music for breaking through borders and appealing to a wide range of people.” And you can bet on her playing a song or two by Maluca, “one of the artists I've been listening to pretty frequently these days.”
It’s official everyone—even Autostraddle—is hyped up about the Grand Opening of the iconic bar. Dumas, specifically, is excited to see “lots of people I don't usually see out. A lot of the DJ events I do are very queer inclusive, but not specifically lesbian. I'm proud of the work that I've done as a DJ, but I also love the ladies.” And she thinks you should come out even though “I'm not one to tell people what they should and should not do but... let's be real, there will almost certainly be some ridiculousness going on during the Grand Opening. Spice up your lives, ladies.”
Doors will open TOMORROW night at 9. DJ Rosie (of Lure fame) will be spinning in the front room starting at 10, and Natty Boom’s SNATCH will kickoff at 11 in the back room. $10 at the door.
Sarah is a fiction writer who moonlights as a freelance journalist. She’s been the Transgender Relationship Examiner for Examiner.com since May of 2009, and she helps keep DC classy via Meets Obsession Magazine. She can also be found at SarahMarloff.com. In the rare moments when she’s not writing she’s dancing, dying her hair, singing with her headphones on, or possibly climbing trees. She’d like to remind you all: only boring people are bored.